Deep Something

Welcome to Adventureland, where the worst job imaginable is about to inadvertently turn into the summer that changes everything. Adventureland, a self-professedly “funtastic” Pennsylvania amusement park, appears to be the bane of recent college graduate’s James Brennan’s existence. He previously had big plans to spend the summer on a life-altering trek through Europe that would initiate him into real adult life. But when his family suffers an economic downturn in the middle of the Reagan 80s, James’ only summer trip is straight to a minimum wage job manning a game booth so existentially bankrupt, no one is even allowed to win the giant stuffed panda. Yet, Adventureland isn’t quite what it seems on the surface. And the movie itself, while very good, is not what you expect based on the marketing.

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Let your love be stronger than your hate or anger. Learn the wisdom of compromise, for it is better to bend a little than to break. –H.G. Wells

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Let me start by extending my heartfelt sympathy to the students and staff at VA Tech, and the parents and friends of all those killed and injured in that horrible string of events. It is something that will certainly give us pause, and hopefully cause us to once again reflect on fragility of life.

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One of the traditions that has developed is attending a Christmas Eve service of Lessons and Carols, followed by Communion and a candlelight service. Both services at the church were very full, with people in the balcony during the first service. It’s a time and place to feel comfortable. While there are many people there I don’t know, there are certainly lots of people I grew up with, and even older folks that helped me grow up.

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Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. –Martin Luther King Jr.

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Love is the immortal flow of energy that nourishes, extends and preserves. Its eternal goal is life. –Smiley Blanton

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A 15 year old girl is receiving death threats for an anti-war video she made. It is available at Peace Takes Courage. I caution you in advance…the images are disturbing, but you should watch it.

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It is when we have loved greatly that our life is abundant. What does that mean. To me it implies passion. Not just passion for another person, that special someone, although that may be part of it. But it also means a great love for life and all the people that are part of our life…a passion for life if you will.

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The cure for all the ills and wrongs, the cares, the sorrows, and the crimes of humanity, all lie in the one word ‘love’. It is the divine vitality that everywhere produces and restores life. –Lydia Maria Child

It really just can’t get any more obvious than this. Ms. Child is reminding that if we approach life and the people in our world from a place of love, then all the bad things in life really would go away.

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The cure for all the ills and wrongs, the cares, the sorrows, and the crimes of humanity, all lie in the one word ‘love’. It is the divine vitality that everywhere produces and restores life. It’s hard to find anything to question to disagree on with this quote by Child. It goes back to second greatest commandment of Christianity, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” As I’ve said before, we could throw out the entire Bible, and just try to follow those to greatest commandments, and not only would we be occupied for our entire life, but the world would be a much better place for everyone.

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Choose the way of life. Choose the way of love. Choose the way of caring…Choose the way of goodness. It’s up to you. It’s your choice. –Leo Buscaglia
I was first introduced to Leo Buscaglia through his book Bus Nine to Paradise. Buscaglia died in 1998. Buscaglia had a wonderful way of calling you to just [...]

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It is Easter. Last year I wrote a reflection on Holy Week, and decided I wanted to write something this week. The thoughts for this reflection come from the topics that will be discussed today in the Sunday School class I?m leading on the Social Principles of the Methodist Church.

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I think the “thanks” part of Thanksgiving is the easy part. It’s the “giving” part that is often a little more difficult.

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