The Backwash

It is hard not to be a bit introspective at the start of a new year.  I guess that is why everyone talks about what they are doing as a resolution or a focus for the year…at least for the first two weeks of any year. 

For the last two years, I have worked on my body.  I hate to say I was a fat lard, but life is not exactly where I desire to be living it when I go to by a new pair of trousers and the sales guy asks “are you looking for a buffet pant?”  I’m sure I looked at him like a pig looking at a watch.  A buffet pant?  What the heck is that?  Well, anyone who has ever rented a tuxedo knows what this is.  ADJUSTABLE WAISTBAND.  FAT PANTS.

That was nearly two years and 40 pounds ago.  I have actually enjoyed learning to like exercise.  I feel good.  I feel healthy…and short of plastic surgery, I’m not sure what else to do. 

This year I need to put more effort into my spirit.  I have done the auto-pilot thing long enough, and I’m officially tired of giving the same answers to spiritual questions I gave even five years ago.  If I am going to be part of the body of Christ, I do not want to be body fat.

A couple of areas where I will spend time:

-Reading the Daily Bible (chronological order) - and actually doing it on a daily basis.  I have read through the bible about three times in my life (as a year-long effort).  If you do the math, it amounts to an average of three chapters per day every day of the year.  I’m probably more excited this time around because A) I’m reading it in chronological order and B) the church I attend is having every member do the same thing this year.  I am anxious to see exactly how God works through a church where every member spends time reading His word every day.

-Find more designated “meditative” time.  I have an iPod full of bible studies and sermons that don’t get listened to as much as could be.  I am designating at least one day per week where that will replace my music for the day.

-Re-learning to give:  I have heard it said that there are three types of giving:  Obligation giving, giving until it hurts, and giving until it doesn’t hurt anymore.  To this day, I am still teetering between the first two. 

I would love to learn a lesson from the most famous non-named woman ever to live.  You know who she is, but you (like me) don’t know her name.  Her story is couched in a scene where Jesus and his disciples are watching people giving to the temple treasury.  Our bibles record only a few short words and we have inserted the label of the story of “The Widow’s Two Mites.”  In reality, though, this woman shakes foundations.  She is a seismic catalyst in a scene where Jesus’ disciples thought others were creating the earthquakes.  Picture the rich, the well-to-do, the church leaders all coming in and giving lavish amounts.  I don’t question their hearts.  Most of them probably did it out of desire and not out of selfish ambition.  That is not the difference Jesus notes here, though. 

Jesus asks his disciples “did you see that?  Did you see what she just did?”  Odds are at least one of them thought Jesus might have been pointing out a thief.  No, Jesus points out that this unnamed woman who threw in “thinnies” gave more than all of those others  because she gave out of her poverty while everyone else gave out of their wealth. 

To my knowledge, Jesus never spoke directly to the woman.

For all we know, she never even knew the coversation was happening.

For all we know, she left that day not knowing that Jesus Himself not only took note of her, but would include her story in the Gospels that would touch mankind for the rest of time.

For all we know, she went hungry that night because of her gift.

THAT is the kind of giving into which I want to grow.  I hope I can meet this woman someday in eternity.  I would love to know her full story.  For now, though, I’ll be content with having her as a goal - a level of maturity I have not yet reached. 

My hope is that at the end of this year, I will know God more fully, become more familiar with His word, and be a little more amazed at how He works.  Happy 2010!

-MH

Hmmm… no post since September??

Well, let’s say it’s been a bit hectic.  Perhaps I’ll get back to my every-other-week mode in 2010.

Interestingly enough, I have been disabled on Facebook because my account was hacked and used as part of an email-for-money scam.  Let us all rise up and wish that such cyber-punks will be caught, strapped to a table, and have all body hair (yes… ALL of it) plucked follicle by follicle with tweezers.  And, may that process take about seven full days to complete.

Bitter, party of one, your table is now available!

-MH

There are always secondary effects of technological advances.  For example, the advent of SUV’s gave rise to the larger-than-18″-rim.  The innovation of the iPod led to the development of an entire line of portable media device accessories.

For phones, smart phones in particular, we get the “butt-dial.”  You may have been on the receiving “end” of one of these mishaps.  You lean a little too hard against a wall or stuff in a particularly large wallet, and viola! - you have just dialed the last number dialed on your phone - or something in your speed dial list.  Most likely, you have left a lengthy voice message of ambient conversation and sounds.

Let’s all rise up and try to minimize butt-dialing.  I’m not sure it will do much for the environment, but it will certainly help us avoid something potentially embarrassing.

-MH

Some hits, some misses, and a lot of fun. The Summer of A Hundred Movies came to a close yesterday for the Hodges family, and we hit the target. It was no small feat - watching 100 movies between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Below is the final listing. We were reminded of a lot of good movies that we had simply forgotten, and there were several times I walked out of a theater thinking “somebody actually got paid to write that screenplay…how weak.”

It was fun, though, and it gave our family a bit of a goal and some fun to work with during the summer. Farewell, SO1M. It’s been fun.

-MH

Grab your singles…we’re close to the Arkansas Lottery going live.

I have pretty defined opinions about a lottery, but I also don’t have near as hard a line as others. Here are two thoughts - one from a pure financial standpoint, one from a moral one.

Financially, I respect and agree with the position held by my professor of Advanced Corporate Finance from my MBA days. His definition of a lottery was “A self-imposed tax for stupid people.” If you think about it, it really is. A lottery is, by its very nature, an elective tax…as if we already don’t pay enough and won’t be able to work ourselves out of the hole we are free-falling into right now. The odds are very much against us.

Morally, I do not hold the view of my mother (or others for that matter) who tried to teach me that buying a lottery ticket was like buying a subway ticket to hell. Let’s face it - there is as much chance in a lottery as there is betting on certain stocks in the Dow right now. I think this is like anything else. If you want to throw a few bucks at the chance, so be it. If you start depriving yourself of food and stop paying your bills because you think this is your week to win the Powerball, you’re probably stepping into the wrong area. I am presuming that those who tried to teach me otherwise years ago would likely still accept a tithe of any winnings.

And please…don’t tell me that the proceeds of any lottery are going to make better roads or better schools. Look at Mississippi. End of argument. Casinos and lottery galore - worst roads and schools in the nation. No, the lottery is a money factory for someone - the problem is that very few can actually find where the money goes.

So, to me, the lottery is a non-issue. Yes, I have bought about four lottery tickets in my lifetime. No, I have not won anything. Will I buy an Arkansas lottery ticket? Probably - but not on a regular basis and only when I think I have a couple of bucks to burn. And, literally, burning the bills for momentary warmth will probably give me more enjoyment.

-MH

Gotta love this one.  It’s all over the web, but still good.

Several have asked me about the status of the “Summer of 100 Movies.”  We have until Labor Day, and we’re 10 away.  Got a bit of work to do the rest of the week.  I’m hitting a flick tonight and tomorrow night and am working through one during my elliptical time.  Incidentally - if it ever goes into wide release (or if you are in NYC / Chicago / etc.), do yourself a favor and see “It Might Get Loud.”  You can’t go wrong when Jimmy Page and The Edge get together with guitars.

Here is where we stand right now:

7am this morning.  A FLASH emergency run to Wal Mark (which I love) to get vegetable oil.  This is critical.

Of course - only one lane is open…but no line.

I zip in.  The lady checking me out does the finger lick-open the bag thing (disgusting) and while waiting for my transaction to complete proceeds to use the wadded-up kleenex in her hand used to handle my merchandise and DAB HER RUNNY EYE.

One transaction - multiple points of potential DNA transfer for which I did not ask.

Moral of the story?  I’m better off not knowing about your oozing whatever - especially if you are making my food or checking out my groceries.  Take the sick day.  It’s better for all of us!

-MH

Summer of a hundred movies update - approaching 50% complete!

Yes, it’s mindless for this forum…but I’m working on another writing project right now that is siphoning my time.

Progress to-date is below.