What’s It Gonna Be?

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The Supreme Court ain’t so supreme, of late.

Maybe it has always benefited from a certain undeserved mystique- its members aren’t gods, after all, just human beings tasked with important work. Justices over the years have produced many landmark decisions seemingly based on a sincere and fair treatment of testimony and applicable law, even charting new ground from time to time, especially when it comes to human rights and bodily autonomy.

Lately, though, there seems to be some backsliding. More suspicion, more doubt, more finger pointing in the direction of a hand-picked conservative majority on a mission to, oh, I don’t know, tighten things up, bring us back to a “better” place that pleases straight, white Christians everywhere.

In the midst of the Trump mess, the court seems to not want to stick its neck out and abide by the 14th Amendment provision of forbidding insurrectionists from running for office. Though he hasn’t been accused yet, many know what Trump did and who and what he really is, and how dangerous he has become.

So maybe it comes down to how closely the court adheres to the letter of the law, along with its efforts to reel in the temptation to react to certain public sentiment, and to what many are seeing with their own eyes: Trump running roughshod over, and even making a mockery of certain norms that have long served as guardrails.

Sometimes it looks like nothing can be done to make him go away.

Infrequently, I guess

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Daily writing prompt
When is the last time you took a risk? How did it work out?
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I keep returning to the decision to pull up roots and move the family to Gettysburg, in order to go to seminary. That’ll always be the risk-taking standard for me. Pastoring is a challenging line of work, but it worked out.

Otherwise, I don’t necessarily see risk taking as something great. I’ve never been inspired or moved by the value of “stretching myself” just for the sake of something to do. And adventure is a relative term. The “best version of myself” will always remain elusive and unattainable, which doesn’t mean I haven’t acknowledged my growing edges and tried to be a better person.

I once had to return to college in the middle of a major snowstorm, but that was unavoidable, since I was a passenger in a car driven by the person who just needed to get back to campus that night. If I didn’t get in, I would have been stranded in the Twin Cities without a way to get back to school. It was a risky venture, in my estimation, and a nail biter of a trip, but we made it.

Embarrassment

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It’s not a surprise that nothing has been resolved in the matter of our invasion of Iran. Trump still talks about a deal being in the works. Always a “deal” in the works. Everything is the art of the deal, as if this is the only transactional method worth considering, even as he apparently has never really mastered it.

There are always consequences to consider. Ramifications. Unforeseen—or maybe totally foreseen—outcomes. Just the way they drew it up.

But nothing good. Nothing that brings relief or hope or optimism. Just more ineptitude, subterfuge, darkness, self-involved scheming. Ugliness.

Shameful

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Daily writing prompt
Write about a time when you didn’t take action but wish you had. What would you do differently?
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The only incident that comes to mind is the same as last year– it unfolded when we were teenagers, all young and impressionable and not fully formed. OK, immature and stupid.

It involved making life difficult for some kids we basically decided we didn’t like. The worst part, beyond the fact that I participated in this mob action, was that it was led by an “adult” who should have known better.

I seldom think about this anymore, but it haunts me when it does come to mind. I didn’t speak up or try to put a stop to things. I just joined in.

We eventually made peace, thanks to the passage of time and also what I now recognize as grace-filled behavior on the part of the person done wrong. We became friends again, though I’m not sure about the parents involved– they may have held onto the hurt for longer than their kids did.

Nothing Better To Do?

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Daily writing prompt
What makes you nervous?
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The state of things political. As a species, it seems someone somewhere is always trying to keep the wolves from breaking down the door. Evolution can’t move quickly enough– if peaceful co-existence is where we might be heading. It’s often exasperating to think that there are still so many self-anointed “visionaries” who enjoy imposing their will, spreading misery, always aching for a fight.

Therapeutic

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We had a delightful visit recently with my sister and brother-in-law and their two grown children who live elsewhere but joined us old folks for a meal and conversation. It was thoroughly enjoyable and an invite we eagerly anticipate when we’re visiting family in Massachusetts.

A visit often starts with wine and conversation in the living room, then a delicious sit-down meal at the dining room table, then more conversation which often turns to politics and the nightmare that is the Trump administration.

While it might be enlightening or otherwise beneficial to stretch oneself by plunging into debates and such with people of differing political stripes, it’s nice every now and then to be among kindred spirits who basically are on the same page when it comes to opinions of Trump and his hapless cast of sycophants and pretenders.

A lot of territory was covered, anger expressed, but there was also a fair amount of humor and laughter. Once we sat down for supper, we didn’t get up again until it was time to go home.

The conversation is always engaging and often cathartic, and I always feel a bit lighter by the time we leave at the end of the evening.

Slowing Down

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Daily writing prompt
How do you unwind after a demanding day?
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If it has involved exertion of any intensity, like helping our son with his landscaping work, I’ll shower, get some comfortable clothes on, then sit in my favorite chair and look at the iPad for a bit, or sit outside with a glass of ginger ale on ice, or cold brew, and revel in a day well spent– being useful, getting something done. And I’ll probably fall asleep for a bit.


Anymore, a “demanding day” means something different than it used to when I was still pastoring a congregation, but I guess the things I do at the end of such a day haven’t changed all that much. It basically involves winding down, maybe a bit of review, and doing something relatively mindless.

Judiciously, for the most part

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Daily writing prompt
How do you use social media?
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As little as possible. I text and email people when I need to, I don’t have Instagram or TikTok or anything of that nature. I do occasionally look at videos on YouTube, mostly music but a couple of politics-related ones.

By and large, I refuse to go down the social media rabbit hole– partly because I’m of a particular age and it doesn’t interest me, but mostly because it can be such a huge waste of time and energy. I prefer to frustrate the algorithms, or just ignore them. They’re probably not meant for me, anyway.

There’s such freedom in simply putting the phone down. It can be an act of rebellion or sheer will, or at least a bit of respite from the noise.

Righteous Fuming

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PoliticsGirl was angry. In what I assume was her latest video, she let loose on a number of things happening because Donald Trump is in office. I was getting caught up in her release of energy and emotion and realized she’s definitely not alone in feeling the way she does. I guess the trouble here is that we are getting increasingly frustrated with no resolution in sight, save a blue wave in November.

Who fits the description of “domestic terrorist”? Why the need for so many cavernous warehouses? Why the need to automatically register 18—24-year-olds for the draft (hint: current members of the military are getting fed up with the orders they’re getting and the people giving them?)?

PoliticsGirl’s frustration is warranted, because we don’t have to dig very deep to learn that the Heritage Foundation has co-opted the Republican Party and made it the mouthpiece of its Project 2025 mission to dismantle checks and balances, restore white privilege and turn this country into a Christian Nationalist haven, where women are baby factories, “right” faith is a litmus test, and Jesus’ teachings are rendered irrelevant.

Feel good moment

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Daily writing prompt
Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you.
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The only one coming to mind is when I paid for a guy’s lunch at Louis Armstrong Airport. There was some misunderstanding about payment method, or something, and he didn’t have enough to cover the meal. I might have been played, but it felt like a random act of kindness.