So far we’ve got about 2 inches of snow from this big snowstorm.
Richard Rohr, The Naked Now
The most amazing fact about Jesus, unlike almost any other religious founder, is that he found God in disorder and imperfection — and told us that we must do the same or we would never be content on this earth.
I follow Amanda Nelson on Instagram and she said something recently that I have not been able to get out of my head, which is that the United States has been in a “cold” civil war for many years. I think it obvious that what we are experiencing today has been simmering for a long time, perhaps since the end of the Civil War. I also think this “cold” civil war became more organized when Republicans and Newt Gingrich took over the House because Gingrich initiated the switch of the purpose of Congress from governing to “us versus them” in which compromise is not allowed. Since 1995 the battle lines between factions of the powerful have been clearly drawn, with American citizens as pawns.
I just took a walk outside. According to Accuweather, it’s 5 degrees but the RealFeel is 17 degrees thanks to the sunshine and lack of wind. With the proper clothes on it’s actually pretty nice given the sunshine.
James Madison, Federalist 51:
In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments. Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other, at the same time that each will be controlled by itself. . . . It is of great importance in a republic not only to guard the society against the oppression of its rulers, but to guard one part of the society against the injustice of the other part. Different interests necessarily exist in different classes of citizens. If a majority be united by a common interest, the rights of the minority will be insecure.
Finished reading: The Gales of November by John U. Bacon 📚
It is not always the case that I have a connection to a book that I read, but that is the case with “The Gales Of November” by John U. Bacon. Many people have heard about the Edmund Fitzgerald thanks to Gordon Lightfoot’s song, The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald, but I was in fifth grade in a small town in the Upper Peninsula and had seen Lake Superior many times so I’ve always felt a small connection.
Bacon does a wonderful job of providing context, like how shipping on the Great Lakes can be dangerous and a vital part of the U.S. economy. You learn about every one of the 29 men who went down to the bottom of Lake Superior on the Fitz. And for me, I learned about the taconite pellets that I remember being carried through my home town on ore cars, most likely headed to Marquette. We would gather up some of the perfectly round, marble size pellets from the train tracks and use them for slingshot ammo.
In 2014 we visited the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum on Whitefish Point, which the Fitzgerald was desperately trying to reach on that fateful day in November, 1975. Below is a picture of the bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald, it is the only item recovered and brought up from the shipwreck. The site of the wreck is considered a grave and protected by the U.S. and Canadian governments.
No other ship has gone down on the Great Lakes after the Fitzgerald, in part because of technology but largely because the pressures once put on by shipping companies toward the captains to deliver cargo on time has abated against the risk of pushing against Lake Superior when she is angry. Lake Superior is one of those few things in the world that stands up against the ego of men.
Finished reading: Field Notes for the Wilderness by Sarah Bessey 📚
My First Mechnical Keyboard
I just received my first mechanical keyboard, the Keychron C3 Pro, and this is the first blog post that I am writing with it. It is a relatively inexpensive keyboard, so a good first one to try out. This Keychron has brown switches and what comes to mind when I press them is they feel like I am pressing on rows of blocks.
I have been using the Logitech MX Keys keyboard, which has a much lower profile than this Keychron keyboard and I am starting to notice the difference in my arms. I’ve raised my chair to better position my arms and wrists over the keyboard.
I think I have to give this keyboard a period of time before making a decision about whether I like it or not. It is certainly different, but not sure whether this is a good or bad difference.
The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution:
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
For years people have been ignoring the full text to the second amendment as if there is no consequence to ignoring its purpose. In my opinion overlooking the beginning of the amendment exposes originalists for who they are, hypocrites. I think we are seeing the consequences of neglecting the idea of “well regulated” in Minneapolis right now.
Christian nation? Look at this!
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”