notes of travels

The virginia fall has turned slowly and painstakingly into the virginia winter, so i fled for a real winter that promises below zero temperatures and wind that cuts through no matter how many layers of cloth you wear. 

Ohio will always be home. So we packed up the car and went to work, thinking about the drive ahead of us and the miles that will fly under our car. As we were leaving Harrisonburg a little guy in the car in front of us took some kind of offense to our appearance as he gave me a dirty look, turned around in his seat and proceeded to give me not just one, but two middle fingers. He must have learned from a pro. I’m glad all of Harrisonburg doesn’t greet me with the same hasty distaste. 

It happens to all of us

Once again I must say that it has been a long while since I have posted. Which is fine, I suppose, people just have to communicate with me other ways. I have been thinking about life again. Going through the questions of what is it all for. It’s not for me because that doesn’t make any sense. I don’t really gain anything out of it… which in itself is an interesting point.

The Anti-Stuff Campaign

So I was sitting around this morning and thinking about all the junk I have in my life, and the need for me to rid myself of all the junk or at least make better use of the what I have so that others can benefit from my intense amount of possessions. I have been preaching for the last four or so years about the need for humanity, and particularly the American citizenry, to ween ourselves from our buying habits and to take the rest of the world into account when we make a socio-religious-political action in the form of buying things.

New updates to the site

So it’s been a matter of three months or so and the world and life are a changin’. I just wanted to let everyone know that I have updated a few pages with some pics and text, and even a video in the garden section. Just thought you might want to check it out.

I promise that this blog isn’t dead, just in a state of disrepair

So I know that this blog looks like so many others that were one and done. I want to make it clear that just because there is nothing new doesn’t mean it is dead. Finals week is upon us at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, and that means all the procrastination that has gone on up till now must come to an end. Hopefully I will be posting some of the work I’m doing right now up for further comment, most likely on the Essays page of the site. Just a trailer: One piece I’m working on is a conversation between marks of New Monasticism and Anabaptism. Currently I’m working with the first mark, Relocation to the abandoned places of the empire. I’m also working on some inter-religious dialogue between secular Judaism and Christianity. Should be fun. I’ll be writing soon, so check back in a week or so. Until then, don’t bother.

On couchsurfing, hospitality, and the church

Over the past weekend I had the pleasure to experience a global phenomenon known as CouchSurfing. CouchSurfing is a project that was introduced to me by a friend and the day after he told me about it I signed up. And waited. I know from my website profile that I signed up on December 8. Today is April 1. My first surfer left yesterday on her way home to LA.  I will let them state their own mission: 

 CouchSurfing seeks to internationally network people and places, create educational exchanges, raise collective consciousness, spread tolerance and facilitate cultural understanding. As a community we strive to do our individual and collective parts to make the world a better place, and we believe that the surfing of couches is a means to accomplish this goal.