Dynamic Yet Consistent

With the publishing of this post, Beth and I are half way through our 10 lists of 10.  Today we are listing our 10 favorite places.  I intended this to be more specific, but I realized there were specific types of places where I felt most comfortable at and ease and I have mostly listed those.

1. Around a campfire – For most families, the TV is the thing which people gather around.  That was not the case for me — we gathered around the fire.  In fact, there was only 1 seat facing the TV at my childhood home, and 4 facing the wood stove.  There is something mesmerizing about flickering flames.  They hold the power to sustain life and the power to take it.  It doesn’t matter if it is a small warming fire on a wilderness hike, or the fire ring in our back yard where we watch movies on the side of the house, I feel at peace with the crackling wood and the dimly illuminated faces of close friends.
2. 127 Yellowstone Ct – My current address.  I like being at home.  I like curling up on my ratty couch with my dog and surfing the internet.  I love laying in bed with my wife on a lazy morning.  I love walking into the backyard to get something out of the garden.  I love our neighbors, especially the kids who always greet us when we get home.  Our home is not elaborate or large.  We have all used furniture and the house is never all the way picked up, but that doesn’t matter.  I like being here.
3. Coffee Shop with friends – There is something about sitting around a table with a hot cup of coffee and friends you love.  Some of my most meaningful conversations have happened in these settings.  Right now the place I frequent the most is Spencer’s (especially since it is a half block from the distillery where I work).  Great people, great coffee, and a kick-ass chicken salad sandwich.  I also enjoy Greener Grounds (formerly Bread n Bagel).
4. University Libraries – I know people who never set foot inside the library while in college.  That was not me.  Not only did I frequent the library, but I had places I considered my own and would get pissed is someone was sitting there.  There is something about being surrounded by such a wealth of knowledge.  Books are calming to me.  When I visit another campus, I always go into the library and browse the stacks.  I find comfort in book stores for the same reason.
5. Missoula, MT – I haven’t been there in a while, but this is my favorite city in America.  It has a great atmosphere and vibe.  It is a university town nestled in the foothills of the Bitterroot mountains.  Great micro-breweries, great gear shops and a great cultural scene.  It is also the city I most closely associate with my time fighting fire.  My first two years we had to drive an hour into Missoula to get our groceries.
6. Mountain Lakes -This is more of a western phenomina than an eastern one.  I love sitting in a wilderness area staring off across a crystal clear lake with vast mountains around me.  I have experienced this in Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Oregon (Austria as well) and each time I find the setting to epitomize the beauty of creation.  (Give me a campfire and some coffee and things could be perfect).
   

   Mountain Lake in the Weminuche Wilderness Area

7. On the road – Some people hate being in the car, but that is not me.  For 4 years I traveled out to Idaho by myself.  It was about 32 hours each way, and believe it or not I looked forward to that time.  Even when I was commuting to Asbury, I loved the time in the car (even when it meant leaving at 4:30 in the morning).  For me, it is a time to think and process ideas and let my mind wander.  I often drive in silence and enjoy taking in the passing scenery.  I also love listening to some NPR while driving.
8. In the air – Growing up I had several opportunities to fly in single engine planes.  In college I worked on helicopters.  And while it has been a while since I have been off terra-firma, I love the experience of soaring over the world.  I think it is because of the way it alters your perception.  You see the world in a new way from hundreds of feet above it (I also love looking at satellite imagery on google earth, and Microsoft’s new “Birds Eye” view for the same reason).
9. Gear shops – I don’t consider myself materialist, but if I am ever going to be drawn in to the “things of this world” it will be in a good gear shop.  I love the small local shops where the employees know all the best routes and trips, but at the same time I enjoy purusing all the high end gear at a place like REI.  If I have a weakness… it is gear.  I have piles of climbing gear, backpacking gear, mountain biking gear….
10. In the garden – This is a (relatively) recent addition to my list of favorite places.  This is our third year of gardening and our first year to do it at our home (see this post about it).  I love growing our own food and being able to eat it fresh.  I love the way gardening forces you to slow down and spend time outdoors.  I love the mix of hard labor (tilling) and monotonous tasks (weeding).

Today Beth and I look to the future with our list of 10 things we want to do before we die.  Some items on this list represent things we already have in the works.  Other items represent things we simply need to make happen.  Finally, a few things on this list are so far out there, I have no idea how to make them happen, but by listing them, hopefully I will move that direction.

1. Live overseas – Beth and I are very serious about spending a significant amount time in a place where our worldview is forced to expand, and where life is redefined.  Furthermore, we want to make sure Mikayla is a part of this experience.  You can read more about our plans to move to Swaziland in the next few years here, here and here.
2. Know everything about something and something about everything – This is taken from a quote by Thomas H. Huxley, but does a great job at summing up my educational goals.  I do foresee a time when I pursue a Ph.D., but even if I don’t, I want to be intentional about knowing enough about one subject that I can be a resource to others.  Likewise, I want to know a little about everything so that my perspective of the world is more rounded, and so I can share in the appreciation others have for their passions.  (I love talking with people about what they do for a living — especially if they are really excited about their job).
3. Adopt a child – Beth and I have been committed to adopting a child since our first conversations about our future plans.  It just makes sense — with so many children without families, why wouldn’t we bring on of them into our home.  Plus, Mikayla is so perfect (healthy, content, good looking), I think we could only go downhill.  I am even ready to get fixed.  Chances are we will adopt while overseas.
4. Get my pilot’s license – This has been a goal of mine for quite a while.  There is a good chance I will begin training in the next 6 months.  While it is expensive, when you compare it to other educational costs, it is no more than a semester of graduate classes.
5. Live off the grid – There are two reason behind this.  1.) I want to be a better steward of creation.  2.) I want to live more simply.  There is a good chance this will occur while we are in Swaziland, but if it doesn’t, I want to make sure it happens when we get back.
6. Speak at least one other language fluently – So far I have ancient Greek and Hebrew under my belt from my days at Asbury.  But being able to ready 2,000 year old texts doesn’t do you much good when you want to communicate with someone today.  Right now Beth and I are beginning to work on our siSwati so we can speak the second national language of Swaziland.  It might not be the most practical language (only 1M in the world speak it), but it will certainly help us with our time overseas.  Once we are back, I may work on my Spanish.
7. Watch a space shuttle launch – Not as profound as some of the other items on my list, but ever since my 5th grade class did a whole unit on space and learned about the whole launch process, I have been fascinated.  I think it would be awesome to see a launch live — especially a night launch.
8. Visit all 7 continents – I have 2 down and will get a 3rd shortly.  Antarctica will be tough, but if I get the other 6, I am pretty sure I could make it happen.  I actually have several friends who work there during the southern summer.
9. Complete an epic backpacking trip – I doubt I will ever complete the AT, the CDT, or the PCT, but I want to do something major.  Maybe it won’t even be stateside.  I want to experience the thrill of completion along with the time to reexamine life that comes with such a trip.
   

   Grave Peak sunset. July 4, 2001

10. Celebrate my 50th anniversary, walk my daughter down the aisle, die content – How is that for a final goal?  I list these last and together because these require a lifetime of dedication.  I want to be happy with my life when it is through and be able to say I have been a good husband a good father.

Honorable Mention: Camp overnight in an interstate medium – Here is the place I have my eye on… easy access, wide area, cover of trees.  Anyone up for it?

As Beth and I list out our top 10 lists of 10, we come to the discussion of food with day 3.  Here is a list of my favorite dishes.  Beyond #1, there is no particular order.

1. Mom’s Vegetable Soup – Far and away my favorite dish.  When I got married, I made sure my wife added this delectable delight to her stable of regular meals.  Thick and healthy, this slightly spicy soup heats up well and can be eaten for 5-10 meals straight with no complaints!!
2. Lettuce Wraps – Perhaps the famous dish from the classy Chinese chain P.F. Chang’s.  I could eat these alone and be very happy.  We have tried to copy the recipe at home.  Our dish is good, but not the same.
3. Thai Food – I know that is a broad category, but I love the mix of sweetness and spiciness with lots of noodles/rice and fresh vegetables.  Thai food can be bold, light and filling all at the same time.  Two favorites are Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) and a Green Curry / Coconut milk soup served over rice from our local Thai Restaurant.
4. Sushi – I would consider myself a moderate sushi eater.  I don’t shy away from the raw fish dishes, but at the same time I prefer the rolls with tempura.  My favorite is the Special Roll from Ichiban which is fried shrimp, cream cheese, avocado served with spicy crab on top and special sauces below.
5. Chicken Fajita Gyros – Available at a small shotgun style restaurant just off the square of Bowling Green.  Great mix of flavors on delicious pita bread.  You must have it along with the pita and hummus appetizer.
6. Stuffed Jalapenos – Beth has a recipe that she makes that uses fresh jalapenos (straight from our garden), cuts them in half, and bakes them with a cream cheese and sausage filling.
7. Pizza – But not just any Pizza.  I am talking about a hand tossed masterpiece with thin(ner) crust in the middle and a nice soft crust on the outside edge.  Not too much cheese or sauce, and topped with ham, banana peppers, garlic and onions.  Throw some peppery spices on there and you are good to go.  Honorable mention goes to a good chicken white sauce pizza with lots of garlic.
8. Stew – I love a good thick stew, especially on a cold day.  Lots of bay leaves for flavor along with crushed black peppers, big chunks of potatoes and an abundance of meat makes for a great dish.
9. Mongolian BBQ – I was first introduced to this at a restaurant in Missoula, MT.  Usually it consists of thin slices of meat, noodles, veggies, and your choice of sauces.  You mix it up and then hand it off to have it cooked in front of you.  To make it even better, it usually is all you can eat.
10. Candy – Come on… if you know me, you know my favorite food of all time is candy.  I will eat it all, but I love chewy sweet and sour stuff.  Give me some chewy sweet-tarts, or sour patch kids, or sour watermelon slices and I am golden.  But… don’t leave it laying around if you ever expect to save some for yourself.

We continue with day 2 of our 10 lists on 10 days.  Today, Beth and I have listed the 10 people we would most like to sit and have coffee with.  Of course the consumption of coffee is optional — surely it would make more sense to share a beer with a few of these folks, and others, I would rather talk with as we hiked through nature.  As always, these are in no particular order.

1. Martin Luther King Jr. — Surely no surprise here.  After all, my daughter Mikayla Lillian is named after this civil rights leader.  King is best known for his role in fighting for equal rights for minorities.  However, he was also a passionate pacifist.  He was as opposed to the Vietnam War as he was Jim Crow laws.  I would want to share a drink with him to ask him what issues he saw as most pressing?  Would he concentration on gay rights?  Would he address war and torture?  Would he shift his attention to international issues?For me, MLK embodies the concept of the prophetic imagination (a concept we will explore in a later list).  I still cannot hear his I Have a Dream speech without tearing up.
2. Desmond Tutu – Since we are talking about baby names, I must mention Desmond Tutu.  If our firstborn had been a male, I was advocating for the name Desmond.  Originally we were going to go with Douglas (my middle name), but I realized I would prefer my child to emulate him than me.  Tutu was instrumental in ending apartheid and symbolizes for me how a pastor can lead social change in the name of Christ.  His work on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is awe-inspiring.  I want to know from him, how we can apply these concepts to our daily societal fissures.
3. Bono – I wouldn’t have a string of questions for the lead singer of U2 like I would with many of the others, but in terms of having a good time, hanging out, discussing the ebbs and flows of life, I would think Bono would be the man.  Plus, his lyrics are so deep and harmonize the secular and the sacred.
4. Peter Abelard – Perhaps the most obscure on my list.  Abelard was a tormented theologians in the 12th century (read about him here).  Theologically he is best known for going toe to toe with Anselm over atonement theory.  Abelard advocated for a Moral influence understanding over a substitutionary understanding.  He was quite eccentric and misunderstood.  Here is a paper I have written on him.
5. Henry David Thoreau – I love his unfiltered commentary on life and society.  In addition to his emphasis on self reflection and the awe of creation, he is always honest with his understanding of faith.  I also have been influenced by his thoughts on civil disobedience.
6. Stephen Hawkins – I have been fascinated by theoretical physics since I was in Middle School.  It is only a short jump from physics to philosophy and then to theology.  Hawkins not only provides an entryway into this crazy world, but the way he has approached life’s struggles epitomizes focus and direction.  As you will see in susequent posts, I am convinced quantum physics provides insights into truth.  Here is an approachable clip that will force you to reexamine your understanding of the world.  (Not Hawkins, but he works in the same areas.)
7. John Howard Yoder – deep down I am a Mennonite, I just have not admitted it yet (well except to Brett).  I have learned more from other theologians, but I have yet to find a person who such consistency in their life, faith, theology and philosophy.  Politics of Jesus should be required reading for… well… everyone.
8. N.T. Wright – There is not a simple person who has been more influencial in shaping my theology and understanding of the world and scripture than Bishop N.T. Wright.  I have listened to so many of his lectures I can hear him speak when I read his books.  I find so many of the concepts I regularly explain and rely on come from Wright.  I doubt I could keep up with him, but I would love to drink from the fire hydrant of his knowledge.  Plus, he has a that super cool British accent.  Here is a great resource for other lovers of his work.
9. The Tank Man – Bravery is not something that is planned.  It is not something that is sought out.  It is something that occurs when we stand up for what is just.  I am fascinated by the story of the Tank Man – the young man who stopped a whole line of Chinese tanks through a simply act of resistence.  There are a couple reason he makes my list.  First… I want to know who this person is (to this day, it unknown).  But more importantly, I am drawn to this person because they were able to change the world with simple acts without demanding fame or recognition.
   
10. Jesus – rounding out my list is the God-Man Jesus Christ himself.  I almost didn’t list Jesus.  That is not because I don’t think it would make for excellent conversation, or because I don’t have the ultimate respect, love, and devotion to Jesus.  Rather, it is because I realize I am way too like Peter (see below) and rather than sitting down with a whole list of questions, I would love simply follow Jesus as he navigated the world today.
    

Beth and I are embarking on a 10 day blog series beginning today.  Each day we will post a top 10 list covering a variety of subjects from 10 favorite meals to 10 ideas that define us as people.

This first post we are listing top 10 movies.

Now, for my disclaimer:  I am not claiming these are the top 10 movies of all time, but rather I am listing 10 movies that, a.) I could watch at any time and be happy; b.) if I only had these movies, I would be satisfied; and c.) have impacted me as a person.

Here is the list (in no particular order):

1. Shawshank Redemption – A story of perseverance, improvisation and deep friendship.  It shows the humanity of those on the edges.
2. Fight Club – This movie, perhaps more than any other, demands that the view reexamine life and evaluate what is important and what is superfluous.
3. Top Gun – Considering I have 95% of this movie memorized, it had to make the list.
4. Gandhi – One of the most inspirational movies of all time for me.  I constantly return to the wisdom of Gandhi conveyed in this movie.
5. American History X – One of the first movies that actually “changed my life.”  The story of hate and redemption is tangible.
6. Schindler’s List / Hotel Rwanda– Okay, so I am cheating with two movies here.  Schindler’s list reminds me of the depth of human depravity and Hotel Rwanda reminds me of our tendency we have to constantly hide from this depravity and deny its existence, even in the face of modern genocide.
7. Slumdog Millionaire – The only movie from the last couple years to make the list, and it is well deserving of the honor with its story of global struggles and individual perseverance.
8. Braveheart – The best battle epic of all time.  Makes you cheer for the little guy.
9. Forest Gump – a social commentary framed through the eyes of an ordinary man.
10. Dumb and Dumber – While not nearly of the significance of the movies listed above, in my opinion, this is the best comedy of all time.

Trust me… I have no problem arguing.  Just ask my wife, my parents, or any of my friends.  I am pensive by nature and tend to think through things, so I am usually ready to defend my views.

That being said, I have learned repeatedly the futility of arguing on the internet.  I have been active in a number of forums and debated issues on facebook and blogs.  I find very rarely does it turn out well.  It seems virtual arguments tend to escalate quicker and people tend to assume the worst.  Electronic posts lack the non-verbals necessary to gauge things like sarcasm vs. sincerity or attacks vs. suggestions.  When you don’t have a larger context it is easy to stereotype and pigeon-hole.

I write this because I find myself sticking to my commitment to blog regularly (I have already posted more in the last week than I have on my various blogs over 5 years).  I am sure I will post some controversial things and I am up for discussion and encourage feedback and suggestions. However, I refuse to get into arguments over what I post.  I see blogging as a way for me to express my thoughts (and work through them) and not as an avenue for convincing others to join whatever philosophical camp I happen to be representing.

I hope to have great conversations in the coming months, but please don’t be disappointed if I refuse to respond to some comments.  It is not that I find the points invalid, or don’t appreciate a person’s thoughts.  It is just that I don’t think it is helpful for anyone to argue over the internet.  Too many words have been spilled and no many emotions raised over topics that in the end never amounted to anything.

Blistered palms, sweaty brows, dirty clothes and oh so little to show for it… yet!  Beth and I are in the heat of the gardening season.

Kickert's Garden Plot

This is the third year we have gardened together.  The first two years we were part of a community effort to maintain a plot, but this year we charted out a course on our own — in our backyard.  We enjoyed our time sharing the workload with other couples the last two years, but this year it made sense to fly solo.  It is great to be able to work side by side with people you care about to bring about a harvest.  It is amazing to share in the sweat equity of friends and celebrate with uber-local meals.  It is a relief to be able to rely on others when you will be out of town, or extra busy one week.

However, with baby Mikayla on the way (currently here of course), and an uncertainly of how easy it would be to get out into the garden, we decided to put a plot in our backyard.  We tilled a 25′ x 25′ tract in the back corner of our property and then put black plastic over it to kill the remaining grass.  2 weeks later we pulled the plastic and tilled again.  Let me just say… each year we have broken new ground, and this by far the most effective method we have used to start things off — 2 months in, the weeds are a fraction of what they were.

We got lucky with our timing.  We put our transplants in the ground on Saturday and Beth went into labor on Monday, then it rained for 2 straight weeks.  If we had missed that planting opportunity, there is a good chance this post would be titled “25 fun things to do with a 25′ x 25′ mud pit in your backyard.

Here is the summary of what went in:

• Onions
• Tomatoes (Roma and Better Boys)
• Peppers (Green, Jalapenos, Chili and Banana)
• Broccoli
• Squash
• Zucchini
• Okra
• Basil
• Sweet corn
• Asparagus

Basil and tomatoes

Broccoli and Onions

Squash, Zucchini, Peppers and Okra

Asparagus and Corn

Our onions came from ACE and were planted as bulbs, and the sweet corn came as seeds.  The rest were transplants that we got at either Warren East green house or the Farmer’s Market (See Beth’s post about the Farmer’s Market) at an amazing price of 4-6 for $1.  Most of the transplants were young, but we actually ran into a problem with them being too hearty — we planted extra expecting some to die, but we only lost 1 or 2 plants.  The corn we planted on a staggered schedule so we could have a wider harvest period (we will have to self-pollinate to make up for the lack of density of mature plants) and the asparagus will have to wait a year to produce.

Green Tomatoes

We also did a bucket experiment with a tomato plant and two squash plants.  The tomato plant is looking good, and the squash plant is healthy, but not hearty.  I will keep you posted on how that works out.

Bucket Tomatoe and Squash

As of this week the harvest has begun.  So far we only have basil, okra and green tomatos, but that makes for a heck of an itallian style fried dish!

Beth and I are not experts by any means, but here are some things we have learned:

• No person ever needs more than 2 squash/zucchini plants.
  

  Rain Barrel

• Human hair keeps the rabbits away from fresh transplants
• Pulling the “suckers” off tomato plants really does make a difference
• Speaking of tomatoes, spend the money and invest in quality cages – it is worth it to save the hassle
• It is much easier to weed 15 minutes a couple times a week than to take a week of and try to catch up
• A quality tiller (rear tine) is worth its weight in gold and worth borrowing
• Young pumpkins look like hearty watermelons, but taste like crap.
• Dish soap and water is an effective deterrent for bugs.
• Corn takes up a lot of space and can be bought super cheap, BUT it requires minimal maintenance.
• A simple rain barrel saves money and is easy to make in an hour or two for less than $30.
• Starbucks gives away free coffee grounds which can be used in your garden (plan on stocking up, it will take quite a few bags to cover a plot the size of ours.  I would think 1 per 100 sq feet of garden).
• Jalapenos from the garden vary significantly in their “heat” — be warned.
• Be willing to try new things (eggplant), but don’t plant something you never expect to eat (amaranth).
• Herbs do better in large planters near your house where you can easily access them.
• Don’t expect to save money the first year – there can be a significant investment early on (not a few big things, but a large amount of small things: hoses, sprinklers, shovels, rakes, hoes, gloves, seeds, tomato cages, etc.)
• If you value your time at more than $1/hour, don’t ever expect to save.  We have learned you garden because you love, not because it saves money.  It is relaxing, connects you with creation, gives you an appreciation of your resources, is environmentally friendly and teaches your patience.

And… for those of you dedicated to read the end of the post… the best resource I can point you tou is a publication by UK’s Extension Office called Home Vegable Gardening in Kentucky.  Here you will find all the information you ever need plan, plant and maintain a garden in the bluegrass.

Budding Broccoli

Banana Peppers

He may not be the messiah, but he does have some mad crazy reflexes

First, the mandatory confession: I suck at blogging.  There, I said, it now I can continue with my post without having to promise I will do better this time.  Lets face it, chances are this will be my only blog post for six months.  Now on to the good stuff.

The last 2 months have by far been the most transitional of my life.  Mikayla was born, I graduated from seminary, the distillery I work at had its grand opening, Kaleidoscope is undergoing a major transition… the list goes on.  In reflecting on these months I have grown to appreciate the tension of my life (some would call it chaos).  I love having my hands in a bunch of different pots (although I will admit I am not the best multi-tasker).

Right now, my primary job is that of stay-at-home dad.  This is the first week Mikayla and I have been home together alone on a regular basis.  I gotta say I love it.  She is sleeping right next to me on the bed as I type this.  I had someone urge me yesterday to apply for a full time job with great benefits and an excellent salary.  I turned it down.  I would not trade these hours with my daughter for any amount of money.

My primary source of income now comes from Corsair Distillery.  We make top shelf craft spirits.  Right now we are selling a gin, absinthe, spiced rum and vanilla bean vodka.  We are also working on several varieties of whiskey.  I love it because my job is different everyday: run the still, do tours and tastings, clean up, manage press releases, work with distributors, label, bottle, package….  I also enjoy the mix between science and craft.  We basically use science to create a craft product.  I guess you could say my artistic medium of choice is ethanol.

Speaking of Art, that brings me to my next job: Kaleidoscope.  Things really have changed since I came on in 2007.  Instead of a 250K budget, we now have about 5K in our account and no regular source of income.  I used to work more with community development, now I work with development.  Basically I am a (near) volunteer grant writer.  Right now we have well over a million dollars in outstanding grants.  It is crazy just waiting around to hear back on these.  We could live the next 3 years in feast or famine.

Finally, I work as UMC local pastor.  While my appointment is currently to Broadway UMC in Bowling Green, I have spent the last 6 months in Russelville at a small rural church.  They have been awesome to us and it has been great to have a chance to shape my seminary education into messages relevant to the church.  I am sure some of them are sick hearing about the Old Testament and importance of understanding the trajectory of redemptive history, but I am confident our time together has resulted in a better understanding of how we fit into the bigger picture.

Each of these four areas are so diverse, yet capture a small part of who I am.  I am a husband/father/distiller/grant writter/community developer/pastor who doesn’t seek to reconcile his existence, but instead find comfort in the tension.

I have friends that are bloggers.  I don’t consider myself part of their ranks.  I have some friends who use their blogs to connect with friends and family.  I have some friends who use their blogs to encourage debate and critical thinking.  I have some friends who use their blogs to project an image.  I have a whole lot of friends who have blogs, but never update them.  None of those categories have ever suited me.

That being said, occasionally I come across a blog post that really gets me thinking or gives me a glimpse into a person’s true self.  Those are the posts I am drawn to – the ones that are written for no audience other than the author, where an electronic medium is used as a pathway for self reflection.  If I am going to blog, that is why – to reflect on my thoughts and work through my own understandings.

I have entitled this blog “Dynamic yet Consistent.”  That title comes from a paper I wrote a few years ago about approaches to theology.  It is my contention that in our quest to understand theology and even life itself, we must always allow a fluidity in our thinking, but that fluidity should be taking us someplace – refining our thoughts and our understandings.  I think blogs can reflect that.  We can look back on our pondering years later and see how we have changed.  At the same time, blogs allow for the helpful influence of community in this thought process.

That then undergirds this blog: it is merely my thoughts, but they are presented to you so you can help shape me in my thinking.  I have included a quotes page as well as writings page.  The later is for my own vanity while the former is illustrate the thoughts of those who are shaping me.

You will find several posts precceed this introductory post.  Those were written by me on the now defunct Emergent-BG blog.  I found in reading over them that many express deep thoughts and insights that I have not projected anywhere else.  Some are fitting, others are not.  Feel free to ignore them all.

enjoy…