To blog or not to blog, that is the question.

Coming soon, the old fart returns after the new year.  Facebook be damned, I can do both can’t I?

Where have I been?

Wow.  I guess I didn’t realize it’s been over 10 days since I posted anything to the blog. I’ve been busy with a project for Get on the Bus as well as a personal intent to break my blogging addiction.   I’ve moved much of my posts/thoughts to my facebook page which you can access via the link on the right.  If you friend me, mention you were/are a reader of Opinionated Old Fart’s blog so I know who you are.

In addition, I am today interviewing for a position as Outreach Coordinator at my church.  It’s been close to a year since my job ended so it’s time to get back to work and I really want to focus my talents on something with some redeeming social value/impact.

Quote of the day.

“Bible texts are best read with a pair of glasses made out of today’s newspaper. “

– Dorothee Sölle,

German theologian and writer, from Justice in an Unjust World, by Karen Labacqz.

“When thou prayest, enter into thy closet.”

In the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:

5. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

But, typically our friends on the right are all upset that Obama is practicing this, rather than being like the hypocrites or Bush.

Cartoon of the day. (Swine flu panic edition.)

Photo of the day. (Swine flu edition.)

More where that came from.

Thought for a Sunday.

Poster created by Peter Cohen for the Coalition for the Homeless.

100 days into a total eclipse.

Image from malacandra at Daily Kos.

“Moni bambo!” Grace in action.

In late 2007, my friend and Chicago Sun-Times religion columnist, Cathleen Falsani, and her husband met an African AIDS orphan, Vasco, who needed medical care for a hole in his heart.  Through her efforts and the donations of many he has arrived in Chicago for treatment.  Read all about it here (and on the blog, Vasco’s Heart).

And watch this great video of his arrival in Chicago earlier this week.

Happy “Mission Accomplished” Day.

It’s been 6 years.  How time flys.

Question of the day: Do I trust God’s work in me?

I’ve been busy with my German friends’ visit (they left yesteday), my Monday BH homeless meal volunteering and a new project for Get on the Bus which took me away most of the day, so I’ve had little time to think about anything serious. But, I did get this daily meditation from Fr. Richard Rohr (subscribe here) which I just loved and share with you.

If you accept that there was a Resurrection that will not necessarily lead to any active or transformative faith. (Of course God could raise up Jesus if he wanted to. Mere belief in miracles does not transform us.) But if you can trust that God would do the same for you, then you also will be changed, and you can begin to change the world. The Resurrection was not a miracle to prove that Jesus was in union with God, although it does have that effect. It is the revelation of how God does things in all of time!

Just saying “Wow!” about Jesus being raised from the dead, does nothing for God, for the world, or for you. It is the same excitement as a magic show. But if you can say “Wow!” about what can and is happening now, then the Mystery of Resurrection has moved into our space and our time—and all time. Resurrection is God’s job description, not a one time magic show.

Keep it classy Florida.

Via Wonkette comes this “classy” new “vanity plate.” Jesus hanging on the cross with an orange behind him.  Sweet!

RIP Cornelia.

My friend Cornelia, a regular and early reader of this blog, passed away peacefully on Friday after choosing palliative care over an uncertain to impossible treatment plan a few months ago.  She was a strong, independent woman and I will miss her.

Rest in peace my dear friend.

Thought for the day.

“God is really only another artist, he made the elephant, giraffe and cat. He has no real style but keeps trying new ideas.”

Pablo Picasso

Quote of the day.

“Listen up Republicans: It’s been almost 100 days, and your country is not coming back to you. She’s found somebody new.”

Bill Maher

Gone fishing?

My crazy German friend Sven-Uwe (along with another friend of his, Robert) is here from Frankfurt for a few days and I suspect blogging will continue to be light.  We’re cooking, eating at some good restaurants, doing some LA touristy things, checking out interesting organs in LA (Robert’s an organist), attending a Mendholssohn concert, etc.

Busy, busy, busy.  But, it’s Sven-Uwe’s birthday Saturday (41 – no one should be that young) and he’s celebrating.

Not special rights, equal rights!

Quote of the day. II.

This one is perfect.  I am so happy she is our Secretary of State.

“I don’t consider him a particularly reliable source of information.”

— Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, at a House Foreign Affairs Committee meeting, on former Vice President Dick Cheney

Quote of the day.

“I think you might be confusing tyranny with losing. And I feel for you, because I’ve been there. A few times. In fact, one of them was a bit of a nail-biter. But see, when the guy that you disagree with gets elected, he’s probably going to do things you disagree with. He could cut taxes on the wealthy, remove government’s oversight capability, invade a country that you thought should not be invaded, but that’s not tyranny. That’s democracy. See, now you’re in the minority. It’s supposed to taste like a shit taco.”

from John Stewart.

More strange web searches.

Over the past 24 hours people have landed on this site searching for:

1. duck
2. lame
3. fart weather forecast
4. picture love neighbor

I guess it doesn’t matter how you get here but just that you did.