It's a great day...

...when you only spend $24 to fill up your car- and it was on 'E'!!!!

In other news... isn't this the cutest golfer you've ever seen?

Superstition

Superstition is a very popular thing and has been for some time. Many folks have lucky numbers, a lucky shirt, or a symbol that they carry with them that is meant to bring good luck. In sports superstitions run rampant. Players jump over the foul line to avoid bad luck, a pitcher on a roll will wear the same socks for each outing, and a player who hits well will never change his bat.

In the theater it is bad luck to say 'good luck' though a penny that is head's up is always good luck. Don't let a black cat cross your path and do not, I repeat, do not walk under a ladder. That is bad news bears.

Even our politicians are taking part in superstition while anticipating Tuesday's election. Barack Obama won two primaries on days when he played basketball. On two days when he lost primaries, he did not play basketball. He says that he will definitely play basketball on Tuesday. John McCain carries with him a lucky coin, a lucky rabbits foot, and even on some occasions has a lucky lizard. (He is from Arizona). Why is superstition so important? Let us look at this at a more logical level.

To assume that any sort of 'luckiness' is valid makes huge metaphysical assumptions about the world. When I say metaphysical assumption, I'm talking about making decisions about things that you can't see, things that are extra-physical, or outside of time and space. In order for superstitions to be true, there must be a coordinator of the results of superstitious outcomes. Let's take Obama's superstition about Tuesday. To assume that the playing of basketball somehow created a causal relationship with the outcome of the primary is to assume that there is a force outside of their own power adjusting the outcome, or adjusting the minds of the voters to agree with the basketball player. That's a huge assumption. And frankly one that is pretty silly. To assume that to play basketball again increases chances is to assume that the same director of outcomes will work again on your behalf. Interesting.

Even if we don't have these small superstitions, we still often believe that there is some force at work that will even things out. We assume this without giving the manager a name or a profile. We believe in karma. If I do good, good will happen to me. If I do bad, bad things will come to me. If that were true, then 1. there would be a standard of good and bad that we assume to be aware of, and 2. there would be a being powerful enough to change the future to coordinate with your actions.

So why do we believe it? Because things do happen in patterns, in fact, superstition works about 50% of the time. If I have a superstition about numbers, I will remember the times when the superstition worked, but I will forget when nothing happened, and pass it off as a fluke. The times when patterns happen are engrained in our mind as something special, where the chaotic pattern of everyday life does not impress us as all. We see patterns as supernatural, and we assume a supernatural conductor.

Superstitions are pretty silly, and I'm not thrilled that our potential world leaders are so fully engaged. Perhaps if there were a conductor, he would have a name and attributes; perhaps he would have given us guidelines that might actually have an impact. But those things are scary; we'd rather hold to our own little creators in the image of tiny rabbits feet.

Some Thoughts on History

On Sunday Marci and I went to the Missouri History Museum. We were surprised to find it packed full of wonderful artifacts and stories. First of all, there was a folk concert going on in which an older lady in a pink tutu danced off to the side waving scarves in the air, polishing her latest Beyonce Knowles hip-hop moves. It was pretty awesome.

Secondly, history is a whole bunch of fun. We first looked at a large photograph taken in 1864 of the St. Louis skyline. The tallest building is this courthouse above, where Dred Scott sued for his own freedom from slavery in 1849. The photograph contained beautiful riverboats, lots of warehouses and river-front flats. St. Louis was a booming little river city. It's a city with a lot of history.

We saw exhibits on the Louisiana Purchase, Charles Lindbergh's famous flight to Paris, and the World's Fair in 1904. Did you know it was actually a world's fair with numerous countries around the world represented? One of the exhibits contained 4,000 filipinos on display in a little village. The people were to go and watch how these strange immigrants lived on their small reservation. St. Louis, like most cities at the time, was one of both great wealth and great poverty, great aristocracy and great oppression.

As we cruised along learning about slavery, woman's right to vote, civil rights, sports, air travel, and domestic duties of the 50's wife, we began to see more modern exhibits. A soccer jersey and cleats from 1999. What is all this about? Then we arrived at some empty cases.

My great error, and perhaps yours as well, while strolling through the paths of time, is to think that we've finally arrived somewhere. I think to myself, 'what injustice! how could people have been so base? Thank God that we've finally arrived HERE.' But we've arrived nowhere. These empty cases will hold our IPhones and our DKNY outfits, and other unwritten injustices and oppressions. Our struggles to give people love and justice will be chronicled right here behind this very glass. Our time and place is merely a continuation of this history that started with people we didn't know who set us in this place and this time. We make adjustments, some good and some bad, but the path has yet to reach the steps of any crystal palace or magical forest.

In one hundred years, people like you and me will walk those halls, point and think, 'how could they be so base?' Injustice continues to be the order of the day: children suffer from lack of food, they are sold into slavery to be sex toys, they grow without a ray of hope for their children. Minorities still can't get a fair shake; the words we think but fail to say are, 'it's just not time yet.' We're not down that path today. Maybe after a few more glass cases are full.

Christmas is Coming!!

This weekend Marci and i had the wonderful opportunity of hanging out with my mom and sister. We did lots of fun things like going to Zia's restaurant, the Soulard market, botanical garden, and the zoo.

As we are getting adjusted, and still learning about our world here in St. Louis, it was so soothing to spend time with familiar people we love. It reminded me of so many amazing holidays when I would come home from New York. My dad would build a fire, we'd relax around the living room just chatting about life. I am very blessed to a have a wonderful and supportive family.

We are excited for the holiday season as the comforts of family will fall upon us again and again. God bless you and yours!

Fight World Hunger

www.onexone.org

www.h20africa.org

www.healthykidsinternational.com

Very Intimate Thoughts on Politics, the Economy, and Bioethics

Today i enjoyed some chewy Gobstoppers, from our good friends at the Willy Wonka company. True story: I once called the number on the back of the box to complain about a product of the Willy Wonka company, and they sent me 10 willy wonka dollars. I was very grateful but faced with the insurmountable task of getting grocery stores and gas station clerks to accept willy wonka dollars.

Well today I enjoyed some and I tell you what, it was a good time. I glanced at the Nutritional Information on the back, too, because i am very health-conscious as you can tell. 4 grams sugar, 3 grams fat, 20 grams of sweet happiness. You can't get much healthier than that.

Tonight I get to tell someone about Jesus. That is scary, but what an amazing opportunity. I pray that God will work through me and around me, as I am but a poor candy-eatin' fool.

A weekend with family

This past weekend we had our first visitors since our parents were here the weekend we moved! My mom, sister & nephew came to visit, and we had a great time! It's amazing how much Luke has changed in 6 weeks, but it's so much fun to see his little personality becoming more & more distinct.




Friday night we hung out at our place & had a special birthday dinner for Molly. Saturday we went to the zoo, and then Mom, Molly & I went shopping (for baby girl Smith!)while the boys took naps. We went to a great Mexican restaurant Saturday night, and then Sunday morning at McDonald's breakfast & played at the playground by our house!

Luke & his mommy being silly

He really did have cake up his nose

Uncle Mark & Luke checking out the giraffes
This has got to be one of my most favorite pictures.

I have loved watching the relationship between Mark & Luke grow over the past 2 years. They are best buds, and Luke thinks that Mark is just the funniest thing on earth. It is so sweet to watch them together. (sometimes I get a little jealous that Uncle Marky is the obvious favorite and not me, his own blood relative : )

When they were getting ready to leave, Luke looked at Mark and said "I love you. Can I live with you?"

Too cute. We miss you Lukey! (and we miss everyone else too!)