The Podge of Hodge and Bits of Tid (September 09)

Here are the misc. items that didn't make it to a post so instead, they are in this month's Podge of Hodge and Bits of Tid.

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ONE:  I listened to a lot of blues music this past month. I had a pretty decent collection of CDs and some favorite artists. I definitely like some of the rockier blues and this month I listened to a lot of stuff by Coco Montoya, Jimmy Thackery (pictured to the left) and the Drivers, Gary Moore (and guests), B.B. King, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. I listed some of their CDs in the right hand column. I listen to a lot of then on the iPod when I work out.
 

TWO:  This was a dismal month for movies. I was just so busy that I didn't watch a single movie!
 

THREE:  My luggage is almost always one of the last bags to come off the plane. It doesn't seem to matter if I get there early or late... I think some kind of Murphy's law is at work when it comes to my luggage. For quite some time, I was traveling only with a carry on, but the last several trips I have had to check luggage. I'm not use to waiting for it. (By the way, this yellow suitcase is not mine, just a picture off the internet.)
 

FOUR:  I read Books by Larry McMurtry. McMurtry is a famous author and screen play writer. I didn't realize that he considers himself a book seller at heart and he has a fabulous book store with about 400,000 used books... plus a personal library of about 30,000 books. Since I love books, it was fun to read the memoirs of someone who is a passionate book reader, collector, buyer, seller and writer. In these memoirs, he chronicles the decline of the book store in America and wonders about the future of books.
 

FIVE:  I continue to work at exercising, watching what I eat and fighting the hard fight of staying in shape. In some ways it is becoming easier, but in other ways it isn't. My body just tends to hurt at different places when I work out. And with a busy, hectic lifestyle, eating healthy is not so easy. As in all good things, discipline, intentionality, and going the distance is needed. 
 

SIX:  I also continue to work through the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius. I am studying the history and spirituality of the Jesuits while I work through the exercises. Plus I am taking lots of notes for how I adapt them for my own use and how they may be of use for others as well. So it is a slow process, but there is no need for it to move quickly. I have spent about two weeks going through exercises that focus on the Lordship of Christ and my response to that. This is the prequel to Week Two in the exercises which is a focus on the life of Christ for the purpose of one submitting to the call of Christ.

I have begun a separate blogsite where I post once a week, some thoughts on the Spiritual Exercises. I have been doing this for about six weeks. For those who are interested, check it out. I post on Saturdays or Sundays.   Evangelicals on the Ignatian Way.  I have identical posts on a Blogspot (Google). That is:  Evangelicals on the Ignatian Road. Two different blogsites, but identical posts.
 

SEVEN: Soldiers.  I was in the Atlanta airport this month going and returning from Chile. There were a lot of soldiers in transit through Atlanta. Young men who are serving our country. I was reminded that there are some costly conflicts throughout the world and we have people who are serving our country in some dangerous places. Pray for the end to conflict and for God's grace to be with those who are serving in those places.
 

EIGHT:  And speaking of airports. I often have layovers of some length. I am in my "introvert" mode when I travel. I am in full extravert mode once I arrive at my destination, but going and coming, I spend my time reading, reflecting, writing... and not engaging with too many people. But it is impossible not to notice the masses of people at airports. Businessmen in their expensive suits and apparent "dropouts" who are dressed in tattered (but I am sure quite stylish) clothing. Tourists headed off to their "exotic" or bland destinations. Grandparents going to see family (perhaps). There are always quite a few single mothers with children (my admiration to every one of you for navigating your children and luggage through airports). This time I saw three nuns sedately walking to their terminal. The list goes on... Just the sheer number of people going about the pursuits of life. Strangers passing one another, on their way to somewhere and something...  Journeys... We are all on a journey...
 

NINE:  If I were going to be a book collector, I think I would collect books in the following areas.   I've got a bit of the "collector's blood" in me. Actually, maybe quite a bit of that blood. I have always collected something. Stamps, comic books, CDs, guitar magazines... Reading McMurtry's book on collecting books got me thinking of what I would collect.

(1)  The Spiritual Classics of the Christian faith.  I guess there would be about 300 - 500 in this category.

(2)  The classic books on leadership and management. While today there is an explosion of literature on these subjects and if you read 100 new books a year, you would only be scratching the surface, I think it would be fun to go back and collect the classics as they were being written in the early year.  As the study of management and leadership was just beginning.... When there were only a few books being written every year...  I have no idea how many books this would be. I have read a little on the history of leadership and I may go back and start to compile a bibliography on this (someday).

(3)  Books on the Jesuits.  I am in the process of putting together my personal bibliography, and reading a lt as well.

(4)  Travel books about the countries I have visited.

(5)  Books about books, reading and great literature.

(6)  And lastly, spiritual memoirs, some of which are also in the first category of spiritual classics.
 
 

TEN:  My trip to Chile was a very good one. This is my third time to Santiago for teaching. I've taught twice for the Institute of Iberoamerican Ministries and once for the graduate program with REG. One of the benefits of returning to places is the developing of relationships that grow deeper with each visit. I will have a separate post in the near future about this trip, so I just wanted to mention it here.

ELEVEN:  I have been using my MacBookPro for about eight months now. I am becoming more and more familiar with it and slowly learning how to use it. It is growing on me. But it has taken some time. I am going to be getting an iPhone, probably in the next two weeks.  So I guess I have plunged into the Mac world... I am not sure if I will be a Mac evangelist... but I certainly like it.  (By the way, one of the WORST customer experiences I have ever had was at a Mac store... I wanted to stop the guy in the middle of it and say, do you know how bad of an experience you are creating for me? I didn't.)
 

TWELVE:  I lead a weekly mid-size community at LWCC, Ancient-Future Faith. This year we are working through Ephesians. It is a wonderful book. For most of my Christian journey, Ephesians was my favorite New Testament letter by Paul. I think it is slightly surpassed by 2 Corinthians now, but if so, it is strongly in the #2 place.  It is great beginning to walk through this brilliant and moving theology and spirituality with a group of dedicated followers of Jesus who want to go deep in theology, spirituality, community and hopefully, missional living as well. This journey has just begun and we'll see where it takes us.

That's all for this month.
Manana - Quotes for the month. 
The day after that - an angry commentator about how crazy conservative Christians are.
 

Brian K. Rice
Leadership ConneXtions International
www.lci.typepad.com