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Midwestern Happenings
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, March 25, 2010
Today I want to comment on a couple of items related to the middle of our country.
A Mennonite College and the National Anthem
First, I’ve been fascinated by a story about Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana. The college has been embroiled in a controversy over the National Anthem. For decades, Goshen College, a Mennonite college, has not played the National Anthem prior to athletic events, such as baseball games. The militaristic language of the Anthem was believed to be inconsistent with Goshen’s pacifist commitments. You don’t generally hear Mennonites singing about “bombs bursting in air.”
But, in recent times, as Goshen has attracted more non-Mennonite students, and as it has sought to reach beyond its sectarian traditions, the college has debated whether to play the Anthem or not. The conclusion of the debate, at least for now, was that Goshen College would play the National Anthem at the beginning of athletic events. Yesterday marked a new era in the college’s history. Predictably, the responses were very mixed.
I was impressed by statements made by Goshen’s president, Jim Brenneman.
“On our campus, we have students from many backgrounds … (those) committed to pacifism whose parents or grandparents were conscientious objectors; those with a deep suspicion of patriotic observances and (those) whose relatives served in the military and who are proud to fly the U.S. flag.”
“The crux of the matter has to do with our relationship with God and with our country,” Brenneman said. “How do we celebrate the freedoms and opportunities of this country and still challenge injustices that also exist in our midst.?”
I appreciate the effort being made by Brenneman and his college to be faithful to their Mennonite tradition and, at the same time, to engage this country and culture in meaningful ways. (As an aside, I had the chance to meet Brenneman several years ago when he was pastoring a Mennonite church in Pasadena, California. My sister and her family attended that church, and I participated in the dedication service for my nephew, which Brenneman led. Mennonites, as you may know, do not baptize infants. Brenneman was a fine pastor to his congregation for many years.)
Shine Like Stars on Tour
Second, I want to let you know about a fantastic Christian band from the midwest. Shine Like Stars is the worship band of ekklesia, a worship experience of Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Wichita, Kansas. The band leader, Dale Huntington, was the worship leader of the Veritas service at Irvine Presbyterian Church when I was Senior Pastor there. Dale is a highly talented singer/songwriter/worship leader.
Shine Like Stars is going on tour in early June 2010. They’ll be in Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska. If you’re looking for a band to play in your church or community, to lead worship or to do a special concert, I highly recommend Shine Like Stars. They’ll do an excellent job and people will love them (especially people under 30). Shine Like Stars would make a fantastic youth ministry event. (Plus, they are inexpensive. You can get the band for only $300 and a place to stay for the night. This is an unbelievable deal!)
You can reach Shine Like Stars at booking@slsworship.com. Their website is www.slsworship.com. You can also hear their music at iTunes or MySpace.
Topics: News | 3 Comments »
Things You Don’t See Every Day . . . Unless You’re in New York (Part 3)
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Finally, three more photos of New York City. I’ve never seen anything like these before, anywhere.
First, an M&M rainbow from the M&M store on Broaday. You don’t get those colors in your normal bag of M&Ms.
I saw the following sign in a classroom at NYU, during a college tour. The Threshold of Hearing is the lowest level at which human beings can hear sounds distinctly. It’s represented by the lowest line in the graph. Normal speaking volume is represented by the blue “peanut.” Personally, I think this sign represents wishful thinking at best, because New Yorkers tend to speak loudly.
Finally, I spied this sign in La Guardia airport as we were preparing to fly home. Man, ya gotta watch out for those killer snow globes!! This policy must be good news for the snow globe vendors who are within the secure parts of the airport.
Of course I could go on and on showing photos of New York’s uniqueness, because there isn’t in place else in the world quite like this city. But I’ll end this mini-series today.
Topics: New York | 1 Comment »
Things You Don’t See Every Day . . . Unless You’re in New York (Part 2)
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Here are some more things that you don’t see every day . . . unless you happen to be in New York City. And even then you might not see them every day, but you could.
The Irises by Vincent Van Gogh, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Late in life Van Gogh painted a number of paintings featuring irises, one of which hangs in the Met.
The Statue of Liberty from the back. Now, Lady Liberty does not have a Steve-Martin-type arrow through her head! This is just an unusual view of the statue’s seven spikes that represent rays of light shining out to the world. You can see the rays better in this front-view.
Some of the bolts that hold the Statue of Liberty together are just a bit on the large side. You won’t find a wrench to fit these in Home Depot. In fact, there are much larger bolts than these used elsewhere in the statue.
Topics: New York | No Comments »
Things You Don’t See Every Day . . . Unless You’re in New York
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, March 22, 2010
Here are a few photos from my recent trip to New York. They’re sights you don’t see very often, if at all, outside of the Big Apple.
The elevator indicates that we’re on the 86th floor (of the Empire State Building).
What the city looks like from 86 floors up (1050 feet high).
All over New York City you see water towers on top of buildings. These are not there just for decoration (though some neighborhoods of New York now require visible tanks for architectural reasons, whether or not they are used). The water towers help with what would otherwise be a water pressure nightmare in New York City. Plus, they make sure that water is available if a fire breaks out in a tall building. I’m not aware of any other city that uses water towers in this way.
Tomorrow I’ll share a few more “don’t see every day” photos.
Topics: New York | 1 Comment »
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Foundation of Wisdom
Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom.
All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.
Praise him forever!
Wisdom seems to be on the wane these days. Our society tends to value that which is trendy, spectacular, and instantaneous. Thus we tend to neglect wisdom, which is classic, unpretentious, and unhurried. Moreover, we are entranced by the audacity of youth rather than the prudence of maturity.
Yet how desperately we need wisdom! Our political leaders need wisdom as they seek to guide us in uncertain times. Our business leaders need wisdom if they’re to help our economy recover its vitality. Our religious leaders need wisdom to deal with the rapidly changing culture in which we live. And you and I need wisdom each day: in our work, in our families, in our learning, and in our effort to be servants of Jesus Christ. We need to know, not only how to do things, and not only all the things we might do, but also which of those things are right and will be fruitful.
Psalm 111:10 shows us how to become wise: “Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom.” This core truth, which appears elsewhere in Scripture (Prov. 9:10, for example), reminds us that wisdom is not something we gain on our own. Rather, true wisdom comes as a result of knowing, honoring, reverencing, submitting to, and obeying God. That’s what the “fear of the Lord” is all about.
So, if you desire to be a better boss, or a better employee, or a better parent, or a better teacher, or a better leader, or a better friend, if you want to be someone who knows what’s best to do in any given situation, then fear the Lord! Live your whole life in reverent respect of God, seeking his guidance and glory in all you do.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “the fear of the Lord”? How can you grow in godly fear? What helps you to honor and respect God? When have you been a recipient or a conduit of God’s wisdom?
PRAYER: O Lord, I do need wisdom, your wisdom. I need to see what you see, to discern as you discern, to value as you value. I need to know, not only all the possibilities, but which of them is best. I seek wisdom as a disciple, a father, a leader, a pastor, a writer, and a friend.
O Lord, may I grow in godly fear, not that I would be afraid of you, but that I would be overwhelmed afresh by your awesome glory, power, and majesty. Help me not to take you for granted or to minimize your holiness. May I live each day for your purposes and pleasure.
As I offer myself humbly to you, entrusting all that I am to you, give me wisdom, dear Lord. Use me to guide your people and your work. Help me to live each day to the fullest, for your sake. Amen.
_________________________________________________
Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?
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This devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work (www.thehighcalling.org), a wonderful website about work and God. You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.
Topics: Sunday Inspiration | No Comments »
New York: A Photographer’s Paradise
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, March 19, 2010
My family and I visited New York City over spring break. I had fun taking lots of photos there. But I think I had more fun observing my son, who has become quite a fine photographer, taking his photos. I thought I’d share a few of these memories with you.
Nathan on top of the Empire State Building. It was a beautiful day, finally, after two rainy, cold, and windy days.
The first signs of spring! The crocuses appear in Central Park.
At John’s Pizzeria of Bleecker Street, not to far from NYU. Fine pizza, but it looks as if someone has been carving initials into the table. Here’s a detail of the table, if you’re interested.
Topics: Places | 4 Comments »
God in 100 Words (or less)
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, March 18, 2010
I have recommended the Patheos website here before. Patheos, which is substitled “Balanced Views of Religion and Spirituality,” provides a platform for people of various religious commitments, or no religious commitment whatsoever, to converse in a mutually respectful way.
Recently, Patheos invited several bloggers to answer the question: What/Who is God? Each writer was allowed a maximum of 100 words. The writers spanned the religious spectrum, from Muslim to Hindu to Buddhist to Mormon to Pagan. A couple of the writers were Christians, including yours truly.
This was a hard assignment. I could easily write 1,000 words about God, or 10,000, or . . . . But only 100! That took some serious thought, discipline, and editing.
You can see my answer at the Patheos site. But, before you read what I wrote, think about what you might say if you had only 100 words to talk about God. Better yet, compose your 100 words and add them to the Patheos collection.
You can find my 100 words here, if you’re in a rush. But I’d encourage you to read the whole set, from the top. I find the various contributions fascinating and enlightening. They help all of us to understand the religious world in which we live today.
Topics: Patheos | 2 Comments »
Voldemort in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York???
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, March 17, 2010
During a recent trip to New York City, I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “The Met,” which contains over two million works of art, is one of the world’s largest art galleries. You could spend days wandering through its rooms and corridors.
I was delighted to see works by some of my favorite artists (Rembrandt, El Greco, Van Gogh, Vermeer). But I was most surprised by a bust in the Greek and Roman Art exhibit. A sign identifies the bust as “Marble portrait bust of a man. Roman. Julio-Claudian period, mid 1st century A.D.” I’m sure the experts at the Met think they know what they’re doing.
But if you’ve seen the recent Harry Potter movies, you know very well who the bust represents. It’s none other than Voldemort, the most evil wizard of all. Who knows how the Dark Lord got his bust in the Met? But there’s no question about its true identity.
You check it out for yourself. Am I right, or am I right? Could this be a bust of Lord Voldemort?
Topics: Fun | 3 Comments »
Full-Size!
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, March 16, 2010
I’ll never forget the first memorial service I ever performed as a pastor. It was for a grandmother of one of my college students at Hollywood Presbyterian Church. I did not know this woman, but was the only pastor her family knew, so they asked me to do the service.
The service happened in a mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. The woman who died had been cremated, and her ashes were placed in a small brass box that would be “buried” in the wall of the mausoleum. Because of all the hard, shiny surfaces, my voice echoed in a way I found to be quite distracting. But I pressed on faithfully, reading Scripture, praying, and offering some words of comfort and hope.
Then came time for grandmother’s ashes to be placed in a small “cubby hole” in the wall of the mausoleum. An official from Forest Lawn placed the brass box in the wall. Then he gestured to a man standing nearby who held a portable drill in his hand. This man came, closed the place where the ashes had been placed with a piece of marble, and then proceeded to drill several screws in the wall to hold the cover. It was very loud and very strange. (Photo: a view inside one of the mausoleums at Forest Lawn, Glendale. Yes, the ashes of Michael Jackson are somewhere nearby.)
I was thinking about my first memorial service recently because of a story told by my friend Jeff. When his grandmother died, her body was cremated. During the memorial service, her ashes were gathered in a small brass box which sat at the front of the chapel. Jeff’s brother brought his young son to the service, a first for the boy.
During the service, the boy turned to his dad and said, “Dad, is your grandma in that little box?”
“Yes,” his dad replied.
“How’d they get her in there? Did they shrink her?” the boy wondered.
The dad, realizing that it was not the time or place to teach his son about cremation, answered, “Yes.” And so ended the conversation.
After the service was over and the people were leaving the chapel, the boy turned to his father and said, “Dad, when I die, I want to go full-size, not like grandma.”
That got me thinking. I really don’t care whether, when I die, I go full-size or not. But I do know that I want to live full-size now, and for the rest of my life. I want to experience all that life has to offer, and give as much as I possibly can. I want to be full-size in my relationships, in my work, in my embraces, in my prayers. Someday, when I’m buried in the ground or placed in a hole in a wall, I want people to be able to say, “He lived well. He was full-size, all the way.”
Topics: Christian Life | 1 Comment »
Life’s Ironies
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, March 15, 2010
Life is full of ironies. When you start looking for them, you’ll see them all the time. They make life interesting.
For example, last week I had a business meeting in Dallas. I flew Southwest Airlines, which uses Dallas Love Field, an older, smaller airport about ten miles from the garganutan Dallas-Fort Worth airport. Love Field is closer to downtown Dallas, and much, much less crowded.
The flight path from San Antonio to Love Field, however, goes almost directly on top of DFW. Here’s the proof:
When you fly into DFW, you never get such a view of the airport. So the best way to see DFW from the air is to fly the airline that doesn’t go to DFW. That’s ironic.
Another irony in my life has to do with my transportation to work. Growing up in Southern California, I spent probably hundreds of hours driving on Interstate 10 (the Santa Monica and San Bernardino freeways, as we called them). For much of the day, traffic on “the 10″ is terrible. You can count on crawling along for miles.
These days, I have a half-hour-long commute on, you guessed it, Interstate 10. I-10, as we call it in Texas, is a wide open highway that passes through the scenic Texas Hill Country. Unless it’s dark, when the speed limit is slower, I almost always roll along at 70 miles per hour. Not far beyond Kerrville, where I work, the speed limit goes up to 80.
If I tell the folks in California that I have a half-hour commute on “the 10,” then envision a five-mile drive in parking-lot type traffic, not a gorgeous drive at top speeds through some of the prettiest country anywhere.
I drive to work in a Toyota Tundra truck. No, I haven’t had any trouble with the accelerator, or anything else, for that matter. This truck has had very few problems. I bought my truck six years ago in Southern California. But where was it made? Right down I-10 from where I live, in San Antonio. Another of life’s sweet ironies! (Photo: A view of I-10 from my truck. Not a lot of traffic here!)
Are there any similar ironies in your life?
Topics: Fun | 4 Comments »
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, March 14, 2010
What Should You Do When People Speak Poorly of You?
I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations
even as I am praying for them!
Psalm 109:4
Psalm 109 is David’s prayer when people around him were speaking poorly of him. Their criticisms, though untrue, were nevertheless painful (109:2). David’s pain was increased by the fact that those who accused him were people he had loved and for whom he prayed (109:4). Though he treated them well, they responded with evil and hatred (109:5).
I expect that you have experienced something like David’s anguish as it’s expressed in Psalm 109. It often begins in childhood, when supposed friends gossip about us and criticize us behind our backs. Sometimes demeaning words from our parents sear our souls, leaving us scarred and defensive. The workplace can even reward those who falsely accuse us, giving them the promotion that we deserved. As a pastor, I sometimes found myself the victim of false accusations. They hurt even worse when they came from people I had tried to love and to whom I had vulnerably opened my heart.
So what should we do when people accuse us falsely? How should we act when we are victims of mean-spirited gossip? In such a situation, it’s awfully tempting to give it right back to those have slandered us. But Psalm 109 reminds us that our first response when we are victims of injustice should be to turn to God. Like David, we cry out to God, asking him to help us. In pouring out our hurt and anger, in letting God know everything we think and feel, we will open our hearts to his calming presence. We will be reassured because God “stands beside the needy, ready to save them from those who condemn them” (109:31). At times we will even know the joy of the Lord in the midst of distress: “When they attack me, they will be disgraced! But I, your servant, will go right on rejoicing!” (109:28).
Prayer is not magic, however. When we turn to God in a crisis we do not necessarily feel instant relief. Sometimes, like David, we’ll cry out: “O God, whom I praise, don’t stand silent and aloof” (109:1). Yet if we turn our hearts to the Lord, if we seek him openly, he will, in his time, make himself known to us afresh. He will grant us his “peace, which exceeds anything we can understand” (Phil 4:7).
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:
Have you experienced something like David described in Psalm 109? When? What did you do? How does turning to God make a difference in the way we respond to those who falsely accuse us?
PRAYER:
Gracious Lord, thank you for being there when I am falsely accused. Thank you for your calming presence, your peace, your reassurance. Thank you for helping me not to respond to my accusers in the way I might without you.
As I think about false accusation, Lord, I also realize how easy it is for me to consider even valid criticism as untrue. So help me to sort out what is true and right from what is wrong and vicious. As I bare my heart to you, may I hear the things I need to hear, even if they are painful in their truth.
Today I pray for people who are victims of slander. I think especially of several friends who are seeking to make a difference in our society through their work. Yet they are consistently attacked by their opponents. Grant to these friends your gracious presence, and to all who are victims of slander.
All praise be to you, God of truth and comfort. Amen.
_________________________________________________
Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?
Here’s how . . . .
This devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work (www.thehighcalling.org), a wonderful website about work and God. You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.
Topics: Sunday Inspiration | No Comments »
Best of Friends?
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, March 12, 2010
Over five years ago, we got our dog, Sandy, a mellow Golden Retriever. Sandy is about a good-natured as a dog can be. She has only growled once in her life . . . when she saw a cow in the next door neighbor’s property, through our wire fence. Sandy got down on the ground and growled. Then, when the cow didn’t respond, she walked over to the cow and they sniffed each other’s noses for a while. A new friend for Sandy!
A few months after we got Sandy, Lily, a cat, joined our family. She had been on her own for a while, and had no patience for dogs. She spurned Sandy’s interest, and if Sandy got too close, Lily would put slap at her. In the photo to the left, you see the result of one of Lily’s ways of tormenting Sandy. Lily would approach her, get her attention, and then begin to run away. 
Sandy would give chase. Lily would hide under some piece of furniture where she couldn’t be reached. Sandy would lie glumly on the ground, getting an occasion slap from Lily. In the video to the right, you’ll see what happened when Sandy got too close. Though I’ve added the soundtrack, the visual is unedited.
Well, since 2005, Sandy and Lily have shared a lot of life together. Lily will still tempt Sandy to chase her. And Sandy will still fall for the trap, like Charlie Brown trying to kick Lucy’s football. But there are times when the two animals seem to enjoy each other’s company. Proof can be found in the undoctored photos below:
Nothing like enjoying the sun with your best friend!
Topics: Fun | 3 Comments »
“Last Tech” . . . My How Things Change!
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, March 11, 2010
On a recent Southwest airlines flight, I read a fascinating article in Spirit, the official airline magazine. “Last Tech” by Lauren Parajon (March 2010, pp. 82-92) chronicled some recent technological changes. Some of these were familiar; some were surprising. You can read the whole article here, without even buying a Southwest ticket. I’ll supply a summary for those of you who want the short version:
• Typewriter: 1873-1983
• Drinking Fountain: 1906-2007
The drinking fountain was invented 100 years ago in Berkeley, CA for sanitation.
• Blackboard: 1801-1990
• Sights of the past: ashtrays, printed photos,
video rental stores, fuel attendants (rare except in Oregon and New Jersey)
• Wine Cork: 1AD-2009
In 2009, 45% of wine bottles used synthetic “corks”; 35% used screwcaps, which is the way of the future. [Not nearly as romantic, but preserves wine better.]
• Payphone: 1889: 1995
• Mechanical bell: 600 BC-1972 [as in an alarm clock]
• Boombox: 1976-1990
• Hotel Key: 1828-1975
By 2008, 92% of urban/suburban hotels used key cards.
• Road map: 1789-1993
• Check book-1681-2002
• [Subway] Tokens: 1953-2003
• Lick-and-stick stamp: 1847-1999
• Photo film-1889-2009
So, on Southwest, not only do you get entertaining flight attendants, a little more leg room, and peanuts in addition to a drink, but also a magazine worth reading. Quite a deal!
Topics: Cultural Commentary | 1 Comment »
Now That’s What I Call Crime . . .
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Today I want to put up some excerpts from the latest police blotter as they appeared in The Boerne Star, my local newspaper. I have not changed these one iota.
March 3
3:14 p.m., 200 Market – A woman reported her ex-boyfriend was probably the one who had stolen her cell phone.
3:52 p.m., 200 Winding Path – A not-too-bright collection agent left a message on a woman’s phone saying, “I have a gun. Oops, I probably shouldn’t of said that on this ladies’ voicemail.” She turned the number he called from over to the police.
7:02 p.m., 100 W. Blanco – A caller felt a man wearing dark clothing while standing in the street taking pictures of the historic inn was in danger because she had almost hit him. He wasn’t in the road when police arrived, but they gave him some safety advice. (Photo: The same historic inn, with picture taken in safe daylight)
March 4
5:02 a.m., 700 E. Theissen – A woman asked police to investigate what someone threw in her trash that smelled really bad. Animal control was contacted to remove the dead skunk that was raising such a stink.
10:47 a.m., 31200 I-10 – A 911 hang-up call was determined to have come from a malfunctioning fax machine.
11:02 a.m., 31200 I-10 – The miscreant fax machine was at it again.
2:42 p.m., 100 Third – A man told police he was trying to leave during an argument with his wife, but she wouldn’t let him go. Then she left to cool off.
6:46 p.m. 100 Menger Springs – Police were called when a young man jumped out of an ambulance and ran away from the emergency room. He was found and returned.
Topics: Police Blotter | 1 Comment »
What’s Better? Anticipation or the Real Thing?
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, March 9, 2010
I read an opinion piece in USA Today that got me thinking: “We expect too much of our presidents” by William Choslovsky. I’m not so interested in the main point of the column, which is a defense of President Obama on the basis that our expectations for him were unrealistically high. (I do have to wonder, though, why presidential candidates of all stripes continue to promise the moon, even when they know they can only deliver green cheese. And I do wonder, even more, why we voters believe their promises, even when we should know better. But I’ll save these wonderings for another blog post.)
What I found most fascinating in Choslovsky’s piece was one sentence, a rhetorical flourish that reflects curious perspective on life. In context, the author is noting that Barack Obama was once as popular as a rock star. But, Choslovsky implies, he’s not so favored anymore. So what happened? Here’s Choslovsky’s answer:
What happened is he won, and Candidate Obama became President Obama. And as with most things in life, the anticipation was better than the real thing.
I was struck by the second sentence: “And as with most things in life, the anticipation was better than the real thing.”
Is this true? In most of life, do our expectations exceed reality? Is life truly a long line of disappointments?
I’ve been sorting through my life, trying to remember when anticipation was better than the real thing. There have been times when this was true. I’ll never forget my first visit to Plymouth Rock. I was expecting to see a rock big enough for a ship full of pilgrims to gather upon it for a prayer meeting. In fact, Plymouth Rock was about as big as an oversized bean bag chair. For me, the anticipation of Plymouth Rock was better than the real thing. (The only thing amazing about it was the fact that the pilgrims managed to land in 1620 on a rock that had 1620 carved into its side. Yes, I am aware that what’s left of the rock is much less than the original, and that a good part of it lies beneath the sand, and that the 1620 was probably not there when the pilgrims landed.)
There have also been times when a highly anticipated experience began as much less than I had hoped. I anticipated college to be a blast, but found myself terribly homesick in my first few months. I thought my marriage to Linda would be easy, but in fact we got off to a rocky start. I expected parenthood to be hard work, but had no idea just how hard it would really be.
You might say that, for me, in the case of college, marriage, and parenthood, anticipation was better than the real thing. But this would be utterly wrong. Yes, my first few months of college were difficult, but I ended up having a fantastic experience. Linda and I had a difficult time in the beginning of our marriage, but now, after 25 years, what I’ve experienced is immeasurably better than what I expected. And, yes, parenthood has been harder than I once realized. But the joys of parenting far, far outweigh the unanticipated challenges.
Many things in life have certainly been different from what I had anticipated. And many things have turned out to be harder than what I had expected. But, unless my memory has blotted out the bad stuff, I can honestly say that, for the most part, the real thing has been better than my anticipation. It may be true, however, that the best things in life often start out falling short of expectations, only to exceed them later on.
So what do you think? Would you agree that anticipation usually trumps reality? Or is it the other way around? Does life generally disappoint you? Or does it surprise you with unexpected grace? What in life has been for you like Plymouth Rock was for me? What in life has turned out to be much better than you thought?
Topics: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »