News
Football
Lazio
Scripture
Was barely able to drag myself out of bed this morning. I'm still struggling with shame and embarrassment from the mistake I alluded to here; I run my first Pastoral Council meeting tonight, and I'm pretty nervous for that; and I have a zillion other loose ends bouncing around in my mind. Sometimes I do get in modes like this, where I get "stuck in my head" and have a difficult time working out of it.
Permit
On a happier note, Space's older sister hit another major milestone yesterday: she got her driver's permit! She passed the written exam on her first try. As soon as we got home, we pulled the WRX out of the mothballs, and started working on how to drive a manual transmission. We set up a little driving course around the property, she did really well for her first time, considering she'd never accelerated a car, used a brake pedal, or a steering wheel in a real car-- not to mention the clutch. We'll need a few more of those practice sessions before she'll be ready to go on the actual roads-- but I'm confident she'll make quick progress.
John
I read through John's Gospel over the weekend, along with his letters. Then I started on the book "The Gospel and Letters of John", by R. Alan Culpepper. I think my favorite part of John may have been right near the beginning-- chapter 4, verses 31-39:
The first reason this passage grabbed me is because of the human element; as man, Jesus needs to eat as well, and then there is the confusion of the disciples-- "did someone give him food when we weren't looking?" It really brings the story to life.
But then there is that metaphor, spoken in Jesus's usual way of using parables and the like to not just teach people, but teach them in a way which challenges them to reflect and discern the true meaning of what he says. I interpreted "the fields are ripe for harvesting" and the notion that the reaper is already "gathering fruit for eternal life" to mean evangelization-- that the fruit is already out there, the disciples just need to go and pick it.
I thumbed ahead in the aforementioned R. Alan Culpepper book, and it has this to say:
Como-Lazio
I'm seriously worried about Lazio this season. Yes Como played very well, but holy buckets-- this is the last technical Lazio I've seen in probably the last twenty years. It almost reminds me of the team from 2004-2005, the first season I watched. I'm struggling to convince myself that we're better than teams like Udinese or Genoa-- either Como is just that good, or we might be struggling down in the bottom quarter of the table. I think Sarri will keep our defense solid, but our midfield has zero creativity, and our attackers are some of the worst in the division, I fear.
Permit
On a happier note, Space's older sister hit another major milestone yesterday: she got her driver's permit! She passed the written exam on her first try. As soon as we got home, we pulled the WRX out of the mothballs, and started working on how to drive a manual transmission. We set up a little driving course around the property, she did really well for her first time, considering she'd never accelerated a car, used a brake pedal, or a steering wheel in a real car-- not to mention the clutch. We'll need a few more of those practice sessions before she'll be ready to go on the actual roads-- but I'm confident she'll make quick progress.
John
I read through John's Gospel over the weekend, along with his letters. Then I started on the book "The Gospel and Letters of John", by R. Alan Culpepper. I think my favorite part of John may have been right near the beginning-- chapter 4, verses 31-39:
"Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, 'Rabbi, eat something.' But he said to them, 'I have food to eat that you do not know about.' So the disciples said to one another, 'Surely no one has brought him something to eat?' Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, 'Four months more, then comes the harvest'? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour."
The first reason this passage grabbed me is because of the human element; as man, Jesus needs to eat as well, and then there is the confusion of the disciples-- "did someone give him food when we weren't looking?" It really brings the story to life.
But then there is that metaphor, spoken in Jesus's usual way of using parables and the like to not just teach people, but teach them in a way which challenges them to reflect and discern the true meaning of what he says. I interpreted "the fields are ripe for harvesting" and the notion that the reaper is already "gathering fruit for eternal life" to mean evangelization-- that the fruit is already out there, the disciples just need to go and pick it.
I thumbed ahead in the aforementioned R. Alan Culpepper book, and it has this to say:
"The time is now, and Jesus sends his disciples to gather the harvest. Their commission will become clearer in later scenes, but here it clearly means that the Samaritans are to be included in the community of those who receive the gospel."
Como-Lazio
I'm seriously worried about Lazio this season. Yes Como played very well, but holy buckets-- this is the last technical Lazio I've seen in probably the last twenty years. It almost reminds me of the team from 2004-2005, the first season I watched. I'm struggling to convince myself that we're better than teams like Udinese or Genoa-- either Como is just that good, or we might be struggling down in the bottom quarter of the table. I think Sarri will keep our defense solid, but our midfield has zero creativity, and our attackers are some of the worst in the division, I fear.