One of the most memorable interviews I’ve ever done was with a 54 year old fisherman.

He’d never been on air before.
I had time and I could tell he was nervous so I made coffee and explained how things worked.

I was going to tape, so once we settled in I rolled through some questions and started repeating them. As he warmed up, his face absolutely shone.

54 years old and he hadn’t gotten past Grade 6.
Like many people in a resource based area, he’d gone out on the boats and made a successful living.

But all his life he’d longed to read.
And at 53, he approached an Adult Literacy Organization and learned.

His gratitude to the teachers that taught him was overflowing.
His whole life changed at 54.
He loved to cook and he told me about learning how to read a cookbook so he could make special meals for his friends.

I was so choked up at the end of that interview I could barely say good-bye.
What an impact he had on me.
I can’t take reading for granted now.

Here is a reading test.
In the interest of fair disclosure I scored 315 words a minute with 87% comprehension.
To all the teachers that taught me to read and to love reading, thank you.
Mom and dad, you are gone now, but those trips to the library every week paid off. I don’t know if I ever said thanks.
And to the fisherman, where ever you are, I’m so grateful you shared your story. I wish I could have gotten you a cookbook.

link via Ian’s Messy Desk

Confusing the body of Christ with the United States of America
I didn’t pay any attention to the headlines about a US general shooting his mouth off.
Such small hands has, and I’m paying attention.
Providing some great links, Lee Anne found Jim Wallis of the Sojourners speaking up.

General, your theology bears no resemblance to biblical teaching. You utterly confuse the body of Christ with the American nation. The kingdom of God doesn’t endorse the principalities and powers of nation-states, armies, and the ideologies of empire; but rather calls them all into question. You even miss the third verse of “Onward Christian Soldiers,” which reminds us, “Crowns and thrones may perish, Kingdoms rise and wane, But the Church of Jesus, constant will remain.” And let’s not misinterpret the famous first verse, “Onward Christian soldiers marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before.” The cross, General, not the Special Forces.

And such small hands asks a couple of good questions.

What troubles us more: Boykin’s confusion of God and country, or his defense of Christianity’s truth claims? For the former, he should be corrected in love. For the latter, we should look to our own hearts and ask the Holy Spirit to give us boldness.

Talk and no action?
Hello. Mr. Link Byfield.
You had one of the best writers in Canada working for you.
His name is Colby Cosh.
Pay up.
Oh. A couple of other former employees wouldn’t mind hearing from you either.

Spread the love
Are you in need of a chuckle?
I’m still laughing at Real Live Preacher’s post to AOL.

If anyone from AOL is reading this, I want to tell you that I got the message. You’re wonderful, caring people, and you obviously love me more than cake. You can stop now. It’s embarrassing, really. Send them instead to people less fortunate, people who don’t know if anyone in the world cares for them. The world is full of people who need love, and many of them have nary a case for their CDs, so I’m told.

Of course I’ll miss the regular reminders of your affection, but let’s share the love, shall we? Send those CD cases to some other people, and let’s make this world a better place.

Kiss Kiss,

Published 4 years, 10 months ago