Monthly Archives: October 2010

Considering Halloween in a proper light

Posted on October 31, 2010 by maradanto

A friend of mine recently shared a blog post he had found, called “Reconsidering Halloween”; he called it a balanced Christian approach to the night. The writer talks about how her parents, back in the 1980s, took too narrow an … Continue reading →

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Looking back on Haiti team 2010

Posted on October 30, 2010 by maradanto

One of the risks of embarking on any missions trip, short- or long-term, is that church teams can be like a box of chocolate. You never know what you’re going to get. You might get people who are in it … Continue reading →

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UPS? No thanks

Posted on October 29, 2010 by maradanto

I hate it when people try to send me packages through UPS. You can never tell when they’re going to arrive at your house, even when they say they will be there in a certain time frame, and then they … Continue reading →

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Doing the research for Election Day

Posted on October 28, 2010 by maradanto

Evangeline and I today spent about 40 minutes looking at politicians’ web sites, discussing who deserves our vote Tuesday. Tuesday is Election Day, when our incumbent Congressional representative is up for his 10th term. Opposing him is a candidate who … Continue reading →

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Discovering black history

Posted on October 28, 2010 by maradanto

Mark Twain once allegedly said, “Don’t let your schooling get in the way of your education.” Whether Twain said it or not, it’s a memorable quote because it neatly encapsulates the experience many of us have had with formal education. … Continue reading →

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Everyday Justice, immigration and fair trade

Posted on October 25, 2010 by maradanto

me: Reading a good book. “Everyday Justice.”. Indigo: looks interesting Indigo: *wishlists* me: It’s thought-provoking. me: We’re reading it at the Bible study we attend; just finished chapter one, on coffee me: Interesting point you’re probably familiar with: me: Prior to the … Continue reading →

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The danger slide

Posted on October 24, 2010 by maradanto

When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. When you know how to climb steps, all staircases are an invitation to go up in the world. Alexandra has been climbing steps a little more than a month now, … Continue reading →

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A ray of unironic sunshine

Posted on October 24, 2010 by maradanto

The weather has been dark and gloomy for a long time, but the sun came out yesterday. It was a beautiful thing. Imagine a sunrise Easter service on the beach. It’s cold, it’s wet, and as you stamp your feet … Continue reading →

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Baby steps toward sustainability

Posted on October 23, 2010 by maradanto

My close, personal friend Greg of mine a while asked for baby steps that regular people could take toward greater environmental responsibility, ones that don’t complicate life too much. For some people, any change that they can notice is too … Continue reading →

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History lesson on your Social Security card

Posted on October 21, 2010 by maradanto

I have a friend or relative who is a member of the Tea Party. As is the wont of this particular friend or relative, with midterm elections looming and my liberal tendencies posing the danger that I might vote Democratic, … Continue reading →

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