Nonsensical Ramblings of Mark

To unabashedly borrow and recast a popular saying: A boy in his parent's arms is safe. But that is not what boys are for.

In the astronomical geekalicious category I just found out that Mercury will be transiting the Sun on November 8, 2006 and will be viewable in Rochester from 4:11 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. ET. I witnessed the Venus transit that occurred on June 8, 2004 I will make sure that I do not miss this. The transit of the interior planets are way cool to observe but the event will end after the Sun sets over here so I will not be able to see all of it. I’ll plan to set the telescope up with my solar filter firmly affixed before 4:00 p.m. so I can get a good view of the beginning of the event. The next Mercury transit will take place on May 9, 2016 and the next Venus transit will take place on June 6, 2012.

Absent again. And, big surprise, no one noticed…save my family of course. I just completed another business trip to New Jersey and this one went smoothly in large part because I drove instead of flew. Of course it is a bit more stressful driving, but it beats the mad dash to the airport and the wait as the flight gets delayed. Or cancelled. For some reason the flights in and out of Rochester seem to take a back seat to those going to NY or even Buffalo . Then again it just may be my impression and not based in fact at all. My wife and I are involved in a youth group for 3rd through 6th graders at our church. Tonight is the first outreach night where we will be duct taping the four lightest clubbers to the wall and watching a Sugar Creek Gang video. I have been praying that it will go well. I would love to see 55-60 kids there, but less than that number will be a success as well. As co-director I liken my involvement to the insane running the asylum, but that is another matter entirel...

I would have laughed…at least on the inside. Had you told me with my Bachelor’s and Masters degree in Social Work that I would be working in corporate America a mere three years out of school I would not have believed you. And sometimes I wonder if it is all worth it. At times I struggle with working to pad someone’s pocket. I guess I would like the motivations of the shareholders here to be more altruistic. Kind of dumb I know but that would relieve my angst. The struggle is exacerbated by the fact that shifting gears has enabled my wife to stay home with the boys. That would have been impossible on my social worker salary. This is for her and them and I know it has been good for them. And for me as well. Would I like to get “back into” social work? Yes. It is the first career that I fell in love with and I am still in love with it. Pining for it at times. It is more lifestyle than work and it suited me well. But God has His way – and I firmly believe I am further along His way be...

I hate dropping the ball. Those who know me must think I absolutely love it because I do it so often. My temperament is prone to a live and let live attitude where, as long as everyone is happy, everything is all right. That is so diametrically opposed to God’s intention for this creation and my life that it is not even worth mentioning. When things went awry after the fall, God invaded this earth and set into motion events that would culminate in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. That, as far as I can tell, is an one-hundred-and-eighty-degree departure from live and let live. I was rebuked this weekend for something that I needed to be doing and was not. I have re-started this practice and am excited about it. In fact, it is working out better than I thought it would and I need Your power, Lord, to continue it. Thank you for the rebuke. It hurt, but not as bad as it would had I dropped the ball…again.

Useless but fun on Talk Like a Pirate Day (which is today!): My pirate name is: Mad Jack Bonney Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. You can be a little bit unpredictable, but a pirate's life is far from full of certainties, so that fits in pretty well. Arr! Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com. part of the fidius.org network

OK so I have calmed down a little bit from yesterday but not much. There is still a lot going on, but, slowly, I am getting on top of things. But that is life…everyday stuff that make a hero or zero out of me. I am firmly convinced that heroic acts can be done by anyone. I can stand jumping into an icy cold river to save someone or even taking a bullet for someone because something just takes over at that point and I would be, essentially, out of my mind. Day to day is the mettle of who I am. That is where people see me for who I really am. Rarely is this on display in social settings although there have been times in my life where it has slipped out (in a bad way). My wife and children know me well. I pray that they like what they see and quickly forget that which they don’t. Deep breaths. Know that this is not the last of the roller coaster rides. But, Lord willing, there will be down time again for me to reflect on this time.