Cancer, Hope, Ministry, Prayer, Suffering2 Comments

Lessons From the Waiting Room

Gary Furr

In all the uproar of 9-11, a lot of personal history got pushed out of view.  A month later, ten years ago, whatever was going on was dwarfed by a morning that changed the world forever.  So it is surprising to me to reconnect to anniversaries that I thought were some other time. Ten years ago, on August 13, 2001, my sister underwent surgery for breast cancer.  Her situation was serious, she was young—in her thirties—for such a thing.  Our family was, like all families in such a moment, devastated and anxious. As a minister, Wednesdays are usually the busiest … Continue reading Lessons From the Waiting Room

Uncategorized2 Comments

Practicing IS the Real Thing

Gary Furr

Graduations are that time when we realize we will likely wind up working for or paying taxes to the kid we picked on in fourth grade for the rest of our lives.  I feel for the graduates of 2011.  Their high school or college life was lived in the shadow of the Great Recession or whatever we will call this.  They have 9/11, two wars (2 and ½ if you count Libya), Katrina, the tsunami and, oh, yeah, no jobs out there.     Looks like the kid we picked on might have to tell us, “Sorry, I’ve laid off everyone but … Continue reading Practicing IS the Real Thing

humanity, Technology, Theology and Life

Delta Blues

Gary Furr

This is a more or less slightly exagerrated recall of five or six phone calls to Delta I have made this week trying to change our return flight. I dial 1-800-221-1212. RIIINNNNNNG Computer: Hi. Welcome to Delta, KLM and Air France. Are you a Sky Miles Member? Yes. Computer: I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you. Let’s try again. Are you a Sky Miles Member? Yes Computer: Mmmm. I didn’t understand. Say Yes or No.                      YESSSSSSSS! (Deep voice) Computer: Let’s try again. I’m having trouble hearing you. Okay, I think, do a falsetto. “YES.” Sounds like Franki Valli Computer: All … Continue reading Delta Blues

Christianity, holocaust, Jesus, Norway massacre, Politics, Prayer, Theology and Life, violence, worldview2 Comments

War of the Worldviews?

Gary Furr

Stephen Prothero, a Boston University religion scholar, wrote an opinion piece for CNN in the aftermath of the horrendous mass murder in Norway by suspect Anders Breivik.  Breivik set off a bomb and then, disguised as a policeman, infiltrated a youth camp where leadership and politics are taught and opened fire, at this point claiming at least 76 deaths. Breivik is white, Christian, and released a bizarre 1500 page manifesto in which he advocated a revolution in which the cultural dominance of Christianity might prevail over what he saw as an “Islamic-Marxist” alliance.  He wanted to speak on television in … Continue reading War of the Worldviews?

Uncategorized3 Comments

Trading Places?

Gary Furr

As a lifelong, maniacal baseball fan, i cut my teeth reading John R. Tunis books as a boy, listening to Cincinnati Reds baseball covertly after being sent to bed and imagining myself as a pro player one day.   I went to my first games at old Crosley Field and saw legends like Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron, Casey Stengel, Frank Robinson and Warren Spahn live.  We sat on the third base side in box seats once close enough to hear Deron Johnson spit–which was frequently. In my boyhood, there was only one thing that mattered–winning the World Series.  It never occurred … Continue reading Trading Places?