1. Well, the first ever, bona-fide Redmond family vacation is about over. Aaaaand, I’m exhausted.

2. It is a long way from the indestructibility of youth to the reality of being a parent of fragile children.

3. Protip: Listen to The Beatles.

4. Last night (on vacation) I interpreted “Love your neighbor as yourself” as going to get security after waking up at 1 AM so we could actually sleep at the expense of our neighbor’s drunken fun.

5. We are looking into medication to regulate my son’s addiction to Chex Mix.

6. The condo we stayed in may never be the same.

7. The smarts of liberals is always assumed and the dimwittedness of conservatives is a given. If you don’t believe this it is because you are a dimwitted conservative.

8. Speaking of politics, I support a constitutional amendment banning 10 AM check-out times.

9. Having cable for a few days reminds me why I hate TV – the shows and the commercials. Besides that, it’s great.

10. We need another word over against “vacation” to describe what you are doing when you have multiple kids and go somewhere.

1. On vacation and sometimes blogging feels like work..

2. The condo we are staying in is super nice and therefore not childproof. All eyes on need to be on deck.

3. I’m reading an Ann Coulter and there is no telling what I might say. (Before you freak out about this, remind yourself that you would not blink if I was reading a book by John Stewart or Bill Maher. People only freak out about conservatives, which proves the premise of the book I’m reading.)

4. We have cable! I’ve already watched Man V. Food and Triple D.

5. My wife is looking for pretty good and I don’t want to miss a moment.

6. I am distracted by the shrimp I made last night and the fish I will be eating tonight.

7. I need all the energy I can muster to build sandcastles.

8. I may need a nap at the juncture which would be the most natural time to blog.

9. Superdad cannot be bothered with such things.

10. I’m the king of fun and duty calls.

Seven poisons. Seven temptations? All have the echo of the first lie. A straight line from the first lie to seven little ones. There are most likely more…some I’ve bought into and therefore was not able to list because I may be just too mired in it.

1. The Excitement. We have no vision for a God who works unawares. You might challenge me to list 7 exciting things God is doing in the church right now. But I am not all that concerned about the exciting because I think he is always doing something and it’s always exciting. Every moment of every day. And even if I cannot see it, I assume God is working for the good of his people and the glory of his name. Just because you cannot see it, does not mean God is not working. We are stupid for excitement.

2. The Power. We will blast the hell out of Rob Bell for a yet-to-be-published book questioning hell. But circle the wagons in silence when one of our own is publicly accused of abusing his power. And then use our power to attack those who have publicly accused him of this. We could have just waited for Bell’s book to come out first and then written thoughtful responses. We could have waited to accuse those who have started these blogs – representing hundreds upon hundreds of people who claim spiritual abuse – until after the dust settled. But no, the need to minister from a position of strength and power, waxes and rarely wanes till it’s too late.

3. The Profusion. Podcasts, vodcasts, conferences, webzines, blogs, twitter, facebook and now Google+ – all of it is now a means of information about how to think, live and believe as a Christian. And these do not even take into account the weekly bible studies, accountability groups, prayer meetings, worship gatherings and Sunday services. It is all so much and coming at us 24/7 with unrelenting urgency. Most will not be able to keep up. They will give up because it is all too much. Less than an hour after your pastor’s message, you will see a link to an interesting sermon from a pastor across the country and it will be in high-def video. As you go to tweet about it moments after it is over, you’ll see a killer quote to retweet. And on and on and on…A deep, abiding thought will be almost impossible. And we will not rest in a Word.

4. The Perspective. We have none. And it’s why we get all excited about a pastor’s criticism of something like the American Dream while not even stopping to wonder if they have achieved it yet. We use iPhones to make people feel guilty about their wealth. We say ridiculous things like, “Instead of criticizing __________, you should be out witnessing!” Back at ya.

5. The Young. If Whitney is right and the children are our future, we’re screwed. I’d prefer my parents were the future or their parents. Heck, I don’t even want to be the future. But I digress. There are some things – theological, political, social, familial, etc. – I’ve been thinking about for a while. But today’s young Christians – some half my age – thinking about an issue over night after watching a documentary, reading a book, etc. are suddenly experts espousing you know thoughts on like stuff. We need to recapture a practice of stopping and thinking and learning before we are old and only do the stopping and thinking and learning because we have failed so often that we now see the need.

6. The Celebrity. Maybe it’s always been the case. But I cannot help but think with the advance of the internets and the rise of social media, the cult of personality has grown within the evangelical church. It has minimized the work of the local church and placed the power to save and sustain in the abilities of a few while marginalizing the work of the Spirit. It’s created elitist pastors who hob-nob in green rooms before going on stage at conferences.

7. The Cool. We are thirsty for cool and have drunk it down to the dregs. In an effort to be relevant and gain market-share, we have taken every cool trend, product, hip TV show, movie and music star and baptized them for our purposes. We wanna be cool, be see as cool and want to be guilty of cool by association. It’s really just sad. And Junior High.

Let me close by saying, God is powerful and good. He will not ever forsake his people. But these facts do not preclude us from being concerned about some of these things. I am assume there are other things to be concerned about. It is certainly possible I am part of the problem behind other complaints and therefore have not seen them. Guilty as charged, I am sure.

And sometimes a complaint is not mere complaining. Call this a last salvo for a while as this blog takes a different turn…

I’ve gotta rename this blog. I need to. I want to. I just don’t know with what. But I have a few ideas. Feel free to vote on any of these following ten possible names:

1. Redmond’s Pub/Redmond’s Public House (Get it? Redmond? Irish name before “pub…”?)

2. Echoes and Stars (My favorite post yet.)

3. The Pint and Pipe (Too edgy?)

4. The Rock and The Hard Place (Never a comfortable place to be…)

5. An Ordinary Place (Too obvious?)

6. No Man’s Land (For those who do not fit.)

7. The Bluff (I live in Bluff Park.)

8. Bacon and Bits (Recommended by a friend.)

9. What You’re Already Thinking (Often a post seems to resonate with dozens who say this was the case.)

10. The Bates Motel (Using my middle name…I know, why would my parents use “Motel” for a middle name?)

So, I’ve been thinking about making a few changes to the blog, I’d love to know what you all think about some of them. However, you need to know that any suggestions made may be just rejected outright. 😉

1. Name Change. A little pretentious? Especially for those who have no familiarity with the language.

2. Number of Posts. Instead of one post per day, I may actually start posting throughout the day. This means I may post more. Maybe. Tuesday’s Ten and Thursday’s Random Thoughts will remain. Settle down.

3. Politics. I’d like to have some civil talks about political and social issues. I may use Fridays for this. I know this may be controversial. But my hope would be to get people thinking. I was a political science major in college for a time and still love the subject. One way to approach this may be to approach it answer as to why I am a conservative. Just short posts on various issues.

4. My Book. I know I have not talked much about it lately. It is all still in the editorial process. But I am afraid. I’m afraid my blog will become a marketing platform for the book. I don’t want it to.

5. What’s Missing? Anything you would like to see me discuss? Any subject? Movement? Idea?

Today is the 235th birthday of of the Declaration of Independence. And I’ve been reading through The Black Book of Communism. Barely into its 900 pages, I see already what cannot be ignored already – the inherent tyranny of Communism.

This desire to fight against tyranny is no small thing. I sit here on my couch in freedom reaping the benefits of the document below and the willingness to fight against tyranny. That is staggering. For many labor under the iron fist of tyranny. They sleep under the same stars as us but they seem so little light with all the darkness between. They long for the very kind of air we so often curse because we have never breathed in anything else. We, out of some kind of sick self-hatred denigrate this place so many long to enjoy. We are comfortable with patronizing them. We are uncomfortable with patriotism.

But I love the document below. I cannot expect perfection in it or from it…I’m a Calvinist. Nor should anyone. But as its vision echoes on into the moment of now…on my couch drinking coffee, I am thankful.

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

The 56 signatures on the Declaration appear in the positions indicated:

Column 1
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
George Walton

Column 2
North Carolina:
William Hooper
Joseph Hewes
John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge
Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Arthur Middleton

Column 3
Massachusetts:
John Hancock
Maryland:
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton

Column 4
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Franklin
John Morton
George Clymer
James Smith
George Taylor
James Wilson
George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney
George Read
Thomas McKean

Column 5
New York:
William Floyd
Philip Livingston
Francis Lewis
Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton
John Witherspoon
Francis Hopkinson
John Hart
Abraham Clark

Column 6
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett
William Whipple
Massachusetts:
Samuel Adams
John Adams
Robert Treat Paine
Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins
William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman
Samuel Huntington
William Williams
Oliver Wolcott
New Hampshire:
Matthew Thornton

(HT: Michelle Malkin for the actual Declaration and the signatories.)

I’m just too tired to do any writing. My boys have been sick all weekend. My wife and I have gotten little sleep. Clarence Clemmons died. And I had to say “no” to a ghostwriting job that would have paid well. I’ll resume tomorrow.

Some memories of my Dad are like mercury. I just can’t seem to get a handle on ’em. Others are like fixed points in my past’s night sky by which life could be sailed back through safely. And then there are those memories which are the coming together of dozens forming one pressing against the walls of my life, forming it. And doing so in ways I could not understand till I had my own kids.

Going to get a chocolate shake at McDonald’s after time at the dentist, Dr. Vines pipe-smoke still in my nose. Handing tools to him while he laid under the car covered in grease, his face making the same one my does when straining against something. Doing my best to stay quiet while he sits rock still in the brown-orange Lay-Z-Boy after a long day as a pastor, while my mom fixes supper in the kitchen. His calm patience while I learned to drive in his Plymouth Reliant. Shooting baskets and throwing baseballs. Grilling.

None of these are one particular memory. Just as a flock of birds is one living flying form, these memories move along together in the past having become one memory flowing together in a stream against the blurry backdrop of the forgotten.

My first thought is to wish I could remember one of these in particular. I can’t. But maybe the reason why is they are so repetitive as to be indistinguishable.  A faithfulness in so many small ways over such a length of time as to only be understood in the aggregate. If one could be remembered it would possibly belie the uniqueness of the “event.” But none were unique.

The taste of the chocolate is embedded in my palate’s memory because it happened often enough for each to spill on into the other. I can feel the greasy tools slide between my fingers still because of the many times this was done. The smell of a ball glove rings true because of 10,000 pitches. I can sit down, close my own eyes just before supper and hear the echo of his own silence and my mother’s stealth movement in the kitchen. As I’ve scratched at these memories, they’ve rubbed off and made indelible marks on my own fatherhood. Hopefully marks of the same breed of faithfulness.

My wife and I are down at the beach, so no real post till tomorrow. Even as I write this, we are heading to a local bagel place to eat. After, we will make our way to the Beach. There I will read and watch tattooed and burned Miller Lite laden smokers play in the surf the way most will play at the edge of beauty.

(This is the second post on my Dad. The first is here.)

If I close my eyes I can feel my small hands clasp the chain-link fence standing between me and a train heaving down the tracks behind the day-care. It’s recess. Behind me and beside me there are 15 other little boys and girls. We were all playing on the playground near each other. The sound of the train breaks into our ears and takes our attention captive. We line up and gape.

I’m three. Maybe four.

We live in Texas. My Dad is in school studying to be a pastor. But I know none of this. I don’t know our poverty. I don’t know the difficulties of raising 4 boys, going to seminary and staying happy. They never let on. All I know is we live in a ginormous white house. The biggest one on the campus for the biggest family on campus. Go figure. And my dad is a janitor.

The only other memory I’ve retained involving said day-care – my mom had to work – is a walk. If you pressed me, I would say it was Autumn. All those boys and girls with daddies wanting to be pastors and three, maybe four year old Matt, were walking across the campus of the Seminary. The trees are huge. Heck, everything seems huge when you are three, maybe four. But I remember thinking the buildings of Seminary were incredible big. We just might be walking in the direction of the house where I live, when I am not in day-care. And I see him.

My Dad is working on the enormous lawn, under the enormous trees by the enormous buildings. It was either at this point or later that I declared proudly to the others, “MY Dad is a janitor.” The thing that gets me about this memory is the pride at being able to see my Dad working. There he was. I was able to see him while out on a walk.

This never changed. He was always present. My brothers and I never had that complaint. Though a pastor, he was always available to work on the car, throw the ball, shoot baskets, give rides. Whatever. Sometimes he took me to school and sometimes he picked me up. Available whenever.

He was never really a janitor. He worked part-time for the grounds crew. Which is more pastoral. But that wouldn’t have minded me none. I was three, maybe four. My vocabulary and grasp on the meanings of words was not quite as sturdy as my grasp on that fence. Little hands, little mind. A dad as a janitor would be fine with me. I got to see him on walks.