What do you mean, "didn't notice"...?

I don't know what's worse, not having the money to pay the phone bill or no one noticing that I haven't been able to call, email or blog.

Anyway, phone and internet are fixed, so even though you didn't miss me, I'm back.

You mean you actually believe I think about this stuff?

My long time friend and fellow blogger Chris has awarded me the "Thinking Blogger Award" which means the stuff I write kind of makes him think - either that or he has nothing better to do. Here's the nifty little picture thingy I get to display:

 

Here's the awards origin. The award is a meme, which I don't exactly know what that is, but apparently it means I need to pass it along to 5 other people who make me think.

The only thing is, I don't follow that many blogs. I've tried to avoid information overload and have cut my time online and try to keep the minutiae to a minimum.

That being said there are a couple three that deserve the award.

Igneous Quill by Adam. Like me he struggles and sometimes rages to reconcile his beliefs with a world and a church gone insane.

The Dorchester Times by Village Dweller (and others?) This is the would-be newspaper of my childhood home town. Besides providing me with a great sense of nostalgia by posting some fantastic pictures, the author(s) are on a mission to fix the town and thus have many great comments about community involvement and citizen responsibility that all of us should listen to, no matter where we live.

These Thoughts Remain by Deanna. She hasn't posted in a while (where did you go, D?) but she writes very emotionally about taking care of your fellow man. Whether it's "Blogging for Boobs" (breast cancer awareness) or problems with nursing home care, she keeps me thinking that there should be more we can do to help our fellow man in his health needs.

Well, I'm supposed to do 5. The rules say nothing about tag-backs, so I'll put Chris on here, his blog is The Radloff's Random Midnight Thoughts. He blogs very passionately about politics and the need of us all to get involved and try to fix some of the insanity. He also speaks, often sadly, about life in a small midwestern city and his longing for people to care about one another again.

The last one is kind of a blog, but more of a history thought of the day. The American Minute shoots out thoughts about historical figures such as George Washington and Ben Franklin and their points of view on God and religion at various times in their life.

So, thanks Chris. Happy Blogging everyone.

Welcome to 2008 and your clean slate.

Sometimes you find wisdom in places you don't expect.

The other night I pulled out a well worn video tape that I hadn't viewed in quite a while. We got a ton of new movies for Christmas, but I was in the mood for something a little more comfortable. Favorite movies are like that, like a well worn pair of slippers that are broken in just right. Comfortable.

That particular evening's comfort was "Forrest Gump" (1994). I love that character, he gets to go everywhere and meet everyone. The scene that struck me with a particular bit of wisdom was the scene where Forrest meets up with his former commander in Vietnam, a man he only ever referrs to as "Lt. Dan", in spite of the factDan had been discharged some time before that. Anyway, the scene is New Years eve, 1971 and Forrest and Lt. Dan are spending it in a bar not far from Times Square. In walks two of Lt. Dan's "lady friends" (their dress implies they are "friends" with many men in the area. As they watch the infamous ball drop on TV, one of the ladies leans and whispers in Forrest's ear:

"Don't you just love New Year's? You get to start all over. Everybody gets a second chance."

Wisdom.

New year's day is a chance for us to look back, not with pain or regret, but with the perfect vision that only hindsight can provide. And with that hindsight, we can look forward to the year ahead. It is a clean slate. In a way, you can start over.

And, best of all, you do get a second chance. Our God is a God of second chances. (If you don't believe in God as I do, that's ok, He'll give you a second chance too!)

What was 2007 like for you? Are there things you look back on with regret? Are there things that when they come to mind bring a pain to your gut and make you wish you had handled it differently? Are there worse things that make you just want to sit down and sob, grieving for a lost friendship, opportunity, or love?

The better news is, you not only have a clean slate, a second chance, but you have an opportunity to make amends. There's nothing you've done that's so bad you can't try to reach out to those you've hurt. Maybe they will let you, maybe not, but at least you can find peace.

"Everybody gets a second chance"

Take advantage of yours.

Happy New Year.