Sheep Days

Sheep Days has moved

2006-10-31T12:45:00.000-07:00

I've moved to WordPress. I'm not going to delete this blog right away, but probably some day. From now on, I'll be at www.sheepdays.wordpress.com.

Religion and Violence

2006-10-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

Bruce Lincoln, a premier scholar of religion's role in violence, published the following in 2003 in the 2nd edition of his book Holy Terrors: Thinking about Religion after September 11. Each of the theses leads to the next; Lincoln's analysis of how religion can contribute to violence is challenging and insightful. While all of the theses seem true to me, thesis #11 is especially hard for me to

Beard's Banana Bread

2006-10-28T09:39:00.001-07:00

In college, I worked in a bartending agency. On one job, I met another bartender in the agency, and we discovered that we both enjoyed baking. He recommended a cookbook: Beard on Bread, a small book by "the dean of American cooks."Since then, I have baked many of the breads in the book, but I return again and again to one of Beard's recipes for banana bread. It's made with honey, a flavor that

How to Fold a Shirt

2006-10-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I've mentioned it here, but I'm an absolute maniac for systems for daily routines. I have elaborate rules and methods for all my household chores.I think the question of whether youtube can impact your life is answered once and for all.

Text by an Inca

2006-10-17T18:42:00.000-07:00

I've recently been reading excerpts from Felipe Guamán Poma de Ayala's book Nueva crónica y buen gobierno. The book is a collection of history, philosophy, advice to King Phillip III of Spain, and some absolutely spell-binding drawings, done by the author himself. Guamán Poma was the grandson of an Incan prince and a leader of people in his own right. His book is one of the earliest examples

Ebstorf Map

2006-10-07T10:27:00.000-07:00

In recent studies, the above map, called the "Ebstorf Map" has come to my attention. In this conception of the world, the earth is made of the physical body of Jesus Christ. His head is at the east, the direction of the rising sun and paradise. His arms stretch north to south. His navel is Jerusalem, the center of the world.To be sure, this is hardly an inclusive worldview. In fact, the very

The Blessing of the Animals

2006-10-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

October 4 is the Feast of Saint Francis, a day in the liturgical calendar when we remember animals, especially our pets. This year we're not going to a specific pet blessing service (our cats have never enjoyed it very much anyway), but I do think fondly of our furry friends on this day. If you want to bless your own animals, you might use this Franciscan-style prayer that I found:Blessed are you

The Best Nightmare

2006-09-30T15:58:00.000-07:00

Last night around 2:30am, my little 3-year-old son Thomas had a nightmare. It was like what they call a "night terror;" he woke suddenly and began to shout. He shouted over and over, "Daddy! Daddy!" When I went to him, he settled back down into his bed right away, hugged his tiger and his brown bear, and slept peacefully through the rest of the night.When I became a father, I knew I wouldn't be

An invitation to join the enemy

2006-09-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

I read "Creek Running North" and generally enjoy it very much.Please read the latest there about the miserable state of our democracy.

In Support of the Real Ban

2006-09-29T07:41:00.000-07:00

Here in Arizona, a state with a populist heritage, we have the opportunity to vote in many, many referenda. Sometimes, two referenda make the ballot that oppose each other. We Arizonan voters face such an instance this fall. Proposition 201 (funded by associations that work against smoking) will ban smoking in almost all public places. Proposition 206 (funded by Big Tobacco) will roll back

The Church as a Non-Profit

2006-09-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

Recently, an Episcopal Church in Pasadena, CA, was in the news for refusing to answer a summons for documents from the Internal Revenue Service. It seems the former rector of the congregation had made an anti-war sermon some time in 2004. Now the IRS wants to see copies of all sermons, newsletters, etc. from the period to see if the church violated the part of the tax law that says churches and

The Passion of el Cristo

2006-09-18T18:18:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I serve a small Presbyterian congregation that includes several members who are new Mexican immigrants. We pray every Sunday that Christian hospitality be extended to people who have come here, with documents or not, to work to support their families. Just this last Sunday, a faithful attender from Chiapas recounted to me how he is a coffee farmer. But

Quetzalcoatl and Whether or Not There Is Such a Thing as "Religion"

2006-09-16T16:26:00.000-07:00

In the discipline of Religious Studies, there is a theoretical debate concerning the category of "religion" itself. Many people (starting with the great sociologist of religion Emile Durkheim) would say no, there is no a priori component of human existence that we could call religion. We may have behaviors, social structures, beliefs, etc. that fall into the human category of "religion," but

Good-bye to Luis Gonzalez

2006-09-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday it was announced that the face of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Luis Gonzalez, will not be returning to the team next year. He gets about $10 million a year, and the management would prefer to split that money between some younger, promising players. On his side, Gonzalez wants to keep getting that kind of salary and be a daily player.A lot of people grouse about money in sports, and

Too Funny Not to Put Here

2006-09-14T17:49:00.000-07:00

I saw this the other night on the Daily Show. If you've seen the Geico ads, it's especially funny.

My Mother

2006-09-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of my mother holding me when I was younger than my two kids now. She died eleven years ago today of lung cancer.

My Uncle Arlo

2006-09-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

My uncle Arlo Van Veldhuizen was a complicated man. He graduated valedictorian from his high school in rural Iowa but was excruciatingly shy. My grandfather Van Veldhuizen, Arlo's father, was an over-bearing man; this combined with Arlo's introversion and social awkwardness--along with a dose of bad decisions--kept Arlo on our family dairy farm for the rest of his life. He never married, had no

Labor Day Worship and Creepy Liberal Prejudice

2006-09-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday was the day before Labor Day, and so many people of faith of a sort of a liberal bent took advantage of the weekend's worship services to celebrate work and workers. There's an outfit called Interfaith Worker Justice that puts out worship materials every year around this time for Christians, Jews, and Muslims. This was my first year I knew about it and decided to participate.My

2006-09-06T16:45:00.000-07:00

We've made three of the 22 recipes in the big freezer project.1. Fish with cilantro and lime;2. Crock pot beef with peppers;3. Meatloaf.The fish was definitely the best. After defrosting, I grilled it outside. I'm guessing that the marinade frozen with the meat doesn't actually function when the meat is frozen, but while the meat freezes and as it thaws, the marinade has a long time to penetrate

Drug addiction

2006-09-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

I'm the pastor of a small Presbyterian church in a very economically depressed area of metro Phoenix. Two members of the church who I love very much have a middle-aged son who has been a heroin addict for over twenty years. He's a sweet man when he's not high or drunk, though his personality is hard to make out given the years of abuse he's done to himself.Since I've been the pastor in this

The freezer is full

2006-09-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I wrote about our family food activity in which we bought tons of food to pack it away in the freezer in little pre-made meal packs. We're following an online meal service. This service claims that once you have all your ingredients together, it should take you approximately TWO hours to do all the prep work and get the food up in the deepfreeze. Now, I'm no slow-poke in the kitchen

Our mega-menu project

2006-09-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

Alex discovered an online recipe service for harried working parents like us. For 9 bucks you can download this big packet of information that includes 22 recipes. For each of them, you do most of the work ahead of time and put everything in the freezer until you're ready to eat it. Included is this great big shopping list divided into categories. I've been looking through the recipes, and it

Dinochicken!

2006-08-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

In a previous post, I mentioned how we have lately been eating dinosaur-shaped chicken at our house. This is because I purchased an industrial-sized box of them a few months ago, thinking that Tom & Lily would scarf them up. A side effect is that I have been eating them, too. This is what they look like once they've been through the toaster oven:I'm no expert, but I would say that there are

2006-08-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

I'm in the Religious Studies department at Arizona State, but that doesn't really say much about what I study or how. Some time in another post I'll write about what it is that I study. Here is a note about how.Religious Studies, as a discipline, arose like many others in the 1800s as part of the modern project to know and improve humankind. It started very much as sort of an armchair pursuit in

Brett and the Chocolate Factory

2006-08-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

A year ago, I had one of the best experiences of my life. I found the Golden Ticket and got to visit the Chocolate Factory.When I was a kid, I fell deeply in love with Charlie Bucket and his adventure in Willy Wonka's amazing chocolate factory. I didn't have it as bad as little Charlie, but our life in rural Arkansas wasn't exactly feature material for the "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous"

Proud Dad

2006-08-25T19:44:00.000-07:00

I realize that parents can get too promotional when it comes to their own kids, but this is my blog. So, I wanted to share some photos of my two.This is Tom when he was a little over year old. He's holding Brown Bear.This is Lily about a year ago.This one of my favorite pictures ever. It's from last Halloween and includes Nana.Tom engaged in some "risky business" last January.Lily in her

Update on guy who fell into the chocolate

2006-08-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

More breaking commentary on the guy who fell in the chocolate, this time on NPR.On Fridays, they read on air letters from listeners. You will not be disappointed if you listen to these letters from today. The story is about three minutes long, and the stuff about our guy doesn't start until around 1:55, so you can fast-forward.

Republicans and Democrats Found Not "Friendly" to Religion

2006-08-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

The New York Times reported the findings today of a fascinating poll done by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.The headline finding was that people are finding the Republican Party less friendly to religion. Only 47% (from 55% last year) find the G.O.P. as a friendly home for "religion" (the assumption, I guess, is that "religion"

A little treat

2006-08-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

I made these yesterday and have felt better. Alex says I bake when I'm depressed, but I think I bake to quit being depressed.Orange-Currant Scones 3 cups all purpose flourScant1/2 cup sugar4 teaspoons baking powder1/8 teaspoon salt1/2 poundcold butter (2 sticks)1 tablespoon freshly grated orange rind (about twooranges)1 large egg1/2 cup whole milkHeat oven to 350degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with

Foodie Blogpost Envy

2006-08-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

I subscribe to a few blogs about food. Most of them seem to be written by 20-somethings with considerable disposable income who live in major metropolises chock-full of exciting and delicious restaurants. These lucky devils eat daily in fabulous and trendy foodie havens where they snap gorgeous pictures of little tasties. Mostly, I am thankful for their intrepid dining. I eat vicariously

A fun, silly thing...

2006-08-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

Your Birthdate: April 15You take life as it is, and you find happiness in a variety of things.You tend to be close to family and friends. But it's hard to get into your inner circle.Making the little things wonderful is important to you, and you probably have an inviting home.You seek harmony with others, but occasionally you have a very stubborn streak.Your strength: Your intense optimismYour

First Day of Last Year

2006-08-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

This may not matter to anyone else, but today I started the last year of coursework in my doctoral program. In other words, this is my last year to be an official student with another professor grading my weekly work. (Of course, the dissertation will be "graded," but that is not the same.) This feels like a big deal to me.Also today: our air conditioner continues not to function correctly

Where are the oompah loompahs when you really need them?

2006-08-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

From today's newspaper:Worker trapped in tank of chocolate for 2 hours Associated PressAug. 18, 2006 02:11 PM KENOSHA, Wis. - It might sound like a chocoholic's dream, but stepping into a vat of bubbling chocolate became a two-hour nightmare for a 21-year-old man Friday morning.Donovan Garcia, an employee of a company that supplies chocolate

"Sheep Days" Wins an Award!

2006-08-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I received a very prestigious award via the U.S. Postal Service. It is displayed below as proof of my singular accomplishments. I ask that you restrict your comments to appropriate and respectful praise.

Protestant Obsession with Belief

2006-08-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

For better or for worse, I have been reading other "Christian" blogs. (A disclaimer: I find the use of the word "Christian" as an adjective for anything other than people or a group of people theologically stunted. What exactly makes a book or a store or a telephone directory "Christian"?)So, many of these bloggers seem absolutely caught up in a frenzy about "believing" in God. It's like this

San Diego, part 2: Goofy

2006-08-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

Here's Tom with his Goofy balloon.On Wednesday evening, we went to Seaport Village in San Diego. This is a neat touristy place with shops, restaurants, street vendors, and all right on San Diego Bay. Overhead, the fighter planes and military helicopters zoom in and out as they land at the nearby Coronado Navy complex. One of the highlights of our time at Seaport Village was the burnout guy who

San Diego, part I: Fish Tacos

2006-08-12T10:29:00.000-07:00

We just got back yesterday from a five-day vacation in San Diego. As soon as we raise $750,000 to buy a house, we are going to move there. The equity we have in our townhouse here in Tempe could probably get us a tricked out refrigerator box under a bridge in San Diego.So, according to my wife Alex, besides the beach, the cool temperatures, the scenery, the laid back attitude, and altogether

Lily

2006-08-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

You can see a picture of my son, Tom, in the post about his bathroom escapade. I wanted the world (i.e., the one and half people who may occasionally see this blog) to see my baby daughter, Lily:I did her hairdo myself--no small feat for a bald guy!

The Crazy Chicken

2006-08-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

I love reading blogs about people's experiences in restaurants. My wife and I love to go out and savor some great foodie food, but since having kids, are not nearly as able to eat out as often as we would like. I know I've read articles in Gourmet and other similar sources about rich New Yorkers who find it absolutely shameful NOT to bring your squalling toddlers to sample haute cuisine,

About Grace

2006-08-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

Today I finished reading a novel by Anthony Doerr called About Grace. The main character of the book is a hydrologist and a dreamer. As a child and young man he experiences sharp and tragic dreams that are later realized in his waking hours. The story unfolds around a dream in which he envisions himself carrying the corpse of his baby daughter through a flood.The dream makes him crazy and

"I am the bread of life."

2006-08-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

When I was in college, I started to make sourdough bread. I was a little crazy about it. Everyday, I made one big loaf of bread, and I did this for several months. Needless to say, in my apartment we had more bread than I or more roommates could eat, so I gave away a lot of bread to friends. At this time, I worked in a small library that hardly anyone ever visited. So, I would have friends

Mistakes were made...

2006-07-31T18:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my three-and-a-half-year-old son, Tom, miscalculated how powerful a force a flushing toilet can be. Tom is a very good boy, so when we were at a friends' home, and he had an accident in his little drawers, he decided to clean up the mess by himself. While we adults were eating delicious food under the Arizona setting sun, Tom went into the bathroom and flushed his underwear down the

Cornish Pasties

2006-07-28T18:12:00.000-07:00

This blog is not very old, so I'm not quite sure where it's heading. But looking back over the entries, I sound like a pleasureless curmudgeon of the worst kind. The truth is more that I'm a curmudgeon who enjoys pleasure.Today, Alex and I ate lunch at the Cornish Pasty Company of Tempe. We had a great meal in a neat place. First, the food: a pasty is a Cornish meat turnover, sort of like a big

Moyers for President

2006-07-26T15:08:00.000-07:00

This is Molly Ivins's column from today's paper:REALITY-BASED CANDIDATEAUSTIN, Texas -- Dear desperate Democrats,Here's what we do. We run Bill Moyers for president. I am serious as a stroke about this. It's simple, cheap and effective, and it will move the entire spectrum of political discussion in this country. Moyers is the only public figure who can take the entire discussion and shove it

"Do no harm"

2006-07-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, a judge in Missouri temporarily halted all executions in that state due to his concerns over the process of lethal injection. You can read the NYTimes article about it here. It seems that the current executioner, an anonymous doctor, is "dyslexic" and claims that he sometimes engages in "improvising" when it comes to the drug mixture. He stated, "“So it’s not unusual for me to

St. Alban, patron of refugees

2006-07-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

I had pretty much decided not to continue with this little blog because of a general feeling that I might not have enough to say to sustain this kind of thing. But I got a nice email from a stranger encouraging me to continue, and that was enough to at least write one more.I'm currently a research assistant for a project at ASU on the study of refugees in the humanities. To tell the bald truth,

Reading Lists

2006-07-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

"Your family and friends don't understandThey treat me so strangeThe book you said to readWell I have read but nothing's changed "--Billy Bragg in "The Only One"When I was a kid in high school in Arkansas, a few of my teachers gave me copies of various lists that were always titled something like: "Reading List for College-Bound Students." I would spend time with these lists of fifty or more of

A Shared Priesthood

2006-07-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

In preparing my sermon for this Sunday, I came across this absolutely lovely story:She sat huddled in her wheelchair as I turned the television tray between us into an altar: tiny chalice, tiny paten, and a yellow rose from the garden, all spread on an embossed white paper napkin. Because she was 97 years old and all but blind, I suggested that she not bother with a prayer book. "I'll read all

2006-07-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

The United States and TortureI have recently been beside myself with the certainty that United States citizens are torturing people in the name of my own personal security. Not only is torture appalling in every way, but my complicity as a U.S. citizen has been increasingly unbearable in moral terms. I feel the same heaviness that I once felt as a radicalized teenager first discovering American