bierkergaard

On Tuesday night, my high school sponsored an "Authors Night" for those in the District that have published a book. I had my suspicions that turn out would be low and it was. A massive rainstorm and general apathy dampened the crowd.  One of the lessons of life that I have learned is that I am being called to be faithful. Not successful, faithful. So, in regards to the scant attendance, I tried to, and was able to, keep a positive attitude and not disrespect the others who came out to share their books--and to those in the audience who attended. They didn't deserve disappointment. I also kept in mind that one never knows the power of reaching one person...as the adage goes, "One can count the amount of seeds in an apple, but one cannot count the amount of apples in one seed." We forget that Jesus spent most of his ministry in the company of twelve men, one of who turned out to be a Betrayer. If we go by the 12 person model of ministry, pouring our live...

1 Peter 4:8 English Standard Version (ESV) Above all, keep lovi ng one another earnestly, since   love covers a multitude of sins. I made  a quick and not highly thought out comment on Facebook on Tuesday morning at 5:30. The early bird gets the worm and I got my share of worm Likes and several snakey ones too.  So, the above picture was posted on Facebook with an NPR article on food and water supply. The article referenced Coca-Cola not building a bottling plant in Southern India because it would have diminished the water table. Here is my comment. I was hoping to break 200 Likes but came up a little short, peaking a 191. So, I made the simple and simplistic observation that Coke was not food. It was sloppy of NPR to pair the picture of Coke with the article about food and water. So far, so good I thought. There was nothing profound here. Several commenters called me out for some reason pointing this out. Things like soda is not food which is what I sai...

Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. Last Saturday, after my doomed foray into the world of Mechanicalia trying to repair the mothership mower, I chilled with a few beers in addition to a shot of bourbon and cigar out back. I tweeted that I was enjoying a Yuengling Lager, rather than a Mint Julep, here in Pennsyltucky. It was the day of the Kentucky Derby, a race that I truly had no horse in. It was a throw-away comment, innocuous. Nothing bawdy or over the top of the mug bacchanalian. I mean who doesn't drink a beer after destroying the lifeblood of their mower? Like brain surgery in the hands of a butcher am I.   I do try and be careful about Twitter because anyone can see what I put out there. Don't want to besmirch my fine reputation. I found one of the students in my College & Career Class had tweeted before the class had begun that I was "annoying." Social Media has made adolescence a...

Yesterday, I pulled my Lawnboy mower out of hibernation to mow the growing grass of my townhouse estate (about 750 square feet). As was expected, the mower didn't want to wake up from its long winter sleep. It happens ever year. Lawnbear? What was unexpected was that three hours later, after probably 250 pulls of the cord (it was showing signs of fraying) is that the mower would still not start. I had replaced the spark plug, put in fresh gas. Nada, nothing. Maybe leaving it in the shed outside had killed it. Good work-out for the right arm though. I am sure the neighbor who had stolen my recycling bin earlier in the week saw my dogged and even over-the-top persistence in action. I may be many things but I am not a "Pussy" as he called me after I caught him red-handed with my bin. Surprisingly, he had gone on the offensive after I called him out on it. He asserted that I was being unreasonable making a scene about his thieving.I pointed out that stealing a recycli...

Is 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Last Sunday, for Earth Day, the church I attend decided to pick up trash as our service activity which we do every month or so. Our meeting place borders between the haves and have-nots in Lancaster City and it does not seem like the dichotomy is lessening. Instead, it almost seems like the good news and bad news are like two different pipes, pumping out news at about the same volume and speed. So, when the bow-tied mayor speaks of all the good things happening, he is being truthful. Yet, it is difficult to argue that the good outweighs the bad. It is truly Manichean. The soul of the city--not two souls--is in danger of being torn asunder. Not a Tale of Two Cities, but one. But, two tales. I instead selected to s...

Hebrews 9:22 Because all things are purged by blood in The Written Law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. I belong to a loose confederation of Christian-minded beer drinkers. We are called "Beer and Theology" and meet once a month to take on a theological topic and to drink beer. When I heard of the group, I thought to myself, "Baptist boys gone bad." Lancaster County is one of the most conservative places in the United States and fundamentalism, like the flu, is a strong strain. I am orthodox and Reformed but don't consider myself a Fundie. I don't dance--not because I have issues with it inciting lust or what not--I just can't dance. I am white boy who is athletic and was a pretty decent basketball player, so I am not sure why I have no moves. Blame it on my older brother Mike who hated disco, and by inference dancing, during my formative dance development days. I feel very self-conscious. However, when I do cut l...

I was chatting with a buddy yesterday about my refusal to drink bad coffee. What constitutes bad coffee is two-fold: 1) Poor taste; 2) Weak. Good taste is the first element, it is a necessary but not sufficient grounds for a great cup of coffee. The second element is that the coffee has to be strong. So, if a coffee is poor tasting, the strength of the brew actually compounds my revulsion. Yet a good coffee served weak is like the cup has been castrated. Eunuch brew. I gave McDonald's McCafe a shot awhile back on a trip up to Boston. Bad on both elements and poured it out like a bucket of watered down piss. Above is my coffee this morning. In good hipster fashion, I have take an old process called Cowboy Coffee and gentrified the title to Dropped Coffee and feel special because I did so. Like the long-beards who ferment cucumbers and create artisanal pickles and then charge four bucks for one. And all the Foodies fawn. Essentially, Dropped Coffee is boiling some water, puttin...