bierkergaard

I am one of those people who use the Facebook "Maybe" option pretty often in responding to the RSVP for events. It is kind of odd because I am not generally an indecisive person. In fact, my co-workers would probably say just the opposite. And they know me best where decision-making is crucial. I don't dawdle and delay. Instead, after due diligence, I deal with it. Because the issue isn't going to disappear. For my social life, I like to leave my options open and clicking "Maybe" on Facebook at least puts potential events on my iPhone calendar. That to me is just putting the cards into the deck and I want to be able to keep track of how I may play the cards like poker. Today, for instance, after meeting with the graphic designer for my book cover (a must meeting, no maybe on this one), I could head down to a Belgian Beer Festival in Baltimore, or go to the inaugural buffet for a Vietnamese restaurant down in Lancaster, or head to the gra...

Renunciation sounds like a bummer of a word. Thumbs down....like Simon Cowell back when he was on American Idol. But, it ain't. Embracing wrong is negative, renunciation of wrong is positive. Like math, two negatives make a positive. The Gospel in Arithmetic. Not sure of why math-wise, but spiritually I get the computation. Scorn the ways of the Devil...a good equation. A plus for ye pupils, pencils in hand. Halos for you. Here is my application. I typically get myself in spiritual trouble when I attempt to assert apex-like egotism. I love formulas, strategies, to-do lists, techniques. Ways to maximize results. It is not always bad but trying to be like God is always trouble. There is tremendous relief in letting go. I mean, by all means do your best. Don't shirk duties. Be responsible. Yet, I need to remember the best laid plans often go awry and rather than trying to direct the currents of Providence, instead learn to surf the waves. Fi...

Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love  Mother Teresa It was back in the 1960's somewhere. I was about four. I think my family was in Indiana, visiting my maternal grandfather's parents. They were in their 80's or 90's. Or so it seemed to a kid like me. I count it fortunate to have met them. Not many can say that, unless your mom had you when she was 14. And, that does happen. I have students where that was the case.   We are all in a train of ancestors, many of whom had much harder lives than us. Working on the railroad back in the days of coal and steam was my great-grandfather's job from what I recall. Surely, not as hot as hell but mighty close. Jobs that would cause us to file complaints with OSHA. It was a way of life. You worked hard in dangerous conditions. It was better than starving or dying. As we prepared to leave, I went up to the mantle on the fireplace and fished around for a candy heart that said "...

I was talking with a good friend over coffee on Saturday morning and we got into a discussion of self. I think it fair to say that we both lack a certain self-esteem, feel like outsiders. I relish actually being an outsider because when  I was an insider I paid the price in my soul. We tend to equate selfishness with the man or woman or child (m/f)  who thinks he/she is all that. Yet, selfishness can also be someone who thinks he/she is not all that. It is the focus on self that is the issue--whether grandiose or gutter-like. The happiest times in life is when we lose ourselves. In an activity, conversation, service, etc. We are not thinking about ourselves, good or ill, because we have been captiviated by something greater. Such wonder is a great antidote to loneliness, depression, anxiety, egotism, pride, and self-adulation. I was reading about the French philsopher Simone Weil who lived and died young. She, as a Jewish woman, came...

Today, when I was completing the author biographical information for my book on Book Baby, I was tempted to list Lancaster, Pa. as my hometown. But, it really ain't the case. I live in Columbia, Pa., about 8 miles West, towards the river, with the van, a la Chris Farley. Columbia has seen better days. Lancaster is more literary. Columbia is more litter. Columbia missed being the nation's capitol by a vote. Since then, like most river towns that have not developed a commerce district, it has fallen on hard times. Now, it is a town of yesterdays and no tomorrows beyond the grace of God. I like to think it is like where Jesus was from...Nazareth....can anything good come from there? Here? I have toyed around with living in Lancaster city. As far as Central Pa cities go, it is the beautiful one. York, Reading, and Harrisburg, are towns that never were and never will be. Again, unless the grace of God falls down like rain. There is not much in these places that sho...

Psalms 42:7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. I have been sleeping with my Bible on my bed for the last month. It blesses me to be close to it in the night. I have been delving a lot into the Psalms recently and have found great comfort. Psalms is one of those books in the Bible that we know but don't know. So many of our songs in the Church have their origins in the Psalms. Makes sense because many of the Psalms were written to be songs. The Psalm above (Ps. 42:7) sounds threatening, and most commentators see it that way. I disagree. God's drowning, as in Baptism, sinks sin like a wicked slave ship going to take people captive, to the bottom of the sea. No great loss there.   I love the nature settings of the Psalms....the heavens, the sun, the stars, seas, streams, mountains, all declaring the glory of God. In our McWorld that has been subdivided, concretized, franchised, laced wit...

In a continuation of yesterday's blog on the people of Nazareth dissing Jesus. "Yo' miracle man, hook me up." The Bible is pretty blunt that those in the crowd were punks. They wanted Jesus to deliver miracles as Papa John delivers pizza. And they treated him like a pizza delivery boy. I have a friend who delivers pizza. He works another job, he goes to grad school. He is just taking care of his bills. He notes that richer the people are as a rule, the fancier the house, the nicer the car, the ruder and less generous tippers they are. Asses. So, Jesus tell the crowd that they are an unappreciative bunch. He calls them out. They don't accept it. They want to toss him of a cliff like a frisbee. You know, when I was sick with a ruptured appendix, my job was to shut my mouth and submit to the Dr, Surgeon, and other medical personnel. I couldn't fix my medical emergency. So, here is Jesus, the Great Physician of Souls, telling them that they are sick and on...