Analyze this
I've sure had some strange dreams lately. Earlier this week I dreamed Saddam Hussein came to our Sunday school class at Tenth. He was dressed in a dapper suit and spoke thickly accented English. Strangely, he was very charming, and even more strangely had dark blue eyes.
I also dreamed that everyone in Philadelpia had suddenly become a chain smoker. Everywhere I went--the office, the train station, the mall--people were hanging around smoking. I think the tirgger for that dream was Berek coming home after class Tuesday smelling like an ashtray. He gets a ride from his prof who smokes in the car.
2.21.2003
Ooops
Apparently Valerie is still in the land of the blogging. Every time I checked her blog today, all I got was a nav bar, but it's apparently just a fluke.
Whew. Thanks for helping me bear the blogging load, Valerie!
Apparently Valerie is still in the land of the blogging. Every time I checked her blog today, all I got was a nav bar, but it's apparently just a fluke.
Whew. Thanks for helping me bear the blogging load, Valerie!
Avril
OK, I now feel really pressured to keep on blogging something, anything, in the face of so much empty cyperspace. Yet another of my favorite blogs has gone on hiatus.
So, I noticed in Newsweek a fun little blurb on trucker caps, made popular by singer Avril Lavigne. The article commented that only someone so beautiful could get away with such ugly clothes. Frankly, there's a lot I like about Avril's style. She always dresses very modestly, unlike her trampy contemporaries on the pop scene like Britney. I'd definitely prefer that Claire be a tomboy rather than emulate the immodest clothing and behavior of most female teen idols.
I also like the fact that the guys in Avril's videos are clearly her good buddies. They don't leer and ogle and treat the young lady like a mere sex object. Avril and the guys are just friends who enjoy one another's company. (I really can't comment on her music, because I've only heard the two top-40 hits.)
In our sex-saturated society, it's nice to see some plain old buddy-ness among boys and girls. I really enjoyed the different perspective of my male childhood friends, and the chance to occasionally play superheros together and drive toy trucks in the sand.
OK, I now feel really pressured to keep on blogging something, anything, in the face of so much empty cyperspace. Yet another of my favorite blogs has gone on hiatus.
So, I noticed in Newsweek a fun little blurb on trucker caps, made popular by singer Avril Lavigne. The article commented that only someone so beautiful could get away with such ugly clothes. Frankly, there's a lot I like about Avril's style. She always dresses very modestly, unlike her trampy contemporaries on the pop scene like Britney. I'd definitely prefer that Claire be a tomboy rather than emulate the immodest clothing and behavior of most female teen idols.
I also like the fact that the guys in Avril's videos are clearly her good buddies. They don't leer and ogle and treat the young lady like a mere sex object. Avril and the guys are just friends who enjoy one another's company. (I really can't comment on her music, because I've only heard the two top-40 hits.)
In our sex-saturated society, it's nice to see some plain old buddy-ness among boys and girls. I really enjoyed the different perspective of my male childhood friends, and the chance to occasionally play superheros together and drive toy trucks in the sand.
2.20.2003
Some random thoughts on hospitality
I've been thinking about hospitality a lot lately, partly because I promised Sarah that I'd provide some ideas for her essay [book?] on the topic. Then I read some of Rick's posts about hospitality gone awry. So here are some of my musings on the topic of dinner parties.
Hospitality is about giving and putting guests at their ease, making them feel accepted and cherished. When certain rituals, conventions and expectations get in the way of that, you as the host have to just let them go. ("He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends." -- Proverbs 17:9)
Is is polite for a guest to bring a hostess gift? Yes. Should you expect one? No. Perhaps your dinner guest's gift will be to offer to help with the dishes. Or perhaps your guest has no training in etiquette at all. He or she needs to be gently taught, not humiliated.
Say a guest comes to a group dinner party and seeing the other guests' bottles of wine or desserts, realizes he should have offered to bring something. So he turns to you, the host, saying in great embarrassment, "Oh no. I should have brought something. You must think I'm so rude."
You're centainly not going to put your guest at ease by agreeing that he is incorrigibly rude or by smiling condescendingly at his plight. Give him an out. "My friend, you have brought the best gift, a willing heart. Could you help me fill the water glasses?" (This doesn't mean your guest is obliged to be your servant for the evening. Just give him one or two easy tasks so that he feels he is being a good guest.)
Another way to handle this situation is to ask your guests to bring a specific item when you extend the invitation. Gear your request to the guest. The point is for them to feel comfortable, so don't ask for items that will take a lot of effort or expense to get. For instance, it's best to ask busy guests to bring something they can get at a convenience store--like ice, a few bottles of soda or ice cream. Cash-strapped guests could bring something inexpensive, like a box of tea.
Always say yes when a guest offers to bring something or help. Refusing a gift is a kind of rejection of that person. There's always something that will enhance a meal, even if it's just flavored coffee creamer, a new kind of tea or an ice cream topping. Treat your guest's gift with honor, even if it's something you don't care for. Honor their thoughfulness with kind words.
So what if you didn't think to ask a guest to bring something and she didn't offer either? The guest might surprise you, or she might not. Just be prepared if she brings nothing. Have some extra wine on hand, and a dessert that keeps, like sorbet or ice cream. Move along with your stored items if no food gifts are on offer, thanking God for your guest and for the privilege of serving her. Remember in Jesus's parable about the sheep and goats, when the King says "whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me" (Matt. 25:40).
I've been thinking about hospitality a lot lately, partly because I promised Sarah that I'd provide some ideas for her essay [book?] on the topic. Then I read some of Rick's posts about hospitality gone awry. So here are some of my musings on the topic of dinner parties.
Hospitality is about giving and putting guests at their ease, making them feel accepted and cherished. When certain rituals, conventions and expectations get in the way of that, you as the host have to just let them go. ("He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends." -- Proverbs 17:9)
Is is polite for a guest to bring a hostess gift? Yes. Should you expect one? No. Perhaps your dinner guest's gift will be to offer to help with the dishes. Or perhaps your guest has no training in etiquette at all. He or she needs to be gently taught, not humiliated.
Say a guest comes to a group dinner party and seeing the other guests' bottles of wine or desserts, realizes he should have offered to bring something. So he turns to you, the host, saying in great embarrassment, "Oh no. I should have brought something. You must think I'm so rude."
You're centainly not going to put your guest at ease by agreeing that he is incorrigibly rude or by smiling condescendingly at his plight. Give him an out. "My friend, you have brought the best gift, a willing heart. Could you help me fill the water glasses?" (This doesn't mean your guest is obliged to be your servant for the evening. Just give him one or two easy tasks so that he feels he is being a good guest.)
Another way to handle this situation is to ask your guests to bring a specific item when you extend the invitation. Gear your request to the guest. The point is for them to feel comfortable, so don't ask for items that will take a lot of effort or expense to get. For instance, it's best to ask busy guests to bring something they can get at a convenience store--like ice, a few bottles of soda or ice cream. Cash-strapped guests could bring something inexpensive, like a box of tea.
Always say yes when a guest offers to bring something or help. Refusing a gift is a kind of rejection of that person. There's always something that will enhance a meal, even if it's just flavored coffee creamer, a new kind of tea or an ice cream topping. Treat your guest's gift with honor, even if it's something you don't care for. Honor their thoughfulness with kind words.
So what if you didn't think to ask a guest to bring something and she didn't offer either? The guest might surprise you, or she might not. Just be prepared if she brings nothing. Have some extra wine on hand, and a dessert that keeps, like sorbet or ice cream. Move along with your stored items if no food gifts are on offer, thanking God for your guest and for the privilege of serving her. Remember in Jesus's parable about the sheep and goats, when the King says "whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me" (Matt. 25:40).
2.18.2003
2.16.2003
Whee!
We are hunkered down for a few days of going nowhere fast. Snow has been falling heavily all day, and we're likely to have 2+ feet of snow before all is said and done.
The groceries are stocked, and we've got several weeks' supply of cat food, dog food and diapers. Of course, we were much too busy this weekend helping my brother move to stock up on disaster supplies, which is okay I guess. Joel mocked me for falling prey to hysteria. OK, mocked is too strong a word. He said this whole campaign reminds him of the "duck and cover" civil defense drills from the 1950s. If there's a biological attack, is plastic over the windows really going to help?
So I'm just going to enjoy some time at home and try to not worry. We're all a bit punchy already from being cooped up. Berek was whining about getting an A- in one of his Whitfield courses and we threatened to throw him out in the snow. Then we ate lots of cheese and crackers, watched a Gilmore Girls rerun, chased Nicky around the house, then Joel and I had a tickle fight. Hee hee. Snow brings out the kid in all of us.
We are hunkered down for a few days of going nowhere fast. Snow has been falling heavily all day, and we're likely to have 2+ feet of snow before all is said and done.
The groceries are stocked, and we've got several weeks' supply of cat food, dog food and diapers. Of course, we were much too busy this weekend helping my brother move to stock up on disaster supplies, which is okay I guess. Joel mocked me for falling prey to hysteria. OK, mocked is too strong a word. He said this whole campaign reminds him of the "duck and cover" civil defense drills from the 1950s. If there's a biological attack, is plastic over the windows really going to help?
So I'm just going to enjoy some time at home and try to not worry. We're all a bit punchy already from being cooped up. Berek was whining about getting an A- in one of his Whitfield courses and we threatened to throw him out in the snow. Then we ate lots of cheese and crackers, watched a Gilmore Girls rerun, chased Nicky around the house, then Joel and I had a tickle fight. Hee hee. Snow brings out the kid in all of us.
2.14.2003
Signs?
Last night I had a very disturbing dream. Joel and Claire and I were living in a house in the country and a tornado was heading straight for our house. I became absolutely hysterical and paralyzed trying to figure out what items to grab before we evacuated.
Then today at work, we received a huge packet of information on disaster preparedness.
Is this some sort of sign that I need to get my act together? Normally, I don't worry to much when the government becomes excessively paranoid, but maybe I should this time. We own no duct tape, have few first aid supplies on hand and our stock of batteries is low. We really, really need to burn some CDs of all the digital Claire photos and locate my birth certificate, too, in case of a normal disaster like a fire.
I hate to admit it, but I'm also seriously thinking about picking up some surgical gloves and masks, as well as fuel for my Coleman camp stove.
Last night I had a very disturbing dream. Joel and Claire and I were living in a house in the country and a tornado was heading straight for our house. I became absolutely hysterical and paralyzed trying to figure out what items to grab before we evacuated.
Then today at work, we received a huge packet of information on disaster preparedness.
Is this some sort of sign that I need to get my act together? Normally, I don't worry to much when the government becomes excessively paranoid, but maybe I should this time. We own no duct tape, have few first aid supplies on hand and our stock of batteries is low. We really, really need to burn some CDs of all the digital Claire photos and locate my birth certificate, too, in case of a normal disaster like a fire.
I hate to admit it, but I'm also seriously thinking about picking up some surgical gloves and masks, as well as fuel for my Coleman camp stove.
2.10.2003
Weighty matters
Thanks to the spiffy new virus diet, I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Saturday I wore a pair of jeans I hadn't worn since last February. Of course, these are my "moderately fat" jeans, so I still have some work to do to get back to my pre-engagement weight.
But there's nothing like a little success, however painfully won, to get me psyched up.
Pounds, you are comin' down! Body fat, you are outta here!
Thanks to the spiffy new virus diet, I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Saturday I wore a pair of jeans I hadn't worn since last February. Of course, these are my "moderately fat" jeans, so I still have some work to do to get back to my pre-engagement weight.
But there's nothing like a little success, however painfully won, to get me psyched up.
Pounds, you are comin' down! Body fat, you are outta here!
2.06.2003
Gilmore laughs
I really love the writing on Gilmore Girls. Two days after seeing the new episode, I still chuckle when I remember some of the lines. I especially loved Rory's rant in the hospital: "...And they want me to put on a gown. Those gowns don't close well, you know. I've seen a lot of butts today."
This also cracks me up:
Lorelei to Sherry: Just don't look at the baby too closely until they clean it up, or you might think you gave birth to phlegm.
I really love the writing on Gilmore Girls. Two days after seeing the new episode, I still chuckle when I remember some of the lines. I especially loved Rory's rant in the hospital: "...And they want me to put on a gown. Those gowns don't close well, you know. I've seen a lot of butts today."
This also cracks me up:
Lorelei to Sherry: Just don't look at the baby too closely until they clean it up, or you might think you gave birth to phlegm.
Better care
The Florida saga continues: Dad is now staying in the skilled nursing facility for a few days. This stomach virus we passed to him made him so dehydrated he blacked out and hit his head (just a bad cut, not a concussion or anything).
I had blacked out the first day I was sick while fixing a bottle for Claire and spilled formula all over the floor, so I can see how he too might pass out.
With some IV fluids he will be on the mend very soon. I feel so guilty, but Mom says he was fairly dehydrated before he got sick. The one medicine he takes requires heavy fluid intake, which he stubbornly refuses to do. She said she's actually glad this happened because it will make the seriousness of drinking enough more clear to him.
The Florida saga continues: Dad is now staying in the skilled nursing facility for a few days. This stomach virus we passed to him made him so dehydrated he blacked out and hit his head (just a bad cut, not a concussion or anything).
I had blacked out the first day I was sick while fixing a bottle for Claire and spilled formula all over the floor, so I can see how he too might pass out.
With some IV fluids he will be on the mend very soon. I feel so guilty, but Mom says he was fairly dehydrated before he got sick. The one medicine he takes requires heavy fluid intake, which he stubbornly refuses to do. She said she's actually glad this happened because it will make the seriousness of drinking enough more clear to him.
2.05.2003
Ahh, home...
Joel rescheduled our flight home, so Claire and I flew back from Florida yesterday. Thanks everyone for your prayers, I definitely felt palpably uplifted! We DID get an extra seat for Claire, and only prayer can account for it because a number of standby passengers were squeezed onto the flight. I could just kiss the US Airways staffer in Fort Myers who pulled the strings for us. Aside from a little whineyness, Claire traveled very well this time.
On the plus side, the weather was really, really beautiful the whole time I was there--sunny and in the mid-70s. When I was well, I enjoyed the spa-like elements of their retirement community--the heated pool, jacuzzi, fitness center and trails along the Caloosahatchee River where dolphins frolic.
I helped Mom with organizing and framing pictures of all the grandkids, a project she's been meaning to do for five years. I took Dad shopping for Mom's birthday gift (he unfortunately didn't understand what we were doing) so that she didn't have to buy herself something and pretend he remembered (which he isn't capable of). Dad totally loved having Claire there--he's such a softie anyway, and especially so with babies. Sadly he probably won't remember the visit in a short time, but I hope that when he sees her picture, he at least thinks she looks familiar. I try to not let it get me down, but I hate how dementia has taken my Dad from me, and that neither Joel nor Claire will ever know my other Dad, the smart, funny, gifted, creative, fix-everything guy.
Overall, I think my visit with my folks was like mommy boot camp. I let my poor kid get a horrific ulcerated diaper rash, which scared me a lot. Fortunately it was very treatable and cleared up in a few days. The stomach flu that she and I had Friday and Saturday we then passed on to both of my parents.
My lowest point was Sunday night when I was still feverish, Mom was sick as a dog and Claire had a relapse with vomiting. Rescheduling the flight home made total sense at that point. Dad got sick Monday, so I spend my last morning doing loads and loads of laundry, scrubbing toilets and cleaning stains out of the carpet.
It's good to be home again.
Joel rescheduled our flight home, so Claire and I flew back from Florida yesterday. Thanks everyone for your prayers, I definitely felt palpably uplifted! We DID get an extra seat for Claire, and only prayer can account for it because a number of standby passengers were squeezed onto the flight. I could just kiss the US Airways staffer in Fort Myers who pulled the strings for us. Aside from a little whineyness, Claire traveled very well this time.
On the plus side, the weather was really, really beautiful the whole time I was there--sunny and in the mid-70s. When I was well, I enjoyed the spa-like elements of their retirement community--the heated pool, jacuzzi, fitness center and trails along the Caloosahatchee River where dolphins frolic.
I helped Mom with organizing and framing pictures of all the grandkids, a project she's been meaning to do for five years. I took Dad shopping for Mom's birthday gift (he unfortunately didn't understand what we were doing) so that she didn't have to buy herself something and pretend he remembered (which he isn't capable of). Dad totally loved having Claire there--he's such a softie anyway, and especially so with babies. Sadly he probably won't remember the visit in a short time, but I hope that when he sees her picture, he at least thinks she looks familiar. I try to not let it get me down, but I hate how dementia has taken my Dad from me, and that neither Joel nor Claire will ever know my other Dad, the smart, funny, gifted, creative, fix-everything guy.
Overall, I think my visit with my folks was like mommy boot camp. I let my poor kid get a horrific ulcerated diaper rash, which scared me a lot. Fortunately it was very treatable and cleared up in a few days. The stomach flu that she and I had Friday and Saturday we then passed on to both of my parents.
My lowest point was Sunday night when I was still feverish, Mom was sick as a dog and Claire had a relapse with vomiting. Rescheduling the flight home made total sense at that point. Dad got sick Monday, so I spend my last morning doing loads and loads of laundry, scrubbing toilets and cleaning stains out of the carpet.
It's good to be home again.
2.02.2003
From bad to worse
For all my trying to be aggressive, I still couldn't get an extra seat on the way down to Florida. Because I had a window seat Claire was stuck in dirty diapers for hours on end. She also had several long screaming jags on a very full flight. I just wanted to hide under the seat.
When we finally landed I was able to change her diaper for a second time and saw that she had the worst diaper rash she's ever had. No wonder she was screaming. With a little research we discovered that the rash was a yeast infection and, using an anti-fungal cream, it seems to be clearing up.
Other than the rash we were enjoying our visit, until Friday night when Claire began vomiting. 24-hours later I was hit with the same bug and couldn't keep anything down, not even water. After being up most of the night every hour on the hour, I finally crashed and slept until about 3pm today. I can eat bland foods again, but I dread my plane trip home.
Please pray that Claire and I will be in full health on the trip home and be able to get an extra seat for her on the return flight.
For all my trying to be aggressive, I still couldn't get an extra seat on the way down to Florida. Because I had a window seat Claire was stuck in dirty diapers for hours on end. She also had several long screaming jags on a very full flight. I just wanted to hide under the seat.
When we finally landed I was able to change her diaper for a second time and saw that she had the worst diaper rash she's ever had. No wonder she was screaming. With a little research we discovered that the rash was a yeast infection and, using an anti-fungal cream, it seems to be clearing up.
Other than the rash we were enjoying our visit, until Friday night when Claire began vomiting. 24-hours later I was hit with the same bug and couldn't keep anything down, not even water. After being up most of the night every hour on the hour, I finally crashed and slept until about 3pm today. I can eat bland foods again, but I dread my plane trip home.
Please pray that Claire and I will be in full health on the trip home and be able to get an extra seat for her on the return flight.
1.29.2003
An embarrassment of riches
Well, our childcare for spring is all worked out. Our sitter from the fall wants to continue watching Claire one day a week up until her due date (coincidentally Joel's last day of class). Her neighbor, who we know from our church, wants to watch Claire the other day. Her husband is a pediatrics resident, definitely a plus! And her little girl is about 8 months older than Claire, which will make her a fun playmate.
The most amazing thing is this is the third offer we received. The two others interested in watching Claire were seminary wives who don't live quite as close as Lisa and Kari. (They are about two miles from here--a five minute drive. )
We are rejoicing and praising God for his provision!
I'd better finish packing for my trip to Florida tomorrow. Thanks again, Sarah and others, for your travel with baby tips. I even bought the little travel packs of powdered formula so that I wouldn't freak out the security people who could mistake it for a biological weapon. (Boy do I wish I was kidding. But an airport was closed down when one mom spilled some formula powder, which security thought "might be anthrax." What an insane world we live in.)
Well, our childcare for spring is all worked out. Our sitter from the fall wants to continue watching Claire one day a week up until her due date (coincidentally Joel's last day of class). Her neighbor, who we know from our church, wants to watch Claire the other day. Her husband is a pediatrics resident, definitely a plus! And her little girl is about 8 months older than Claire, which will make her a fun playmate.
The most amazing thing is this is the third offer we received. The two others interested in watching Claire were seminary wives who don't live quite as close as Lisa and Kari. (They are about two miles from here--a five minute drive. )
We are rejoicing and praising God for his provision!
I'd better finish packing for my trip to Florida tomorrow. Thanks again, Sarah and others, for your travel with baby tips. I even bought the little travel packs of powdered formula so that I wouldn't freak out the security people who could mistake it for a biological weapon. (Boy do I wish I was kidding. But an airport was closed down when one mom spilled some formula powder, which security thought "might be anthrax." What an insane world we live in.)
1.28.2003
Finished
I zipped right through The High Flyer yesterday, thanks to being too sick to work. My very congested sinuses kept me in bed all day. I think it's the first time I've taken a sick day and not turned on the TV even once.
All I can say is wow. What a tremendous book. I'm amazed that I'd forgotten so much of the plot after two and a half years. My brain must be getting full of the many plots from all of the novels I read for my three book clubs.
BTW, last week I finished the Philadelphia book that Mayor Street chose for the "One city, one book" program. It's called Price of a Child by Lorene Cary. It's a fascinating look at the Underground Railway and abolitionism. I think it's a somewhat flawed book--charaters are hard to keep straight, and some plot points are sadly underdeveloped. But I did appreciate seeing white abolitionists though the eyes of African Americans--even those painted as "good guys" in our history books were far from saintly.
I'm beginning to realize my own ancestors' culpability, even if they did live in the Midwest and fight in the Union army in the Civil War, because it's likely they bought goods made cheap due to slave labor. Of course, that brings up the perennial question, How effective are boycotts?
I zipped right through The High Flyer yesterday, thanks to being too sick to work. My very congested sinuses kept me in bed all day. I think it's the first time I've taken a sick day and not turned on the TV even once.
All I can say is wow. What a tremendous book. I'm amazed that I'd forgotten so much of the plot after two and a half years. My brain must be getting full of the many plots from all of the novels I read for my three book clubs.
BTW, last week I finished the Philadelphia book that Mayor Street chose for the "One city, one book" program. It's called Price of a Child by Lorene Cary. It's a fascinating look at the Underground Railway and abolitionism. I think it's a somewhat flawed book--charaters are hard to keep straight, and some plot points are sadly underdeveloped. But I did appreciate seeing white abolitionists though the eyes of African Americans--even those painted as "good guys" in our history books were far from saintly.
I'm beginning to realize my own ancestors' culpability, even if they did live in the Midwest and fight in the Union army in the Civil War, because it's likely they bought goods made cheap due to slave labor. Of course, that brings up the perennial question, How effective are boycotts?
1.27.2003
Brian and Stacey's Wedding
Congratulations to Brian "barukatash" Davis and his new bride Stacey. We attended their lovely wedding last Saturday, along with fellow bloggers Valerie, Paulo and Daniel. Here are some pics that Joel took.
Congratulations to Brian "barukatash" Davis and his new bride Stacey. We attended their lovely wedding last Saturday, along with fellow bloggers Valerie, Paulo and Daniel. Here are some pics that Joel took.
1.24.2003
Suffering withdrawal...
from Susan Howatch. I don't want to work, I want to keep rereading The High Flyer. I'd forgotten how addicting Howatch's books are. February book club, discussing this page turner, will be delicious. :-)
However, I need to edit a yucky article on antibiotic resistance. (Should you use a fluoroquinolone to treat penicilin-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae that present as meningitis? Ugh. Better order that medical spell checker today.) I also need to keep slogging though a pro bono editing job I'm doing on a friend's first novel. I never saw so many run-on sentences. *sigh*
I'll get back to you soon, Carter Graham, I promise.
from Susan Howatch. I don't want to work, I want to keep rereading The High Flyer. I'd forgotten how addicting Howatch's books are. February book club, discussing this page turner, will be delicious. :-)
However, I need to edit a yucky article on antibiotic resistance. (Should you use a fluoroquinolone to treat penicilin-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae that present as meningitis? Ugh. Better order that medical spell checker today.) I also need to keep slogging though a pro bono editing job I'm doing on a friend's first novel. I never saw so many run-on sentences. *sigh*
I'll get back to you soon, Carter Graham, I promise.
1.21.2003
Just punishments
There's no doubt that America's penal system needs major reform. The question is, what reforms will really be effective?
I'm often troubled by the fact that our current system does little for victims. How helpful is it to a family who lost a mother to a drunk driver, or life savings to a fradulent broker, to know the perpetrator is sitting in jail at their expense? While I'm not in favor of returning to the O.T. law in its totality (for reasons I won't go into right now), I think we've lost something by not incorporating the biblical use of recompense or retribution.
Our current system is warped in particular ways because two camps have been in a tug of war trying to shape the philosophy of punishment. On one side are those who want criminals to suffer very greatly, and for more to receive the death penalty as a way of deterring crime. On the other side are those who want to reform prisoners and educate them to a better life, as a means of preventing future crimes.
In the meantime, our prisons are bulging. We're neither deterring crime nor putting whole, reformed people on the streets after they serve their time. I'm troubled not only by violent criminals who remain unchanged by having shattered lives, but also by "white collar criminals" who have little remorse for the financial ruin they have brought to others.
I doubt I'm the first to suggest this, but I think it might be a good thing to require criminals to compensate those they harm. As part of passing sentence, a price would be set that the criminal would have to earn during his or her inprisonment. The government would pay that amount to the victim or victims or victim's family, then the prisoner would work to reimburse the government. Not only that, but part of prisoners' wages should go to pay for their food and shelter, and part put in savings to help them start over on the outside (perhaps a 60/30/10 split of wages).
Of course, this would necessitate turning our prisons into houses of industry instead of houses of sloth. Some could become factories, some farms, some providing services like claims processing or groundskeeping. By being productive, prisoners would gain skills without putting excessive financial burdens on taxpayers. And working would give a sense of purpose--an element that's sadly absent in current models of rehabilitating criminals.
Prisoners would be reminded of their debt to those they harmed every time they received a wages statement. Hopefully this would cause them to see their victims as people, feel remorse, and at the same time feel that they are somewhat redeeming the situation.
I don't know that this would be effective in the cases of serial-killer psychopaths. But it might help some other criminals who steal, car-jack, deal drugs, extort, blackmail, commit fraud, rob using guns, burn down buildings, drive drunk and kill due to negligence.
This model may have some serious weaknesses, which you're welcome to point out. But I think the underlying idea of retribution and working prisons is more helpful to prisoners, victims and society that what we currently have.
There's no doubt that America's penal system needs major reform. The question is, what reforms will really be effective?
I'm often troubled by the fact that our current system does little for victims. How helpful is it to a family who lost a mother to a drunk driver, or life savings to a fradulent broker, to know the perpetrator is sitting in jail at their expense? While I'm not in favor of returning to the O.T. law in its totality (for reasons I won't go into right now), I think we've lost something by not incorporating the biblical use of recompense or retribution.
Our current system is warped in particular ways because two camps have been in a tug of war trying to shape the philosophy of punishment. On one side are those who want criminals to suffer very greatly, and for more to receive the death penalty as a way of deterring crime. On the other side are those who want to reform prisoners and educate them to a better life, as a means of preventing future crimes.
In the meantime, our prisons are bulging. We're neither deterring crime nor putting whole, reformed people on the streets after they serve their time. I'm troubled not only by violent criminals who remain unchanged by having shattered lives, but also by "white collar criminals" who have little remorse for the financial ruin they have brought to others.
I doubt I'm the first to suggest this, but I think it might be a good thing to require criminals to compensate those they harm. As part of passing sentence, a price would be set that the criminal would have to earn during his or her inprisonment. The government would pay that amount to the victim or victims or victim's family, then the prisoner would work to reimburse the government. Not only that, but part of prisoners' wages should go to pay for their food and shelter, and part put in savings to help them start over on the outside (perhaps a 60/30/10 split of wages).
Of course, this would necessitate turning our prisons into houses of industry instead of houses of sloth. Some could become factories, some farms, some providing services like claims processing or groundskeeping. By being productive, prisoners would gain skills without putting excessive financial burdens on taxpayers. And working would give a sense of purpose--an element that's sadly absent in current models of rehabilitating criminals.
Prisoners would be reminded of their debt to those they harmed every time they received a wages statement. Hopefully this would cause them to see their victims as people, feel remorse, and at the same time feel that they are somewhat redeeming the situation.
I don't know that this would be effective in the cases of serial-killer psychopaths. But it might help some other criminals who steal, car-jack, deal drugs, extort, blackmail, commit fraud, rob using guns, burn down buildings, drive drunk and kill due to negligence.
This model may have some serious weaknesses, which you're welcome to point out. But I think the underlying idea of retribution and working prisons is more helpful to prisoners, victims and society that what we currently have.
1.17.2003
Partial answer
Thank you everyone who has been praying about our childcare situation. We have a stopgap in place to get us through the next two months, which will buy us more time to find someone more permanent. Our autumn sitter's sister is watching Claire today and will watch her several more times in January and February. However, she's in the process of getting work as a social worker with the city, so once she fills out applications and takes the civil service exam, she expects to get hired and begin her new job.
It's a good situation while it lasts. Claire gets to stay at home and the sitter can earn some extra income until she starts working full time again. Meanwhile, the search continues....
Thank you everyone who has been praying about our childcare situation. We have a stopgap in place to get us through the next two months, which will buy us more time to find someone more permanent. Our autumn sitter's sister is watching Claire today and will watch her several more times in January and February. However, she's in the process of getting work as a social worker with the city, so once she fills out applications and takes the civil service exam, she expects to get hired and begin her new job.
It's a good situation while it lasts. Claire gets to stay at home and the sitter can earn some extra income until she starts working full time again. Meanwhile, the search continues....
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