A Little Bit of This and That

On By Tim ValentinoIn GeneralLeave a comment

Below are a few “snippets” (i.e., thoughts, quotes, and stats) in no particular order, and arranged around no particular theme. Of course, there are also a few recent snaps of SamJam, along with a video clip of him sitting up for the first time unassisted. What a milestone—from spitting up to sitting up in five short months. Have I mentioned lately how much I love this little guy? 💙

Enjoy!

“When you realize how much you’re worth, you’ll stop giving people discounts.”
– Karen Salmansohn

“I love to go to Washington—if only to be near my money.” 
– Bob Hope

“Orwell’s 1984 was a warning, not a ‘how to’ manual.”
– David Shafer

There are probably some good and compelling reasons for this trend of parents taking their children out of government-run schools:

  • 1970s – 13,000 homeschoolers 
  • 1980s – 200,000 homeschoolers 
  • 1990s – 850,000 homeschoolers 
  • 2000s – 1,500,000 homeschoolers 
  • 2010s – 1,700,000 homeschoolers 
  • 2020s – 5,000,000 homeschoolers

A recent Babylon Bee headline: “Parents baffled that 1 hour of youth group a week not effectively combating teen’s 30 hours on TikTok.”

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”
– Jimi Hendrix

“Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.”
– George S. Patton 

“My pain may be the reason for somebody’s laugh. But my laugh must never be the reason for somebody’s pain.”
– Charlie Chaplin

“The more sand that has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.”
– Jean-Paul Sartre

“My heart is both my greatest weakness and my superpower.”
– J. Iron Word

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
– Maya Angelou

“Write hard and clear about what hurts.”
– Ernest Hemingway

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” 
– Paulo Coelho

“God has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. You are as much alone with him as if you were the only being he had ever created.”
– C. S. Lewis

What a busy little boy!
I’m not sure that’s how it works. 🙂
Father and son sharing a smile.
Mrs. Mosby used to despise SamJam. “Why did you bring this little crying machine home with you? All he does is steal attention away from me.” Nowadays, they’re learning how to peacefully coexist.

It sounds like mommy may think time is flying by too quickly. I’m sure I don’t want to be around when SamJam goes off to kindergarten for the first time. 🙂

In addition to which…

This year we’re trying red and white geraniums and yellow marigolds in the front flower beds. The petunias were a bust last year. The red, white, and yellow zinnias were great, but the nursery didn’t have any left. Ugh! Maybe next year.

The garden has also been launched. So far we’ve planted squash, zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, and tomatoes. Food prices being what they are these days, this can only help.

Disability, Dying, & Death: Relational Theology and the Gift of Hope

On By Tim ValentinoIn Course HandoutsLeave a comment

Below for your encouragement is a slide presentation called, “Disability, Dying, and Death: Relational Theology and the Gift of Hope for Life’s Descending Triad.” It comes from a seminar I did a while back with two other colleagues and may be turned into a small book someday. Even without the presentation script—which awaits another round of editing—you might be able to find some encouragement here for whatever challenges you may be facing these days.

What is relational theology? The God of Scripture (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is thoroughly relational; hence the field of relational theology, as distinct from systematic theology, contextual theology, etc. As I’ve written before, the Holy Trinity is not a math puzzle (1 + 1 + 1 = 1), it’s a clue to the relational heart of the universe. That clue is precious to believers because the prime reality of existence is not matter. It’s not energy. It’s not quarks. It’s a divine relationship. Specifically, it’s an eternal reciprocating relationship of personal diversity and unbreakable unity. As the well-known hymn puts it, “God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.”

Human persons made imago Dei—in the image of God—are therefore relational beings, much like their Creator. Even introverts are aware of their interrelatedness with others! This connectional dynamic has much to say to us in a broken world marked by disability, dying, and death. It also has much to say to us in a world marked by the risen Christ, who knows firsthand what it’s like to feel disabled, go through the dying process, and then eventually taste death itself.

May the Lord enable you to revel in the gift of hope, even if through tears.

Disability, Death & Dying (PowerPoint)Download