#223 Game 7

On Saturday my beloved Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Brooklyn Nets in game 7 of their NBA Eastern Conference semifinals matchup. It was an intense game, with several lead changes and a lot of back-and-forth action in the second half. Totally caught up in the game, I don't think I sat down for more than about two minutes once the third quarter started. I nervously paced between the TV and the recliner. I pumped my fist in celebration after Milwaukee baskets and clapped my hands in satisfaction after defensive stops. I moaned in disbelief at ticky-tack fouls called by the officials. And when everything became too much to handle, I simply leaned forward and rested my hands on my knees. Overtime nearly did me in, but my Bucks gutted it out. When it became clear that the Bucks were going to win the game and the series, I nearly lost my mind in jubilation. I raced and jumped around the room. Screaming, I called my dad and dragged him out of bed. Tess rebuked me sternly, threatening me with her unbridled fury if I woke Lanie and Mia up. I didn't care. My hero, Giannis Antetokounmpo, had led the team to victory, squeezing out just enough points and hustle plays. It took me at least an hour to calm down after being so hyped up. The Bucks have won 2 series. If they win 2 more series, they'll be the champs. Let's hope my floorboards can handle the stress.

Grace and peace,

BMH

#222 Watch Along

The internet informed me that this past Saturday (June 12) was Superman Day. To celebrate I pulled my Superman t-shirt out of my dresser in the morning and fired up a couple animated Superman movies in the late afternoon/evening. I'm part of an online Superman fan club, and one of the members set up a movie marathon. Even though we were all in different locations, we all started the films at the same time and used a group chat to share our favorite moments, make witty comments, and wonder where in the world we'd encountered these actors before. It wasn't really the same as watching a movie with other people in the room, but with my family out of town for the weekend, it was pretty cool to "hear" from other people while watching a couple old favorites. It's always good to have something to keep me from talking to myself, and it was fun to experience some other people's perspectives. Plus, even though Tess is a very good sport, it was probably good for me to get my Superman-watching in when she was busy. All in all, it was a good Superman Day. Till next time!

Grace and peace,

BMH

#221 Lament

Over the past year or so I've been trying to practice lament. Lament is a type of prayer that shows up frequently in the Bible. When we lament, we call God's attention to evil, injustice, and suffering in our lives and in the world. A lament is sort of like a complaint and sort of like a protest. Laments are filled with lots of questions that begin with "Why" and especially "How long." (e.g. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? [Psalm 22:1] How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? [Psalm 13:1]) But lament isn't used so much to question God as to cry out for His help or move Him to take action. At first glance, we might think prayers of lament doubt God, but they actually express faith in God. God's people turn to Him with laments because we trust that He cares about the evil, injustice, and suffering in our world and that He has the power, wisdom, and goodness to set things right. Lament gives us a way to pray when other people wrong us or mistreat us or falsely accuse us. Lament gives us a way to pray for and with others who are abused or discriminated against or oppressed, especially when it seems we can do nothing about those situations. Lament gives us a way to bring to God the troubles in our world that we don't fully understand and seem helpless against: things like pandemics and terrible storms and widespread poverty and inequalities in our societies. God cares about these evils and the suffering they bring, so God's people should care about them, too.

Now lament isn't the only kind of prayer. Some wrongs in the world are clearly caused by our own sins. We hurt others; we make wrong and foolish choices. Then we need to confess our sins and wickedness to God and ask for His forgiveness. Laments in the Bible pretty much always lead to specific requests. After calling God's attention to some trouble, we ask Him to intervene—to heal, to restore, to strengthen, to guide, and so on. Laments often also go hand-in-hand with prayers of trust and praise and thanksgiving. We lament because we trust that God cares and will act. We confidently vow to praise God after He acts. And when God does act, we praise His character—who He is—and give thanks for His actions—what He has done. However, while lament isn't the only kind of prayer, I think it's a type of prayer we need, especially in the midst of broken world. Lately I've been trying to include lament in my congregation's worship services: usually alongside prayers of confession but sometimes as part of our more general prayer time (the "prayers of the people" or "congregational prayer" or "long prayer" or whatever you want to call it). I wouldn't say lament is totally natural for me yet, but I'm getting used to it. It seems to help me remember the world's troubles and remind me of the greatness of God's power and care. Lament helps me expand my prayers.

Grace and peace,

BMH

#220 I've Had It!

In our church's sanctuary there are a few chairs behind the pulpit. My daughters like to come up there and sit on my lap during the prelude on Sunday mornings, but Tess does not want to sit up front with our young, noisy, restless kids. So just before the service began yesterday, Tess took Mia and tried to lead her up the aisle to their normal seat in the back of the sanctuary. Mia's walking these days, so she started tottering along after Tess. However, about halfway, Mia decided she was DONE walking. She lowered herself onto all fours, buried her head in the carpet and started crying loudly. Tess tried to offer some verbal encouragement. That didn't work. A man sitting near where Mia stopped tried to come over and say hello. Mia just yelled even louder. Finally, with every head in the building turned toward Mia, Tess had to walk back a few rows and scoop her off the floor. But what did Mia care? She didn't have to walk any farther. I suppose it's nice to be a toddler.

Grace and peace,

BMH

#219 Still Ready to Party

Back in April 2019 (Post #124), I wrote about Party Mix, the playlist I'd originally made for my 25th birthday party. I've been listening to and expanding Party Mix for five years now, continuing to add new artists that I discover and enjoy as well new releases from artists I've been following for years. With a Spotify subscription and a personality that takes great joy in mixing up what I listen to in the hopes of stumbling upon something great I've never heard before, I have access to way more great music than I could ever listen to regularly. So I've found that Party Mix is beginning to act sort of like a living time capsule. It stores all the stuff I've been listening to lately, but it also holds treasures that I played on repeat three or ten years ago but don't throw on quite as often anymore. So Party Mix is always a fun listening experience, unpredictably toggling between my current jams and tracks that bring back great memories. More and more Party Mix is becoming my go-to when I'm driving. It's almost impossible to not be in a good mood when I'm  cruising around with song after song that makes me want to turn it up. Party on.

Grace and peace,

BMH

#218 Puppies?

Mia, my one-year-old daughter, really likes puppies. Whether from seeing dogs or hearing her family members imitate them, Mia has figured out that one of things puppies do is pant. When she sees a dog in a book or hears one around town, she'll pant and point. (Mia's not using words yet, and I guess barking must be a bit too difficult.) A couple weeks ago our family went to the zoo while on vacation. We pointed out all sorts of animals to Mia—giraffes, rhinos, alligators, monkeys, bears, seals, and so on. Pretty much without fail, Mia would look at each new animal and pant. It's impossible to know for sure what's going on in Mia's developing mind. I don't know if she thinks all animals are puppies or if she thinks all animals pant or what. All I can say is that Mia makes an interesting companion at the zoo.

Grace and peace,

BMH

#217 Hometown Hunger

My hometown, Waupun, WI, is the only place in the world where I can get my favorite pizza. Tony's Pizza has been a Waupun staple for three generations. Outside of my own family's dishes, Tony's is the taste that makes me feel most at home. Tony's is not a pizza for the faint of heart. The crust isn't exactly thin, but it's not terribly thick. A generous layer of rich red sauce is slathered nearly to the edge. And then there's the cheese. If you've never had Tony's, picture the cheesiest pizza you've ever eaten. Now double that amount of cheese. (This is Wisconsin pizza!) The amount of cheese on this pizza should probably be measured in pounds, but it somehow doesn't drown out the taste of the sauce. Any toppings are distributed generously to complete the blend of flavors. The whole thing is cooked to golden perfection, with the crust just beginning to crisp and the cheese on the edges just beginning to brown. Tony's is comfort food, filling every corner of your stomach. There are traditional pizza sizes, and then there's the party-size football. Look at this beauty:

The greatest works of art aren't framed -- they're eaten.
(Actual caption from the Tony's Pizza Facebook page.)

For me, piping-hot Tony's is pizza perfection. I try to get some whenever I'm back in Waupun. There's no taste like home.

Grace and peace,

BMH