invisible man
As a black man, I combat conflicts about my identity as I live in this “Christian nation” daily, and sometimes moment by moment. Growing up, I heard from evangelicals that God doesn’t see color. God is not interested in our physical bodies — God redeems the soul. As I matured in my faith, I never doubted that God loved me, but I did begin to question how books, sermons, and conferences were interpreting the significance of Jesus’ death on the cross. Hours after I would leave church or a conference, I did not feel empowered to engage the world as a person created in God’s image. Rather, I felt like Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man.
We finally made it to the Oregon Coast yesterday. I took some pictures in the redwood forest that I’ll share soon, but this post isn’t about that.
We got in before dinner and were happy to learn that we had a hotel room with an ocean view. Not only that, but it actually is right on the beach. So of course, we decided to sleep with the windows open.
It’s one thing to fall asleep to the nature sounds on my iPad; it’s entirely another to drift into an alpha state to the real thing.
And then came the noise. It was this periodic buzzing/honking/humming that started sometime in the middle of the night. It sounded like someone snoring through the wall in the next room. Seriously? I drive two thousand miles to sleep next to the ocean and you’re going to keep me awake snoring?
Weddings. T-Shirts. Taxes. Here's a little round up of links from around the Web you may have missed this week:
- Invite the homeless to your wedding as guests of honor.
- Sometimes you just have to outsmart your child with a little reverse lexicology.
- These photos of Chinese artist Liu Bolin will blow you away. The Invisible Man.
- Looking into the past, from the present.
- Do you believe in living more with less? Do you design T-shirts?
- Did you finish your taxes? Check out your federal taxpayer receipt.
- High-school seniors predict their future.
- The Post Office accidentally released a State of Liberty Stamp that shows the half-size Las Vegas replica.
- We continue to pray, fast, and act for the budget. Join us.