Easter Vigil, Donald Trump, Ayn Rand, and Jon Kyl's Factual Statements

Yesterday we had a music practice for the instrumentalists playing at the Easter vigil. We have Joel Johnson on cello, Lizzie McColl on viola, Liz Ahlem on violin, Christin McFadyen on cornet, Jeff McClain on trumpet, and Andrew Freeman on piano. When all the strings started in on "O Sacred Head Now Wounded," I got pretty excited. They are wonderful. Come join us at ResCov next saturday at 7:30 (and Thursday at Ravenswood and Friday at Grace Covenant, same time). If you go to one Easter vigil service, you'll never want to miss one again. They become the pivot on which the church year turns, and I think they represent as close to the whole of the Christian message as you'll find in one service.

Hey Twins, don't blow any more games. You have yet to win a series, and last night I had to watch you blow it both in the 9th and 10th innings.

Well, in the latest poll, Donald Trump is leading the Republican field by 9 points. Is this a testament to Trump's candidacy or a giant yawn directed towards the rest of the republican field? My guess is the latter.

I enjoyed Jon Stewart's take on the republican budget proposal, which will makes cuts through privatizing medicare "And by building a machine that beats old and poor people to death with a giant copy of The Fountainhead." In other Ayn Rand news, the first of a planned three-part film adaptation of Atlas Shrugged will be coming out soon. Apparently it's terrible, but according to one Tea Party newsletter, Tea Partiers should mark their calendar for this "celebration of capitalism." I bet a celebration for capitalism would be one glitzy party...providing the invisible hand could coerce enough of the impoverished to work the party.

While I'm in the political mood, here is Colbert calling out Arizona senator Jon Kyl who, on the senate floor, remarked that 90% of the services Planned Parenthood provides are abortions. The number is actually 3%, and, well, you just have to watch the next two videos. I think they are some of the best stuff Colbert's done in a while.

And here's Colbert riffing the next night on the same theme.

Well, I'm going to practice my sermon, print some bulletins, and make a PowerPoint. It's all part of what I like to call "living the dream." Later.