Why excercise if it doesn't make me thin?

And it doesn't. I was thinking about this problem while on the treadmill today. Why do I do it, excercise, even after it has dawned on me that excercise doesn't really impact my weight?

I think I continue to do it because it makes me feel better about life. Maybe excercise is actually most necessary for our brains.

OBAMA'S BEER SUMMIT

An ivy league professor, who happens to be a friend of the President of the United States, is arrested for disorderly conduct after an altercation with police. His arrest dominated the news cycle and, seemingly, the President's attention. President Obama went out of his way to insert the White House into the flap.

The President even made room in his (what I presume must be) busy week to host a "beer summit" with the professor and the policeman.

What's wrong with this picture?

Two wars, a failing economy, health care woes, crumbling infrastructure, massive national debt, alarming drop out rates among minority teenagers, packed prisons, foreclosure crisis, high unemployment...........

Focus, Mr. President, focus.

Weighting for Godot

I've long struggled with weight. For the past few years I have been a slave to my pedometer in hopes that the 10,000 steps a day program would be ' the event' to slove my problem.

When it became clear that 10,000 steps a day wasn't working and that my weight continued to drift upward, I began walking 12,000 steps. Then, 13,000. I'm currently at about 13,500.

Still no sign of deliverance. In fact, I think I could argue that the excercise is fueling hunger. Not good.

So, I joined Weight Watchers and have decided to also begin tracking every calorie I take in each day.

We shall see.

Count the cost

North Korea has executed a 33 year old mother of 3 for distributing a Bible.

Out of the mouths of babes.......

My parish recently held our annual Vacation Bible School. Making the rounds, I came upon a group of kids on the lawn enjoying a bit of play time. I wasn't in collar and quickly realized that the kids didn't recognize me.

I'm Father Jim, I said. I'm your priest.

One little boy looked at me intently and asked, Are you the man who holds up the big circle?

At first I was confused, then it struck me: on Sunday morning, I stand at the altar and hold up the bread and wine. The host is rather large and, yes, round. A big circle!

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Can you 'un-do' your baptism?

USA Today is reporting this morning on atheists who are 'un-doing' their Christian baptisms in mock ceremonies involving hair dryers. They intend the ritual to show the (alleged) victory of reason over religion.

Two thoughts:

First, I find it interesting that modern atheists are so intensely, well, religious about their unbelief. Their evangelical zeal of late knows no bounds; they seem determined to make as many converts as possible. Now they are developing their own liturgical practices.

Second, baptism can't be 'un-done'. It's an indelible mark on the soul. If you don't believe in the soul, why bother to try and erase the mark?

Kiva, micro lending and the death of charity

I am deeply conflicted about the value of charity. While I see tremendous need in the world around me, I don't see charity as the answer.

Too often, charity inflates the ego of the one who gives and demeans the one who recieves. I also wonder if charity fosters a sense of dependence. Perhaps our vast system of charity will have to die and rise again if we are ever to (finally!) overcome poverty.

Micro lending has been a blessing to me. When I extend an interest free loan to a striver in the developing world, I feel I meet that man or woman as an equal partner in their hopes and aspirations.

Check out Kiva.org for more information about the power of mirco lending.