Mary Versus the Trumpeting Legions of Apathy

D'y'know what I was only just thinking about? Charity and identification. Is it possible that through identification we have that Machiavellian justification for "loving [one's] neighbor as [one's] self?" This especially is the case in terms of that "outside perspective" that we talking about in Brian's class the other day; by identifying with some group, their success becomes your success in the eyes of the outside perspective. For example, if I'm thinking of myself primarily as Mormon (or, say, Catholic) I can justify voting for Mitt Romney (or JFK) exclusively because he's Mormon (Catholic). As the outsiders see Mitt as a successful and/or powerful and/or intelligent individual, the introductions to me as the Mormon become less derogatory. This is probably why all Mormons have "The List" of successful Mormons (Did you know that the Used are Mormon? Did you know Aaron Eckhart went to BYU ?) to whip out to convince themselve...

Semenza, of course, freaks me out. If you have no idea who this man is, let me explain: Semenza has written a book about graduate studies that demands that you: -take no more days off than either Christmas /or/ Yom Kippor. That's it. -read 100 articles a week for each seminar -publish 30-page articles every semester -never see your family if possible. If this is impossible, make them visit you in the library. Between page-turning. -create several folios and vitaes if you don't want to end up homeless, addicted and, eventually, murdered in cold blood. Hurrah for academia!

With all that talk about with how intimately involved God is in our lives, it is increasingly striking to me all of the things that God doesn't care about. They are myriad. We even had a family home evening about it and ran out of space for everything on our cardstock. As Cecil O. said "some things such as meekness, humility duty, solid scholarship [this is a talk to BYU], and responsiveness to duly constituted priesthood authority are vitally important not only to self but to the kingdom. Other things like golf, bicycles, how specifically one earns a living, what one's major is, or what color blouse or tie to wear are of significant personal interest but of no permanent or transcendent value in the greater scheme of life" ("The Importance of Meekness in the Disciple-Scholar"). Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Some of my favorite inspirational moments have been when God says, "M. it doesn't matter. At all. Sheesh." (Some people have...

So. I'm reading these church talks about discipleship and it turns out that I need to be meek. Paul Woodruff has generally the same idea, but he expands it a bit and calls it reverence. (And he is totally not an apostle, even if he is a Thursday forum speaker.) But here's what Neal A. says: Meekness does not mean tentativeness. But thoughfulness. Meekness makes room for others: (Philip. 2:3). [...] Among the meek there is usually more listening and less talking. [...] The meek think of more clever things to say than are said. "Meekness--A Dimension of True Discipleship" 1983 So that's why I deleated a perfectly lovely and snarky post about Sarah Palin's children's names. Must...restrain...snarkiness. It's sometimes harder to let go of those lovely cruelties than it is to pay a hearty fast offering. Why am I generous with money and even compliments, but so willing to say all the clever things that I think? Learning to be self-censorous is a never-ended ...

So I just got called to the service committee. Sweet. This is one of my coveted callings, along with FHE mom (opening prayer, lesson, activity, closing prayer, firebreathing). I know I'm just on the committee and not a chair, but this gives me all kinds of ideas of service goodness. (1) Canned good scavenger hunt, which extra points for peanutbutter and tuna and random things. (2) Halloween Party Blood Drive (3) Working with Music Committee for a concert at the old folks' home (4) Giving people a list of every-day service they can do. (I think we even have one of these around) (5) Your idea here.

Darn.