Archive for bryan
Bryan is an artist, father, husband, and son (not really in that order). He works for the Department of Vetern's Affairs and writes and administers The Fireside Post with his father, Ohg Rea Tone. His writings have not been published, though they have been printed a lot.
Living Without Debt
Dad, My wife and I are making an effort to be out of debt and to stay that way. We have made a commitment to not borrow money for anything. For any reason. The first thing that people shout when they hear that is, “What about a house? You have to borrow money if you […]
29Sep2007 | bryan | 3 comments | Continued
how do we change our behavior?
Dad, Our conversations tend to evaluate religion through the lens of scholarly interpretations. The problem with religion and scholarly discussion is that we can leverage the dialogue to avoid subjects that might get personal, and therefor inhibit growth. When people start to talk about feelings and families, about what they like and dislike about themselves, […]
28Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on how do we change our behavior? | Continued
Creating routines for easier mornings…
Dad, I am trying to implement some of the suggestions that I have received from our readers about easing the tension around taking my daughter to preschool. I am being careful to try and do a few things the same way every morning that she has school. She gets to pick out the clothes that […]
27Sep2007 | bryan | 1 comment | Continued
Halo 3 and good neighbors…
Dad, I live in a duplex, upper and lower, and my downstairs neighbor is a video gamer. Some people play their music loud, he plays his x-box. Sometimes he will have a success and blow something up and my daughter will run to the window to see the storm, thinking that she is hearing thunder. […]
27Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Halo 3 and good neighbors… | Continued
What is a Bible Christian?
Dad, I think that this is what you are worried about, but fear not, I am not interested in any of those questions. All of the questions on that page can be answered with another question, like “What?” Or “Who cares?” Or “Are you serious?” Harry Emerson Fosdick was a preacher at the height of […]
26Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on What is a Bible Christian? | Continued
Challenging some assumptions about Christianity…
Dad, I am afraid that I must take exception to some of your comments in your last post. Not because they are wrong, but because, as you said, this is a complex subject. First, my wife and I are not on a journey to become good Christians. We are already good Christians. We are on […]
26Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Challenging some assumptions about Christianity… | Continued
Betty Bowers: oh, so clever…
Dad, I sent you that link about Harry Potter. I didn’t really read it because I have heard enough of all that, but I knew you were reading one of the books. You are right, though, it is funny. Actually, its very funny, and it is powerfully real. Betty Bowers is one of my new […]
25Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Betty Bowers: oh, so clever… | Continued
michael vick: de-humanizing a public figure…
Dad – “I am confident that the hottest places in hell are reserved for the souls of sick and brutal people who hold God’s creatures in such cruel and brutal contempt.” – West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, on those who participate in dog fighting and raise dogs for dog fighting I fear that the world […]
25Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on michael vick: de-humanizing a public figure… | Continued
rough weather in stay-at-home-dad land
Dad, Today is a school day and I dropped my daughter off with another screaming fit. This time she actually attached on to me and I had to pry her off. It was terrible. It has been a little over a month since she started and she seems to want to go less and less. […]
25Sep2007 | bryan | 2 comments | Continued
Jesus denies authoritarian rule…
Dad In the book “Pillars of the Earth,” Ken Follet tells the story of a monk, Prior Phillip, and his attempt to create a respectable village amidst the anarchy of the civil war between King Steven and Empress Matilda. There is a minor character who is a monk that betrays Philip to aid the authoritarian […]
25Sep2007 | bryan | 2 comments | Continued
diplomacy: lessons from the road
Dad, I am learning about diplomacy and listening. I haven’t posted in a couple of days because I was on a road trip with my cousin. I spent about ten hours in his truck with him, and I began to realize that if I was intentional about not opening my mouth when i disagreed with […]
24Sep2007 | bryan | 2 comments | Continued
Housewives; House…Husbands?
My wife was reading a book a while back and there were some interesting points about language and the way that we relate to our family. I only read the parts that she showed me, so i don’t have an entire picture of the subject material, but a couple of things stuck with me. One was that we have moved into a culture of “stay-at-home moms” and even “stay-at-home dads,” and we have vilified the idea of a “housewife” as being derogatory.
21Sep2007 | bryan | 4 comments | Continued
road trips and family…
Dad, As may know, I am taking a road trip this weekend with my cousin to pick up a dishwasher from his sister, who lives in Maryville, Missouri. In other words, I will be in your neck of the woods. I was invited because my cousin thought that it was critical that we go and […]
21Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on road trips and family… | Continued
Counting Crows – Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby
Dad, I still love the Counting Crows and their music. I have been listening to this song, Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby, about once a day for a month now, and trying to figure out what all of the imagery is about. I think that it is about a guy (the singer, Adam Duritz I guess) who […]
19Sep2007 | bryan | 1 comment | Continued
the social gospel and Gary North…
Dad, I read this quote this morning and thought that I would share it with you… “Why does a slight tax increase cost you $200 and a substantial tax cut save you thirty cents” – Peg Bracken I also read an article from a guy named Gary North about the Social Gospel. the “Social Gospel” […]
19Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on the social gospel and Gary North… | Continued
Baking: Culinary Artist vs. Kitchen Technician
Dad I am interested in baking my own bread. I know that this is something that you have some experience with. I believe that there are two kinds of cooks – the ‘culinary artist’ and the ‘kitchen techinician.’ I tend to be the culinary artist, and that style of cooking is more about developing a […]
19Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Baking: Culinary Artist vs. Kitchen Technician | Continued
Church of Love, or Church of Law?
We have been reading a lot about fundamentalism of late. There is rhetoric abound about love vs. law. We tend to embrace the church of love and despise the church of law. Its just who we are. So, we are continually trying to reconcile our belief in the forces of love and our suspicion […]
18Sep2007 | bryan | 1 comment | Continued
Praying for Help
Dad, It is Sunday morning and your granddaughter has a fever again. She finished her antibiotics two days a go, and this is becoming a frustratingly familiar story. People have been suggesting alternative medicines, our neighbor is a chiropractor, my mother-in-law is concerned about all of the antibiotics that my daughter is taking. At first, […]
16Sep2007 | bryan | 1 comment | Continued
Sweet and Spicy Sausage and Grits
I made this recipe as a medley of several other dishes that my wife and I have liked over the years. It is pretty simple and is a nice break from the norm. You will need: 1 Kielbasa Sausage (we use turkey sausage so that we feel more healthy) 1 green pepper 1/2 an onion […]
15Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Sweet and Spicy Sausage and Grits | Continued
Jim Wallis at the University of Iowa
Dad, My wife and I are attending a lecture by Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine and author of the blog God’s Politics. He is having a discussion forum at the University of Iowa. I am pretty excited to hear him speak, having read much of his stuff from Sojourners and read parts of his […]
13Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Jim Wallis at the University of Iowa | Continued
McCain/Lieberman? Hmmm…
Dad, It is unfortunate for John McCain that he will not win a republican primary. His party will not put him on the ballot because he does not cater to their ideology. He should give it up and run as an independent on a ticket with Joe Lieberman. Now that would be something to see. […]
13Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on McCain/Lieberman? Hmmm… | Continued
Let Us Have Peace, Shall We?
Dad, Our ship’s boatswain used to tell us, “look for problems, you’ll find them. Look for solutions, you’ll not find problems.” I think this can be applied to our current political climate. I don’t like the administration, but I don’t want to hear about it anymore. I want us all to get to work on […]
13Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Let Us Have Peace, Shall We? | Continued
forgive, yes…but forget?
Dad, Forgiveness can be mastered, but we are not able to erase history. My wife and I have talked at length about forgiveness and how to go about getting better at it. What we have discovered is that our skill at forgiving gets sharpened, but our ability to forget is dull at best. I am […]
12Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on forgive, yes…but forget? | Continued
A letter from Barack Obama…
Dad, I just got this letter from the Obama campaign. I want to share it because it represents why I will vote for him. I believe him. Bryan. ______ Dear Bryan, Six years ago, on a bright and beautiful Tuesday morning, a new kind of enemy came to America’s shores. We will never forget the […]
11Sep2007 | bryan | 2 comments | Continued
responsible turkeys?
Dad, I am baking a turkey for dinner. Its a lot of work. Do you think that. accounting for the amount of work and the weight of the bones and stuff, that it is a better deal to buy a turkey at a dollar a pound than to buy, say, boneless skinless meats that are […]
11Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on responsible turkeys? | Continued
My daughter doesn’t want to go to school…
Dad, My daughter didn’t want to go to school today. She was screaming for me when I left. I was crushed, but I know that she enjoys school. She is discovering that this thing is for good, i think, and she wants to came home and hang out with her brother and I. It is […]
11Sep2007 | bryan | 3 comments | Continued
the politics of the modern crusades…
Dad I am a Democrat today because I cannot subscribe to the politics of the modern crusades. I have, in the past, been afraid to state a political position or defend a political candidate. I have also been reluctant to attack a public figure for fear that I might find in my heart that I […]
11Sep2007 | bryan | 2 comments | Continued
a virtual fireside chat…
the fireside chat -episode 001 Dad, Hey, it’s our first podcast! I think the reference to the original fireside chats of FDR is apropriate, since the radio was his tool to create a sense of closeness with his audience. It worked, and it seems we have come in a virtual full circle. From writing to […]
11Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on a virtual fireside chat… | Continued
Opinions vs. Convictions
Dad, I think that convictions get muddled because they get confused with opinions. The difference lies in action and inaction. if we sit around the table in your living room and sip coffee and talk about feeding the hungry or staying out of debt, then that conversation is founded in opinion. If we cut up […]
10Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Opinions vs. Convictions | Continued
Say Never
Dad, I don’t like that phrase “never say never.” I hear that a lot. My wife and I will never borrow any money again. I said it. We will never get divorced. I said it again. I will never inject myself with anything that isn’t prescribed. Man, I am on a roll. I believe that […]
10Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Say Never | Continued
Yes To Healthy Dialogue – No to This Administration
Dad – I am still under the assumption that all dialogue serves us well, but that some people probably should be removed from the conversation in order to keep it rolling. It is complicated, yes, and we should approach our international situation with care. I have spent the last few years learning how to act, […]
10Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Yes To Healthy Dialogue – No to This Administration | Continued
Getting Tools From My Dad
Dad, Thanks for all of your encouragement. You probably remember when I was in the Navy and I occasionally found myself in trouble. You probably remember because it lasted for a couple of years. When I decided to turn over a new leaf, it was hard because not everyone was convinced that I was different […]
8Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Getting Tools From My Dad | Continued
Brevity in Small Packages
Dad, My daughter had been in school now for several weeks. She only does two days a week, but this is her first experience away from home. Yesterday, at breakfast, she told me that she didn’t want to go to school. “Its not all playing, Dad. We have to do group time, and singing songs.” […]
7Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Brevity in Small Packages | Continued
Fundamentalism: The Right To Be Wrong
Dad, I suppose that you are right, that mine is a family that would only be described as “non-traditional” by Focus on the Family. I don’t pretend to believe that they have a solid grasp on the traditions of family systems. I think that the danger of allowing the fundamentalist to paint the larger American […]
6Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Fundamentalism: The Right To Be Wrong | Continued
So, I’m a Democrat…
Dad, I am becoming keenly aware that there are really three people that are involved in this blog. Me, you, and the reader. Unlike traditional letters, this form of communication is expressly public, and we embrace that difference so that others may benefit from the conversation that takes place here. I have changed the look, […]
5Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on So, I’m a Democrat… | Continued
A product of…well, you…
Dad, I have too many irons in the fire, so to speak. I like my life that way. I start projects often, and I am learning how to chip away at them until they start to take shape. I have three blogs, a podcast, two children with whom I am the primary care provider, six […]
4Sep2007 | bryan | Comments Off on A product of…well, you… | Continued
Are There Sprits In The Material World?
Dad Paul Tillich was a philosopher and theologian in the early to mid twentieth century who defined two planes of understanding, horizontal and vertical. The horizontal plane is the stuff of the physical world, the finite, and the vertical plane represents the spiritual experience, the infinite. I believe that fundamentalism and doctrinal orthodoxy deal in […]
31Aug2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Are There Sprits In The Material World? | Continued
Finding Faith in Mystery
I was producing and publishing my first podcast this week, so I’ve been a little behind. On the topic of Marcus Aurelius, I noticed that you stated ” A quick look at news headlines today might suggest that divine intervention has actually corrupted the morality of civilization.” I think that the idea of divine intervention, […]
30Aug2007 | bryan | Comments Off on Finding Faith in Mystery | Continued
come on in. have a seat.
I believe that the hope with these articles is to document a journey of conversation that happens between two generations, a father and son, and to find a way to leverage that journey to make ourselves better; more thoughtful, more aware, more connected. You will find two remarkably similar writers and persons, and you will […]
21Aug2007 | bryan | 1 comment | Continued