A TWO-TIERED WORLD

See him there?I was listening to a radio station one night, probably one of those blowtorch stations out of Chicago that propagate their signals far and wide in the middle of the night.    The hosts were having some friendly, happy talk, when one of them remarked, “Wow!  That was a two-tiered answer you just gave me!”  

The other one cracked:  “Yeah, my wife always lives in a two-tiered world.   She always hears me say more than I really mean.”   

Now can you see him? But I don’t think it’s a man-woman thing.    I think both sexes are capable of  viewing two tiers, two levels of meaning in any situation.   For me, that would mean the present material world exists at the same time (and place) as the eternal, spiritual world, even though, strictly speaking, the eternal world has neither time nor space.   But everything we do, think, say, observe, and choose has meaning for this life and also for the one to come. 

Here he is, dead center: God (and the spiritual world)  is always around us, just like this deer is commonly  to be found in our backyard.   It’s just a matter of getting things into focus. 

See Him now?

Don’t make this too hard:   Deuteronomy 30 :11-15  

This commandment, that I command thee this day is not above thee, nor far off from thee: 12 Nor is it in heaven, that thou shouldst say: Which of us can go up to heaven to bring it unto us, and we may hear and fulfill it in work? 13 Nor is it beyond the sea: that thou mayst excuse thyself, and say: Which of us can cross the sea, and bring it unto us: that we may hear, and do that which is commanded? 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart, that thou mayst do it. 15 Consider that I have set before thee this day life and good, and on the other hand death and evil:

 

 

 

STICKING WITH YOUR TEAM

 

  

That’s my team.  

              The Chicago You-Know-Whats.

 

I was thinking about how some people like their teams only when they win and how other people like their teams no matter what.   Team loyalty through “thick or thin.”    

We have so many little  sayings to help make us feel better in a less-than-winning season.    Like:   “It doesn’t matter who wins the game, it’s how you play that counts.”     (Well.   But  it’s how you play that makes you win or lose – because winning counts!)

Why do we like our teams so much?   How about a literary reference, like Alfred Lord Tennyson?   “Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do or die.”       (Ugh.   Like in a dying season….)

It feels good to stay all the way with your  team,  like  “The captain always goes down with his ship!”   (ooooh….no….) 

Maybe a military  cry for courage and persistence?  “Remember the Alamo!!”  (Ahhh, jeepers…)

How about “turnabout’s fair play“?     Last year Bears over Eagles 24-20;  this year Eagles over Bears 24-20.     (No, I don’t like that either.)    

Time to turn attention to the teams on my “secondary list.”     Like the ones going to Bowl games….