Linking for Thinking - 10/21/12

Every Sunday, I'll be whittling my reading list down to a few links that I found particularly interesting from the past week. Some may be profound/deep thinking articles or news stories, others may be things that fascinate me or made me laugh. Some will be on issues I already agree with, others will be those that have challenged me to think in new ways. If there's anything you think I'd be interested in, or something you think might be worth sharing in this space, feel free to leave it in the comments section, email me at coth.guy@gmail.com, or hit me up on facebook.

Marijuana Prohibition Turns 75; Blacks 3 Times as Likely to be Arrested than Whites
Harry Aslinger, first Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics: “There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others.” 

Dear Christian: If the Thought of Either Romney or Obama Getting Elected Makes You Fearful, Angry, or Depressed, You Have What we Call a Theological Problem
If you are watching political ads, speeches, debates, and you find yourself growing fearful, angry, or depressed (the latter two are often rooted in deep fear), remember that your true trust is elsewhere.

“Holy Discontent” Towards American Immigration Policy
These pastors and their congregations do their best to care for the family left behind, but they see marriages strained by distance and stress.  They watch children struggle and rebel without their fathers; some make terrible choices with consequences that will reverberate throughout their lives.  Amidst all this, these pastors have heard too many broken promises from politicians, on both sides of the partisan divide, pledging to fix the dysfunction of our national immigration laws.  These pastors, who love and shepherd their flocks, just can’t stand it anymore.

Lifehack of the Week - Wool Balls in the Dryer
We covered how you can speed up laundry drying times by adding tennis balls but you can create the same effect without the loud noises by turning a skein of wool yarn into three felted wool balls.

The Long Journey of a Christian Pacifist
This much I know for sure. I am proud to be a follower of Jesus Christ, and if that puts me at odds with my country’s official policies about abortion, capital punishment, or war, well then— so be it. I want to be totally pro life until the day I die.

I Love the Bible (via Rachel Held Evans)
I have wrestled with the Bible, and it has left me with a limp. But I am glad. I am glad because this limp has slowed me down a bit. It has humbled me. It has forced me to stop running so fast and sure down the path of certainty that I forget to listen, to pay attention, to ask questions, to build altars, to wait.

The New Jim Crow (via Richard Beck)
Between 1987 and 2007 the national prison population tripled in America. In 2008 a dark milestone was reached: the US incarcerated one out of every 100 of its citizens. This is an incarceration rate higher than what is found in repressive regimes such as China and Iran.

Bowen News Update

The hiatus is over, at least for now.

A little more than a month ago, Amanda and I walked into the Office Depot on the south side of Abilene. She had been given a bunch of looseleaf papers for her job at the Alliance for Women and Children, (She works with one of their after-school care programs) and want to get the papers bound into a spiral. As soon as we stepped through the sliding front doors, we were greeted by a friendly gentleman in his fifties wearing a bright red shirt and a name tag indicating his name was Steve.

"Well hello there, folks, how can I help you?"

We told him about our quest for binding, and he pointed us in the direction of the printing center. But as my wife stepped towards her goal, I tarried behind. I caught Steve's eye and asked, "Y'all wouldn't happen to be hiring, would you?"

His eyes lit up. He informed me that indeed they were short on staff at the moment. He wasn't sure if he could swing a full-time position, but since I was already considering doubling up on part-time work, I went for it. I applied that night from the Kirby's house, and anxiously awaited an answer. Within a few days, I had an interview.

I met back with Steve for the interview, and apparently he liked me, because a few days later I was called in by the big boss, Jake. After a few quick minutes of talking, he offered me the position of delivery driver, and I most graciously accepted.

That was just about a month ago. Since then I've been working 40-50 hours per week, delivering office supplies to Abilene and the surrounding towns. Sometimes my day is simple, mostly in-town deliveries. Other days I spent most of my day traversing the long and semi-scenic roads of West Texas. Either way, I'm employed full-time now, which is a blessing.

I have plenty more updates to come, and I can write them for the blog now that we've got internet at our  house. For now, know that God has been good to our little family, and that we're excited about a new phase of our lives!