With the elections over, Republicans are rejoicing and Democrats are licking their wounds while both parties prepare for the next round of fighting, just two years away. In the meantime, we thank God that the heartless prevarications posing as informative political ads are off the air for a while, and pray for enough divine intervention to persuade legislators from the two parties to put the country ahead of their mutual animosity and consider some small element of cooperation.
Hope is small, but still we pray.
On a warmer front, I’m one of many mourning the loss of Tom Magliozzi, cohost with his brother Ray of NPR’s long-running and much-beloved Car Talk radio program, who died at 77 of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. The brothers retired from the air two years ago but the show has continued, utilizing “repurposed” material from previous shows. It’s still as much fun as ever, with Tom’s infectious laugh virtually guaranteed to make any Saturday morning more fun. I’m rarely hear them then, but save the podcasts, which make long trips much more tolerable. Rest in peace, Tom.
Closer to home, I had to use a cleaver and a rubber hammer to break into a big gray Jarrahdale pumpkin that we were promised would make good soup. It did, but only with a lot of help. Last year’s standard Hallowe’en pumpkin tasted just as good. At least it was big enough to make a good pot of soup and lots of pumpkin puree for the freezer. Cold days, hot soup. Yum.
I’m heading out today with nearly 50 friends and supporters of Baptists Today on a tour of Israel and the West Bank. There’s been a bit of trouble in Jerusalem lately, so some folks are a bit nervous, but we have an excellent guide and driver and I’m confident they will keep us out of harm’s way. 
I’ll be posting some pictures and a bit of commentary along the way, if you’d like to vicariously travel along with us.
Hope that the Israelis and Palestinians might get past their intransigence and learn to get along is about as dim as the prospects of a love-fest in Washington, but still we pray.
Still we pray.
Professor of Old Testament at Campbell University Divinity School in Buies Creek, North Carolina, and the Contributing Editor and Curriculum Writer at Good Faith Media.
