• Some Me Stuff

    February 4, 2009

    It’s been a while since I did some sort of a, “here’s what’s going on with me” sort of post.  Well, the wait is over.

    Where to begin?  Remember my interview with famed, “Amy G.”?  Let’s start there.

    That was right before Christmas, and then for Christmas, my mom and brother came to town.  None of us really have any money right now (a gloriously freeing reality) so our Christmas morning was spent opening up tons of random stuff that I had picked up at the dollar store for everyone.  I’m not sure I can even remember a Christmas morning that was so full of laughter and enjoyment.

    family-christmas-08

    That’s right, I’m wearing shorts for Christmas!

    The day after Christmas we all had to go our separate ways.  Mom, back to OH, Alex, back to NY, and me, off to Kenya.

    A few days after I got back, as part of the contract we had negotiated for the interview, Amy G. came down for a follow up interview.  This one lasted for a few days and was filled with plenty of serious conversations.sideways-amy-and-jr amy-and-jr-being-silly

    This is from when I asked some questions on sensitive subjects and she tried to choke me.

    amy-and-jr1

    The highlight of the middle of the month was offered by way of my friend Jimmy and his floor seats to the Memphis Tigers basketball game at the FedEx Forum.  We sat down a ways from Penny Hardaway!

    tigers-game

    I love living in midtown and have been anxious to find a way to get more involved in the community.  That desire has finally taken shape in being able to help teach ESL (English as a Second Language) classes to a group of beautiful adult refugees on Monday evenings through the Refugee Empowerment Program of Memphis Leadership Foundation.

    refugees-1 refugees-2

    The capstone event of January was a trip to Chicago where I serendipitously ran into Amy G. who invited me to go see her family in Davenport, IA and do some bald eagle watching off of the north Mississippi River.

    amy-family amy-eagle-headeagle

    Not bad for the first month of the new year.  Can’t wait to see what February has in store.

    Posted in: Amy, family, memphis

Recent Comments

  • JR Rozko said...

    1

    Hi Laurie, thanks for your thoughts.  Just to clarify (again) – I made no arguments against voting.  I only sought to make a defense for my own conscience in this matter.  I did not say no Christians should vote and I did not say that non-church politics was meaningless.  Quite the opposite I would say that it is a significant way in which God works out justice in the world, but just because God uses a person or a system doesn't automatically legitimize them – after all, God used the Roman government to crucify Jesus, but I shudder to think that we would therefore condone it.

    To quote myself, "I would say that all those who follow Jesus are given freedom to vote if they choose, but nowhere do I sense that this is an obligation."  So, to stick with your good analogy – if I am sick and want to go to the doctor, I may freely choose to do so.  But, as one who worships the healer of all creation, this might not have to be my default position. 

    I'll say it another way, or rather let Paul say it another way, in the context of a discussion about matters of conscience, the apostle Paul says, "… everything that does not come from faith is sin."  (Rom. 14) This is why I did not vote.  Because in my estimation that action, for me, would not have been coming from faith in God – it would have been coming from my faith in non-church politics and a system so compromised that I worry about just how much a role I play in it. 

    Laurie, you sound to me like a person who has a stronger conscience in this matter than me and I encourage you in it.  With all sincerity I pray that if God chooses, God will guide me to a place where I can vote and participate in the political realm of the world "in faith," but until that day comes, I feel like I made the most God-honoring decision that I could. 

    11/8/08 6:46 AM | Comment Link

  • Beth K in Canton said...

    2

    Hey JR – enjoyed the update, glad to hear all is well (and warmer!) in Memphis, TN! Keep the posts coming…

    02/5/09 1:32 AM | Comment Link

  • C. Wess daniels said...

    3

    JR, thanks for this. I enjoyed hearing about what you're up too. The ESL gig sounds awesome.

    02/6/09 3:06 AM | Comment Link

  • C. Wess daniels said...

    4

    Oh and Penny Hardaway used to be my absolute favorite b-ball player.

    02/6/09 3:07 AM | Comment Link

  • Rachel said...

    5

    That's what I'm talking about! A post about JR!!! Amy is so cute!

    02/6/09 4:37 AM | Comment Link

  • jrrozko said...

    6

    I give the people what they want.

    02/6/09 4:49 AM | Comment Link

  • Grandma Rozko said...

    7

    Hi Jr Glad you and
    Amy are having such a grand time miss you

    02/17/09 12:35 AM | Comment Link

  • 5 Days, 4 States, and All Kinds of Goodness said...

    8

    [...] Consumer Christianity ← Some Me Stuff [...]

    02/18/09 4:53 PM | Comment Link

Leave A Comment

Mail (will not be published) (required)