There are theological things, for sure - the love of God, universal salvation, the final outworking of all things ... the reality of sin ... our common creation ... the cross as an image of sacrifice for others, and the empty tomb a vindication of such sacrifice.
There are political things, as well; all of them an outworking of my theological ideas (or is it the other way around? and likely a little of both) ... "one nation, under God," ... but not one religion, or one race ... we are one in our diversity, and diverse in our oneness. I believe in universal health care, the rights of women to choose for their own bodies, including abortion rights; the rights of LGBTQ persons, including marriage equality ... a government that works for the folks on the bottom of the heap (demand side) creates an economy strong for everyone ... because supply-side economics have never worked, except for the already rich.
And believing such things with all my heart gives birth to things that I love dearly:
Art, for example - museums ... a million different ways to capture the world - in paint, clay, marble, fabric, light, iron, plastic, plaster and wood.
Yes, for me, opera ... jazz ... heavy metal ... the blues ... and dance - from ballet to the jitterbug.
I love words - nothing pleases me more than a writer in command of the language - and so I love poetry (e.g. Carl Sandburg), novelists who can take me into another world, historians who probe the past to find the rest of the story, and give expression to the ceaseless yearnings of humanity for a share of life, and a place to call home.
I love things that make noise - thunder and lightening in a dark Oklahoma sky, high rpm engines at Road America, trains in Cajon Pass, and planes taking off from LAX.
And people ... who possess a sense of humor (and that comes in a lotta different forms) ... who can laugh at themselves easily ... and help others to laugh, too.
So, these are some of the things which I believe, and as a consequence, some of things I love.
For such things, I give my thanks, and to such ends, my devotion.
