Pecking Blogging on the Cheek

How does one re-start a blog that ended with a post entitled “Why I Kissed Blogging Goodbye”? I am reminded of a sign that hung in the barber shop of my childhood: We Cut Hair Like Porcupines Cuddle. Very Carefully.



There were good reasons to step away from the keyboard a couple years ago, but as I embark on my book writing adventure, a number of friends have asked for some way to follow the journey. Truth be told, it’s probably a good idea, especially if it provides a means of keeping me on track. It’s a big mountain to climb, and even though I’ve looked forward to it for some time, there is still the temptation to stay warm and snug in the ski chalet. I’ve probably sipped an extra cup or two of hot cocoa already.



Here’s what has happened so far. In late August, with a big assist from my wonderful family, I packed up my townhome before the bulldozers arrived (my homeowners association having gotten the two-thirds vote needed to sell out) and sent most of my earthly belongings down to await my arrival in Texas. Thanks to a friend generously lending me the use of a spare bedroom, I was able to stick around for another good friend’s wedding and a few parties before heading down to Texas myself in mid-September. Along the way, I got to visit the great state of Kentucky and stop by Wendell Berry’s place for a memorable visit, followed by a side-trip to Alabama to meet another thoughtful farmer.



Then, I arrived back in the Lone Star State where I began to attack the vines on an old family farmhouse and the boxes inside of it. Thanks to the care of my mother’s cousin, the place was in working order, though the previous inhabitants (the mice) had left their calling cards generously. I didn’t throw myself into the work of homemaking with too much abandon, though, choosing instead to take in several Texas Aggie football games and jetting off to Clearwater Beach, Florida to gather with the Christian Legal Society (and, as it turned out, watch a sunset with Hulk Hogan and his wife). There was also some work to finish up for Uncle Sam.



November brought the need to see another good friend get hitched in D.C, and friends at work threw me a nice final going away party, complete with Frito pies. Back in Texas, I closed out November by successfully (despite the wind and cold) running the Shiner Beer Run Half Marathon with a dear old friend and hosting a family Thanksgiving here at the farmhouse.



So, December now arrives and I’ve got a house and life that’s survived the chaos of moving and is now fairly well organized. There’s also a Texas driver’s license in my wallet and a bunch of fun memories in my head. But, it’s time to get to work. There have been lots of wonderful sunsets and starry nights to rejuvenate me, but not a lot has happened on the book so far, though I have made some progress on a couple of chapters.



For those not familiar with the project, my working title is Not an Oxymoron: Conservative, Evangelical, Tree-Hugger. Now, there are plenty of real oxymorons and ironies associated with this effort. It’s a book about environmental stewardship essentially funded by my mini-windfall from a developer, and not some crunchy developer but one who will probably tear down not only the 1940s townhomes but most of the mature trees as well to make way for a dense apartment complex. I also write as the social conservative I am, one who is pro-life and pro-traditional marriage, but unmarried and without kids (though quite open to both possibilities, in the correct order).



Yet, I find nothing oxymoronic about being conservative and caring for God’s creation. My love of creation flows from the same pro-life ethic that fuels my efforts on behalf of the unborn. My belief in preserving the traditional structures that have helped society survive extends to the natural systems that undergird it. There's a reason "conservatism" and "conservation" have the same etymological roots.



Nor, does my Christian faith put me at odds with my environmental concerns. Certainly, bad theologies, bad policies, and bad politics can exist under the Green banner. For too many of my fellow conservative Christians, this fact has stopped the thought process. If they’re for it, we're against it becomes the sum total of the thinking. I argue that we Evangelicals should not be known primarily for those with whom we refuse to associate but for our love and devotion to the God of the Bible, a Creator whose expressions of love for his creation start on page 1 and continue until Revelation.



Well, I won’t spoil the book for everyone, nor will I try to write it all right here and now. If it sounds interesting to you, though, check back every month or so for some more thoughts and an update on my progress.