Huang Family Newsletter, September 2008

[This monthly update used to be sent out via Topica.com but has now
been consolidated here.]

WORK - Amy's applying for jobs and studying for her boards. Lee's
still juggling 10+ projects at work, including a gig with the US
Virgin Islands, where he spent a week meeting with public and private
sector leaders. Lee's also trying to stay on top of his church
responsibilities as elder and personnel team coordinator, and did some
dialing for dollars for a fundraiser for the non-profit he's on the
board of.

PLAY - Amy and the kids came along to St. Thomas, and had beach fun
while Lee worked; and then we stayed the weekend and took the ferry to
St. John. We also had fun at our church's fall retreat. When they
weren't out and about, Aaron got in hugs and kisses with Amy and tried
in vain to commandeer whatever toy Jada was playing with, while Jada
watched Schoolhouse Rock and worked on her counting and spelling.

huangkids.cjb.net
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leehuang.cjb.net

THE VERY BEST INTENTIONS

If there’s anyone who would be focused on the bottom line, it’s the CFO. Which is why I appreciated CFO Magazine’s generally enlightened take on corporate social responsibility (CSR). Here’s a nice reminder from this month’s issue about how to really do good while doing well: “Best Intentions.” This is the kind of CSR I like: not at the expense of profitability; not afraid to be profitable or even coolly self-interested; and, in a world that desperately needs the power of business to be leveraged for social and environmental good, no longer a non-required option if you want to grow a company that is truly profitable over the long run.

This is what I have been hoping for in terms of the direction business heads: a matching of long-term shareholder value with sustainability in community impact, environmental impact, and social impact. These now no longer need to be at odds with each other, but can be seen as mutually inclusive: there is no way to build a business that is financially sustainable except that one accounts for communal, environmental, and social sustainability.

Note, for example, Business Week’s cover story on “innovation economics,” which paired an article on what the US needs to do to stay competitive with an article on how weapons labs like Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore are helping companies like Procter & Gamble and Goodyear to build products and packaging not derived from petroleum-based materials. In other words, our best minds are at work to figure out how to transform our business practices so that they are innovative to compete in a global market, profitable to generate returns to shareholders, and sensitive to environmental realities in a post-“Peak Oil” age. Let’s hope for more of this.

PS On that note, here’s a delicious quote from Tom Friedman’s new book, “How, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need A Green Revolution – And How It Can Renew America”: “There is only one thing bigger than Mother Nature and that is Father Profit, and we have not even begun to enlist him in this struggle.” I demur – the God of Creation has the trump card on both – but this is not inconsistent with my overall premise: that we who believe in such a God can and must align our charge to safeguard creation and do justice for our fellow man with an ability to create long-term shareholder value.

URBAN RUNS, MAPPED

Apropos to nothing, I found a great urban run mapping tool at Runners' World's website. The only bad news is that, all this time, I've overestimated the mileage on two of my regular routes! (I guess I'll now have to circle my block a couple of times to get to the number of miles I previously thought I had been running.)

I haven't made my routes public because they all originate from my home address, but if you're curious, send me a note and I'll try to share them. I'm also looking forward to peeking in on others' routes, both here in Philly and in other cities where I get to run around.

It was inevitable that an app like this would be well-received by someone like me, who likes cities, running, and maps. Still, the delight I took in finding and then utilizing it was probably a little on the creepy side. Although I suppose there are more sketchy people that you could bump into on city streets than we who like to run on them and then log the route onto our computers.

WATER WASTE

As a follow-up to my post earlier this month about water, here's an article from the Economist about the world's water shortage: "Running Dry."

Here's a depressing statistic: farming accounts for 70 percent of human water consumption, and as much as 70 percent of water used by farmers never gets to crops (leaky irrigation channels, draining into rivers). That means almost half the water we have to work with is squandered!

A more appropriate price for water would encourage drip irrigation, water conservation methods, and other rational behaviors. As it is, we're treating water as if we can waste it, so it might seem like it's a good thing that we don't have to pay for it, but somebody's going to pay.

HIGH GAS PRICES - STILL RIGHT, STILL POLITICAL SUICIDE

You know this already, but high gas prices as an energy policy is over a generation old: "Sense and Reality on Energy." Unfortunately, it's still political suicide. This is going to be a hard addiction to kick.

Value Proposition in Virgin Paradise

I recently returned from a consulting gig in the US Virgin Islands -
no, really - and the assignment was a fascinating exercise in the
importance of value proposition. It's an entrepreneurship term but
with economic roots: value proposition basically means that you are
offering some unique, better thing to the marketplace of people making
choices. The main consumer places like the US Virgin Islands tend to
think about are tourists, are rightly so, as island economies tend to
be heavily tourism-oriented.

And it is an appropriate customer to consider, and the USVI is trying
to do what any tourist destination is trying to do: maximize the
tourist experience so that as many tourists come, have as good a time
as possible, and tell as many people as possible. And there are
tangible things you can do to make that work for you: promote more
aggressively to potential vacationers, enact laws to minimize things
that aggravate tourists (like pushy cabbies or shopkeepers), and
invest in infrastructure that enhances the tourist experience
(sidewalks, ferries).

Of course, the reason why tourism is big business in a place like the
USVI is that it is one of the Territory's unique assets. You can't
sell a tropical vacation to Kansas City, after all. Hence, though it
is right for the local economy to consider ways to diversify out of
tourism (since tourism is such a cyclical industry and is vulnerable
to national and global economic downturns), it is also right for the
local economy to continue to invest in tourism efforts (since it's the
best thing it can offer that no one else can offer).

Another locational value proposition question we are tasked with is
selling the USVI to businesses which are looking for new sites to
locate. In an increasingly global business order, anything from hedge
funds to rum refinery plants can be located anywhere, and where these
things get sited depends on the various value propositions of the
places being considered. So we spent a fair amount of time talking to
local public and private sector folks about the various strengths and
weaknesses of the USVI as a place to do business, from which we will
be helping the Territorial government craft a marketing message to
businesses looking for locations that the USVI is perfect for them.

That's all I can say at this point, but I hope I've conveyed the
importance of determining and marketing one's unique value
propositions. We think about this all the time in Philadelphia, and
being hired to think about it for a place like the US Virgin Islands
has been an enjoyable way to see the same principles play out in a new
setting. There's not much this island territory has in common with
the City of Brotherly Love, but when it comes to attracting visitors,
diversifying one's economy, and being a preferred place to locate a
business, the principles are the same.

Political Perspective

Most of the people in most of the circles I run in are Democrats, and
many of them assume I am too. After all, I'm a well-educated, young
minority person living in an East Coast big city. When I explain
where I actually sit in the political spectrum, the response ranges
from incredulity to outrage: "how could you possibly - be a registered
Republican / not for Obama / for McCain / for Palin?" I just smile
and feign ignorance, after which I'm usually privy to an unfiltered
perspective on what the questioner really thinks about people like me.
(Hint: it's not very flattering.)

So what are my reasons? For one, I guess I like being the contrarian.
When everyone's going one way, I find it useful to go the other, if
only to better learn both sides of the story.

Second, there are indeed both sides to every story. Whether it was
Bush/Gore in 2000, Bush/Kerry in 2004, or McCain/Obama this year,
we've been treated to two starkly different perpectives to the same
issues, two starkly different solutions to the same problems. This
is, unequivocally, a good thing; dare I say, what America was founded
on in the first place. When the political process works best is not
when one side vanquishes another - although, to be sure, we will only
be electing one president in November, and rightly so - but when both
sides contribute.

Third, don't believe the media hype. And I mean that for both sides.
Let's be honest: both candidates are flip-floppers, both are out of
touch with the majority of Americans, and neither is ready to be
President. No one is truly ready to be President, no one is perfect,
and everyone is a politician in the pejorative sense of the word.
Thankfully for the media and for political junkies, there's plenty to
pick at on both sides.

Fourth, I am increasingly irritated by people who label Republicans as
ignorant hicks. Not to say we all don't need to become more informed,
but it smacks of elitist coastal snobbery to assume that someone who
is more in line with Republican values than Democratic ones is simply
not as progressive. And not to say people aren't racist, but to
assume that if you are white and are not voting for Obama it's because
you're not "enlightened" enough sells people awfully short. And not
to say it may be time for a change in leadership to the younger
generation, but let's remember that the fact that Obama uses a
Blackberry and McCain hardly uses a computer at all may be a sign that
Obama is more "with it," or it may just be that McCain's
torture-induced wounds make typing hard for him, and tech-savvy
coastals shouldn't begrudge him for that.

But let's get into some substantive things. I am certainly
free-market, which tends to align me with the Republican perspective
on taxes, trade, and labor. Although McCain has been worryingly
absent on his economic plans, he's generally in favor of letting
capitalism work; and although Obama has been refreshingly confident
and specific on his economic plans, he's generally in favor of more
government intervention.

As for social positions, I am a conservative Christian, and my take on
values is usually the Republican position. With the exception of
inclusivity issues like immigration, gay marriage, and affirmative
action, you could call me a social conservative and you'd be right.
If you think me backwards for my beliefs, I don't know what to say.

What about the candidates themselves? I admire Obama as a person,
though I disagree with most of his social, political, and economic
stances. On the positive side, if he wins, I'll feel more optimistic
that we will take the aggressive steps we need to take in shifting out
of a petroleum-based economy; and if he loses, I'll lament the
potential disillusionment of young voters who wonder if the political
process truly works for them.

McCain I disagree with on energy and transportation issues, and he is
becoming frustratingly pat on a number of issues he was once a
maverick on: The Economist's cover story last week even called for the
return of "the old McCain," and a fellow conservative friend of mine
shared my disappointment that his campaign has been all the worse of
Republican politicking that it was once thought McCain wouldn't stoop
to. But there's no doubt he would be a public servant, he has as good
a track record as any of working towards a solution and not against an
opponent, and he alone seems to understand just how dangerous a world
we live in.

Palin seems to be the lightning rod for folks, and for good reason.
But I appreciate her advocacy of special-needs children, agree with
most of her values positions, and (unlike some feminists) I think her
being veep would be a huge step forward for women. Is she ready to
lead from Day One? Of course not: her foreign policy resume is thin,
and her lack of international perspective worrisome. But, as alluded
to above, it's not about who's ready to lead but who's made out of the
right stuff to step up when put in a position to lead. This is also
the opinion of none other than David Cohen, Ed Rendell's chief of
staff and as blue as they get, who met Palin and left with the
impression that she is made of that stuff, just like Bill Clinton,
circa 1992, was.

A lot can happen in 6 weeks, but that's where I stand now and where I
tend to stand. You may still think me absurd, but if you once
wondered, now at least you have a little more information.

LET'S TALK ABOUT A REALLY PRECIOUS RESOURCE

Compared to all the talk about conserving gas, there's relatively little about conserving water. After all, we may have finite fossil fuels, but it's always raining somewhere.

But, not to get all alarmist, there may be a day when we look back on the many ways we piss away good water and wonder how we could've been so dumb. Water may replenish itself, but it and not oil may be the liquid nations fight and die over more in the coming decades.

I found this interesting water usage calculator courtesy of Governing.com's blog. Taking the test reminded me that water conservation comes not only from taking shorter showers and installing low-flow faucet heads but also in eating less meat and recycling our textiles.

It may decades away, versus the modern-day impacts of more appropriately priced gasoline (cities enjoying a renaissance, used SUVs now impossible to sell), but maybe places like Canada and Iceland go up in demand, and places like Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas go down. Maybe I'm being too doomsday. Or maybe it doesn't take a futurist to see that golf courses and fountains can't survive in a desert, or that people will some day go to war to provide their citizens with water to drink faster than they'll go to war to secure access to fuel to put in their cars.

I AGREE WITH THE LIBERAL CANADIANS JUST THIS ONCE

This may be the only issue on which I agree with the left-leaning prime minister candidate from Canada (!), but it's a vital one: energy taxes should be higher. I had heard about this candidate's proposal a few weeks back, but this article adds incumbent Stephen Harper's disapproval and economist Greg Mankiw's approval.

The article also importantly notes that climate change is but one reason the price of gas and other natural resources is artificially low, to the detriment of all people. Of course, proposing higher energy prices is political suicide, no matter how much income tax we redistribute back to people. It's a shame that something that makes so much sense is such a policy non-starter. When $4 gas and collapsing bridges can't shake us from our addiction to cheap oil, what will?

Community in Action

Some scenes from our church's fall retreat. It's one thing to talk about community and wholly separate to see it in action. While we're far from perfect, individually or collectively, it was moving to look around the room while we worshipped God and see the fabric of our congregation.

There were people I know who have done things they've since regretted; people who've battled with depression and other demons; recently married folks snuggling and people who've been married a long time snuggling; and people of all ages, skin colors, and socioeconomic backgrounds. All of us singing to God and for God.

We've got our work cut out for us, broken and ragged as we are. But this past weekend, I got the sense that God is with us in that journey, however tired and wandering we are. This may not be your picture of Christian community, but it is a Christian community. Come join us!

Interesting Things to Look At - Like You

I moderated a panel last night on transit-oriented development, and
one of the panelists made a point in a very clever way. He said that
when he's in Manhattan, he'll walk 20 blocks without a second thought.
In Center City, it might be 5 or 6 blocks. In the suburbs, if you
have a Target next to a Best Buy, you'll drive from one to the other.
Auto-oriented places are simply inhospitable to pedestrians, while
good urban places become walkable because there are interesting things
to look at.

Of course, the two most interesting things to look at go hand in hand:
retail and other people. Well-kept, unique-looking retail stores
catch the eye at the street level; who knows, maybe you even go in and
spend some money. And it's always fun to people-watch, not to mention
that there's safety in numbers on the street. These two things go
hand in hand, of course, because people gravitate to retail and retail
locates where there's foot traffic.

Contrast this "more is better" dynamic with the "more is worse"
dynamic of the suburbs. In low-density, auto-oriented places, more
people means more congestion, more people fighting for your parking
spot, or more parking to accommodate everyone, which just makes
walking even harder. And while I hesitate to say that we are
hard-wired to shop, I do think it is safe to say that we are
hard-wired to enjoy looking at other people.

I'll leave it for another day to discuss the tangible policy
implications of this, but let's just say that if you're playing Sim
City, make sure you make your urban metropolis pedestrian friendly,
with retail corridors and other unique people-magnets to draw foot
traffic and kick-start that "more is better" virtuous cycle. We may
like our cars and our autonomy, but ($4 gas notwithstanding) we like
looking at interesting things - especially other people - even more.

70-Minute Getaway

I knew that back-to-back presentations would have me out until past 8
yesterday, and since I usually work a 10-hour day, I decided to take
the morning off and roll in at 10. This is not an unusual start time
for many, but was a revelation for me. Combined with bringing the
kids to day care one hour early, it meant I could not only go running
after I dropped them off, but go for a longer than usual jaunt.

I can't tell how you how giddy I was with anticipation. I rousted the
kids up at 6:20, sped them through diapers and clothes and breakfast,
and had them out the door by 6:45. After dropping them off at 7 and
returning home with the stroller by 7:15, I was out the door with my
running clothes on within minutes.

For someone whose usual run needs to be done before the kids wake up,
running at this hour - and without the pressure of having to get done
quickly - put a whole new spin on things. Daylight also makes for a
more relaxing run; you can look at things, and don't have to worry
about people jumping you.

I decided to take Walnut Street through the Penn campus and into
Center City. I passed by Le Bec Fin and high-end retail, crossed
Broad Street, entered the Jefferson Hospital area, and then darted by
Independence Hall. From there, it's a big pedestrian bridge that gets
you across six lanes of I-95 plus Columbus Boulevard and onto Penn's
Landing. I stretched there, looking out into the Delaware River,
Camden, the Ben Franklin Bridge, and battleships. From there, I
followed the water's edge and then cut back across Columbus Boulevard
and I-95 and onto South Street. Surprisingly, since I was well past
my usual run length, I felt great, so crossing back across Broad
Street, cutting through the Graduate Hospital area, and taking the
South Street Bridge back to the Penn campus, I actually quickened my
pace.

When I got home, I was able to stretch thoroughly, shower leisurely,
and read the paper over breakfast. No kids, no rushing, just me. Of
course, I have my wife to thank for getting everything ready for me in
the morning and for tending to the kids solo in the evening while I
was out late, so this was a nice treat but not likely a regular
addition to my routine. Still, it was nice to have a little morning
getaway in the midst of a very busy week.

Another Aspect of Diversity

A lot of times, we hear about the importance of different ethnic
groups working towards fairer participation in something, like
politics or entrepreneurship or entertainment. The perspective is
usually focused on the gains to that racial or ethnic group: Hispanics
need to mobilize to make sure they are a political force, or African
Americans need to start more small businesses because they are
under-represented, or there aren't enough Asians on prime time TV
shows. Or substitute any racial or ethnic group above.

But what about the gains to society as whole? Shouldn't we make sure
that different groups are as unimpeded as possible in getting involved
politically or commercially or artistically, not just so that they
aren't discriminated but also so that we all don't miss out on the
unique perspectives and talents people from different groups
represent?

To use a fairly parallel example, imagine baseball if blacks, Latinos,
and Asians weren't allowed to major league teams, or basketball if NBA
teams couldn't have non-US players on their rosters. It would be
exclusionary, yes; but it would also result in an inferior product, to
the detriment of the other players, the leagues, and the audience.

What this point also means is that for those of us who walk in the
footsteps of others who opened doors for our race and ethnicity, we
owe an obligation, not just to them or to ourselves, but to society.
Each of us has an unique contribution to make - to the political
process, to the economy, or to the arts - and if we don't make that
contribution, we're all the worse for it. May those who would
consider diversity efforts a nice PR move but ultimately subsidiary to
real issues consider anew the vital importance of opening doors for
all participants, and then encouraging all participants to walk
through those doors.

Devastating

When bad stuff happens, there are a number of ways people tend to respond:

* Doubt God. "I wonder where God is in all this."

* Rage at God. "How could God have allowed this to happen?"

* Look on the bright side. "Well, it could've been worse."

* Insulate yourself from harm. "Yeah, I try not to think about that too much."

I have responded in all of these ways. None of them are truly
satisfying. We were made - literally - to respond in a different way,
a way that is consistent with who we are and who are Maker is:

* Pain is real. "I hurt."

* God is good. "I can trust Him even and especially in the wilderness."

* He is to be feared. "I am reminded that we are flawed and He is
not, that He is powerful and we are not."

* He hears us. "Let's come together and cry out for His mercy and help."

I give you the exhortation of the prophet Joel in the midst of a
devastation so great that he uses it to warn others about Judgment
Day:

"Gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O
ministers of the altar! Come, spend the night in sackcloth, O
ministers of my God, for the grain offering and the drink offering are
withheld from the house of your God. Consecrate a fast, proclaim a
solemn assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land
to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. Alas for
the day! For the day of the LORD is near, and it will come as
destruction from the Almighty."

How many times have our congregations gathered like this, to pour
ourselves out before God for mercy and help? Besides 9/11 and
Hurricane Katrina, I would venture to say, "Never." And yet, there is
more than enough devastation in our world, our communities, and our
families to warrant such a response. Or perhaps we have not
sufficiently exhausted our doubt in and rage at God, or have preferred
to be cheery optimists or to use entertainment to distract ourselves
from hurt.

It is no coincidence that revivals in spirituality are preceded by
repentance. It is the only attitude that clears the way for God to be
as big as He can be in our midst. If devastation is what it takes to
get us there, that is unfortunate but better than not getting there.
And if even devastation doesn't drive us to consecration and gathering
and crying out, shame on us.

IN A NEW YORK MINUTE

Juggling a hard job and two kids, you have to take every chance you can to get away. So a few weeks back, I schemed up a day off in New York City. Amy was kind enough to release me from my evening duties, and because I worked a work meeting into the mix, I only had to take a half-day instead of a full day of vacation. Of course, being the Type-A workaholic that I am, I packed my itinerary more tightly than my regular schedule. But trust me when I saw it was really restful.

6:45am - Me and the kids are out the door, an hour earlier than usual. I love that our day care can flex for us, as every once in a while I need the kids to be there from 7 to 5 instead of 8 to 6.

6:45am-7:15am - After a 15-minute walk to day care and a 15-minute walk home to drop off the stroller, I pick up my shoulder bag and am off to the subway.

7:15am-7:45am - Ten minutes to the station, five minutes to wait, ten minutes to 11th Street, and five minutes from the station to the bus stop in Chinatown.

7:45am-8:00am - The bus pulls out, actually a couple minutes early. I sink into this week's issue of the Economist. Let my day off officially begin.

8:00am-9:45am - I was bracing myself for 2 1/2 hours on account of getting stuck heading into Manhattan, but instead we make it in less than two hours, just enough time for me to finish my Economist and take a cat nap.

9:45am-10:00am - I get off right at a 1 stop, buy my pass, and the train pulls up within minutes. I emerge at Wall Street and stumble right into my first stop right outside the subway station, the Museum of American Finance. I'm literally the first visitor.

10:00am-11:30am - That was thoroughly enjoyable. Did you know the Secret Service was actually first created not to protect presidents but to protect money? Counterfeiting was such a problem back then that Abraham Lincoln created the agency out of the US Treasury. In fact, this was his last act as president before he was assassinated. Irony! I'm off to my second museum, Federal Hall National Memorial, 150 feet away from the first museum.

11:30am-12:30pm - I'm two for two on museums worth visiting. Federal Hall was the nation's first capital, and because it's part of the National Park Service, admission was free. I exit the museum and walk right into a New York Giants tailgate party.

12:30pm-2:15pm - I meet my colleague, who has an office on Wall Street. We talk in his office for 45 minutes and adjourn for lunch nearby. The restaurant we choose has all its seating in the middle of a cobblestone street. A lot of streets around here are blocked off to car traffic. Pedestrians rule!

2:15pm-3:15pm - I hoof it through Battery Park to the Skyscraper Museum. Another winner. Loved the exhibit on Hong Kong high rises. Saw just how big Burj Dubai is going to get. Laughed out loud at the critic's column on the World Trade Center from back in the 1970's, and the architect's gracious though pointed response.

3:15pm-3:45pm - Gotta jet up to Grand Central part of town, so now I'm in hyperdrive mode: five minutes of gazing out at Lady Liberty at the tip of the island, haggling with a street vendor for a T-shirt for my daughter, and speed-walking through the National Museum of the American Indian.

3:45pm-4:00pm - I'm in luck: the 4 Express from Bowling Green arrives just as I do. I'm 3 miles north within minutes. I emerge from Grand Central and head to my friend's office at Pfizer's headquarters.

4:00pm-5:30pm - We catch up in his office and then power walk to Penn Station, where he'll take a train back to his suburban home. We part ways at Herald Square, where I get lucky again: the Q arrives right as I get there. I'm in Chinatown within minutes.

5:30pm-7:00pm - I hoof it to Jing Fong, which I've been to before but didn't remember until I got there. I meet my friend and his fiancee, and we chat over dim sum. I bolt from there to the Chinatown bus pickup zone, which is about as chaotic as I can take, although for twenty bucks round-trip, I suck it up and deal.

7:00pm-9:00pm - We hit traffic heading out of Manhattan but then ease into a nice pace on the Turnpike. There's even a working overhead light so I can read; I had brought a mini-flashlight just in case. I finish the book I had started while I was in Manhattan and make it halfway through a second book.

9:00pm-9:30pm - We pull into Chinatown, I catch the subway back to West Philly, and walk home from the station, less than 15 hours after I first left that morning. Including transportation, I've spent 68 dollars on my day off. A small price to pay for a fun day and a recharged spirit.

EVERYBODY COUNTS

There has been a lot said - positive and negative - about John McCain's selection for Vice President. I myself am both impressed and worried. But one thing from reading Sarah Palin's speech last night that moved me to tears - and to blogging - was her comment about special needs children:

"To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message for you: For years, you've sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters. And I pledge to you that, if we're elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House."

Abortion has surprisingly jumped back into the limelight, as the Republicans seek to court values voters. It can be a nasty, contentious, and political (in the negative sense of that word) topic. I'm not a fan of such rancor, and am not trying to add to the cacophony of words in that vein.

But I do believe that every child counts. My two kids were not born into this world under normal circumstances. Many babies enter life with two and a half strikes against them. Some will have to deal with their special needs for the rest of their lives.

And all of them matter to God. He makes no mistakes when he makes life - none in the make-up of each precious child, and none in what family or situation into which they are birthed. He has a purpose for each of them, and for the families that love them; a glorious, life-giving purpose.

Everybody counts. Wherever our candidates, and we who vote for them, are on particular issues, I hope we can reclaim that truth, fight for it, and tell it to the world.

Huang Family Newsletter, August 2008

[This monthly update used to be sent out via Topica.com but has now
been consolidated here.]

WORK - Not much August slowdown at Lee's workplace, what with up to
ten live projects to juggle at a time (including work for the US
Virgin Islands!); but he's enjoyed making his contribution to hot
topics in the region. Amy is cranking her studies up a notch and
plans to take at least one exam by year-end.

PLAY - We did a week at Ocean City with Amy's side of the family,
enjoying the sun, sand, and water. We also did weekend excursions to
South Street, Penn's Landing, and the zoo, and hosted a BBQ on the
last day of summer. Aaron and Jada still go to day care five days a
week, and like their teachers and friends there a lot.

SORROWFUL, YET ALWAYS REJOICING

To live as a Christian in the 21st century can seem an arduous journey. We humans crave comfort, and yet, while the Christian life provides the ultimate and one true comfort, suffice to say there is much discomfort along the way. This sermon, the front page of any newspaper, and our own lives are all the reminder we need that, while we know that the back of the book tells us that good wins in the end, there's plenty of evil to contend with until then.

If anything, growing as a Christian means simultaneously moving to a place of deeper comfort (as we draw more closely in step with God) and a place of deeper distress (as we allow ourselves to feel more deeply our own pain, that of those around us, and also of the world as a whole). As our theology matures, we believe more fully in a God who conquers evil, and yet also more fully in the existence and pervasiveness of that evil.

The sermon I linked to above is a powerful word concerning the extent to which "natural evil is a signpost pointing to the horrors of moral evil." Natural disasters, violence, illness, and other causes of grave human suffering remind us of the poisoning effect of sin. It speaks of a modern, me-centric, and perhaps self-righteous (not to mention dangerously naive) attitude that asks, "Did Katrina happen because of New Orleans' sin": Katrina is just a drop in the bucket in terms of evil's impact, and New Orleans' sin is a just a drop in the bucket in terms of mankind's depravity.

When disaster strikes, when a child is born with severe health issues, when violence continues unabated: we are all impacted by this physical manifestation of a world gone wrong, and we are all part of a human race whose sinfulness has merited such a curse. Ironically, I say this with trembling, because I do not often respond as I should when life happens, with reverence for my Maker or a desperate need to beg for His mercy or a depth of gratitude in the remembrance and experience of His love.

There is sometimes an increase in spirituality in times of desperation. Our perspective, we are told, is shaken back to what is really important. Unfortunately, much of this is the equivalent of seed sown on rocky ground, which sprouts up fast and burns away even faster. May we instead reclaim in these desperate days a proper fear of God, an acknowledgment of our participation in rebellion and therefore our role in the evil in this world that that has caused, and a joy that comes from knowing that there is yet a happy ending. And not just a happy ending, but a way along the way, however sorrowful, to be always rejoicing.