Something Better

I've written before about how important it is for the Christian to not give into a comfort-seeking lifestyle: see, for example, here and here.  But it's a word I feel I keep needing to hear and speak.  For those of us well-educated, upper-middle-class parents of young children, it can seem that everywhere we turn we are actively pursuing (or passively giving into) comfort: building up a nest egg for a comfortable retirement, settling into a life of ease and entertainment, and grooming our children to have the same kind of good life.

Maybe this is the rational approach to life for the non-believer, but for the follower of Jesus, we have been subsumed into a fundamentally different life trajectory.  In writing about this, I'm challenging myself and others to say no to comfort-seeking and to say yes to something better.

What has been missing from my writings, and from my internal musings, is the "something better."  I get that comfort sources abound around us, and that we need to be vigilant to not give into them.  What I haven't spent nearly as much time on, in my own musings and in my writings, is what the "something better" is that is worth saving ourselves for. 

This post, at the Desiring God blog, does a good job of reminding me of what the "something better" is.  The reason we don't want to dwell too richly on the things of this world is so that we can dwell more richly on God, whether through the study of His word or just time spent in His presence.  The Christian life shouldn't be defined ultimately by ascetism, because our aim isn't to withhold from pleasure but rather to withhold from lesser pleasures in order that we might revel in greater ones.

Let us remember this when we are faced with comforts all around us, to be mindful not only to not settle into them but to know why we are not settling for them.  When we choose to move into a dangerous neighborhood instead of cocooning in comfortable enclaves, to give recklessly to those in need instead of building up our own nest egg, and to cross cultures even at risk of feeling like an outcast, we do so not for its own sake, but to take part in something greater and better.  Let's not forget what - and who - is greater and better.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." - the apostle Paul to the church in Colossae (chapter 3, verse 16)

Lazy Linking, 100th in an Occasional Series

Stuff I liked lately on the Internets:

100.1 Uh oh…soon antibiotics will no longer work http://to.pbs.org/1gAB5LJ @pbs HT @kottke

100.2 Christians on 89 SFGiants stayed & helped when the quake delayed WS G3 (A’s went to PHX to work out) http://es.pn/1c76ulv @grantland

100.3 Read about us at 35,000 ft: Spruce Hill, Cedar Park featured in USAirways mag http://bit.ly/1gkCKoB @visitphilly

100.4 Butkovitz! Tracy! Here’s the audio for last week’s City Controller debate at WHYY http://bit.ly/1ahdSvc @newsworkswhyy

100.5 White House releases report on economic impact of shutdown (pdf) http://1.usa.gov/1fTM7wX @whitehouse

Retail Detail

Our community retail survey has already gotten 400 participants and we haven't even officially distributed it.  Apparently people are eager to chime in on what they want and don't want when it comes to their neighborhood storefront environment.  I've been peeking at the results a little and am overwhelmed by the amount of information we are gathering through this vehicle on residents' preferences. 

Next weekend, we'll be going door-to-door dropping off the annual newsletter for our community association, which includes an article on the survey and an invitation to participate, so I'm hoping there'll be another wave of participation from that.  If you haven't already filled one out and are interested, click here to get to the survey online.

Moneyball for the Church

Though I didn't have much time to watch my beloved A's this year, it sure made me happy to see them follow up their magical 2012 season with an equally impressive 2013 season.  And with back-to-back positive seasons comes the prospect for continued progress into the future.  I am hopeful.

As I follow the success of these "who are these guys" players, I cannot help but draw a few lessons for the modern church and for the little sliver of it represented by the congregation I am a part of.  Consider that we are now in Moneyball 3.0:

1.0. Where it all started was finding players who, regardless of their physical appearance and past success, could draw walks and make pitchers throw more pitches.  Not only does this get you on base, it attrites the other team's best pitchers and gives easier opportunities to your teammates (either from wearier pitchers or their newer and not as good replacements).  We can similarly bear burdens with and for our fellow brothers and sisters and in doing so lighten their loads.

2.0. Once everyone caught up to the importance of getting on base, the A's then pivoted to team defense.  Lacking the headline stats of pitching and hitting, good defenders were often undervalued in the market, but their ability to turn more plays into outs made pitchers last longer into games.  So can our love in the church cover a multitude of sins and help our fellow congregants endure.

3.0. The current iteration of the A's system appears to be the platooning of part-time players.  Two part-time players are cheaper than one full-time player, having lots of players who can contribute at multiple positions hedges you against injury, and having the left-right advantage in hitting allows players to be better than if they played all the time.  Of course, it takes a sublimation of ego to be a part-time player, as it requires humility to step aside and let someone else do something that we think we ought to. 

I'm sure there's more here but that's all I got for now.  Keep an eye out for those upstart and no-name A's.  And keep an eye out for the church, too.

The Streets of Philadelphia

"I was bruised and battered and I couldn't tell what I felt, I was unrecognizable to myself; I saw my reflection in a window I didn't know my own face; oh brother are you gonna leave me wasting away on the streets of Philadelphia."

So begins Bruce Springsteen's haunting song, "Streets of Philadelphia," which was part of the soundtrack of the movie, "Philadelphia," staring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington.  The movie came out in 1993, 20 years ago, and Hidden City Philadelphia reminds us in this article that Philadelphia back then was indeed grimmer and grimier.

It was around that time (1991) that I arrived, a fresh-faced kid from suburban Northern California, and got an immediate baptism into gritty urban life by volunteering in soup kitchens, mentoring a 4th grader, and giving haircuts to the homeless guys who worked the pavement outside the on-campus Wawa.  And it was around that time (1996) that a popular Penn professor was stabbed to death on the sidewalk just a couple of blocks where I lived at the time.

Philadelphia, and University City in particular, could've gone one of two ways at that time, as could have I.  Thankfully, things played out the way they did: cities in general, including Philadelphia, saw an urban renaissance, University City has boomed, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the city life.  And I am bullish that even better days are ahead.  (Case in point: Check out the video below.  At the 0:09 mark is Aaron's old school.  It still looks like that today.  But there is an ambitious greening effort underway.)

Still, it's not hard to find places in Philly that resemble the apocalyptic scenes in Springsteen's video.  Though I mostly trade in the vibrant pockets of University City and Center City, I am fully aware of the blight and despair of a thousand other blocks in this city.  Let's hope that in 2033 we can take another look back and be glad that we have made even more progress.

Lazy Linking, 99th in an Occasional Series

Stuff I liked lately on the Internets:

99.1 Linsanity in Taiwan http://bit.ly/19YFcjs @angryasianman

99.2 Forget all the fancy health apps...best way to lose weight is to join the Y http://cnnmon.ie/1eUrlxC @fortunemagazine

99.3 The ignorance of some prominent white church folks' towards Asians continues to baffle me http://bit.ly/1ezrGSz @ctmagazine

99.4 FL and TX experimenting w/4yr college degree for $10K http://nyti.ms/19T7IND @nytimes


99.5 Economist Mag says (correctly) water problem in China best solved on demand side not supply side http://econ.st/1apYj25 @economist

Get Your Triple Bottom Line On

Here's a great event worth checking out: Social Venture Institute, which will take place at Cira Centre in Philadelphia on October 25 and 26.  You can check in on Facebook here or register for the event here.  A great place for networking, inspiration, tools, and resources on how to run your business for profit, people, and the planet.  I will be there and will hope to see you as well.

Speak Your Mind about Retail in Spruce Hill

As you may know, the Business Attraction Committee (BAC) of the Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) seeks to serve as as conduit between the opinions of neighborhood residents about retail in Spruce Hill and developers/landlords/businesses who are interested in knowing those opinions.  One tangible way we're going to do that is with a survey.  If you are interested in completing this short, 10-question survey, click on the link here and speak your mind about retail in Spruce Hill. 

As noted previously, one of the goals of the BAC is to help SHCA engage groups that have not previously felt connected to the work of SHCA.  If there's something that almost everyone has an opinion on, it's the storefront environment of the neighborhood in which they live, work, play, and pray.  So if you or someone you know wants to chime in, this survey is a great avenue. 

Recommended Reads, 15th in a Quarterly Series

Stuff I've read lately that I'd recommend:


Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian (Steinberg).  Since my wife used to work in a prison, this was a particularly insightful book.

Pete Rose: My Prison without Bars (Rose).  Interesting to hear Charlie Hustle's story in light of all of the recent debate over PED users.

The Faith Instinct: How Religion Evolved and Why it Endures (Wade).  An intriguing premise - religion exists today because religious behavior conferred advantages to early humans.

The Master Plan of Evangelism (Coleman).  An old classic that I've read before, I also like to call this book "The Master's Plan of Evangelism" since it is so much about what Jesus' strategies for reaching people would actually look like in our lives.

Betsy Ross and the Making of America (Miller).  Solid biographical research, a delicate balance between dispelling myths while giving a historical figure her due, and a great look at the role of Philadelphia/women/artisans in America's revolutionary period.

How the Other Half Lives (Riis) and At the Children’s Gate (Gopnik).  I read these two books back-to-back, and found it jarring how much New York City has changed in 100+ years.

 

Fast Times

The passing of time seems relative: "time flies when you're having fun," while it can seem time slows to a crawl when you're engaged in an unpleasant experience (waiting for a shift to end or sitting in the dentist's chair).  So it was strange to start and end my workday with two time-bending experiences, featuring two dear people in my life. 

I started my day with a colleague of mine who I admire as a person and a professional.  Since it had been awhile since we had caught up, our short time together over coffee was peppered with all sorts of stimulating discussion on topics such as parenthood, education reform, and the role of anchor institutions in big cities. 

I ended my day catching up with a dear Christian friend of mine who I went to college with, and who was in town for a conference.  I am especially thankful for friendships where it can be months since we last talked and yet in minutes we are pouring out our souls to one another about difficult decisions we've made or are making in our lives, whether personal or professional or spiritual. 

In both cases, I was energized and delighted by these small slivers of quality time with a cherished person.  And yet, in both cases, when it was time to part and I looked at my watch, far less time had passed than I would've guessed.  I suspect it was because our times together had packed in so much meaningful discourse. 

At any rate, it was an intensely enjoyable way to start and end the day.  For someone who lives so much in the past and future, it appears I am finally learning how to be in the present.  And it is good.

Lazy Linking, 98th in an Occasional Series

Stuff I liked lately on the Internets:

98.1 When a library has no books, what do people come there for http://ti.me/16sIqvh

98.2 Solve the problem of space junk just like you would any negative externality http://bit.ly/1fTTm8T

98.3 It may take an "Independence Day moment" to unify D's and R's in DC http://nyti.ms/GWOQGo

98.4 Pursuit of happiness < going beyond your comfort zone and really living life (cf Hebrews 13:12-13) http://bit.ly/1b4Jrr1

98.5 I told my 8yo daughter about Malala Yousafzai and if you have a little girl you should too (so inspired, so inspiring) http://bit.ly/1e9gJae

My Immigration Story

I've spent a lot of time this month thinking about immigration.  I joined the board of the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, attended two business events on immigration, and took my daughter to the National Museum of American Jewish History.

Immigration is, of course, both what this country is all about and what this country is simmering on right now.  So there's a lot to think about when you think about immigration: policies, racism, economics, assimilation, language, security, politics, and the list goes on and on.

I'm going to take the easy way out and talk about none of those things.  Instead, some musings about my own immigration story.

I am not myself an immigrant, but am a child of immigrants and so am steeped in immigrant thinking.  Or, let me step back and say, the thinking of immigrants who chose to come here (and were not forced), who were well-educated and came to get even more education, and who were lucky enough to find their way into a booming economic and social area (Silicon Valley) just before it got wildly inexpensive.  In other words, my story is, among immigrants, a pretty privileged and fortunate one, and not one that easily extrapolates to all others'.

Still, I assume I will evoke some head-nodding when I say that for me, the immigrant experience is one of busting your tail to provide for your children, setting an example of working hard and staying out of trouble, and balancing between keeping alive your past traditions while embracing new mores.  I assume that it is not just my sister and me who can remember three-day vacations in which dozens of sandwiches were packed in advance in order to avoid buying food, speaking one language at home and one in the schoolyard, and watching our parents do whatever it took to make sure we had the intellectually and socially richest possible childhoods. 

I realize that some of the values that birthed these behaviors derive from Asian sources rather than just immigrant experiences.  But I would venture to say that immigrants from other shores can recollect similar stories.  It's what unites a group of people with the means, wherewithal, and moxie to leave their home and have a go at what they thought to be a land of opportunity, and not only of opportunity but of fairness, diversity, and freedom.

To be sure, those who are debating immigration policy in our city halls, state capitals, and congressional hallways have a lot of complex and nuanced things to balance, and I am not so naive that there's an easy way forward on this issue.  Still, from where I'm coming from (literally and figuratively), the immigrant experience is something we should hope for more of, for the sake of our nation's economic, social, and cultural future. 

Local Leaders

This fall I have joined or will be joining the boards of three great local organizations:


1. The Community Design Collaborative is a community design center that provides pro bono preliminary design services to nonprofit organizations in greater Philadelphia, offers unique volunteer opportunities for design professionals, and raises awareness about the importance of design in community revitalization. 

2. The mission of the Sustainable Business Network is to build a just, green, and thriving economy in the Greater Philadelphia region. We accomplish this by educating and growing a broad base of local, independent businesses and educating policymakers and the public.
 
3. The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians connects newly arrived individuals from around the world with the economic opportunities that they need to succeed in our region. Since opening our doors in 2003, we have assisted more than 10,000 people from over 140 countries.

(Some of you I have already hit up for your time or you money to help these places, or I'm picking your brain about what we can do better.  I will continue to do so under the assumption that if you're not interested or available, you'll tell me so or just ignore me.)

Design, sustainability, and immigration are three topics near and dear to my heart, and three things that make cities great and that can and do make Philadelphia great.  So it's neat to be able to learn and contribute through these venues. 

It's also neat to be able to work with and learn from the three great leaders of these organizations.  At the risk of thoroughly embarrassing the heck out of them (they are too modest to enjoy being feted), let me gush about them for a second.  Beth Miller, Jamie Gauthier, and Pete Gonzales are three people I admire, as professionals and as people and as thought leaders.   They are people whose company I enjoy so much that I have wished for more time with them.  And now that I am serving alongside them, my wish has come true.  Philly is better for their hustle, as am I, and am happy to assist them as they pour their hearts and souls into their respective organizations and missions.

Another Beneficiary of Urban Transit Systems: Suburban Homeowners

Mass transit is seen as being beneficial to urbanite users of the systems themselves.  This leads to non-users wondering why transit funding is set up so that they have to chip in (through various taxes and fees) for something that only users benefit from. 

Except that non-users gain from the existence, investment in, and smooth operation of mass transit systems.  My firm just completed a study for SEPTA (see Inky coverage here, and I believe there will be a story in the paper later this morning) in which we found that proximity to a SEPTA station conferred an aggregate $6 billion in property value gain (per household average ~$8,000) in the four suburban counties outside of Philadelphia.  In other words, absent the mobility made possible by being close to a SEPTA station, property values would drop by $6 billion in these suburban counties. 

If anything, this very large number is an understatement.  Think about what would happen if SEPTA service disappeared in the suburbs.  Not only would these station-proximate locations lose their premium value, but the region's highways would clog up from all the extra traffic, leading to lost productivity and increased pollution, to say nothing of our collective blood pressure hitting the roof. 

You'll not find a bigger capitalist pig than me.  And yet transportation is not a pure private activity.  Financing it therefore ought to have some broader public element to it, since its gains are similarly broadly spread, reaching even to suburbanites who never themselves use it. 

New Publication Available on Land Banks

If you're into land use issues, you need to check out a new publication by Right-Sized Places called "Land Banks in Pennsylvania: A Handbook for Counties and Municipalities."  Last week, I got a chance to meet with David Feldman, who authored the publication, and I can tell he is pleased with how it turned out, as he should be. 

Blight is a ruinous thing for individual neighborhoods and for localities as a whole, and it isn't just an urban issue.  Fixing this requires a complex alchemy of governance, policies, and economics.  If you want to be informed about or participate in solutions, I encourage you to read this publication.