Russ Masterson

The Twitter World

Russ Masterson — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 15:42:09 +0000

Many of you are ahead of me, and I’m usually a late arriver to all things technology. Twitter is no different, but I have now arrived and would love for you to join me. I’m not sure, but it may become more of my creative outlet than this blog. Especially while I have a writing project going on behind the scenes. We’ll see what happens.

My handle: @russmasterson

Another Project

Russ Masterson — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:46:51 +0000

Readers,

As you’ve noticed I have not been posting lately. Sorry for the silence. I hope to return to the blog soon, but all of my creative energy is presently channelled toward an allegory novella I’m writing.

Feel free to roam the past two years of posts and sign up to receive posts by email or RSS feed so you will know when I’m posting again – that option is available at the bottom of this post, gray text. If you are in the hunt for some stellar cultural commentary under-girded and seasoned with grace make the jump to Mockingbird. Cheers and grace to you.

russ

A Quick Conversation with God

Russ Masterson — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:42:08 +0000

My friend asked the Lord, “Why don’t I love people more?”

“You have more love to receive,” she felt was his response.

“Then let me know all of your love,” my friend said to God.

“Oh, dear child, that you cannot contain.”

Avett Bros and A Love Without End, Amen

Russ Masterson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:53:43 +0000

The kicking line starts at about 2:30…
“Will you forget when we have paid our debt,
who did we borrow from, who did borrow from?”

I think George Straight was saying the same thing, also in relational context, yet in more direct language:

Categories of People

Russ Masterson — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:59 +0000

Categorizing people as good or bad has some problems. Yes, morality is the necessary structure we need for a sustainable society, but it should not be the lens by which we view ourselves or our neighbor. For, morality, while it generates sustainability, can also generate self-righteousness (for I am so good) and oppression (you are so not-good) which creates toxicity.

“The other option?” you may ask.

Categorize people, and yourself, as either, 1) humble or 2) prideful. These two categories are not pin point locations but rather regions that have a continuum we may find ourselves on. And one warning: there is no hierarchy here (so many will not like it), but there is genuine compassion and love.

Tom Brady and True Identity

Russ Masterson — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:22:38 +0000

In a little over a week Tom Brady of the New England Patriots will again be in the Super Bowl, already having won three in the past decade. I was reminded of the below clip from a 60 Minutes interview, which has been floating in cyberspace for a couple of years. I think Brady’s honesty about the illusion of monumental success is admirable and only reminds me again that identity is not primarily found in accomplishing but in receiving. (So says the guy striving to succeed…)

All is Grace

Russ Masterson — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:11 +0000

I ran into this quote in the front of a book, Devotional Cinema, recommended to me by Phil Morrison, the director of the film, Junebug, which I reviewed over on Mockingbird blog a year or so ago. I’m just beginning the book, but the opening quote is too beautiful not to share. And I think the interesting consideration is that the quote’s beauty is not found in the arrogance of big words but in the honesty and awareness of the moment.

“He did not seem to hear me. But a few moments later he put his hand on mine and his eyes clearly indicated that I should lean closer. He then said very slowly, but altogether distinctly, the following words, which I record here exactly: What does it matter? All is grace.

He died, I believe, just after.”

- Georges Bernanos
Diary of a Country Priest

Character

Russ Masterson — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:00:12 +0000

What if the fullest expression of character is not immaculate behavior but instead forgetfulness of it while considering God’s immaculate love for you and your neighbor.

Here is Love

Russ Masterson — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:19 +0000

“Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.”

- William Rees (1802-1883)

Self-Interest, Waiting for Superman, and The Help

Russ Masterson — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:00:57 +0000

The documentary, Waiting for Superman, is about the decline in American public education when compared to other countries, or even our own history of educational success. The film maker documents the failure of schools but also a handful of schools that are succeeding, including some educators who have started charter schools that are no longer bound by the restraints of teacher unions. Meaning, the schools can hire and fire teachers at will, pay different salaries, financially reward good teachers, and financially punish others, amongst other progressive rights and changes.

Now, according to the documentary, the teacher unions began decades ago when teachers needed to fight for some basic rights and systems to be put into place for their benefit, but today the unions are powerhouse political machines that protect the teachers’ self-interest at the detriment of the students. This self-interest is seen in the inability of educational leadership to create much of any change to the system and the teachers in the system. The unions simply don’t allow it, and they put political pressure on whomever they need to in order to make sure change that will create discomfort for teachers is not allowed. All of this is of course self-interest that eats away at the very good the teachers began teaching for, the unions were created for, and the education the students need. (This is all according to the documentary and not to my personal research so forgive me if I don’t give another opinion on the issue of unions and the cause for our education problem.)

Now, on to my same point in a second film. Last week I watched the movie, The Help, based on the New York Times Bestseller book titled the same. The film is about segregation and racism in the everyday life in the South in the 60’s. The movie shows the humanity and goodness of a group of black women who work as maids and nannies to upper-middle class white families. These black women are good enough to care for the children but are not allowed to use the same glasses the white people use to drink water or the same toilets the white people sit on, not to mention public restaurants and schools.

An undercurrent in the film is the idea that many of the white people knew the entire system of segregation and prejudice was wrong, but they were unwilling to say or do anything about it – for fear of being socially rejected or even violence coming toward them. This was a real fear that threatened the white people’s jobs and families. We all behave in response to fear, and I’m not sure if I’d have the courage to stand for what is right in that sort of climate — I hope so, I really hope so, but I’m not sure. And my point is I think it is important to recognize the danger of such self-interest. When we don’t fear self-interest we instead fear anything that challenges our comfort, which then in turn releases self-interest to destroy some measure of good in our society, family, or life.