Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Recently, I watched this fascinating documentary about Jiro Ono, an 85-yr.-old man considered by many to be the world's foremost sushi chef. It's a fascinating story about a man and his sons who love their work. Surprisingly enough, as focused as the Onos are on their work, they still have a heightened sensitivity to the larger environment in which they work and live. As the Onos lament in one part of the documentary, overfishing has led to a worldwide shortage of fish. Ono's eldest son Yoshikazu says:

"The tuna stocks are declining each year. It takes ten years for them to grow to 100 kilograms. Net-fishing and bottom-trawling methods catch everything, even the younger fish. There should be enforced regulations on catching only bigger fish. Catching the smaller fish before they've matured lowers the overall number. Businesses should balance profit with preserving natural resources. Without fish, we can't do business. However, that doesn't mean they should catch all the fish to the brink of extinction. For posterity, we must be conscious of this issue."

Yoshikazu's reflections remind me much of what we have been talking about the last couple of years in my Doctor of Ministry cohort meetings, that we live in a covenantal universe with the offers of both blessings and curses to the one who chooses to live either within or outside the prescriptions and limits of our covenantal obligations.


"Always strive to elevate your craft. That's what he always taught me." 
-Yoshikazu Ono speaking of his father Jiro

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Wes Jackson in Lincoln this Friday

Wes Jackson is a scientist and founder of The Land Institute in Salina, KS, also a good friend of Wendell Berry’s.  As the link below states, Life magazine predicted Jackson would be one of the most 100 influential Americans of the 20th century; he will be in Lincoln this Friday.

Jackson is giving a lecture at UNL this Friday, April 26th, at 10am. It is free and open to the public. The topic is "The Future of Ecosystem-Based Agriculture" and will take place in the Main Gallery, Center for Great Plains Studies, 1155 Q St. 
http://events.unl.edu/2013/04/26/77442/

Monday, April 15, 2013

Washington Institute Missio Blog Post

I had a recent post at the Washington Institute site and thought I'd pass it on here: Dogs Playing Checkers

Thursday, April 11, 2013

What Sports is All About

Last Saturday at the Nebraska Cornhusker Spring Game, 7-yr.-old Jack Hoffman ran for a 69-yd. touchdown.  Jack recently completed a 60-week regimen of chemotherapy for brain cancer. I still tear up every time I watch this video. This really is what sports is all about: