Peace Be With You

Why We Fight

2006-05-08T09:32:00.000-05:00

Click on the LINK to see some interesting footage from this new movie.

Great Resource

2006-04-24T12:29:00.001-05:00

If you don't know much about Islam and the Koran, you should check out these interviews from the Diane Rehm show. They were extremely informative and thought provoking.
Click on the--> Link

Earthday tomorrow

2006-04-21T20:25:00.000-05:00

Check out your ecological footprint. Its definitely worth your time and fun to boot.

http://www.myfootprint.org/

My footprint--> 11

Tons of new pictures

2006-04-11T13:11:00.000-05:00

Check out the photo album for all the new pictures.

The Wal-Mart Effect

2006-02-17T09:15:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I listened to a great discussion about Wal-mart's control over our society. You should definetly check out the program and think about your buying habits. I used to only go to Wal-mart for things that I couldn't find anywhere else, but I think I'm even done with that now. However, when we lived in Kirksville, we didn't have another option than Wal-mart, so I'm not sure what people are to do when Wal-mart has already forced every other similar business to close.

The Diane Rehm Show

End of the Spear

2006-01-30T20:43:00.000-06:00

I went to End of the Spear this Sunday with the youth group from our congregation and I cried for almost the entire movie. It was an extremely powerful movie on a couple fronts. First, I hadn't seen a movie that highlighted a strong father-son relationship since Micah was born, so I was obviously affected by that. Also, I was moved by the amount of trust people can put in God. Sometimes all I want to do is control everything in my life and I have to fight so hard to trust God in small things. The willingness to put your life in harms way to spread God's love is something I desire. The thing that most impacted me from the movie was it's depiction of violence. The movie brilliantly and graphically showed how violence enslaves and can never liberate people. Whether it is a culture of violence that passes from generation to generation in a South American jungle or a violent government that does whatever it pleases in the world with no regard of consequence, the human race (we) will never be what God intended us to be until we learn compassion and forgiveness and beat our swords into plowshares.

See Ya!

2006-01-23T15:00:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the long Christmas break. I guess its time to start posting again.

Cars

2005-12-20T20:02:00.000-06:00

Toyota's Personal Mobility Vehicle

NPR had some stories recently about the automotive industry that help with the discussion I began a couple days ago.

The Demise of GM?

Power hungry hybrid company...Toyota

Comparison between Toyota and GM

Its a very Sufjan Christmas

2005-12-16T13:10:00.000-06:00

If you haven't heard of Sufjan Stevens, you need to because I must say that he is quite possibly the best singer songwriter I have ever heard

3 Free Sufjan Steven's Christmas Albums online

Humiliation 101

2005-12-15T22:20:00.000-06:00

Reading high school love letters to strangers...yeah that sounds fun

I thought so....

2005-12-14T22:37:00.000-06:00

I knew that those videos weren't worth anything

Educational Claims of Kids' Videos Lack Support

Ummm, I'm not sure if I should even comment

Mega-Churches Closed for Christmas

Fair Trade

2005-12-13T21:15:00.000-06:00

When I started my blog, I wanted to provide resources for people who want to buy fair trade products. I figured, its the internet, there has to be a lot of resources for all kinds of fair trade stuff. Turns out, not so much. Unless you want some coffee, you are pretty much stuck. What I was most hoping for was some fair trade clothing, but I haven't found anything yet. Every business (that I found) that had tried to provide fair trade clothing had gone out of business because they couldn't compete. The reason those same Gap jeans that you saw once for $60 are now on the sale rack for $5 is because they cost Gap next to nothing to make. A company paying fair wages can't do this. Anyway, on a long side note, I have been thinking about this lately with regards to cars. I drive a Hyundai that is awesome and only cost $15,000 new. I don't see myself ever needing anything more (well, unless I need the house-spouse van). For me, the car I drive is part of my faith, and I believe the call for all christians to live simply, but here's the catch. Should we be driving the cars from the company that pay a living wage? I buy fair trade coffee even though it costs a heck of a lot more than folgers because it supports the workers who cultivate and produce it as well as supporting a better environment. So, what does Hyundai pay it's employees and how long will my car last? Does this mean I am going to have to stop getting angry at Christians who drive luxury cars? Those cars tend to last a long time, and judging by the rest of the world's industrial standards, I would guess that German workers make a better living wage than Korean workers. So for the same reason that I hate shopping at Wal-Mart, should I avoid the car companys that make cheap cars that don't last and are made by people who can't get by on their salary? Should I instead buy a used BMW or some other car that lasts from a company that takes care of their employees (Note-I have no idea if BMW does pay a fair wage....I'm just giving them as an example...I need to research which companies pay fair wages)? I'm so confused; bring on the Hydrogen Cars!

WTO talks begin in China

Also, if you have the time, please check out the Oxfam resources about the WTO and fair trade.

Expectant Mother Expectant World

2005-12-12T19:44:00.000-06:00

December 12th is the feastday of Our Lady of Guadalupe-- Mary the mother of God. As we wait on the birth of our Lord during this Advent season, we do well to draw near to Mary as she too anticipates Jesus' coming. Mary waits with hope and fear not knowing how carrying and caring for the Word made flesh will change her. It is through her contact with this Jesus, bearing him, serving him, loving him, that she is forever transformed. May we too, together with Our Lady, bear, serve, and love Jesus the Messiah.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5049906

So you wanna know

2005-12-08T21:05:00.000-06:00

You wanna know what it sounds like at the Dalton household? Click the link and play the drum everyone, play the drum.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5044711

Dr. Cook has a blog

2005-12-08T13:46:00.000-06:00

I just added Dr. Cook's blog to my links. All you Milligan kids know who I'm talking about. For everyone else, Dr. Cook teaches Humanities and Literature at Milligan. Rachel had her for a bunch of classes and I audited her Humanities section. More than our teacher though, she is a dear friend to both of us; she is someone we both think about often. Thanks Kris for giving me Dr. Cook's blog address.

Please Listen to this story

2005-12-07T23:04:00.000-06:00

I think I am going to try and link a story from NPR everyday as a service to you:). I promise that they will be worth your time. This story is about "honor killings" in Iraq. Tradition is no excuse for murder and inequality...but we all know that don't we...at least we know that now, but this was our tradition once. Everything about the story might not be the same, but our families and country has been down this road before. In fact, while we might not kill someone to defend the honor of our family (or tribe), we often support the murder of others to defend the so called honor of our country. A man says at the end of the story that they will not change because custom and tradition cannot change, but the hope I have is that he is wrong. Custom and tradition are defined by change; they are never set in stone. We add to tradition and custom as each new day dawns; we must simply decide whether we will add beauty, hope, and life or add destruction, death, and injustice.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5043032

Thanksgiving pictures

2005-12-07T21:21:00.000-06:00

I just put some pictures from Thanksgiving in the photo album. I hope everyone is having a fun holiday season. Remember to keep the X in X-Mas and the D in Dirty South.

Ok so I stole this...

2005-11-04T13:34:00.000-06:00

...from my friend Jefferson's blog, but I just had to. Click the link and begin laughing.

Blog Envy

2005-11-02T21:54:00.000-06:00

If you post everyday, I envy you. If you post everyday and you are witty and insightful, you are way too cool for me to even know you. Anyway, I promise that I am working on some kind of Judas thing, but Rachel and I have been reading Job and I am teaching a sunday school class on Acts, so Judas has kinda been on the ol' back burner. This afternoon I went for a 6 mile run out at this beautiful trail by the river in Jefferson City. Today was one of those perfect fall days when it is warmer than expected but cool enough to still feel like fall. While I was running, I decided that couldn't live anywhere that didn't have real seasons. You know what I'm talking about Florida...don't think I'm not thinking of you too Denver....you're like the inland California...or did I just hear that in Bowling for Columbine. So anyway, yeah, I need all my seasons to feel normal. What about you? You down for real life or do you want to live at a permanent vacation destination? Oh, don't even get me started about people who live at Osage Beach (lake of the Ozarks) or Daytona Beach. How can you live there and feel like your life has any permanence?...and this is coming from someone who has moved about 8 times in the last 6 years.

The Boy Wonder!

2005-10-31T20:06:00.000-06:00

Preacher-Artist Gertrude Morgan

2005-10-03T21:19:00.000-05:00

I guess the word is haunting. No. Maybe it is guttural. No that's not it. I've been trying all week to think of a word to describe the music and art of Sister Gertrude Morgan. Yet I don't think you can pin her work down so easily. I won't try to tame her gifts with inadequate description. Instead, go listen to the story from NPR and then listen to her music. One thing I can say is that it is beautiful.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4864538

Sorry so long....

2005-09-27T11:37:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't written for so long. I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do with my blog. I know that I want to keep using it as a way for family and friends to see pictures of Micah and keep up with our lives, but I wasn't sure what type of posting I wanted to do. I was torn between everyday commentary, much like our friend Laura's blog which Rach and I both enjoy. But I don't think that's for me; instead, I think I am going to start focusing on some themes and write about them for as long as they stay interesting. I'm going to start with writing some devotional stuff on the life of Judas. I think Christians have typically overlooked him as someone we can learn from...well, other than the whole betrayal thing. That seems to be all we know about him. So let's see what happens.
Thanks for reading,
Joe

Go Gators!

2005-09-17T05:29:00.000-05:00

Check out this story about my favorite college football player of all-time. Danny Wuerffel is the director of Desire Street Ministries in New Orleans.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=curry_bill&id=2162353
Here's a link to his post on the Desire site on Sept. 6th
http://www.desirestreet.org/katrina/messagedanny.php

Longing

2005-09-12T06:57:00.000-05:00

I have intended to write this entry for over a week now and the only excuse I have is that life is always changing. Not a very good one huh. Rachel started back to school a week ago and we are all still getting used to her new schedule. Micah is coping the best of us all. Anyway, I am going to write more often now that life is back to "normal" (yeah, whatever that is). I posted the pic of my mom and brother Sam with Micah because they came to visit right before Rach went back to school. I had a hard time watching them leave because Rachel and I have been talking a lot lately about missing being close to family. Having Mom and Sam here reminded me of just how much I miss them and need them in my life. They have both played such an integral part in forming who I am today; its hard to live most of my daily life without their participation. I have been thinking a lot lately about how transient our life is right now. I guess it started with college and hasn't let up yet. I spent 1 year in Knoxville, 1 back in Bloomington (1 semester in a dorm and 1 at home), 2 years in Johnson City TN, 2 years in Kirksville MO, and now we are starting 2 years in Jefferson City MO. I'm starting to feel like a tree with no roots. Nothing to dig me into the community in which I now find myself. I already find myself reaching out and trying to find some fertile soil for some roots, but, in the back of my mind, I know that they are only temporary. We will be leaving soon. How do you build authentic and vibrant relationships, find true fellowship, and find a place to serve when you will be leaving so soon? We live with a lot of disconnect between one community and another, but we have this hope, while sometimes fleeting, it is still a hope that somehow all these communities are connected through the Spirit and our common faith and worldviews. Being that I am horrible at communicating with friends and family who aren't physically near me (mostly because I hate how the phone serves as a reminder that I can't hug the ones I love and look them in their eyes), take this as my apology/plea for help in becoming better at finding ways to connect while apart. We need you all.

Katrina

2005-08-31T18:48:00.000-05:00

http://www.npr.org/templates/topics/topic.php?topicId=1092

NPR has a page dedicated to Katrina where you can read reports, see pictures, and listen to different responses to the storm's effects. Hundreds of thousands of people's lives have been changed forever. In Daniel Shore's piece "The design of hard times," he ponders God's place in the mess of Hurrican Katrina. I won't try to summarize his remarks or critique them, but he reminds me how much we long for God when the superficiality of modern life is stripped away. When we must deal with the destruction or violence that haunts much of the world from generation to generation, we are reminded of how fragile we are. We must now not only pray for God's help but for the help of our brothers and sisters in this world. We must all give of ourselves so that we may better embody true humanity...the life giving, sacrificial creation God intended us to be.
Peace be with the Gulf Coast,
Joe Dalton

Play Time

2005-08-22T15:29:00.000-05:00

Micah checks out his new fort. I loaded some new pics and made it so everyone should be able to post comments without being a member of blogspot.
-JD

The Natural Runner

2005-08-19T15:27:00.000-05:00

Micah decided to check out our hydration belt for a run around the house. I think he runs a marathon everyday. The boy doesn't walk anywhere. Rach and I have 16 miles tomorrow in preparation for the Chicago marathon. I never thought I would be running this far. Running is such a mental sport. Between slowly building our miles week by week and just believing that I am capable of it, I have done more than I ever thought possible. Training for the marathon has taught me so much more about what it means to be human. That might seem weird, but everything I have daily put my mind, body, and spirit through has helped me learn more about suffering and joy. Yet the most beautiful thing about running is the hours spent talking to Rachel, praying for friends, family, and the world, and meditating on life, faith, and my place in the world. I would have never thought I could be doing this right now when two years ago I went out for a run with Rachel and couldn't even finish a mile without walking...and you know what, I'm cool with that because that is my journey, and hey, I still like walking every now and again. Run World Run.
Peace
JD

Micah's One!

2005-08-14T21:36:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Micah's 1st birthday on Saturday. Micah had cake and ice cream to celebrate...and about 14 other first foods.

An old favorite picture

2005-08-10T16:54:00.000-05:00

Micah and me this easter.

Quick Note

2005-07-19T21:25:00.000-05:00

We're getting ready to move right now. I'm taking Rachel and Micah to the airport then going to see the Cardinal's. I'm pretty sure that I am going to be lost without them around. Moving on Friday! Say it with me now..."No More Shag."