"Wick", etc.

"Wick" is Yorkshire Gaelic for "alive."

A character in the musical The Secret Garden sings a great song called "Wick." The words to the song remind me a lot of the redemptive elements in the Kingdom of God. At the risk of getting sued for copyright violations, I've hosted the song here for you to enjoy. It's worth the risk. If you like it, buy it here.

"Somewhere there's a single streak of green inside it."

This song is one of the better images I have for our neighborhood. I believe that our neighborhood, indeed every living thing, is "wick." There is a single streak of green inside all of creation and we're called to help nurture it back to a life that glorifies its creator.

Yesterday I went downtown to my old job. I used to set up auctions for 300 tax-delinquent properties a month. Mostly vacant lots and abandoned buildings. Yesterday I took a seat on the other side of the auctioneer's table and waited for 725 W. Wingohocking to go up for bid. It's a vacant lot around the corner from my house. It went up and there were no other interested bidders, so I stayed silent knowing that a "no bid" will be offered again in 90 days for half the original amount.

So on September 19, I will show up and bid on the lot starting at $2,100. If I win, and I'd be shocked if I didn't, then I'd like to put a garden in that spot. My gardner friend Andy Nolan tells me that green space reduces crime in addition to providing aesthetic benefits. The neighbors may want something else though, as that lot is a place where a bunch of kids play. So perhaps a jungle gym is more suitable. Either way, I think it's a good opportunity to do something positive with a little piece of dirt. It's a tangible way to live out my beliefs about the Kingdom of God, one small step in the redemption of Hunting Park. Want to help?