Apparently I need to update this…..Lindsey, Liza threw you under the bus.
I guess I don’t really have too much to say….In the spirit of Thanksgiving I guess I’ll go with the “Be thankful” thing. Original, I know.
Psalm 106:1, and many other Psalms say “Give thanks to the Lord. For He is good; His mercy endures forever.
This is another “original” thought but what are you thankful for these days.
Start a list. I dare you. You’ll come up with more things than you realize once you get started.
We had Thanksgiving day with Eliza’s family this year. Grandma asked me to say a little something before dinner, and one of the things I came up with was a list emailed to me a few years ago.
It’s a list of “The Best Things in Life” by Deacon Terry Downey.
Here’s the list. See if you agree.
* Falling in Love
* Laughing so hard your face hurts
* A hot shower
* A special glance
* Getting mail
* Hearing your favorite song on the radio
* Lying in bed listening to the rain outside
* Hot towels out of the dryer
* Finding the sweater you want is on sale for half price
* Chocolate milkshakes
* A long distance phone call
* A bubble bath
* Giggling
* a good conversation
* The beach
* Laughing at yourself
* Midnight phone calls that last for hours
* Running through sprinklers
* Laughing for absolutely no reason at all
* Having someone tell you that you're beautiful
* Laughing at an inside joke
* Friends
* Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep
* Making new friends or spending time with old ones
* Having someone play with your hair
* Sweet dreams
* Hot Chocolate
* Swinging on swings
* Watching a good movie cuddled up on a couch with someone you love
* song lyrics printed inside your new CD so you can sing along with out feeling stupid
* Getting butterflies in your stomach every time you see that one person
* Making eye contact with a cute stranger
* Seeing smiles and hearing laughter from your friends
* Holding hands with someone you care about
* running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or Bad) never change
* Discovering that love is unconditional and stronger than time
* Hugging the person you love
* Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you
* Watching the sunrise
* Getting out of bed every morning and thanking God for another beautiful day.
It’s a tough world right now.
What if you have a job these days? Be thankful, even if you hate it. Unemployment in Michigan is pushing 9-10%. We’re blessed to have jobs right now.
See that job, as much as we may hate it, allows us to pay the bills. It allows us to put food on the table. It allows us to put gas in the car. It allows us to go Christmas shopping.
The 9-5, or 8-5, or 7-4 or shoot, even the 12 hour day jobs are the things God gives us to sustain our life. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10, the Bible says “If a man doesn’t work, neither should he eat.”
This doesn’t mean if you get laid off, you shouldn’t eat. But it’s saying if you’re lazy…
We are blessed to have jobs these days. I work with and know plenty of people that don’t really like their jobs. But most of the people who feel that way, have never had to go paycheck to paycheck. They’ve never had to worry about getting a paycheck.
For those fortunate to have a steady job, they worry about getting raises or bonuses. They worry if the raise will be 2% instead of the 10-20% raise they feel they deserve.
I’m guilty of it. It’s easy to get caught up in the wanting more, and forgetting what we have.
I’m blessed enough to have some money left after paying the bills. Some of it is because of good decisions and not overextending, but most of it is because God blessed me with a good job.
Even when our little one is born, we’ll have some leeway. Not nearly as much, but we shouldn’t have to worry too much. If we ever get a house….tighter still, but should be okay.
And that’s based on what we have right now. Who’s to say that in the next 6 months, God doesn’t bless us? I could get a raise. We might find a good deal on a house. We might sell the condo for what we want to get for it.
I’m reminded of the song lyrics, “His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.”
If God is taking care of the sparrows, and he loves us more, don’t you think he’ll take care of us?
Be thankful for what we have. Be diligent with what we have.
Start your “Thankful” list. Watch how quickly it grows.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Trick or Treat
Let’s get a little controversial…..just a little. I’m not a big fan of controversy.
Halloween. Yes or No? Good or bad?
I’ll start with how I was raised. My family didn’t really have a problem with it, as long as it was done in a pure or fun way.
Growing up, I dressed up as everything from David the Giant Killer (with a sling !), Luke Skywalker, baseball player, Superman, and Rocky Balboa. We would trick or treat down our street and occasionally we’d hop in the car and go to another neighborhood.
My parents actually think of it as a witnessing opportunity. They would and still do pass out witnessing tracks with the little bags of candy.
We carved pumpkins.
Did we celebrate Halloween as a holiday? Sort of, but more than anything we enjoyed a day that was geared towards kids and candy. Even in the 80’s it was sort of innocent.
I remember conversations my parents and their friends would have about Halloween. It’s a pagan holiday. How can you celebrate it?
Their response was basically there is nothing wrong with it, at least in the way we participated.
We weren’t devil worshipping. We weren’t participating in evil.
Their biggest worry at the time was people messing with the candy and if we got enough Almond Joys or Mounds bars.
Even as a kid, the monsters that seemed to be lurking on Halloween were ghosts and goblins, with an occasional smiling skeleton, witch or vampire mixed in. People laughed at them more than anything else. As a product of the 80’s, we started to see the Jasons, Freddy Kruegers, and Michael Myers starting to pop up. Back then, that was pushing the limits.
It’s amazing how things change in 20-25 years.
It still seems fairly innocent for kids, but I was just reading how even the young girls are wearing racy costumes these days.
I guess I’m talking more about the 18-40 year old group. People seem to embrace the evil these days. Or they push the limits for their costumes. Creativity is defined by how edgy you can go. This means perverted, evil, off-color costumes are becoming the norm.
Dressing up as a nurse isn’t the same as it was 20 years ago. Dressing up as a maid isn’t the same as it was years ago.
Or people go all out evil.
Now the evil that people dress up as comes straight from the pit of hell. And why not, that’s what people see in the horror movies these days. It’s not longer Frankenstein or Dracula.
Its demons, devils and mutants that want to kill and destroy.
Hmmmmm. I know someone else who looks to kill and destroy.
I never liked the fear factor of Halloween. I never went to haunted houses growing up. It wasn’t so much the being scared or not wanting to be scared. I have always thought of it as stupid.
It was probably because I knew 2 Timothy 1:7 “God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.”
It was probably because I knew Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
So my question is, if God doesn’t give us the spirit of fear, and doesn’t want us to think on such things, why do we?
Can I go beyond Halloween and into horror movies? Why would anyone, let alone a Christian want to watch these things? We let the Friday the 13th, Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street and similar corny horror movies fly in the 80s. It was gore, but silly and over the top.
Horror movies today are pure evil. It’s almost like Satan himself created, directed and produced them. Yet for some reason, people flock to see them.
If God hates evil, why don’t we?
Let’s go another step, shall we? We’re living in a society that is trying it’s hardest to remove God from it’s culture. More and more, we are being told how we can’t celebrate God or his holidays. And we go along with it.
But Halloween is one of the fastest growing holidays. People don’t just carve pumpkins anymore. They go all out. It’s sad when there are more decorations for Halloween than there are for Christmas. But we go along with it.
And like I said before, they celebrate evil and rationalize racy, evil costumes as fun for a night.
Let’s see. If we go along with the removal of God from culture, and we go along with the celebration of something that is fast becoming entirely anti-God, how soon before God is out of everything we do?
But if Mom Allen reads this, thanks for making Halloween like I remember as a kid. The bowls of candy. The orange and black everywhere. The cider and donuts. The silly looking skeletons, spiders and witches. The tombstones with funny inscriptions.
That was fun. That was Halloween.
Halloween. Yes or No? Good or bad?
I’ll start with how I was raised. My family didn’t really have a problem with it, as long as it was done in a pure or fun way.
Growing up, I dressed up as everything from David the Giant Killer (with a sling !), Luke Skywalker, baseball player, Superman, and Rocky Balboa. We would trick or treat down our street and occasionally we’d hop in the car and go to another neighborhood.
My parents actually think of it as a witnessing opportunity. They would and still do pass out witnessing tracks with the little bags of candy.
We carved pumpkins.
Did we celebrate Halloween as a holiday? Sort of, but more than anything we enjoyed a day that was geared towards kids and candy. Even in the 80’s it was sort of innocent.
I remember conversations my parents and their friends would have about Halloween. It’s a pagan holiday. How can you celebrate it?
Their response was basically there is nothing wrong with it, at least in the way we participated.
We weren’t devil worshipping. We weren’t participating in evil.
Their biggest worry at the time was people messing with the candy and if we got enough Almond Joys or Mounds bars.
Even as a kid, the monsters that seemed to be lurking on Halloween were ghosts and goblins, with an occasional smiling skeleton, witch or vampire mixed in. People laughed at them more than anything else. As a product of the 80’s, we started to see the Jasons, Freddy Kruegers, and Michael Myers starting to pop up. Back then, that was pushing the limits.
It’s amazing how things change in 20-25 years.
It still seems fairly innocent for kids, but I was just reading how even the young girls are wearing racy costumes these days.
I guess I’m talking more about the 18-40 year old group. People seem to embrace the evil these days. Or they push the limits for their costumes. Creativity is defined by how edgy you can go. This means perverted, evil, off-color costumes are becoming the norm.
Dressing up as a nurse isn’t the same as it was 20 years ago. Dressing up as a maid isn’t the same as it was years ago.
Or people go all out evil.
Now the evil that people dress up as comes straight from the pit of hell. And why not, that’s what people see in the horror movies these days. It’s not longer Frankenstein or Dracula.
Its demons, devils and mutants that want to kill and destroy.
Hmmmmm. I know someone else who looks to kill and destroy.
I never liked the fear factor of Halloween. I never went to haunted houses growing up. It wasn’t so much the being scared or not wanting to be scared. I have always thought of it as stupid.
It was probably because I knew 2 Timothy 1:7 “God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.”
It was probably because I knew Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
So my question is, if God doesn’t give us the spirit of fear, and doesn’t want us to think on such things, why do we?
Can I go beyond Halloween and into horror movies? Why would anyone, let alone a Christian want to watch these things? We let the Friday the 13th, Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street and similar corny horror movies fly in the 80s. It was gore, but silly and over the top.
Horror movies today are pure evil. It’s almost like Satan himself created, directed and produced them. Yet for some reason, people flock to see them.
If God hates evil, why don’t we?
Let’s go another step, shall we? We’re living in a society that is trying it’s hardest to remove God from it’s culture. More and more, we are being told how we can’t celebrate God or his holidays. And we go along with it.
But Halloween is one of the fastest growing holidays. People don’t just carve pumpkins anymore. They go all out. It’s sad when there are more decorations for Halloween than there are for Christmas. But we go along with it.
And like I said before, they celebrate evil and rationalize racy, evil costumes as fun for a night.
Let’s see. If we go along with the removal of God from culture, and we go along with the celebration of something that is fast becoming entirely anti-God, how soon before God is out of everything we do?
But if Mom Allen reads this, thanks for making Halloween like I remember as a kid. The bowls of candy. The orange and black everywhere. The cider and donuts. The silly looking skeletons, spiders and witches. The tombstones with funny inscriptions.
That was fun. That was Halloween.
Monday, October 29, 2007
The Company We Keep
Thanks Hood. The trouble with having a creative friend like Nate is that they can somehow manage to compliment you and poke fun at you at the same time. I also end up getting dragged along (although willingly) in some of his creative ventures, like this blog. But I guess that's the price of friendship right?
I'm the kind of person that places a lot of importance on my friendships. Because of that, I often find myself thinking a lot about my friends. Not in a, "I wonder what they're doing right now" kind of way. But really, thinking about them. Who they are as people. The people, and experiences and circumstances that have helped to make them who they are. And ultimately, what impact do they have in my life? And what impact am I having in theirs?
I've been very blessed in my life not only to have a great family, but to have great friends. I really believe that in order to reach your full potential, it's important to surround yourself with people who will encourage you but still challenge you; support you yet correct you when needed. A scripture that Nate and I often like to quote is Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another". That pretty much sums up our friendship. We've learned to be encouraging and challenging, supportive and correcting. And to have the occasional laugh at each other's expense. It's the people around us that will help to keep us "sharp".
Most people would probably say that they keep "good" company. That their friends are "good" people that they get along with and enjoy hanging out with. And that's fine. But the question that I always ask is, am I keeping "the right" company? Are the people around me people who are pushing me forward towards my goals or are they holding me back? I want to surround myself with friends who can be iron for me and I want to be able to be iron for them as well. My goal is to have a greater positive influence on the my world than it has on me. It's a pretty lofty goal, I know. Sometimes I feel like I'm making an impact, other times I don't. Either way, it's a start.
What about you? Are the people that you keep close to you having a positive impact on your life? Are you having an impact on the lives of your friends?
I guess what I'm really trying to say is that, if you want to stay sharp, find some iron. Because ultimately, who we are and what we are is all just a reflection of the company that we keep.
I'm the kind of person that places a lot of importance on my friendships. Because of that, I often find myself thinking a lot about my friends. Not in a, "I wonder what they're doing right now" kind of way. But really, thinking about them. Who they are as people. The people, and experiences and circumstances that have helped to make them who they are. And ultimately, what impact do they have in my life? And what impact am I having in theirs?
I've been very blessed in my life not only to have a great family, but to have great friends. I really believe that in order to reach your full potential, it's important to surround yourself with people who will encourage you but still challenge you; support you yet correct you when needed. A scripture that Nate and I often like to quote is Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another". That pretty much sums up our friendship. We've learned to be encouraging and challenging, supportive and correcting. And to have the occasional laugh at each other's expense. It's the people around us that will help to keep us "sharp".
Most people would probably say that they keep "good" company. That their friends are "good" people that they get along with and enjoy hanging out with. And that's fine. But the question that I always ask is, am I keeping "the right" company? Are the people around me people who are pushing me forward towards my goals or are they holding me back? I want to surround myself with friends who can be iron for me and I want to be able to be iron for them as well. My goal is to have a greater positive influence on the my world than it has on me. It's a pretty lofty goal, I know. Sometimes I feel like I'm making an impact, other times I don't. Either way, it's a start.
What about you? Are the people that you keep close to you having a positive impact on your life? Are you having an impact on the lives of your friends?
I guess what I'm really trying to say is that, if you want to stay sharp, find some iron. Because ultimately, who we are and what we are is all just a reflection of the company that we keep.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you
John Mack.
John Mack, New Haven-ite, Princetonian, THEE cornerstone of a Princeton track dynasty, Chicagoan, and all around good guy, has agreed to be a contributor to thefrontpew.
I don't have a picture of his mug yet. He's my brother from another mother, so we don't really look alike.
But we do share a mutual Godly perspective on things. He, like myself, is a pastor's kid. So he's a natural to give his view from the front pew.
Our fathers have been friends for probably 20 years, as pastors in the village of New Haven and probably knew of each other back in their New Haven High School days. The two of them have been very influential in the village and school as pastors. They are men we are both proud of.
And they are both men who have big dreams for us. Ironically, our dreams may be bigger than the ones they have for us.
John and I have discussed the chances of us following in our fathers footsteps. It could happen. But like John so eloquently put in a sermon of his, he may want to bulldoze his dad's building and build a bigger one.
That is after John has been commisioner of the Big Ten, mayor of Chicago, and my vice president.
We have discussed many topics over the last 8 years or so. Actually, how long is it, John? But together we think we can solve hunger, world peace, and probably 60% of the sports franchises.
We have talked about writing a book together for awhile. We haven't gotten far on that yet, but this blog could open up the door for such things. Personally, I'm looking forward to this.
John, the floor.....blog is yours whenever you like. Hopefully you and your fans will check in and many people will get to see the view from the front pew.
Together, maybe can move people from the back of the church into the seat next to us or the pew right behind us!
John Mack, New Haven-ite, Princetonian, THEE cornerstone of a Princeton track dynasty, Chicagoan, and all around good guy, has agreed to be a contributor to thefrontpew.
I don't have a picture of his mug yet. He's my brother from another mother, so we don't really look alike.
But we do share a mutual Godly perspective on things. He, like myself, is a pastor's kid. So he's a natural to give his view from the front pew.
Our fathers have been friends for probably 20 years, as pastors in the village of New Haven and probably knew of each other back in their New Haven High School days. The two of them have been very influential in the village and school as pastors. They are men we are both proud of.
And they are both men who have big dreams for us. Ironically, our dreams may be bigger than the ones they have for us.
John and I have discussed the chances of us following in our fathers footsteps. It could happen. But like John so eloquently put in a sermon of his, he may want to bulldoze his dad's building and build a bigger one.
That is after John has been commisioner of the Big Ten, mayor of Chicago, and my vice president.
We have discussed many topics over the last 8 years or so. Actually, how long is it, John? But together we think we can solve hunger, world peace, and probably 60% of the sports franchises.
We have talked about writing a book together for awhile. We haven't gotten far on that yet, but this blog could open up the door for such things. Personally, I'm looking forward to this.
John, the floor.....blog is yours whenever you like. Hopefully you and your fans will check in and many people will get to see the view from the front pew.
Together, maybe can move people from the back of the church into the seat next to us or the pew right behind us!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Our journey and mercy
We’re all on a journey.
My intent on my own journey is to share the things I learn in life, as well as my thoughts and feelings, through my writing. One of the avenues is this blog.
I really feel God telling me right now to dive in. Perhaps He’s always been saying it and I’m finally listening or hearing Him.
I know God has big plans for me. I have always felt that way, but haven’t always lived like I know it. I like comfortable. I like behind the scenes. I like letting others lead. (Though it doesn’t mean I always follow.)
But at the same time I am comfortable in positions of leadership. I am comfortable at the front of the church, and when I look back on my life, I’ve always been there.
Though I’m 34 years old, I almost feel as if I’m just starting my journey. I admit that I’ve leaned on my upbringing and teaching of my parents much more than my own learning through prayer and devotions.
Lately God’s had me tuning into the Christian AM radio stations. Yes, the ones that a lot of us skip over because they’re just talk radio and the sound quality isn’t there. My prayer to God lately has been “Teach me. Show me.”
So he’s led me to those stations. I can get an hour of teaching to and from work now.
It’s funny the battle that starts up in your flesh when the things that used to have your time and attention are replaced with the Word of God. I see old habits trying to creep up. I see old thoughts trying to come back.
Funny thing, I see them disappearing soon. The Word of God always wins.
I caught a good message from Chuck Swindoll this morning. He’s one of my favorite preacher-teachers.
Its part of series he’s calling “A Life Well Lived.”
He used Micah 6:8 as his text. It says He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (NIV).
The Message puts it this way, “But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.
And there we have life, as it should be, summed up.
Then Swindoll focused on “showing mercy” today.
We don’t’ really show mercy these days. Somehow this society has become a “this for that” society. One good turn deserves another.
Actually, we’re more of a “one up” society. Whatever someone does to us, we like to respond faster, heavier, harder and hope to cause more pain.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for defending ourselves. But I think we take ourselves too seriously to the point where we respond to simple digs and insults with cutting words of our own.
Swindoll went into the story of Joseph and seeing his brothers in Egypt.
Genesis 45
1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it.
3 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.
Now we all know the story of Joseph. His brothers, jealous of his coat the love he received from their father and his dreams, sold him into slavery. He ended up in prison. He found favor in prison, and eventually made it to the 2nd highest position in Egypt.
And his brothers find him there. Only they don’t know it’s him.
He plays some mind games with them, but finally comes to the point where he can’t contain himself. He tells them who he is.
Now imagine being them. You are in a land where your kid brother is basically top dog. Only Pharaoh's word trumps his. Pharaoh thinks so highly of him that I doubt he’d trump Joseph word unless it threatened Pharaoh.
If you’re the brothers, you flash back to what you said, what you did, and how you lied to your father about Joseph. You probably think, “Well this is it. This is the end. He’ll either kill us, enslave us, or jail us.” You know retribution is coming.
But what does he do?
He said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! Don’t be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. God sent me ahead of you to preserve you and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.”
He didn’t blame them.
He didn’t lash out.
He showed them mercy.
He told them to relax. They didn’t do anything. God set it up, and God sent him to Egypt for a purpose.
Imagine the relief. But then think about the mercy that was shown.
And now think about how we react to minor inconveniences and hurts.
Is our response one of mercy?
Our typical reaction doesn’t seem appropriate does it?
My intent on my own journey is to share the things I learn in life, as well as my thoughts and feelings, through my writing. One of the avenues is this blog.
I really feel God telling me right now to dive in. Perhaps He’s always been saying it and I’m finally listening or hearing Him.
I know God has big plans for me. I have always felt that way, but haven’t always lived like I know it. I like comfortable. I like behind the scenes. I like letting others lead. (Though it doesn’t mean I always follow.)
But at the same time I am comfortable in positions of leadership. I am comfortable at the front of the church, and when I look back on my life, I’ve always been there.
Though I’m 34 years old, I almost feel as if I’m just starting my journey. I admit that I’ve leaned on my upbringing and teaching of my parents much more than my own learning through prayer and devotions.
Lately God’s had me tuning into the Christian AM radio stations. Yes, the ones that a lot of us skip over because they’re just talk radio and the sound quality isn’t there. My prayer to God lately has been “Teach me. Show me.”
So he’s led me to those stations. I can get an hour of teaching to and from work now.
It’s funny the battle that starts up in your flesh when the things that used to have your time and attention are replaced with the Word of God. I see old habits trying to creep up. I see old thoughts trying to come back.
Funny thing, I see them disappearing soon. The Word of God always wins.
I caught a good message from Chuck Swindoll this morning. He’s one of my favorite preacher-teachers.
Its part of series he’s calling “A Life Well Lived.”
He used Micah 6:8 as his text. It says He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (NIV).
The Message puts it this way, “But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.
And there we have life, as it should be, summed up.
Then Swindoll focused on “showing mercy” today.
We don’t’ really show mercy these days. Somehow this society has become a “this for that” society. One good turn deserves another.
Actually, we’re more of a “one up” society. Whatever someone does to us, we like to respond faster, heavier, harder and hope to cause more pain.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for defending ourselves. But I think we take ourselves too seriously to the point where we respond to simple digs and insults with cutting words of our own.
Swindoll went into the story of Joseph and seeing his brothers in Egypt.
Genesis 45
1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it.
3 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.
Now we all know the story of Joseph. His brothers, jealous of his coat the love he received from their father and his dreams, sold him into slavery. He ended up in prison. He found favor in prison, and eventually made it to the 2nd highest position in Egypt.
And his brothers find him there. Only they don’t know it’s him.
He plays some mind games with them, but finally comes to the point where he can’t contain himself. He tells them who he is.
Now imagine being them. You are in a land where your kid brother is basically top dog. Only Pharaoh's word trumps his. Pharaoh thinks so highly of him that I doubt he’d trump Joseph word unless it threatened Pharaoh.
If you’re the brothers, you flash back to what you said, what you did, and how you lied to your father about Joseph. You probably think, “Well this is it. This is the end. He’ll either kill us, enslave us, or jail us.” You know retribution is coming.
But what does he do?
He said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! Don’t be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. God sent me ahead of you to preserve you and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.”
He didn’t blame them.
He didn’t lash out.
He showed them mercy.
He told them to relax. They didn’t do anything. God set it up, and God sent him to Egypt for a purpose.
Imagine the relief. But then think about the mercy that was shown.
And now think about how we react to minor inconveniences and hurts.
Is our response one of mercy?
Our typical reaction doesn’t seem appropriate does it?
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Post Cruise Funk
I’m kind of in a funk right now.
Things are good. Good job. Beautiful wife. Healthy baby on the way. Things are going good on all fronts.
But I think I’m in Post-Vacation depression.
I last blogged about enjoying everyday as much as I can. I doing well in that area, but have needed to remind myself of the commitment several times. Like on the morning drive when traffic was awful, just because it was raining…………no, let me rephrase, it was sprinkling.
I have caught myself thinking back to the cruise quite often the last 2 weeks. We got off the boat on the 7th, so really our last day was the 6th. Man, I miss that week. The best part about it was the fact that the week on the cruise seemed to take it’s time. Most vacations feel too short, and they are. But often times you blink and vacation is over.
This cruise was different. I don’t know if it was the overall attitude, my age, the company or maybe time really did slow down.
All I know right now is how much I miss it.
As all of us cruisers are sharing our pictures, I miss it even more. I was looking at my in-laws pictures the other day. They took great pictures of the ship, exploring, casual dining and other moments I didn't really think about. I didn’t really do any thing like take pictures of the ship or explore. Now I wish I would have.
I just emailed a coworker who is working in the Miami are these days. I mentioned how I was in the area, and my mind immediately went back to September 29th.
We arrived Saturday morning, met Jeremy and Heather at the airport, took a cab to the hotel, checked in, got lunch at Chili’s at the Bayside Market and tried to plan out the evening . At that point I was on vacation. It didn’t matter what we ordered, or how much it cost. Then a group of us went to South Beach. Like I said a week ago, I had my grumpy moments, but for the most part it was like I was living on cruise control. Pun not intended.
I don’t know if it was thoughts in the back of my head about this being the last vacation for Liza and I as “just the two of us.” I don’t know if it was a more relaxed demeanor I seemed to be in.
All I know right now is that I miss it.
I didn’t work the Monday after we returned home, but I was busy getting oil changes and running errands. Tuesday brought work back into my life, and then a supercharger attached itself to the clock and time is flying again.
I don’t know if it was the build up of 18 months of planning the cruise, only to have it go by in 7 days. It was like a year and a half of pent up excitement.
I remember the week before we left. Emails, phone calls, and voice mails were flying with the stress of last minute details of the cruise, last minute work assignments, last minute packing, and out right giddiness and excitement for the impending cruise of a lifetime.
I remember barely getting any sleep the night before as I was up late packing and cleaning, and then waking up early. I remember carpooling to the airport. The 8 of us were bouncing off the walls. We were tired, but grinning ear to ear as the big cruise was finally here.
The lines at the luggage check in didn’t bother us. The lines to get food didn’t bother us. The early flight didn’t bother us.
We were on our way to Miami.
And a day later we would be getting on the biggest cruise ship in the world.
The day of the cruise was almost perfect. We got up, got a quick breakfast, caught a shuttle to the port and I kid you not, basically walked right onto the ship.
The check in was a breeze. I remember getting our cards and checking out everyone’s card, room number and discovering that we were all together! We were pumped when we all saw the same table number on our sea passes.
When it was time to get on board, oh man! Up the escalator, around the maze and I raced the crew to be the first on board. We took a group picture and then the whirlwind began.
I do remember walking around the ship. I remember trying to look for our rooms, but not being able to get to them yet. From there, I think we went to check on our dining table, and remember the elation of the group when we found our table. We all snapped some pictures of the dining room.
We went over near the karaoke bar. We checked out the ice rink. I took a picture in the Castanza pose.
Somewhere in there we hit the Windjammer café for the first time. The guys all bought our Coke cards, that we’d been our drink break even analysis on for the past several months. We got a big round table and the crew disbanded. I wasn’t going to eat much, but Dave came back with a plate of “Tastes so good” and I got in line. I got the same thing he did, with a side of “mmmm” and a helping of “oh my gosh.” Actually, it was rice and chicken topped off followed by peanut butter cookies.
It’s then that my memory gets a little hazy. As slow as that week seemed to go, it’s all a blur.
I almost wish I could get the week back, really. I wouldn’t pass up the cookies thinking I’d get some later. Because later I was always less hungry due to a big meal or pizza run. Or I figured I had plenty of time for cookies later.
As bad as it is for me, I should’ve used the pop card more.
I wish I would’ve hit the Sprinkles ice cream station more often. Lines should not have been an excuse.
I wish I would’ve stayed out later and woken up earlier. Again, I always said, “Tomorrow. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
I wish I would’ve gone on the Flowrider.
You know, it was a good time and for the most part I wanted to just be with the group. But in a way I wish I would’ve gone off on my own from time to time.
I missed out on a lot. It’s easy to do on a cruise, and there is no way to do everything. But I really do feel like I missed on so much. I didn’t feel that way at the time, and I don’t’ regret how I spent my time. I just would’ve done more.
Because now I’m back in the grind that tends to define our lives. We work. We eat. We sleep. And we try to make room for relaxing. We book up our weekends to the point of there being no such thing as free time.
We’re pulled in so many ways these days. I have a hard time ever saying no.
Again let me say, I have a great life. My life is good.
But it’s just not life on a cruise.
Right now, that’s where I want to be.
Things are good. Good job. Beautiful wife. Healthy baby on the way. Things are going good on all fronts.
But I think I’m in Post-Vacation depression.
I last blogged about enjoying everyday as much as I can. I doing well in that area, but have needed to remind myself of the commitment several times. Like on the morning drive when traffic was awful, just because it was raining…………no, let me rephrase, it was sprinkling.
I have caught myself thinking back to the cruise quite often the last 2 weeks. We got off the boat on the 7th, so really our last day was the 6th. Man, I miss that week. The best part about it was the fact that the week on the cruise seemed to take it’s time. Most vacations feel too short, and they are. But often times you blink and vacation is over.
This cruise was different. I don’t know if it was the overall attitude, my age, the company or maybe time really did slow down.
All I know right now is how much I miss it.
As all of us cruisers are sharing our pictures, I miss it even more. I was looking at my in-laws pictures the other day. They took great pictures of the ship, exploring, casual dining and other moments I didn't really think about. I didn’t really do any thing like take pictures of the ship or explore. Now I wish I would have.
I just emailed a coworker who is working in the Miami are these days. I mentioned how I was in the area, and my mind immediately went back to September 29th.
We arrived Saturday morning, met Jeremy and Heather at the airport, took a cab to the hotel, checked in, got lunch at Chili’s at the Bayside Market and tried to plan out the evening . At that point I was on vacation. It didn’t matter what we ordered, or how much it cost. Then a group of us went to South Beach. Like I said a week ago, I had my grumpy moments, but for the most part it was like I was living on cruise control. Pun not intended.
I don’t know if it was thoughts in the back of my head about this being the last vacation for Liza and I as “just the two of us.” I don’t know if it was a more relaxed demeanor I seemed to be in.
All I know right now is that I miss it.
I didn’t work the Monday after we returned home, but I was busy getting oil changes and running errands. Tuesday brought work back into my life, and then a supercharger attached itself to the clock and time is flying again.
I don’t know if it was the build up of 18 months of planning the cruise, only to have it go by in 7 days. It was like a year and a half of pent up excitement.
I remember the week before we left. Emails, phone calls, and voice mails were flying with the stress of last minute details of the cruise, last minute work assignments, last minute packing, and out right giddiness and excitement for the impending cruise of a lifetime.
I remember barely getting any sleep the night before as I was up late packing and cleaning, and then waking up early. I remember carpooling to the airport. The 8 of us were bouncing off the walls. We were tired, but grinning ear to ear as the big cruise was finally here.
The lines at the luggage check in didn’t bother us. The lines to get food didn’t bother us. The early flight didn’t bother us.
We were on our way to Miami.
And a day later we would be getting on the biggest cruise ship in the world.
The day of the cruise was almost perfect. We got up, got a quick breakfast, caught a shuttle to the port and I kid you not, basically walked right onto the ship.
The check in was a breeze. I remember getting our cards and checking out everyone’s card, room number and discovering that we were all together! We were pumped when we all saw the same table number on our sea passes.
When it was time to get on board, oh man! Up the escalator, around the maze and I raced the crew to be the first on board. We took a group picture and then the whirlwind began.
I do remember walking around the ship. I remember trying to look for our rooms, but not being able to get to them yet. From there, I think we went to check on our dining table, and remember the elation of the group when we found our table. We all snapped some pictures of the dining room.
We went over near the karaoke bar. We checked out the ice rink. I took a picture in the Castanza pose.
Somewhere in there we hit the Windjammer café for the first time. The guys all bought our Coke cards, that we’d been our drink break even analysis on for the past several months. We got a big round table and the crew disbanded. I wasn’t going to eat much, but Dave came back with a plate of “Tastes so good” and I got in line. I got the same thing he did, with a side of “mmmm” and a helping of “oh my gosh.” Actually, it was rice and chicken topped off followed by peanut butter cookies.
It’s then that my memory gets a little hazy. As slow as that week seemed to go, it’s all a blur.
I almost wish I could get the week back, really. I wouldn’t pass up the cookies thinking I’d get some later. Because later I was always less hungry due to a big meal or pizza run. Or I figured I had plenty of time for cookies later.
As bad as it is for me, I should’ve used the pop card more.
I wish I would’ve hit the Sprinkles ice cream station more often. Lines should not have been an excuse.
I wish I would’ve stayed out later and woken up earlier. Again, I always said, “Tomorrow. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
I wish I would’ve gone on the Flowrider.
You know, it was a good time and for the most part I wanted to just be with the group. But in a way I wish I would’ve gone off on my own from time to time.
I missed out on a lot. It’s easy to do on a cruise, and there is no way to do everything. But I really do feel like I missed on so much. I didn’t feel that way at the time, and I don’t’ regret how I spent my time. I just would’ve done more.
Because now I’m back in the grind that tends to define our lives. We work. We eat. We sleep. And we try to make room for relaxing. We book up our weekends to the point of there being no such thing as free time.
We’re pulled in so many ways these days. I have a hard time ever saying no.
Again let me say, I have a great life. My life is good.
But it’s just not life on a cruise.
Right now, that’s where I want to be.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Time Flies
I learned a lot last week. The biggest thing is:
Time flies when you’re having fun.
Or when you’re not having fun.
Time just flies.
Just last year, I was basking in my access to Tigers playoff tickets thanks to Eliza’s job with the Detroit Tigers. I was able to watch the first Tigers playoff game since 1987. They won, destroying the Yankees. Comerica Park was going nuts.
A few weeks later I was able to go to the Tigers only World Series win in the series.
Last August, we left Bethesda to start attending Living Word.
Last January, 3 nieces were born. Now they’re 9 months old!
This past September my oldest nephew Bryce turned 5!
I turned 34.
I’ve been married over 4 years!
Everywhere I look, I see time keeps moving, and seemingly faster than ever.
Just last week I was on a cruise vacation. (I can’t believe I’ve been home this long already!) Lize and I went with 10 other friends and family. It was a great vacation, but there were a couple moments where I got pretty frustrated.
It seemed we couldn’t make group decisions at times. We’d stand for minutes (seemed like hours) and go in circles with what was the best thing to do.
And when we did make a decision, I almost felt as if my voice wasn’t being heard.
That was frustrating to me. When I’m on vacation, I like to get up and go. Whether it’s going to lay out, or go on an excursion, or walk around the boat or port. I just like to be doing something. The good soldier that I am, I would go along with the group. I’d be grumpy for a little while, and go on my way.
At times I saw other people being frustrated for the same things, or for other reasons like food, outside temperature, sun, rain, taxis, room service or lack thereof.
But as I was driving to work yesterday, I realized how much time was wasted by being frustrated and grumpy.
Here I was on the biggest cruise ship in the world, not having to worry about work, traffic, work, traffic, work, traffic, fitting in other important functions and commitments, work, traffic…..and I wanted to be frustrated about not doing something I thought would be more fun.
Granted it was only a few hours in an 8 day vacation, but it was time I wasted.
So what if we walked across the street for dinner instead of driving 10 minutes to a different place. We were still able to eat good food, in good weather, with great people.
So what if it took 15 minutes to decide we wanted to eat again. We were going to be with good friends, eating good food, on the greatest cruise ship in the world.
So what if I didn’t think we needed to make a stink about where we’d play cards. We were still with good friends, playing fun games, eating good food, on the greatest cruise ship in the world.
Above that…God is good, all the time.
Just yesterday, Liza and I went for her first ultrasound. We saw the little one for the first time, and even got to hear the heartbeat.
It was awesome.
And again I realized how good God is.
And it’s up to me to choose to enjoy the moment I’m in.
We don’t know what the future holds for us. We don’t know what tomorrow holds for us. We don’t even know what the next minute holds for us.
I may never get to go on another cruise vacation.
I may never get to hang out with that group of people ever again.
This could be the only baby Liza and I ever have.
We don’t know.
We do know what the Bible says and it says our life is but a vapor. It’s gone before we know it.
So why waste it being angry, upset, frustrated, or whatever else that drags you down.
I’m only human, so I’m sure I’ll deal with it again. But right now, I’m going to do my best to enjoy every moment of my life.
Time flies when you’re having fun.
Or when you’re not having fun.
Time just flies.
Just last year, I was basking in my access to Tigers playoff tickets thanks to Eliza’s job with the Detroit Tigers. I was able to watch the first Tigers playoff game since 1987. They won, destroying the Yankees. Comerica Park was going nuts.
A few weeks later I was able to go to the Tigers only World Series win in the series.
Last August, we left Bethesda to start attending Living Word.
Last January, 3 nieces were born. Now they’re 9 months old!
This past September my oldest nephew Bryce turned 5!
I turned 34.
I’ve been married over 4 years!
Everywhere I look, I see time keeps moving, and seemingly faster than ever.
Just last week I was on a cruise vacation. (I can’t believe I’ve been home this long already!) Lize and I went with 10 other friends and family. It was a great vacation, but there were a couple moments where I got pretty frustrated.
It seemed we couldn’t make group decisions at times. We’d stand for minutes (seemed like hours) and go in circles with what was the best thing to do.
And when we did make a decision, I almost felt as if my voice wasn’t being heard.
That was frustrating to me. When I’m on vacation, I like to get up and go. Whether it’s going to lay out, or go on an excursion, or walk around the boat or port. I just like to be doing something. The good soldier that I am, I would go along with the group. I’d be grumpy for a little while, and go on my way.
At times I saw other people being frustrated for the same things, or for other reasons like food, outside temperature, sun, rain, taxis, room service or lack thereof.
But as I was driving to work yesterday, I realized how much time was wasted by being frustrated and grumpy.
Here I was on the biggest cruise ship in the world, not having to worry about work, traffic, work, traffic, work, traffic, fitting in other important functions and commitments, work, traffic…..and I wanted to be frustrated about not doing something I thought would be more fun.
Granted it was only a few hours in an 8 day vacation, but it was time I wasted.
So what if we walked across the street for dinner instead of driving 10 minutes to a different place. We were still able to eat good food, in good weather, with great people.
So what if it took 15 minutes to decide we wanted to eat again. We were going to be with good friends, eating good food, on the greatest cruise ship in the world.
So what if I didn’t think we needed to make a stink about where we’d play cards. We were still with good friends, playing fun games, eating good food, on the greatest cruise ship in the world.
Above that…God is good, all the time.
Just yesterday, Liza and I went for her first ultrasound. We saw the little one for the first time, and even got to hear the heartbeat.
It was awesome.
And again I realized how good God is.
And it’s up to me to choose to enjoy the moment I’m in.
We don’t know what the future holds for us. We don’t know what tomorrow holds for us. We don’t even know what the next minute holds for us.
I may never get to go on another cruise vacation.
I may never get to hang out with that group of people ever again.
This could be the only baby Liza and I ever have.
We don’t know.
We do know what the Bible says and it says our life is but a vapor. It’s gone before we know it.
So why waste it being angry, upset, frustrated, or whatever else that drags you down.
I’m only human, so I’m sure I’ll deal with it again. But right now, I’m going to do my best to enjoy every moment of my life.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Fatherhood, Friends and Stuff
Father Hood
I’m gonna be a daddy. I’m gonna be a daddy.
Well, this past Wednesday the doctor confirmed what 2 home pregnancy tests told us. Eliza is pregnant!
The original plan was about 3 years after we were married…and Wednesday was our 4 year anniversary. So not too far off. We might have been closer to 3 but we really enjoyed vacationing and our time as a couple. But with our siblings and friends having so many babies and my ever increasing age, we decided it was time.
Now we’re joining the club of parenthood.
Fatherhood is something I’ve always thought of, but it was always in the back of my mind. I know it’s going to change everything. EVERYTHING, but in a good way. I have to grow up, or at least pick my immature spots.
I’m looking forward to fatherhood.
Boy or girl? We don’t know, and won’t know until the day our baby enters the world.
It’s one of the last real surprises in this world. Maybe we’ll find out when and if we have other kids.
But for numero uno, we’re going with the tried and true, old fashioned way God intended, we’re waiting.
Friends
Yesterday we had a send off pizza party for a friend of mine who is leaving the area. He’s a manager and is moving out of the state for another job within GM.
He’s really one of the great guys in the world. He and I have had several great philosophical and biblical talks. He’s a fellow believer and has challenged me and my faith from time to time.
Well I went down a few floors to the party and there were people everywhere. And they kept coming. It was very impressive turnout and a testament to what a great guy and friend this man is to so many people.
While I was sitting there I remembered the scripture my father used to tell me, “If a man is to have friends, he must first show himself friendly.” This guy is living proof of that statement.
Someday, when I retire or leave the company I want to be able to say 60 people came to see me off. And they all could call me friend.
Friends part 2
I got an email from my boy Kenny Watson last night. I didn’t know it at first, as it was a forward and said something like “vocalnous sent you a video”. I had no idea who vocalnous was, and why were they sending me a video.
I usually delete forwards, but I opened and saw the name Kenny Watson. Clicked on the link and there was my boy Kenny singing for an American Cancer Society video with international recording artist Mike E.
Then I did a search on Mike E and came across some other videos of his. Kenny is in another video!
Then I googled “Mike-E Kenny Watson” and came across tour posters with Kenny!
Here are the links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rvr5iOujdDs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvvyryDV5-c
Gotta say I’m proud of him and I’m gonna be braggin on him.
Kenny is a good friend and someone who inspired my own writing and creativity. I remember him struggling to find odd jobs and still have time to record and sing. He always had a notebook to write his poetry and his lyrics. Many times he’d run them by me.
Kenny sang at our wedding. He sang the Lord’s Prayer and a song that he wrote. We were honored then, and I’m even more honored now.
And, we’ve got it on DVD!
So when VH1 comes around looking for video of Kenny before he blew up….
Seriously, good job Ken. I’m proud of you, Brutha.
How soon we forget
So I think Detroit most sports fans are some of the most fickle people in the world. It’s like once a team sets the bar high, it has to stay there. Once the bar is high, the team isn’t allowed to struggle anymore.
It’s like people forget that that’s what competition is all about.
Getting there and staying there. And it’s tougher to stay there. It’s tough being the hunted instead of the hunter.
Injuries play a factor. Complacency plays a factor. After all, these guys are human.
Take the Tigers. Four years ago they lost 119 games! Last year they went to the World Series. At one point this year they had the best record in baseball, and then injuries and slumps all hit them.
They lost Kenny Rogers. Bonderman and Verlander started pitching poorly or at the very least inconsistently. Zumaya was down for awhile. Sheffield came on and off the DL and back on again. Yet their still in the thick of it with over 25 games to go.
But people are acting like it’s over.
It ain’t over.
Then people who bragged about the depth of the minor league system wanted the Tigers to trade it for mercenary like hired guns who would only be with them for the rest of the season.
Why? You went to the World Series with 90% of this squad, added Sheffield and rode the lineup to the best record in baseball at one point.
And fans want to blow it up?
That’s stupid. You’re competing now, challenging the top spot even, have a great farm system that should maintain an Atlanta type dominance for the near future, and people want to trade it away.
Thing is, if the Tigers made those trade, the fans would rue the day if the trade doesn’t propel them to the World Series.
It ain’t over, guys.
St. Louis had injuries last year, snuck into the playoffs and got hot at the right time. They only won 83 games during the season, but won the World Series. If the pitchers get hot at the right time. If Kenny can come back and solidify the rotation. If Zumaya, Rodney and Rogers can hold down the 7th – 9th, and if Sheff can get back in time for the last few weeks. The Tigers can still accomplish what most of their fans say they can’t do now.
It ain’t over.
I’m gonna be a daddy. I’m gonna be a daddy.
Well, this past Wednesday the doctor confirmed what 2 home pregnancy tests told us. Eliza is pregnant!
The original plan was about 3 years after we were married…and Wednesday was our 4 year anniversary. So not too far off. We might have been closer to 3 but we really enjoyed vacationing and our time as a couple. But with our siblings and friends having so many babies and my ever increasing age, we decided it was time.
Now we’re joining the club of parenthood.
Fatherhood is something I’ve always thought of, but it was always in the back of my mind. I know it’s going to change everything. EVERYTHING, but in a good way. I have to grow up, or at least pick my immature spots.
I’m looking forward to fatherhood.
Boy or girl? We don’t know, and won’t know until the day our baby enters the world.
It’s one of the last real surprises in this world. Maybe we’ll find out when and if we have other kids.
But for numero uno, we’re going with the tried and true, old fashioned way God intended, we’re waiting.
Friends
Yesterday we had a send off pizza party for a friend of mine who is leaving the area. He’s a manager and is moving out of the state for another job within GM.
He’s really one of the great guys in the world. He and I have had several great philosophical and biblical talks. He’s a fellow believer and has challenged me and my faith from time to time.
Well I went down a few floors to the party and there were people everywhere. And they kept coming. It was very impressive turnout and a testament to what a great guy and friend this man is to so many people.
While I was sitting there I remembered the scripture my father used to tell me, “If a man is to have friends, he must first show himself friendly.” This guy is living proof of that statement.
Someday, when I retire or leave the company I want to be able to say 60 people came to see me off. And they all could call me friend.
Friends part 2
I got an email from my boy Kenny Watson last night. I didn’t know it at first, as it was a forward and said something like “vocalnous sent you a video”. I had no idea who vocalnous was, and why were they sending me a video.
I usually delete forwards, but I opened and saw the name Kenny Watson. Clicked on the link and there was my boy Kenny singing for an American Cancer Society video with international recording artist Mike E.
Then I did a search on Mike E and came across some other videos of his. Kenny is in another video!
Then I googled “Mike-E Kenny Watson” and came across tour posters with Kenny!
Here are the links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rvr5iOujdDs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvvyryDV5-c
Gotta say I’m proud of him and I’m gonna be braggin on him.
Kenny is a good friend and someone who inspired my own writing and creativity. I remember him struggling to find odd jobs and still have time to record and sing. He always had a notebook to write his poetry and his lyrics. Many times he’d run them by me.
Kenny sang at our wedding. He sang the Lord’s Prayer and a song that he wrote. We were honored then, and I’m even more honored now.
And, we’ve got it on DVD!
So when VH1 comes around looking for video of Kenny before he blew up….
Seriously, good job Ken. I’m proud of you, Brutha.
How soon we forget
So I think Detroit most sports fans are some of the most fickle people in the world. It’s like once a team sets the bar high, it has to stay there. Once the bar is high, the team isn’t allowed to struggle anymore.
It’s like people forget that that’s what competition is all about.
Getting there and staying there. And it’s tougher to stay there. It’s tough being the hunted instead of the hunter.
Injuries play a factor. Complacency plays a factor. After all, these guys are human.
Take the Tigers. Four years ago they lost 119 games! Last year they went to the World Series. At one point this year they had the best record in baseball, and then injuries and slumps all hit them.
They lost Kenny Rogers. Bonderman and Verlander started pitching poorly or at the very least inconsistently. Zumaya was down for awhile. Sheffield came on and off the DL and back on again. Yet their still in the thick of it with over 25 games to go.
But people are acting like it’s over.
It ain’t over.
Then people who bragged about the depth of the minor league system wanted the Tigers to trade it for mercenary like hired guns who would only be with them for the rest of the season.
Why? You went to the World Series with 90% of this squad, added Sheffield and rode the lineup to the best record in baseball at one point.
And fans want to blow it up?
That’s stupid. You’re competing now, challenging the top spot even, have a great farm system that should maintain an Atlanta type dominance for the near future, and people want to trade it away.
Thing is, if the Tigers made those trade, the fans would rue the day if the trade doesn’t propel them to the World Series.
It ain’t over, guys.
St. Louis had injuries last year, snuck into the playoffs and got hot at the right time. They only won 83 games during the season, but won the World Series. If the pitchers get hot at the right time. If Kenny can come back and solidify the rotation. If Zumaya, Rodney and Rogers can hold down the 7th – 9th, and if Sheff can get back in time for the last few weeks. The Tigers can still accomplish what most of their fans say they can’t do now.
It ain’t over.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Bitterness
Those of you who read the blog, know I’ve been questioning a lot of things. I don’t get a lot of the immaturity and pettiness, but lately I’ve been questioning the anger. I think I talked about it in an earlier blog, but God’s been talking to me a lot more about it.
So my first ‘Why”.
Why do we hold onto anger?
I’ve been involved in several situations where people talk about things brewing for years.
One of them was at the softball blowup. All game long guys were saying how they weren’t going to let the other team do what they’ve done for so many years. It got to be where guys were thinking the other team was cheating on just about every other play.
If someone got a hit, they had to make a comment.
If someone on the other team got a hit, someone on our team had to bark back.
Then the other team started barking back.
Then the blow up, and people excused it by saying it had been brewing for years.
Why? How can you hold onto that for so long?
Well, 2 weeks later we are headed towards playing the same guys in a different league.
It’s the playoffs. We won our first game, and so did our rivals. This sets up us facing them in the next game. As it turns out, they were going to have a tough time getting guys to play us on the scheduled day, and asked if we could set up a new date.
Like and explosion, several of our guys said, “No way! Not after what they’ve done to us.”
“Screw them!”
“That’s what they get.”
A couple guys just said no, but only because they knew who was asking for a change.
So, the original date was kept and it looked like we would be playing against a weaker version of their team, or we wouldn’t be playing at all due to forfeit.
I think God had other plans. It’s been raining for quite a while now, the game has been cancelled, and the makeup game is this week at an earlier time. It will make it tough for our guys to get there now.
Now we’ll be playing a team that know we were out to spite them and they have a good chance of having a loaded squad.
Hmmmmmm.
Anger. Was it worth it?
I’ve also been able to watch other people go through some tough times. One of them has sworn off church, and is pretty angry at God. Another is just flat out angry.
It’s natural. I know. We all experience anger.
But in its truest form doesn’t anger really only focus on us?
I know it’s natural. I know we all experience it. I know some say it’s healthy.
Is it really, though?
I’m not so sure it is. I know it feels right in the moment, but how many good decisions are made in anger?
And now time for my 2nd why.
Why do we get angry at God?
Again, it’s natural when things don’t go our way. We can’t fathom losing a loved one. We can’t fathom his ways. We can’t fathom when bad things happen to good people. We can’t fathom when bad things happen to children.
Can you fathom being God and having to give up your only son in order to save billions of selfish, self-seeking, thoughtless, thankless, unworthy ingrates? It wasn’t fair. But He did.
Can you fathom being Job and losing EVERYTHING you’ve ever had? Health. Wealth. You name it. But he never cursed God.
I’ve had a very good life. Not much has ever gone wrong. Sure I’d like to be 6’3” 200lbs of solid muscle, but it ain’t gonna happen. I’d like to make 10 times the money I have right now, and have a beautiful home on a hill overlooking a stream on my 20 acre property. It might happen, but it’s not where I am right now.
I’ve also had my share of pain. I loved and lost and lost and lost…..until God finally brought me the perfect lady when I was 29. While all my friends were getting married and having kids, I didn’t get married until I was 30.
I lost a grandfather to AIDS…because he needed a blood transfusion after surgery and he was given AIDS infected blood. One of the strongest men I ever knew was weak and frail due to the disease. And he did nothing wrong to get AIDS.
I lost a nephew to SIDS last year. He was so perfect and innocent.
I’ve spent a lot of time asking God why. And I think we can. He wants us to talk to Him.
But I don’t think we should ever get out of fellowship with Him due to wanting to be angry.
I’ve had to train myself to be thankful and praise in the storm. It’s so unnatural. I do it by thanking God for the things I do have, instead of focusing on what I don’t have, or what I think is being taken away. I had a lot of good years with my grandparents. I’ll never forget my nephews beautiful personality and smile.
When I read the bible and see what the bible hall of fame went through, it was never easy. Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Samson, David……They all went through trying times, but they’re hall of fame for correcting it. Things always got out of whack when they tried to do it their way. But when they turned it back to God, things turned around.
We have to remember. God is in charge. Like it or not, He’s boss.
We’ll do all we can to do it our way. I mean, that’s how it’s been all our lives. We’ve been able to take care of ourselves, our families, our way of life for so long. We like to think we did it. But there is no such thing as a self made man. God orchestrated it all. He orchestrated the jobs, the connections, the deals….We are nothing without Him.
I think a lot of times, we as Americans think we can solve it all by ourselves. For some reason Americans are born with an ultra selfish gene. It’s developed and enhanced as we grow up as we’re taught that’s how you do things. Do it your way.
When we grow up we lean on our health benefits before God. We lean on our paycheck before God. We lean on our friends before God. We lean on our connections before God.
And when those things fail us, we get angry. It is then we either go to God, or turn from God.
I think a lot of times God uses the tough times to soften us. He’s got something He wants to do in us. The more I think about it, He probably has for awhile, but we don’t’ pick it up until He gets our attention.
But here’s the irony of the tough times. We can allow them to soften us and make us sensitive to God. Or we can harden our heart.
Hardening our hearts makes us bitter and bitterness is like a drug. You need more of it in order to keep going. It leads to sarcasm and cynicism. We lose our smile. We lose our joy.
Don’t’ go down that road.
Don’t’ ever let anger take hold. Feel it. Understand it. Talk to God about it, and let it go.
Being angry, going it alone, will never ever solve a thing.
So my first ‘Why”.
Why do we hold onto anger?
I’ve been involved in several situations where people talk about things brewing for years.
One of them was at the softball blowup. All game long guys were saying how they weren’t going to let the other team do what they’ve done for so many years. It got to be where guys were thinking the other team was cheating on just about every other play.
If someone got a hit, they had to make a comment.
If someone on the other team got a hit, someone on our team had to bark back.
Then the other team started barking back.
Then the blow up, and people excused it by saying it had been brewing for years.
Why? How can you hold onto that for so long?
Well, 2 weeks later we are headed towards playing the same guys in a different league.
It’s the playoffs. We won our first game, and so did our rivals. This sets up us facing them in the next game. As it turns out, they were going to have a tough time getting guys to play us on the scheduled day, and asked if we could set up a new date.
Like and explosion, several of our guys said, “No way! Not after what they’ve done to us.”
“Screw them!”
“That’s what they get.”
A couple guys just said no, but only because they knew who was asking for a change.
So, the original date was kept and it looked like we would be playing against a weaker version of their team, or we wouldn’t be playing at all due to forfeit.
I think God had other plans. It’s been raining for quite a while now, the game has been cancelled, and the makeup game is this week at an earlier time. It will make it tough for our guys to get there now.
Now we’ll be playing a team that know we were out to spite them and they have a good chance of having a loaded squad.
Hmmmmmm.
Anger. Was it worth it?
I’ve also been able to watch other people go through some tough times. One of them has sworn off church, and is pretty angry at God. Another is just flat out angry.
It’s natural. I know. We all experience anger.
But in its truest form doesn’t anger really only focus on us?
I know it’s natural. I know we all experience it. I know some say it’s healthy.
Is it really, though?
I’m not so sure it is. I know it feels right in the moment, but how many good decisions are made in anger?
And now time for my 2nd why.
Why do we get angry at God?
Again, it’s natural when things don’t go our way. We can’t fathom losing a loved one. We can’t fathom his ways. We can’t fathom when bad things happen to good people. We can’t fathom when bad things happen to children.
Can you fathom being God and having to give up your only son in order to save billions of selfish, self-seeking, thoughtless, thankless, unworthy ingrates? It wasn’t fair. But He did.
Can you fathom being Job and losing EVERYTHING you’ve ever had? Health. Wealth. You name it. But he never cursed God.
I’ve had a very good life. Not much has ever gone wrong. Sure I’d like to be 6’3” 200lbs of solid muscle, but it ain’t gonna happen. I’d like to make 10 times the money I have right now, and have a beautiful home on a hill overlooking a stream on my 20 acre property. It might happen, but it’s not where I am right now.
I’ve also had my share of pain. I loved and lost and lost and lost…..until God finally brought me the perfect lady when I was 29. While all my friends were getting married and having kids, I didn’t get married until I was 30.
I lost a grandfather to AIDS…because he needed a blood transfusion after surgery and he was given AIDS infected blood. One of the strongest men I ever knew was weak and frail due to the disease. And he did nothing wrong to get AIDS.
I lost a nephew to SIDS last year. He was so perfect and innocent.
I’ve spent a lot of time asking God why. And I think we can. He wants us to talk to Him.
But I don’t think we should ever get out of fellowship with Him due to wanting to be angry.
I’ve had to train myself to be thankful and praise in the storm. It’s so unnatural. I do it by thanking God for the things I do have, instead of focusing on what I don’t have, or what I think is being taken away. I had a lot of good years with my grandparents. I’ll never forget my nephews beautiful personality and smile.
When I read the bible and see what the bible hall of fame went through, it was never easy. Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Samson, David……They all went through trying times, but they’re hall of fame for correcting it. Things always got out of whack when they tried to do it their way. But when they turned it back to God, things turned around.
We have to remember. God is in charge. Like it or not, He’s boss.
We’ll do all we can to do it our way. I mean, that’s how it’s been all our lives. We’ve been able to take care of ourselves, our families, our way of life for so long. We like to think we did it. But there is no such thing as a self made man. God orchestrated it all. He orchestrated the jobs, the connections, the deals….We are nothing without Him.
I think a lot of times, we as Americans think we can solve it all by ourselves. For some reason Americans are born with an ultra selfish gene. It’s developed and enhanced as we grow up as we’re taught that’s how you do things. Do it your way.
When we grow up we lean on our health benefits before God. We lean on our paycheck before God. We lean on our friends before God. We lean on our connections before God.
And when those things fail us, we get angry. It is then we either go to God, or turn from God.
I think a lot of times God uses the tough times to soften us. He’s got something He wants to do in us. The more I think about it, He probably has for awhile, but we don’t’ pick it up until He gets our attention.
But here’s the irony of the tough times. We can allow them to soften us and make us sensitive to God. Or we can harden our heart.
Hardening our hearts makes us bitter and bitterness is like a drug. You need more of it in order to keep going. It leads to sarcasm and cynicism. We lose our smile. We lose our joy.
Don’t’ go down that road.
Don’t’ ever let anger take hold. Feel it. Understand it. Talk to God about it, and let it go.
Being angry, going it alone, will never ever solve a thing.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Random Rants
Sorry if this post is a little jumpy and poorly written. There is so much going on in this world….I can’t really nail down a topic, with so many things going on in my head. So I’ll touch on them all.
Chinese way of doing things
So I was in a meeting at work yesterday, and as we were finishing up, someone made a comment about food quality. The topic was somewhere along the line of Chinese hamburger “with cardboard in it.” From there they mentioned how the Chinese took care of the top health official.
For those of you that don’t know, they executed him due to his performance.
The next statement was, “Makes you think about what to do with Bush.”
What? Not the greatest President by far, but C’mon.
Immaturity PT 3
In the latest installment of what seems to be a weekly topic, we’ll discuss another Immature Grown up moment.
So we’re playing softball Friday night in the league playoffs. We lost the first game, and the team we seem to face every year lost their first game as well. This set up a game that meant early elimination from the playoffs between 2 teams that are usually duking it out at the end of the playoffs.
Our game got a late start, but we came out on fire once the game started. We were up 10 or so runs going into the fifth inning. I think we gave up about 5, but still had the lead.
Well it’s now getting pretty dark outside, and borderline unplayable. I believe ASA rules state:
A. A game called by the umpire shall be regulation if five or more complete innings have been played, or if the team second at bat has scored more runs in four or more innings than the other team has scored in five or more innings. The umpire is empowered to call a game at any time because of darkness, rain, fire, panic or other causes which place the patrons or players in peril.
B. Games that are not considered regulation play (games called prior to five complete innings) shall be resumed at the exact point where they were stopped.
So we played our 5 innings. The opposing team comes out and says, “Hey, it’s getting dark. We’ll finish the game tomorrow. "
Our coach correctly declines and states that we played 5 innings so the game is technically official and complete.
The opposing team says that rule only applies in regular season.
Our coach again says we’re not coming back in the morning, so it’s now or never. The opposing team wants to try and finish out now instead of calling the game on account of darkness.
Since we were visiting team, we start the 6th inning and got a few runs. By the time we switch sides in the middle of the 6th, it’s hard to see the pitch. It’s hard to play and it’s dangerous.
We did get 2 outs somehow, but now the other team is just ripping the ball and we don’t know where it’s going. While this is all going on both teams are jawing at each other. Our shortstop, my uncle, calls timeout and reprimands both teams for their poor attitude and sportsmanship. The other dugout keeps jawing at him.
Well, the umpire has been silent this entire time. As an officiall, he knows we should have been done after 5 innings. Our coach is our catcher and talked to the ump during the entire 6th inning. He basically told him the game should have been called.
I guess the ump said he knew that, but was feeling pressure from the commissioner. The commissioner happened to be the pitcher on the other team. The ump also added that “I’m just trying to pay my way through college.”
So anyhow, we got the 2 outs and the other team is hitting shots all over. After a couple near misses and a dangerous situation getting worse, we walked off the field.
As soon as the outfielders hit the infield, all heck almost broke loose. Our coach and their coach had to be separated. Other players started screaming at each other.
We called our pastor out and an elder from their church. Our pastor negotiated a 8 am restart to the game on the next day. The other team liked that, but we did not agree.
Then the coaches started up again. I helped get our coach off the field. I got back to the field, as we continued to explain our forfeit, when someone on the other squad dropped a “God DaM*”
One of our guys took exception and wanted to go after the curser.
I got our guy off the field.
When I came back the 3rd time, things had pretty much died down. I started going around to the other team apologizing, but also stating that it should have never happened.
Things were over for the most part, but several other conversations took place. They centered on coming back the next day. Someone on our side suggested coming back in the morning to finish off where we left off. The other team didn’t want to do that. They wanted to come back and start over. Obviously, we weren’t going to do that.
Then they said they “Technically we shouldn’t play since you forfeit.” Almost like they were making us a deal.
I replied “Technically it was over after 5.”
I was pretty much done after that conversation. But as I was leaving, they caught up with a few more of our guys and tried to get us to play. The 3 of us who remained said no, and explained that our Christian witness was awful and we didn’t deserve to go on. We also hinted that as they were part of the scrum, they should consider forfeiting as well.
One of their guys thought that might be a good idea, but he and their coach again tried to get us to come back and start anew.
We didn’t agree.
Anyhow, I was told that a few of their guys didn’t like how things went down and they refused to come out and play the next day. Two of the top 3 teams were out of the tourney.
My friends, that is immaturity at it’s finest. Grown men between the ages of 20 and 45 acting like children.
The sad thing is, a year ago on that day, our family lost my 5 month old nephew to SIDS. Last year, we played with him and the family on our hearts.
I even gave a pre-game speech prior to the game (nearly in tears) about how last year we played as if softball was meaningless. We played knowing that there were more important things in life and knowing there was a family in mourning.
I don’t know if I could feel the fireworks that were going to happen 5 innings later, but nothing I said registered with anyone on the team.
We played and acted like little children.
Meanwhile, my brother and his family were mourning the 1 year anniversary of Landon’s passing.
Grown men acting immature.
Sad. Embarrassing.
Champions
But there are some softball champions at the church. The women’s team swept through their tournament and brought home the trophy. They only lost 1 game all year.
I know I’m biased, but the play of the tournament had to of gone to my wife. In a close play at home, she dove head first to beat the tag.
I thought I was watching Pete Rose.
The crowd roared. I nearly fell over, and people are still talking about it.
Life
Life is weird and complex.
On the same day, one friend’s son is having major surgery to have cancer removed from his liver.
Meanwhile, another friend and his wife welcomed their firstborn son into the world.
Wow. It makes your head spin.
Chinese way of doing things
So I was in a meeting at work yesterday, and as we were finishing up, someone made a comment about food quality. The topic was somewhere along the line of Chinese hamburger “with cardboard in it.” From there they mentioned how the Chinese took care of the top health official.
For those of you that don’t know, they executed him due to his performance.
The next statement was, “Makes you think about what to do with Bush.”
What? Not the greatest President by far, but C’mon.
Immaturity PT 3
In the latest installment of what seems to be a weekly topic, we’ll discuss another Immature Grown up moment.
So we’re playing softball Friday night in the league playoffs. We lost the first game, and the team we seem to face every year lost their first game as well. This set up a game that meant early elimination from the playoffs between 2 teams that are usually duking it out at the end of the playoffs.
Our game got a late start, but we came out on fire once the game started. We were up 10 or so runs going into the fifth inning. I think we gave up about 5, but still had the lead.
Well it’s now getting pretty dark outside, and borderline unplayable. I believe ASA rules state:
A. A game called by the umpire shall be regulation if five or more complete innings have been played, or if the team second at bat has scored more runs in four or more innings than the other team has scored in five or more innings. The umpire is empowered to call a game at any time because of darkness, rain, fire, panic or other causes which place the patrons or players in peril.
B. Games that are not considered regulation play (games called prior to five complete innings) shall be resumed at the exact point where they were stopped.
So we played our 5 innings. The opposing team comes out and says, “Hey, it’s getting dark. We’ll finish the game tomorrow. "
Our coach correctly declines and states that we played 5 innings so the game is technically official and complete.
The opposing team says that rule only applies in regular season.
Our coach again says we’re not coming back in the morning, so it’s now or never. The opposing team wants to try and finish out now instead of calling the game on account of darkness.
Since we were visiting team, we start the 6th inning and got a few runs. By the time we switch sides in the middle of the 6th, it’s hard to see the pitch. It’s hard to play and it’s dangerous.
We did get 2 outs somehow, but now the other team is just ripping the ball and we don’t know where it’s going. While this is all going on both teams are jawing at each other. Our shortstop, my uncle, calls timeout and reprimands both teams for their poor attitude and sportsmanship. The other dugout keeps jawing at him.
Well, the umpire has been silent this entire time. As an officiall, he knows we should have been done after 5 innings. Our coach is our catcher and talked to the ump during the entire 6th inning. He basically told him the game should have been called.
I guess the ump said he knew that, but was feeling pressure from the commissioner. The commissioner happened to be the pitcher on the other team. The ump also added that “I’m just trying to pay my way through college.”
So anyhow, we got the 2 outs and the other team is hitting shots all over. After a couple near misses and a dangerous situation getting worse, we walked off the field.
As soon as the outfielders hit the infield, all heck almost broke loose. Our coach and their coach had to be separated. Other players started screaming at each other.
We called our pastor out and an elder from their church. Our pastor negotiated a 8 am restart to the game on the next day. The other team liked that, but we did not agree.
Then the coaches started up again. I helped get our coach off the field. I got back to the field, as we continued to explain our forfeit, when someone on the other squad dropped a “God DaM*”
One of our guys took exception and wanted to go after the curser.
I got our guy off the field.
When I came back the 3rd time, things had pretty much died down. I started going around to the other team apologizing, but also stating that it should have never happened.
Things were over for the most part, but several other conversations took place. They centered on coming back the next day. Someone on our side suggested coming back in the morning to finish off where we left off. The other team didn’t want to do that. They wanted to come back and start over. Obviously, we weren’t going to do that.
Then they said they “Technically we shouldn’t play since you forfeit.” Almost like they were making us a deal.
I replied “Technically it was over after 5.”
I was pretty much done after that conversation. But as I was leaving, they caught up with a few more of our guys and tried to get us to play. The 3 of us who remained said no, and explained that our Christian witness was awful and we didn’t deserve to go on. We also hinted that as they were part of the scrum, they should consider forfeiting as well.
One of their guys thought that might be a good idea, but he and their coach again tried to get us to come back and start anew.
We didn’t agree.
Anyhow, I was told that a few of their guys didn’t like how things went down and they refused to come out and play the next day. Two of the top 3 teams were out of the tourney.
My friends, that is immaturity at it’s finest. Grown men between the ages of 20 and 45 acting like children.
The sad thing is, a year ago on that day, our family lost my 5 month old nephew to SIDS. Last year, we played with him and the family on our hearts.
I even gave a pre-game speech prior to the game (nearly in tears) about how last year we played as if softball was meaningless. We played knowing that there were more important things in life and knowing there was a family in mourning.
I don’t know if I could feel the fireworks that were going to happen 5 innings later, but nothing I said registered with anyone on the team.
We played and acted like little children.
Meanwhile, my brother and his family were mourning the 1 year anniversary of Landon’s passing.
Grown men acting immature.
Sad. Embarrassing.
Champions
But there are some softball champions at the church. The women’s team swept through their tournament and brought home the trophy. They only lost 1 game all year.
I know I’m biased, but the play of the tournament had to of gone to my wife. In a close play at home, she dove head first to beat the tag.
I thought I was watching Pete Rose.
The crowd roared. I nearly fell over, and people are still talking about it.
Life
Life is weird and complex.
On the same day, one friend’s son is having major surgery to have cancer removed from his liver.
Meanwhile, another friend and his wife welcomed their firstborn son into the world.
Wow. It makes your head spin.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Freewill and relationships
I was sitting and talking with someone who is having a rough go of it right now. Over the last few months, they’ve seen a love lost, and that love finds someone else. Now there are a wide range of emotions to doubt, anger, embarrassment, and a lack of understanding.
I spent some time telling them that there is no need to be embarrassed. The other feelings are natural and expected. We’re human. We have feelings and emotions.
But the questions like “Why would God do this to me?
I was trying to be good.”
Or “Why does she get rewarded for doing something like this?”
And “She doesn’t get to feel hurt. Why do I have to feel the pain?”
I didn’t have an answer other than he has to trust God and he will learn and be tougher and better for going through this.
Then he later relayed a conversation he had with someone else. The person he talked to was angry with the person who hurt him. Then I started thinking about it, and quite a few people were angry.
So I put on my thinking cap.
Is it wrong to internalize and personalize everything we go through? After all, it is happening to US, isn’t it?
But what about when the situation we’re in involves other people?
We always want to say “Why is he/she doing this to me?”
“Can’t they see how this hurts?”
“How can they just move on while I’m still sitting here with the same feelings?”
What if the other person was unhappy, and is now happy. Should they be unhappy because we are unhappy?
Is it wrong for them to chase their heart and where they are feeling led because we are hurt because of it? They have dreams and aspirations and feelings too.
What if you were the one leaving a relationship?
Sometimes…many times, people change. Feelings change. Dreams change. We don’t mean to hurt people, but it may happen. Or it may happen to us.
As I tried to tell my friend, it’s one of those things that we hope to understand someday. Most times I think we will. We’ll get older, and look back at where we were 5, 10 and 20 years ago and see these are the moments that make us who we are.
I didn’t have a lot of girlfriends, but I dated quite a few ladies and had a fair amount of crushes. I was the “breaker-upper” only once.
I heard the classic break up speeches. You know how they go.
“It’s not you, it’s me.”
“There’s someone better for you.”
“We’re not going the same way”
“I still want to be friends….”
“I don’t want to ruin our friendship.”
I even heard “You’re just too good for me.”
But each one of those disappointments and sometimes crushing blows helped develop me into the person, man, friend and husband I have become.
At one time I looked back on those moments and I would be flooded with grief and anger. I wanted to know why it didn’t work out when I cared so much and poured so much into those relationships.
I don’t think I ever got an answer to the “Why?” question I would inevitably ask.
Every now and then I’ll run into someone I used to date. Or I’ll run into someone that keeps in touch with them. And when I see where they are and where I am, I see that it never would have worked out. Either I wouldn’t have been the man they needed, or maybe they wouldn’t have been the lady I needed. They are chasing their dreams. They are married. They are engaged. They are single and chasing careers.
I can hear God saying to me, “See, Nate. You didn’t think you could go on, but you did. Look where they are now. Look where you are. You wouldn’t be where you are, where I need you to be if you held on to what you thought you needed back then.”
Then I smile and think about my life, my wife, my job, my family……
Wow. How did I get here? How do we get there?
You just learn to move on. You learn to trust again. You learn to love again…and stronger than the love you had before.
I spent some time telling them that there is no need to be embarrassed. The other feelings are natural and expected. We’re human. We have feelings and emotions.
But the questions like “Why would God do this to me?
I was trying to be good.”
Or “Why does she get rewarded for doing something like this?”
And “She doesn’t get to feel hurt. Why do I have to feel the pain?”
I didn’t have an answer other than he has to trust God and he will learn and be tougher and better for going through this.
Then he later relayed a conversation he had with someone else. The person he talked to was angry with the person who hurt him. Then I started thinking about it, and quite a few people were angry.
So I put on my thinking cap.
Is it wrong to internalize and personalize everything we go through? After all, it is happening to US, isn’t it?
But what about when the situation we’re in involves other people?
We always want to say “Why is he/she doing this to me?”
“Can’t they see how this hurts?”
“How can they just move on while I’m still sitting here with the same feelings?”
What if the other person was unhappy, and is now happy. Should they be unhappy because we are unhappy?
Is it wrong for them to chase their heart and where they are feeling led because we are hurt because of it? They have dreams and aspirations and feelings too.
What if you were the one leaving a relationship?
Sometimes…many times, people change. Feelings change. Dreams change. We don’t mean to hurt people, but it may happen. Or it may happen to us.
As I tried to tell my friend, it’s one of those things that we hope to understand someday. Most times I think we will. We’ll get older, and look back at where we were 5, 10 and 20 years ago and see these are the moments that make us who we are.
I didn’t have a lot of girlfriends, but I dated quite a few ladies and had a fair amount of crushes. I was the “breaker-upper” only once.
I heard the classic break up speeches. You know how they go.
“It’s not you, it’s me.”
“There’s someone better for you.”
“We’re not going the same way”
“I still want to be friends….”
“I don’t want to ruin our friendship.”
I even heard “You’re just too good for me.”
But each one of those disappointments and sometimes crushing blows helped develop me into the person, man, friend and husband I have become.
At one time I looked back on those moments and I would be flooded with grief and anger. I wanted to know why it didn’t work out when I cared so much and poured so much into those relationships.
I don’t think I ever got an answer to the “Why?” question I would inevitably ask.
Every now and then I’ll run into someone I used to date. Or I’ll run into someone that keeps in touch with them. And when I see where they are and where I am, I see that it never would have worked out. Either I wouldn’t have been the man they needed, or maybe they wouldn’t have been the lady I needed. They are chasing their dreams. They are married. They are engaged. They are single and chasing careers.
I can hear God saying to me, “See, Nate. You didn’t think you could go on, but you did. Look where they are now. Look where you are. You wouldn’t be where you are, where I need you to be if you held on to what you thought you needed back then.”
Then I smile and think about my life, my wife, my job, my family……
Wow. How did I get here? How do we get there?
You just learn to move on. You learn to trust again. You learn to love again…and stronger than the love you had before.
Monday, July 23, 2007
This should not be
With so much drama at LWFC
It’s kinda hard being Nate D- O- Double G….
-Nate Dogg, 2007
Last week I posted about grown adults acting immature. Consider this posting “Immature Pt. 2”
I’ve been back at Living Word for about 10 months. The church has grown, but it’s still relatively small. The dynamics among the people are pretty much the same. It’s really a family church. That means unless you’re really new, we’re all like brothers and sisters.
And that means things get, for lack of a better word, catty sometimes. And really it could be like that at other churches I have attended or visited.
I’ll go back to what I said last week; grown adults can be so immature. Just this weekend I believe I was lied to about a situation that didn’t warrant a lie at all. (Does life ever really warrant a lie?) Tell me what’s going on, and let’s handle it. Don’t make stuff up, because when it all comes out, the truth will be told.
There have been a some instances the last couple weeks where I got bad intel, or info from someone about a situation. Yes, that means I was at the back end of a nice little gossip string. What happens at the back end? Yes, that is where “it” all comes out. And it usually stinks.
Based on the info I got, I made some bad assumptions. I made a couple phone calls, talked to Liza and eventually talked to the person I thought I had upset. What I learned was, things were cool.
I spent a day and half retracing conversations and comments to see where I might have upset someone. Come to find out it looks like it some contrived drama, with a side of white lies and half truths.
I’m glad I’ve seen enough of it in my 34 years to know not to make a knee jerk reaction. I did my research, went to the source, and found out what I really needed to know. And I didn’t go to the person saying “What did I do? Why did you…..Blah blah blah.”
Now, can someone tell me why we fight all the time.
We fight at home. We fight in sports. We fight at church.
I’ve been playing church softball for 16 years now, and church basketball about as long. Someone explain to me why we smile, laugh, chat and pray before the game and then start fighting. And I’m talking about on the same team. Add in a missed call by an umpire, or a skirmish with the other team and we’re fighting for the rest of the game.
There have been a couple situations this year on the respective softball teams that make me scratch my head. Guys get upset because of where they play and how much they play. They get upset at an ump over a call.
They get upset because someone offers some bad or unexpected advice. They get upset because the other guy gets upset.
They get upset at an overthrow. They get upset at an underthrow. They get upset because of flyouts. They get upset at not looking at pitches. They get upset at positioning.
They get upset because some won’t show up due to a prior commitment. They get upset when someone tries to be in 2 places at once. Though we know it’s physically impossible.
They get upset when they think someone doesn’t care, and in turn decide not to care.
They get upset and make their own interpretations of a situation. Do you know what your interpretations say about you? They often tell you exactly what’s in your heart.
By the way, your competitive nature doesn’t make it right.
Your reaction tells a lot about you as well. If you act deceitful because you think (notice I said you think) someone is purposely doing you wrong, how does that help? It only makes it worse.
A friend of mine is catching heat right now because they can’t be in 2 places at once this weekend. They want to be, and they are doing everything they can to do so. But it is impossible. So they have to choose. Do they want to make themselves happy? Do they want to make one group happy? Or do they want to make the other group happy?
They are in a lose-lose situation, unfortunately. Though arrangements have been made, the results won’t be liked by the other party. Someone will misinterpret based on their own misguided opinion.
Ain’t it sad?
So now the battle is how to handle the party that’s going to get upset. The natural response is to fight back.
Our generation says “Hit em high, Hit em low. Hit em first. Hit em last. Let em know who you are, and they’ll never do it again.”
Proverbs 15:1 says a soft answer turns away wrath.
And you say, “Whatever, Dude. We’re human. We have different personalities and upbringings. What’s right for you might not be right for me.”
And I say, “Whatever, Dude.” Like I said last week, you are only explaining why you act that way, It’s not excusing it.
James 3:9-10 says “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
Like James says, this should not be.
How can we come to church, call someone brother or sister, fellowship, praise the Lord, and then go out and talk about them?
This should not be.
Skip down to James 3 verses 13-18 “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
If you want peace in your situations, you have to act in humility. You can’t harbor or hold onto the selfish thoughts and anger. The passage tells us that you only find disorder and every evil practice there.
So do you want peace, or do you want to satisfy your own selfish pride?
Your answer to that question tells a lot about you.
It’s kinda hard being Nate D- O- Double G….
-Nate Dogg, 2007
Last week I posted about grown adults acting immature. Consider this posting “Immature Pt. 2”
I’ve been back at Living Word for about 10 months. The church has grown, but it’s still relatively small. The dynamics among the people are pretty much the same. It’s really a family church. That means unless you’re really new, we’re all like brothers and sisters.
And that means things get, for lack of a better word, catty sometimes. And really it could be like that at other churches I have attended or visited.
I’ll go back to what I said last week; grown adults can be so immature. Just this weekend I believe I was lied to about a situation that didn’t warrant a lie at all. (Does life ever really warrant a lie?) Tell me what’s going on, and let’s handle it. Don’t make stuff up, because when it all comes out, the truth will be told.
There have been a some instances the last couple weeks where I got bad intel, or info from someone about a situation. Yes, that means I was at the back end of a nice little gossip string. What happens at the back end? Yes, that is where “it” all comes out. And it usually stinks.
Based on the info I got, I made some bad assumptions. I made a couple phone calls, talked to Liza and eventually talked to the person I thought I had upset. What I learned was, things were cool.
I spent a day and half retracing conversations and comments to see where I might have upset someone. Come to find out it looks like it some contrived drama, with a side of white lies and half truths.
I’m glad I’ve seen enough of it in my 34 years to know not to make a knee jerk reaction. I did my research, went to the source, and found out what I really needed to know. And I didn’t go to the person saying “What did I do? Why did you…..Blah blah blah.”
Now, can someone tell me why we fight all the time.
We fight at home. We fight in sports. We fight at church.
I’ve been playing church softball for 16 years now, and church basketball about as long. Someone explain to me why we smile, laugh, chat and pray before the game and then start fighting. And I’m talking about on the same team. Add in a missed call by an umpire, or a skirmish with the other team and we’re fighting for the rest of the game.
There have been a couple situations this year on the respective softball teams that make me scratch my head. Guys get upset because of where they play and how much they play. They get upset at an ump over a call.
They get upset because someone offers some bad or unexpected advice. They get upset because the other guy gets upset.
They get upset at an overthrow. They get upset at an underthrow. They get upset because of flyouts. They get upset at not looking at pitches. They get upset at positioning.
They get upset because some won’t show up due to a prior commitment. They get upset when someone tries to be in 2 places at once. Though we know it’s physically impossible.
They get upset when they think someone doesn’t care, and in turn decide not to care.
They get upset and make their own interpretations of a situation. Do you know what your interpretations say about you? They often tell you exactly what’s in your heart.
By the way, your competitive nature doesn’t make it right.
Your reaction tells a lot about you as well. If you act deceitful because you think (notice I said you think) someone is purposely doing you wrong, how does that help? It only makes it worse.
A friend of mine is catching heat right now because they can’t be in 2 places at once this weekend. They want to be, and they are doing everything they can to do so. But it is impossible. So they have to choose. Do they want to make themselves happy? Do they want to make one group happy? Or do they want to make the other group happy?
They are in a lose-lose situation, unfortunately. Though arrangements have been made, the results won’t be liked by the other party. Someone will misinterpret based on their own misguided opinion.
Ain’t it sad?
So now the battle is how to handle the party that’s going to get upset. The natural response is to fight back.
Our generation says “Hit em high, Hit em low. Hit em first. Hit em last. Let em know who you are, and they’ll never do it again.”
Proverbs 15:1 says a soft answer turns away wrath.
And you say, “Whatever, Dude. We’re human. We have different personalities and upbringings. What’s right for you might not be right for me.”
And I say, “Whatever, Dude.” Like I said last week, you are only explaining why you act that way, It’s not excusing it.
James 3:9-10 says “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
Like James says, this should not be.
How can we come to church, call someone brother or sister, fellowship, praise the Lord, and then go out and talk about them?
This should not be.
Skip down to James 3 verses 13-18 “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
If you want peace in your situations, you have to act in humility. You can’t harbor or hold onto the selfish thoughts and anger. The passage tells us that you only find disorder and every evil practice there.
So do you want peace, or do you want to satisfy your own selfish pride?
Your answer to that question tells a lot about you.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Am I immature?
Take a look at this picture and then ask yourself this question, “Does age equal maturity?”
I’d say the answer is no, but not because some 33 year old guy is taking a picture with Spiderman.
I like my superheroes, but is that immature or is that just me having fun? At times I feel like a kid trapped in a 33 year old (almost 34) body, and I’ll ask myself if I’m immature or just having fun.
I think I’m just having fun and enjoying life, and that is based on a several month personal case study I’ve been doing in my mind.
I’m not sure where to begin but I’ve witnessed quite a few immature moments the last few months. I’m talking about people my age (plus or minus 5 years) and their immature actions or reactions to different situations.
Let me offer a disclaimer first. I know we all come from different walks and ways of life. We all have different personalities and were raised differently. But I follow the disclaimer with this: They merely explain our actions and reactions, they don’t’ excuse our actions and reactions.
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been around quite a few immature moments over the last few months by people I would consider peers. I’ve seen twenty somethings and thirty-somethings act more like children, yet they want to be treated as though they are worthy of some sort of respect.
I just came back from a guys’ weekend of baseball and bad food. Now guys usually aren’t too “catty” but we had a couple instances where I was like “Sheesh. Take a tough pill.” When you get 7 guys together, it can be tough to make a decision on what to do. Here’s why. Most of the guys will say “It doesn’t matter to me.”
You know what I mean. Joe says “What do you want to do?”
Most of the guys will reply, “I don’t care” or “Doesn’t matter to me.”
“Want to go down to the pool?”
Most of the guys will reply, “I don’t care” or “Doesn’t matter to me.”
“Do you want to get pizza or hit a burger joint?”
Most of the guys will reply, “I don’t care” or “Doesn’t matter to me.”
“Do you want to eat before, or eat at the game?”
Most of the guys will reply, “I don’t care” or “Doesn’t matter to me.”
Now let me complete the guys weekend setting. We have 2 cars, 6 licensed drivers, we’re ¼ of a mile from the ballpark, the go-karts/ miniature golf course, Wendy’s, and Burger King. Our hotel is just off the freeway. Can you say convenient?
“Do you want to walk or drive?”
Most of the guys will reply, “I don’t care” or “Doesn’t matter to me.”
But sometimes you hear the following:
“I don’t want to.”
“It’s too far.”
“It might rain.”
“Why?”
Hear the whining? Here we are all grown up men, and the wambulance was always right around the corner.
In reality, (and in the case of the guys weekend) you can either 1) Go with the flow, or 2) do your own thing.
Obviously, the chances of there being a problem are much slimmer if you go with the flow. But if you were to choose to do your own thing…..do your own thing. We’re all men. But remember this, by the same measure you give, expect the same back. In other words, if you decided to do your own thing, don’t be offended should someone want to do their own thing.
Now, generally speaking, tell me if you’ve been in situations like the following.
How about the insulting and smack talking guys do when they’re together. What’s the old saying? “If you can’t take it, don’t dish it out.”
One minute a guys is cracking on someone’s mom, and the next minute he’s telling the guy he insulted to shut up.
Huh?
How about the guy we can become that thinks way too highly of himself? He can tell everyone what to do, how to do it, and usually ends a statement with how good they are at something.
He’s the one who usually can’t take someone else’s advice or correction.
Huh?
Though it was still a fun weekend, we lost an opportunity as friends and men of god to become closer friends because we spent a lot of time trying to convince people to do this or that. Most of us would have been fine if someone wanted to do “that” instead of “this”. But in some instances, that wasn’t the case.
Now I’m not ready to say “Why can’t we all just get along?” There will always be conflict in life, but it really isn’t that hard to get along. I think I spent half of my weekend putting out baby fires because someone owed someone money, some didn’t have money, some felt they gave too much, some didn’t like the food choices, some didn’t like being insulted, some didn’t like leaving early, some didn’t like their bed.
And I’m not talking about the 16 year old kid that was with us. He might have been the most mature one on the trip if we’re talking about immaturity.
This guy didn’t make the trip, be we all know who this immature “guy” is. He’s the type of guy what does well and tells you about it. He’s the guy who thumps his chest when he’s winning. He’s the guy that tells you he’s carrying the team. He’s the guy that quits when the going gets tough, or makes excuses. He’s the guy that forgets when he messes up, or blames someone else.
I’m talking about grown men acting like this.
I think the problem lies in self and pride. We don’t get along or should I say won’t get along with people because it means less of self. We might have to do something that someone else wants to do. What’s wrong with that? As long as you’re not choosing to go along with someone’s sin.
The bible talks a lot about pride. We know God doesn’t like it. We know pride comes before a fall. Blah. Blah. Blah. But what we don’t hear that often is that pride breeds fighting.
Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.. (Proverbs 13:10)
There is another famous phase I can reference. That is “There is no “I” in team.” I’ll take that one step further, there is an “I” right in the middle of pride. Pride centers on you, and as long as that is the center, you’ll always have a hard time getting along. And you’ll probably always look immature.
BIZZY
I like this picture I recently took in Times Square in New York City. It was probably 9-10 pm, and look at how busy it is.
Ahh, yes, the hustle and bustle of Times Square. Cars and people everywhere. People shopping. walking. vacationing. working…..on and on.
I feel like that’s my life right now BIZZY. Bee Eye Zee Zee Why.
It’s fun at times, nuts at times, exhilarating at times, exhausting at times.
And time flies when you’re so busy.
Can you believe it’s the middle of July already? I was just telling someone how it’s been such a busy summer, when back in May I figured it would be a pretty relaxing summer. I knew only of a golf trip, a long weekend trip with Eliza and a late summer, (technically fall) cruise.
I also knew about softball. I would play in 1 league and sub in another.
Since then, 2 more mini-trips, Liza playing softball, me playing more softball, church, responsibilities at church, house sitting, this and that have managed to creep their way into the Nate Hood family life.
I’m not sure what to cut out though. Liza and talk a lot about doing things, and try and coordinate a fulfilling and diverse calendar. It seems like something is always getting the short end of the stick. We’d like to do more a bunch of different friends, but that takes away from time with best friends and family. And if you try and make equal time for everyone, close friends and family can become distant.
What to do? What to do?
I feel like that’s my life right now BIZZY. Bee Eye Zee Zee Why.
It’s fun at times, nuts at times, exhilarating at times, exhausting at times.
And time flies when you’re so busy.
Can you believe it’s the middle of July already? I was just telling someone how it’s been such a busy summer, when back in May I figured it would be a pretty relaxing summer. I knew only of a golf trip, a long weekend trip with Eliza and a late summer, (technically fall) cruise.
I also knew about softball. I would play in 1 league and sub in another.
Since then, 2 more mini-trips, Liza playing softball, me playing more softball, church, responsibilities at church, house sitting, this and that have managed to creep their way into the Nate Hood family life.
I’m not sure what to cut out though. Liza and talk a lot about doing things, and try and coordinate a fulfilling and diverse calendar. It seems like something is always getting the short end of the stick. We’d like to do more a bunch of different friends, but that takes away from time with best friends and family. And if you try and make equal time for everyone, close friends and family can become distant.
What to do? What to do?
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Politics
So I recently read how the Pennsylvania government is going to be shut down for awhile.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288599,00.html
Yesterday I read that soon the first year of the Baby Boomers will be retiring and 3 years later they are eligible for Social Security/ Medicare. Big deal, right? Well this is going to cause undue strain on the government funding, due to promises of SS and Medicare being more costly than originally thought. The man who delivered this message is being hushed by the government. He says it will cripple the economy, the government and funding for defense. Also, many other tax payer services won’t be available. One of his solutions is to lower spending. The other is “increase revenues”. Revenues? Sounds like business jargon to me.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/01/60minutes/main2528226.shtml
So 231 years after we declared our independence and 144 years after President Lincoln reaffirmed our “government of the people, for the people, by the people” we’re at a point where it looks like it will all fall down.
Our political situation is out of control. These guys talk more business than government these days. Correct me if I’m wrong but weren’t our original law makers and governing officials normal everyday working people? Of the people, for the people, by the people.
Nowadays, our legislators are only worried about cementing legacies and getting reelected. I don’t know how much of it is “for the people” anymore. Nowadays, it’s more about for the special interest groups.
It bothers me when they vote themselves pay raises, when many Americans are losing their jobs. They tell us there will be some pain, but it will turn around. But they don’t have to worry about losing their homes and feeding their family.
How did government ever get so big? I mean, yeah, we’re a pretty big country, but do we really need the government to do all the things the government “does” for us? The government often helps fund sports stadiums…at the taxpayers expense. Yet the teams that play in these stadiums are usually privately owned by a billionaire, or a group of wealthy people.
http://www.rd.com/content/insane-government-spending/
http://www.rd.com/content/your-tax-money----wasted/
Unfortunately it may be too late. Our society is too blasé and could care less about government these days. I remember reading that in the 2004 election, only 49% of the population voted. That’s how the special interest groups get so much pull. That’s how the government can spend how they spend and tax how they tax.
We’ve had things so good in America that, like I just said, we don’t really care as long as my standard of living isn’t effected that much. Think of the millions and billions of dollars that are spent on our entertainment. Believe me, I’m all for entertainment. But we spend so much time having fun that we’ve become pretty blind to what’s really going on in the world.
Often in our fleeting moments of reading up on current events and news, we catch a biased article that will create an opinion along the same lines. Do we ever really follow up on it to see who true or unbiased it is?
We’re so distracted on Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Paris Hilton, UFC, sports and our weekly reality shows to know what’s going on in other parts of the world.
Do we know that Europe is quickly becoming a world power again and influences a lot of our foreign policy decisions. Do we realize just how much Russia is waking up? Do we realize how much the United Nations influences our government decisions and that the new head of the UN want to create a one world religion?
www.fulfilledprophecy.com
More and more, I buy into conspiracy theories and “wag the dog” thoughts. The media and our government are so intertwined these days. The media shows us what they want us to see to influence our decisions. Can you always trust what you read? No. But the more you read about what’s going on in the world, the better prepared you’ll be to speak up and be knowledgeable about issues.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288599,00.html
Yesterday I read that soon the first year of the Baby Boomers will be retiring and 3 years later they are eligible for Social Security/ Medicare. Big deal, right? Well this is going to cause undue strain on the government funding, due to promises of SS and Medicare being more costly than originally thought. The man who delivered this message is being hushed by the government. He says it will cripple the economy, the government and funding for defense. Also, many other tax payer services won’t be available. One of his solutions is to lower spending. The other is “increase revenues”. Revenues? Sounds like business jargon to me.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/01/60minutes/main2528226.shtml
So 231 years after we declared our independence and 144 years after President Lincoln reaffirmed our “government of the people, for the people, by the people” we’re at a point where it looks like it will all fall down.
Our political situation is out of control. These guys talk more business than government these days. Correct me if I’m wrong but weren’t our original law makers and governing officials normal everyday working people? Of the people, for the people, by the people.
Nowadays, our legislators are only worried about cementing legacies and getting reelected. I don’t know how much of it is “for the people” anymore. Nowadays, it’s more about for the special interest groups.
It bothers me when they vote themselves pay raises, when many Americans are losing their jobs. They tell us there will be some pain, but it will turn around. But they don’t have to worry about losing their homes and feeding their family.
How did government ever get so big? I mean, yeah, we’re a pretty big country, but do we really need the government to do all the things the government “does” for us? The government often helps fund sports stadiums…at the taxpayers expense. Yet the teams that play in these stadiums are usually privately owned by a billionaire, or a group of wealthy people.
http://www.rd.com/content/insane-government-spending/
http://www.rd.com/content/your-tax-money----wasted/
Unfortunately it may be too late. Our society is too blasé and could care less about government these days. I remember reading that in the 2004 election, only 49% of the population voted. That’s how the special interest groups get so much pull. That’s how the government can spend how they spend and tax how they tax.
We’ve had things so good in America that, like I just said, we don’t really care as long as my standard of living isn’t effected that much. Think of the millions and billions of dollars that are spent on our entertainment. Believe me, I’m all for entertainment. But we spend so much time having fun that we’ve become pretty blind to what’s really going on in the world.
Often in our fleeting moments of reading up on current events and news, we catch a biased article that will create an opinion along the same lines. Do we ever really follow up on it to see who true or unbiased it is?
We’re so distracted on Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Paris Hilton, UFC, sports and our weekly reality shows to know what’s going on in other parts of the world.
Do we know that Europe is quickly becoming a world power again and influences a lot of our foreign policy decisions. Do we realize just how much Russia is waking up? Do we realize how much the United Nations influences our government decisions and that the new head of the UN want to create a one world religion?
www.fulfilledprophecy.com
More and more, I buy into conspiracy theories and “wag the dog” thoughts. The media and our government are so intertwined these days. The media shows us what they want us to see to influence our decisions. Can you always trust what you read? No. But the more you read about what’s going on in the world, the better prepared you’ll be to speak up and be knowledgeable about issues.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Time to go to work
I’ve been drafted into duty.
I’m not going to war, but Dad just called and said I’m preaching on June 24th.
Time to buckle down, dive in, and listen to what God is saying to me. I guess I’ve been feeling this was coming for awhile, and to a degree I was getting frustrated. Because of my frustration, I can honestly say I’ve been into the Word as much as I need to be.
Why was I frustrated?
Liza and I made the move to Living Word because we felt God leading us there. In my heart, I could see me working a lot closer with my Dad than I have been. We made the move in September and I’ve only read one poem since then.
Just one.
Sure we started the couples group, and we’re involved with the worship team, but I really felt I could “part time” speak on Sundays.
Sunday after Sunday passed and I saw person after person in speaking roles. I kept telling myself to bide my time, but then someone else would get drafted. I was really wondering why I was at Living Word because I was being used a lot more at the much bigger church in Bethesda.
The frustration led to a lack of ideas and desire to write. I was having a hard time developing ideas and topics for the bible study.
Yet, I’m not one to bulldog my way into a role either. I believe when the time is right, God will open a door and we have to run through it. I don’t believe in ramming the door open. When that happens, it probably isn’t God’s timing.
Anyhow, Mom and Dad are going to be out of town on June 24th. I knew he would need someone to speak, but it was sounding more and more like he would be choosing someone else. But my prayers were that I wanted an opportunity, and June 24 would be a great opportunity.
God still hears prayers.
Now I just need to hear Him on what to talk about.
I’m not going to war, but Dad just called and said I’m preaching on June 24th.
Time to buckle down, dive in, and listen to what God is saying to me. I guess I’ve been feeling this was coming for awhile, and to a degree I was getting frustrated. Because of my frustration, I can honestly say I’ve been into the Word as much as I need to be.
Why was I frustrated?
Liza and I made the move to Living Word because we felt God leading us there. In my heart, I could see me working a lot closer with my Dad than I have been. We made the move in September and I’ve only read one poem since then.
Just one.
Sure we started the couples group, and we’re involved with the worship team, but I really felt I could “part time” speak on Sundays.
Sunday after Sunday passed and I saw person after person in speaking roles. I kept telling myself to bide my time, but then someone else would get drafted. I was really wondering why I was at Living Word because I was being used a lot more at the much bigger church in Bethesda.
The frustration led to a lack of ideas and desire to write. I was having a hard time developing ideas and topics for the bible study.
Yet, I’m not one to bulldog my way into a role either. I believe when the time is right, God will open a door and we have to run through it. I don’t believe in ramming the door open. When that happens, it probably isn’t God’s timing.
Anyhow, Mom and Dad are going to be out of town on June 24th. I knew he would need someone to speak, but it was sounding more and more like he would be choosing someone else. But my prayers were that I wanted an opportunity, and June 24 would be a great opportunity.
God still hears prayers.
Now I just need to hear Him on what to talk about.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Going to bed angry
I went to bed angry Saturday night.
That’s not like me. In fact I promised my wife I would never do that.
Oh wait….I wasn’t mad at Eliza. I was angry about the Pistons. I have really tried to make an effort not to let sports make me angry before bed. Whether it was a game I played, or a game I watched, I grew tired of letting sports dictate a good night’s rest.
I did well for awhile. Then game 6 of the 2007 Eastern Conference finals happened.
I was already a little miffed about the series, mainly the NBA and their robots…I mean, announcers’ oozing love of Lebron James. The same guys picked the Pistons to win in 5 or 6 games. Then the poor officiating and official’s love fest of Lebron James. I understand superstar calls, but I thought Jordan retired a few years ago.
But the biggest source of my anger was the Pistons. Where was the pride? Where was the heart? Where was the teamwork? Where was the toughness? Where was the credit to the opponent who attacked them the way they attacked teams from 03 to midway through 06?
Why that time frame?
In 2003, they had just completed their 2nd 50 win season. They were a relatively new group of guys who had really never experience much winning. Some guys like Cliff Robinson, Corliss Williamson and Jon Barry had in other situations, but most of the guys had not.
We all know the story. The Pistons were a ragtag bunch of nobodies and castoffs that finally got a chance. They were mad at the world, and out to prove the naysayers wrong.
They didn’t have the experience to win in that first trip to the Eastern Conference finals.
They were swept by the Nets in 4 games, and from what I remember weren’t really in any of the games.
Enter Larry Brown. Later Rasheed Wallace would enter the mix, and the team with grit had a little savvy, so more experience, and now some swagger. Oh and Darko was supposed to be waiting in the wings.
They used the spite, the anger, and the "tougher than you" attitude to win 50 games for the 3rd straight year. 54 to be exact. They took on and beat all comers, under some tough circumstances. The block on Reggie Miller??? Chauncey's 3/4 court shot against the Nets??? A 5 game sweep of the Lakers. The Pistons were champs when they were told it couldn't be done.
2005 brought us another deep run. They fought their way though countless tough situations often brought on by themselves. But they told us, and we believed them that if it ain’t rough, it ain’t right. They were known as the team that plays best with their backs against the wall.
They lost to San Antonio in 7 games, and told themselves and us, that if they only took care of business in game 5 of the Finals, they would’ve won. And we believed them.
Brown was fired. They told us he helped but it was really them anyhow. After running out to an amazing 35-5 run in 05-06, we believed them again. We learned it was the prefect blend of Larry Brown’s teaching blended with the offensive genius of new coach Flip Saunders. Four Pistons make the All-Star game, and in my opinion that was the beginning of the end.
They appeared to have felt validated at that time, and a new attitude of entitlement replaced the gritty, never say die tenacity that fueled these guys. They now expected teams to roll over for them.
Most teams did for a few weeks. But the Cavaliers showed the basketball world that if you get up after the Pistons smack you, and smack them back, they are very beatable. If you could out tough the Pistons you could beat the Pistons.
That’s what teams started to do. Miami beat the Pistons in 6 in the Conference finals.
Ben Wallace left. Nazr Mohammed and Flip Murray signed, and we were told now we had the firepower the new NBA required, and still 4/5 of the toughness. In fact, we were told we’ll miss Ben, but it really wasn’t him anyhow. It’s Piston’s basketball.
The Pistons had a few good stretches over the season. They had the best record in the East again, and we were told just wait for the playoffs. How right they were! They swept the Magic and appeared to have toyed with them in the process.
They blew out Chicago in games 1-2 of the conference semi-finals. They came back from 19 down to win game 3. Chicago looked defeated, and the Pistons were again the toast of the NBA.
But arrogance entered again. Arrogance doesn’t look good on anyone, but it looks awful on teams that pride themselves on hard work. Arrogance looks awful on teams that haven’t won anything in 3 years.
Chicago got up and smacked the Pistons in game 4. Then they smacked them in Detroit in game 5.
The Pistons gutted out a game 6 win, and all was right in Piston world again. They even told us that push came to shove and they did what they do. They win when they have to. Why would we doubt them?
We would get that answer against Cleveland. The Pistons barely won the first 2 games. They would say they didn’t play well, just wait until they play well and see what happens. They never played well.
They were out hustled and outplayed. The Cavs looked more ready, more focused, more poised, and were mo’ better.
I was unfazed by it for the first 3 losses to the Cav’s. I bought the company line of just wait til we get it right. They never got it right.
Only minutes into the 4th quarter of game 6, a rookie delivered the final punch. He knocked out the pride, the swagger, and the confidence. All the remained was an empty, unjustified arrogance, that quickly turned into a lack of effort.
The hard work was gone. The heart of a champion was ripped out. The torch was not passed, but ripped from their hands.
It’s over.
When the heart is gone, the memories fade away.
But when I clear my mind for a moment I realized they got beat by a more modern version of their 2004 team. Granted, the Cavs have King James, but the other parts are cast-offs, has beens, and never will be’s that played tough team basketball. They believed in themselves when noone else would.
They defeated a team that they weren’t supposed to beat.
Just like the Pistons did to the Pacers, Nets, and Lakers on their run.
Isn’t it funny how things change? The Pistons became the arrogant team they defeated in the Lakers.
And that made me angry.
That’s not like me. In fact I promised my wife I would never do that.
Oh wait….I wasn’t mad at Eliza. I was angry about the Pistons. I have really tried to make an effort not to let sports make me angry before bed. Whether it was a game I played, or a game I watched, I grew tired of letting sports dictate a good night’s rest.
I did well for awhile. Then game 6 of the 2007 Eastern Conference finals happened.
I was already a little miffed about the series, mainly the NBA and their robots…I mean, announcers’ oozing love of Lebron James. The same guys picked the Pistons to win in 5 or 6 games. Then the poor officiating and official’s love fest of Lebron James. I understand superstar calls, but I thought Jordan retired a few years ago.
But the biggest source of my anger was the Pistons. Where was the pride? Where was the heart? Where was the teamwork? Where was the toughness? Where was the credit to the opponent who attacked them the way they attacked teams from 03 to midway through 06?
Why that time frame?
In 2003, they had just completed their 2nd 50 win season. They were a relatively new group of guys who had really never experience much winning. Some guys like Cliff Robinson, Corliss Williamson and Jon Barry had in other situations, but most of the guys had not.
We all know the story. The Pistons were a ragtag bunch of nobodies and castoffs that finally got a chance. They were mad at the world, and out to prove the naysayers wrong.
They didn’t have the experience to win in that first trip to the Eastern Conference finals.
They were swept by the Nets in 4 games, and from what I remember weren’t really in any of the games.
Enter Larry Brown. Later Rasheed Wallace would enter the mix, and the team with grit had a little savvy, so more experience, and now some swagger. Oh and Darko was supposed to be waiting in the wings.
They used the spite, the anger, and the "tougher than you" attitude to win 50 games for the 3rd straight year. 54 to be exact. They took on and beat all comers, under some tough circumstances. The block on Reggie Miller??? Chauncey's 3/4 court shot against the Nets??? A 5 game sweep of the Lakers. The Pistons were champs when they were told it couldn't be done.
2005 brought us another deep run. They fought their way though countless tough situations often brought on by themselves. But they told us, and we believed them that if it ain’t rough, it ain’t right. They were known as the team that plays best with their backs against the wall.
They lost to San Antonio in 7 games, and told themselves and us, that if they only took care of business in game 5 of the Finals, they would’ve won. And we believed them.
Brown was fired. They told us he helped but it was really them anyhow. After running out to an amazing 35-5 run in 05-06, we believed them again. We learned it was the prefect blend of Larry Brown’s teaching blended with the offensive genius of new coach Flip Saunders. Four Pistons make the All-Star game, and in my opinion that was the beginning of the end.
They appeared to have felt validated at that time, and a new attitude of entitlement replaced the gritty, never say die tenacity that fueled these guys. They now expected teams to roll over for them.
Most teams did for a few weeks. But the Cavaliers showed the basketball world that if you get up after the Pistons smack you, and smack them back, they are very beatable. If you could out tough the Pistons you could beat the Pistons.
That’s what teams started to do. Miami beat the Pistons in 6 in the Conference finals.
Ben Wallace left. Nazr Mohammed and Flip Murray signed, and we were told now we had the firepower the new NBA required, and still 4/5 of the toughness. In fact, we were told we’ll miss Ben, but it really wasn’t him anyhow. It’s Piston’s basketball.
The Pistons had a few good stretches over the season. They had the best record in the East again, and we were told just wait for the playoffs. How right they were! They swept the Magic and appeared to have toyed with them in the process.
They blew out Chicago in games 1-2 of the conference semi-finals. They came back from 19 down to win game 3. Chicago looked defeated, and the Pistons were again the toast of the NBA.
But arrogance entered again. Arrogance doesn’t look good on anyone, but it looks awful on teams that pride themselves on hard work. Arrogance looks awful on teams that haven’t won anything in 3 years.
Chicago got up and smacked the Pistons in game 4. Then they smacked them in Detroit in game 5.
The Pistons gutted out a game 6 win, and all was right in Piston world again. They even told us that push came to shove and they did what they do. They win when they have to. Why would we doubt them?
We would get that answer against Cleveland. The Pistons barely won the first 2 games. They would say they didn’t play well, just wait until they play well and see what happens. They never played well.
They were out hustled and outplayed. The Cavs looked more ready, more focused, more poised, and were mo’ better.
I was unfazed by it for the first 3 losses to the Cav’s. I bought the company line of just wait til we get it right. They never got it right.
Only minutes into the 4th quarter of game 6, a rookie delivered the final punch. He knocked out the pride, the swagger, and the confidence. All the remained was an empty, unjustified arrogance, that quickly turned into a lack of effort.
The hard work was gone. The heart of a champion was ripped out. The torch was not passed, but ripped from their hands.
It’s over.
When the heart is gone, the memories fade away.
But when I clear my mind for a moment I realized they got beat by a more modern version of their 2004 team. Granted, the Cavs have King James, but the other parts are cast-offs, has beens, and never will be’s that played tough team basketball. They believed in themselves when noone else would.
They defeated a team that they weren’t supposed to beat.
Just like the Pistons did to the Pacers, Nets, and Lakers on their run.
Isn’t it funny how things change? The Pistons became the arrogant team they defeated in the Lakers.
And that made me angry.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Freedom.....
The First amendment of our Bill of Rights states:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
So why is freedom of speech so confusing?
From what I understand, our forefathers added this to the Bill of Rights to protect us from the government telling us how to speak. This amendment keeps the government from restricting us from speaking out against the government. You have to remember the context of their times. They were cutting off ties from a government that told them how to speak, what to believe, and what they could do. The Declaration of Independence cut ties with that government, and the Bill of Rights established the rights we have.
People like to think that the First amendment is what makes profanity, cursing, and speech such as slurs okay. We were born with that right. But it doesn’t make it right.
Quite some time ago I drove past a church sign which said this, “Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong.”
Think about that for a moment.
The right to be wrong means we’re going to make mistakes. We will say and do things that inevitably are wrong. But the deliberate choice to do wrong is not freedom. It’s disobedience and rebellion.
Over time Americans have developed the opinion that our freedoms mean we can do or say whatever we want. Back at the time our Declaration of Independence and Constitution were written, we were a different society. Most people held the same social and moral views. Given that, they didn’t have to say the freedom of speech allows us to curse, etc. Since we were a rather God-fearing country back then, I don’t believe many people cursed, or slurred their fellow Americans.
So where is freedom of speech now? The whole Don Imus thing has people talking. His comments, the immediate reaction, and the coming reaction will be felt for many years. Unfortunately, I think the reaction will take us to a place we don’t want to go.
We’re going to ask the government to legislate our speech. A hate speech law will be drafted and go through the House and Senate. It will say that any speech inflaming or speaking against another group will be deemed “Hate” speech, and dealt with in a legal manner. The bill will classify groups by ethnicity, thought, and “sexual orientation”. This classification will protect the groups from “hate speech”.
But I believe the law will be convoluted and vague. It will give way to targeting the religious views our country was founded on. It will limit what the church can say about sinful behavior. We will be asking the government to do the very thing we said we weren’t going to allow anymore. We will be asking the government to legislate what we can and cannot say.
Bottom line is, if we ask the government to fix this we’re in for a world of hurt. You can’t legislate morality and ethics.
As tough as we like to think we are as Americans, we’re really very sensitive and weak. If you look at the Bill of Rights, you will not find anywhere that we have the right “not to be offended”.
As long as we live in this world, we are going to be offended. Do we really want people to be fined when we’re offended? Do we really want to throw people in jail when we’re offended? What about when you offend someone? Because it will happen.
Right now, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton offend me. The way they talk in the Imus situation and in many situations offends me, yet because they are speaking on behalf of an offended basketball team, their words are overlooked.
However, the Rutgers women’s basketball team inspires and encourages me. These young ladies met with the man who offended them, and said they accept his apology and are in the process of forgiving him. The ladies are 18-22 years old and they get it. Why can’t the much older and supposedly wiser Sharpton and Jackson get it?
I don’t know the background of the individual women, but their response is almost biblical. What did Jesus say? You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Mt 5:38-39).
In Romans 12 we read, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"says the Lord. On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The ladies go beyond apology and say that Imus shouldn’t have been fired for his regrettable statements. In essence, they turned the other cheek. They didn’t repay evil with evil, but with good.
The Imus situation is the paradox for what this country has become. We push the envelope until someone is truly offended. We probably offended all along the way, but since it wasn’t really a big deal we let it go. And we push the envelope some more. Finally, someone really gets offended and we go to extremes trying to turn it around. I don’t agree with Imus or his views, but the guy made his career off of being controversial. That’s why his employer signed him to a multi million dollar contract. Then they fire him for controversial comments. I’d be confused too.
Why wasn’t their more backlash earlier in his career? How did he get his own radio and TV shows? America loves controversy. That’s how. The same people that pushed Imus to his position are backpedaling really fast now that the money of his advertisers is at stake.
Let me say again, I don’t agree with his views at all. They are inappropriate, insensitive, and inconsiderate. But the hearts and minds of people who think and feel this way won’t be changed by a “hate speech” law. The coming attempt to silence the voices will further plunge us into a Godless society.
The only way to really change the soul and culture of America is to go back to what our forefathers knew… “that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their CREATOR, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
If we really knew and understood what they said in the Declaration of Independence we wouldn’t be talking about this right now. If we really knew and understood what the Bible said about loving our neighbors, we wouldn’t have this problem.
Don’t change the laws. Change the minds. Change the hearts. Change the souls. Change the world.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
So why is freedom of speech so confusing?
From what I understand, our forefathers added this to the Bill of Rights to protect us from the government telling us how to speak. This amendment keeps the government from restricting us from speaking out against the government. You have to remember the context of their times. They were cutting off ties from a government that told them how to speak, what to believe, and what they could do. The Declaration of Independence cut ties with that government, and the Bill of Rights established the rights we have.
People like to think that the First amendment is what makes profanity, cursing, and speech such as slurs okay. We were born with that right. But it doesn’t make it right.
Quite some time ago I drove past a church sign which said this, “Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong.”
Think about that for a moment.
The right to be wrong means we’re going to make mistakes. We will say and do things that inevitably are wrong. But the deliberate choice to do wrong is not freedom. It’s disobedience and rebellion.
Over time Americans have developed the opinion that our freedoms mean we can do or say whatever we want. Back at the time our Declaration of Independence and Constitution were written, we were a different society. Most people held the same social and moral views. Given that, they didn’t have to say the freedom of speech allows us to curse, etc. Since we were a rather God-fearing country back then, I don’t believe many people cursed, or slurred their fellow Americans.
So where is freedom of speech now? The whole Don Imus thing has people talking. His comments, the immediate reaction, and the coming reaction will be felt for many years. Unfortunately, I think the reaction will take us to a place we don’t want to go.
We’re going to ask the government to legislate our speech. A hate speech law will be drafted and go through the House and Senate. It will say that any speech inflaming or speaking against another group will be deemed “Hate” speech, and dealt with in a legal manner. The bill will classify groups by ethnicity, thought, and “sexual orientation”. This classification will protect the groups from “hate speech”.
But I believe the law will be convoluted and vague. It will give way to targeting the religious views our country was founded on. It will limit what the church can say about sinful behavior. We will be asking the government to do the very thing we said we weren’t going to allow anymore. We will be asking the government to legislate what we can and cannot say.
Bottom line is, if we ask the government to fix this we’re in for a world of hurt. You can’t legislate morality and ethics.
As tough as we like to think we are as Americans, we’re really very sensitive and weak. If you look at the Bill of Rights, you will not find anywhere that we have the right “not to be offended”.
As long as we live in this world, we are going to be offended. Do we really want people to be fined when we’re offended? Do we really want to throw people in jail when we’re offended? What about when you offend someone? Because it will happen.
Right now, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton offend me. The way they talk in the Imus situation and in many situations offends me, yet because they are speaking on behalf of an offended basketball team, their words are overlooked.
However, the Rutgers women’s basketball team inspires and encourages me. These young ladies met with the man who offended them, and said they accept his apology and are in the process of forgiving him. The ladies are 18-22 years old and they get it. Why can’t the much older and supposedly wiser Sharpton and Jackson get it?
I don’t know the background of the individual women, but their response is almost biblical. What did Jesus say? You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Mt 5:38-39).
In Romans 12 we read, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"says the Lord. On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The ladies go beyond apology and say that Imus shouldn’t have been fired for his regrettable statements. In essence, they turned the other cheek. They didn’t repay evil with evil, but with good.
The Imus situation is the paradox for what this country has become. We push the envelope until someone is truly offended. We probably offended all along the way, but since it wasn’t really a big deal we let it go. And we push the envelope some more. Finally, someone really gets offended and we go to extremes trying to turn it around. I don’t agree with Imus or his views, but the guy made his career off of being controversial. That’s why his employer signed him to a multi million dollar contract. Then they fire him for controversial comments. I’d be confused too.
Why wasn’t their more backlash earlier in his career? How did he get his own radio and TV shows? America loves controversy. That’s how. The same people that pushed Imus to his position are backpedaling really fast now that the money of his advertisers is at stake.
Let me say again, I don’t agree with his views at all. They are inappropriate, insensitive, and inconsiderate. But the hearts and minds of people who think and feel this way won’t be changed by a “hate speech” law. The coming attempt to silence the voices will further plunge us into a Godless society.
The only way to really change the soul and culture of America is to go back to what our forefathers knew… “that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their CREATOR, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
If we really knew and understood what they said in the Declaration of Independence we wouldn’t be talking about this right now. If we really knew and understood what the Bible said about loving our neighbors, we wouldn’t have this problem.
Don’t change the laws. Change the minds. Change the hearts. Change the souls. Change the world.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
I wanna cry
I wanna cry
Maybe it’s because I’m in my thirties, and finally growing up.
Maybe it’s because I’m finally becoming who God intended me to be.
But more and more news stories today make me sad. And most of it surrounds news with kids in the headlines.
I don’t know how many more stories I can hear of people harming children. Kids aren’t safe anywhere these days. Not in school. Not in church. Not in the home. Not in the womb.
I just read the gruesome details of a woman in a neighborhood near mine. As the story goes, times were tough for her and her children. They didn’t have water. She was working at McDonalds to make money. She was afraid protective services were going to take her kids away.
And she snapped.
Apparently she told her sister she was going to the ends of hell, and she thinks she ate some people.
She went and got a knife and chased down her daughters. She killed the 8 year old first, and then her 2 year old. Then she stabbed the 3 family pets to death in their kennels, and finally the family pet mouse.
And she sat in the trailer with the bodies for a couple hours.
Her sister finally showed up concerned, found out what happened and called 911.
From the news report I saw, she was defending her sister at the police station. She was saying something to the effect of that not being her sister but some psycho woman.
I don’t care if she was psycho or not. Murder is murder. And children are the epitome of innocence. How can someone…..a mother….kill a child? This was her flesh and blood. How can she kill the pets who were sitting in their kennels?
Last night I saw a news report of children….young children being sold overseas as sex slaves. How twisted and evil can a human be? This was preceded by a report about online sex predators and the young teens and children they prey upon.
It makes me wanna cry.
Look at this world today. It’s scary. I want to have kids, but I will never be able to protect them from everything. Kids hardly have anytime to be kids anymore. We have to teach them not to talk to strangers. By age 5 we’re teaching them to not let an adult touch their private areas.
I have 4 nieces and 3 nephews, with one on the way. I love them with all my heart. And that same heart breaks when I hear news like the stories I mentioned earlier.
God has such a heart for children. Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me….” when people were trying to keep the children from him.
Psalms 127: 3 says Children are a gift from the Lord.
Have you ever had a little one fall asleep in your arms? Have you ever had a little on tell you they love you? Have you ever seen the bottom lip of a little on quiver, only to have the tears wiped away and smile take its place?
Taking the innocence and lives of children should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. No ifs, ands or buts. No plea bargaining. No deals. No insanity pleas. The act committed is the act that should be punished. It’s sad that our justice system is so flawed these days. We protect those who commit these acts.
They laugh in the face of our justice system. They mock the foundations of our society. They mock us and they mock God. They’ll pay for it some day.
But right now, only our kids are paying for it.
And that’s what makes me wanna cry.
Maybe it’s because I’m in my thirties, and finally growing up.
Maybe it’s because I’m finally becoming who God intended me to be.
But more and more news stories today make me sad. And most of it surrounds news with kids in the headlines.
I don’t know how many more stories I can hear of people harming children. Kids aren’t safe anywhere these days. Not in school. Not in church. Not in the home. Not in the womb.
I just read the gruesome details of a woman in a neighborhood near mine. As the story goes, times were tough for her and her children. They didn’t have water. She was working at McDonalds to make money. She was afraid protective services were going to take her kids away.
And she snapped.
Apparently she told her sister she was going to the ends of hell, and she thinks she ate some people.
She went and got a knife and chased down her daughters. She killed the 8 year old first, and then her 2 year old. Then she stabbed the 3 family pets to death in their kennels, and finally the family pet mouse.
And she sat in the trailer with the bodies for a couple hours.
Her sister finally showed up concerned, found out what happened and called 911.
From the news report I saw, she was defending her sister at the police station. She was saying something to the effect of that not being her sister but some psycho woman.
I don’t care if she was psycho or not. Murder is murder. And children are the epitome of innocence. How can someone…..a mother….kill a child? This was her flesh and blood. How can she kill the pets who were sitting in their kennels?
Last night I saw a news report of children….young children being sold overseas as sex slaves. How twisted and evil can a human be? This was preceded by a report about online sex predators and the young teens and children they prey upon.
It makes me wanna cry.
Look at this world today. It’s scary. I want to have kids, but I will never be able to protect them from everything. Kids hardly have anytime to be kids anymore. We have to teach them not to talk to strangers. By age 5 we’re teaching them to not let an adult touch their private areas.
I have 4 nieces and 3 nephews, with one on the way. I love them with all my heart. And that same heart breaks when I hear news like the stories I mentioned earlier.
God has such a heart for children. Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me….” when people were trying to keep the children from him.
Psalms 127: 3 says Children are a gift from the Lord.
Have you ever had a little one fall asleep in your arms? Have you ever had a little on tell you they love you? Have you ever seen the bottom lip of a little on quiver, only to have the tears wiped away and smile take its place?
Taking the innocence and lives of children should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. No ifs, ands or buts. No plea bargaining. No deals. No insanity pleas. The act committed is the act that should be punished. It’s sad that our justice system is so flawed these days. We protect those who commit these acts.
They laugh in the face of our justice system. They mock the foundations of our society. They mock us and they mock God. They’ll pay for it some day.
But right now, only our kids are paying for it.
And that’s what makes me wanna cry.
I don't get it
Time to vent a little.
It’s just a little thing, but something that got me going. I heard the other day that the Masterfoods company is going to stop marketing snack foods to kids 12 and under due to fear of government regulations.
Apparently there is a link between marketing food to kids under 12 and obesity.
What about this link?
Kids don’t do anything these days. They eat junk, not because it’s marketed to them, but because it’s given to them. And then they sit in front of the TV or computer and play games.
No exercise at all.
Yes, I’m speaking in generalizations. Not all kids are obese. But it is a growing problem (pardon the pun).
Now that I’m at the are where I have started saying, “I remember when……” I remember when I was young. I ate a lot of junk food, and have the cavities to show it. The thing is, it was monitored and I was going to exercise a lot of it off. We rarely got a candy bar to munch on, and snack time was portioned out and only after dinner.
When fruit snacks came out, we got a pack. Not packs. We couldn’t down pop at our leisure. Again, we got to drink it, but it was portioned out. As bad as my eating habits were, I learned how to handle my portions. Eat til your full, not til your uncomfortable.
When are we going to stop asking for government regulations on things, and start regulating ourselves? It’s insane that the government would even consider regulating food. It’s insane that people are asking the government to regulate food.
Another big thing is the ban of transfat in cities, due to health issues regarding too much transfat in our diet. Now, I agree it’s not best for us, but are you kidding me?! I can’t have a plate of fries or some potato chips because of the transfat? An occasional side of fries is not going to kill me.
I understand the smoking bans. It effects other people. I understand the alcohol and drug regulation. The overindulgence of alcohol can lead to drunk driving, bad behavior, unwise behavior, etc. It doesn’t have to, but it often does.
But how does junk food effect other people? What? They might overlap seats?
Come on!
You can’t legislate morality and you can’t legislate good decisions. This is not the government’s job. Really, all you can do is educate. If people knew what exactly it was doing to their bodies, they should not partake or at least partake less of it.
Why don’t they regulate caffeine? They aren’t making Coke sell only no caffeine Coke. They aren’t regulating Red Bull and energy drinks that have documented side effects.
Maybe I’m insensitive. I don’t know. But I should be able to determine what I want to eat. Don’t penalize me because a few lazy people out there don’t know how to use the off button on their appetite.
The companies that do this are only meeting the demand for their products. If people had healthier demands, the companies would adjust. They always do. They follow the money.
I offer a solution to the unhealthy world out there. Push away from the table. Limit your portions. How often do we say “I shouldn’t have another helping or another handful”, but do?
Bottom line is this gets down to thinking and acting responsibly. If we acted and ate more responsible instead of irresponsibly we’d be better off. Acting irresponsibly leads to problems and then to excuses.
If Americans were truly concerned about transfat and obesity, we’d watch what we eat. Instead we take it all in, get fat and unhealthy, blame the makers of it, and get the government involved.
Ah yes. The American way.
It’s just a little thing, but something that got me going. I heard the other day that the Masterfoods company is going to stop marketing snack foods to kids 12 and under due to fear of government regulations.
Apparently there is a link between marketing food to kids under 12 and obesity.
What about this link?
Kids don’t do anything these days. They eat junk, not because it’s marketed to them, but because it’s given to them. And then they sit in front of the TV or computer and play games.
No exercise at all.
Yes, I’m speaking in generalizations. Not all kids are obese. But it is a growing problem (pardon the pun).
Now that I’m at the are where I have started saying, “I remember when……” I remember when I was young. I ate a lot of junk food, and have the cavities to show it. The thing is, it was monitored and I was going to exercise a lot of it off. We rarely got a candy bar to munch on, and snack time was portioned out and only after dinner.
When fruit snacks came out, we got a pack. Not packs. We couldn’t down pop at our leisure. Again, we got to drink it, but it was portioned out. As bad as my eating habits were, I learned how to handle my portions. Eat til your full, not til your uncomfortable.
When are we going to stop asking for government regulations on things, and start regulating ourselves? It’s insane that the government would even consider regulating food. It’s insane that people are asking the government to regulate food.
Another big thing is the ban of transfat in cities, due to health issues regarding too much transfat in our diet. Now, I agree it’s not best for us, but are you kidding me?! I can’t have a plate of fries or some potato chips because of the transfat? An occasional side of fries is not going to kill me.
I understand the smoking bans. It effects other people. I understand the alcohol and drug regulation. The overindulgence of alcohol can lead to drunk driving, bad behavior, unwise behavior, etc. It doesn’t have to, but it often does.
But how does junk food effect other people? What? They might overlap seats?
Come on!
You can’t legislate morality and you can’t legislate good decisions. This is not the government’s job. Really, all you can do is educate. If people knew what exactly it was doing to their bodies, they should not partake or at least partake less of it.
Why don’t they regulate caffeine? They aren’t making Coke sell only no caffeine Coke. They aren’t regulating Red Bull and energy drinks that have documented side effects.
Maybe I’m insensitive. I don’t know. But I should be able to determine what I want to eat. Don’t penalize me because a few lazy people out there don’t know how to use the off button on their appetite.
The companies that do this are only meeting the demand for their products. If people had healthier demands, the companies would adjust. They always do. They follow the money.
I offer a solution to the unhealthy world out there. Push away from the table. Limit your portions. How often do we say “I shouldn’t have another helping or another handful”, but do?
Bottom line is this gets down to thinking and acting responsibly. If we acted and ate more responsible instead of irresponsibly we’d be better off. Acting irresponsibly leads to problems and then to excuses.
If Americans were truly concerned about transfat and obesity, we’d watch what we eat. Instead we take it all in, get fat and unhealthy, blame the makers of it, and get the government involved.
Ah yes. The American way.
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