Reversing Discrimination

Some firemen up in New Haven, Connecticut filed a lawsuit a while back that was finally settled today. They said they were passed over for promotion because of the color of their skin. One of the plaintiffs scored higher than anyone else on the captain’s exam that year, but his test along with 13 others was thrown out.

I know, you’re sitting there saying it’s typical racism, that black people are being discriminated against as usual. Well, the people passed-over for promotion were 13 whites and 1 Hispanic. Their tests where thrown out because not enough minorities scored well enough to be promoted.

It amazes me how our country bends from one direction to the next. We’re trying hard not to be racist, but we’re not actually stopping the racism, we’re just applying it to someone else.

The thing that bothers me is that every story I’ve read about this over the past few years has referred to the incident as “reverse discrimination.” This ticks my clock because there is no such thing a “reverse” discrimination. There is only discrimination, it's the same no matter who you apply it to.

Saying there is such a thing as reverse discrimination implies that only one race can be discriminated against, and everyone else is racist, like they are the only people who can commit discrimination, and if the minority group does it, they’re just reversing the discrimination they’ve been suffering through.

Discrimination and bigotry are the same for everyone. No matter what race you apply it to it doesn’t reverse it.

God created all of us, and Jesus told us to love one another as He has loved us. He didn’t specify a color.

And yes, I'm bigoted... I love everyone the same.

“God, please help us to see each other as you see us, and love each other as your Son told us. Amen.”

Misunderstood?

It’s interesting how people think they know each other, when they really don’t. We read papers and articles and watch the news expecting these outlets will tell us the whole story, but then you slowly find out you didn’t really know everything. Take this artist for instance. The Charlie Chaplin picture was drawn when the artist was just 9 years old. Pretty impressive, huh? This artist grew up with art of every type, and became pretty well known for it. Unfortunately he was known for both good and bad things in his life. He was praised for his contributions to art until someone pointed a finger at him and said he did something wrong, then the media vilified him without trial, ultimately turning his life’s work into nothing more than a party joke.

He spent his later years defending himself from accusations that were never proven true, or false. But it was still a struggle, and took its toll. But seeing these drawings made me realize that I never really knew this artist. He was so much more than just a performer. He didn’t just sing and dance really well, he wrote songs that continue to be famous today, and will be part of our culture forever. Here’s a short list of some of the songs he performed that you probably didn’t know he actually wrote himself:

Billie Jean
Black or White
Bad
I Just Can’t Stop Loving You
Beat It
The Girl Is Mine
Remember the Time
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
Wanna Be Startin’ Something
Scream

There are more. A lot more, and I’m sure you’ve figured out who the artist is by now. I guess my point is that people are more than just what other people tell you about them.

RIP Michael Jackson

How to Win the Nobel Peace Prize In 12 Days

I've been reading about President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize today. To be honest, I was a little shocked. He's only been in office for 9 months, and he hasn't really done anything that has shown results.

I'm not alone, I've read several stories today that gave comments from around the world, and a lot of them are confused too. Even the President of another country said it was way too fast, that Obama hasn't had a chance to really do anything.

It made me wonder just how political this award is. But nothing really said like this article about how the nominations are done for the Nobel prize. It turns out that nominations we due just 12 days after Obama began his term in office.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2009/10/09/tommy-seno-obama-nobel-prize-win/

Is the Honeymoon Over?

I saw a skit on Saturday Night Live last weekend that really surprised me. Fred Arnison started the show doing his Obama impersonation, sitting in the Oval Office addressing the American people.

He begins by saying he was elected on a platform of change, but that people were saying the U.S. is starting to look like a Socialist country. He said that if we’re starting to look like a Socialist nation it couldn’t be his fault because if you check his record you’ll see that he’s hasn’t really done anything.

He then shows a list of things he was supposed to do with checkboxes next to each item under headings of “Done” and “Not Done”. The list was long, and included closing Guantanamo Bay, pulling out of Iraq, improving Afghanistan, Health Care Reform, Immigration Reform, Gays in the Military, Limits on Executive Powers, Torture Prosecution, and Global Warming. He then went through and checked every single item as “Not Done.”

To see an outlet like SNL spoof the president like this blew my mind. It gave a clear signal that the honeymoon is over, and Obama needs to start getting results or his popularity will suffer.

The one thing they left off the list was Obama’s promise that the $787 billion stimulus package would create 3.5 million jobs. The answer to that is also “Not Done,” and with the worst unemployment in over 25 years this wasn’t a promise I wanted to see unfulfilled.

To further add to Obama’s diminishing star, the Olympic Committee this week took the U.S. out of the running for hosting the 2016 Olympics in the FIRST round. Oy. The indignant shock in Chicago was palpable. They thought there was no way they could lose with Barack, Michelle AND Oprah personally going over there to make the presentation. The Olympic Committee wasn’t impressed though, and it’s a shame because I was really hoping the U.S. would get the Olympics again.

Personally I’m glad the honeymoon is coming to an end so maybe we can get real now. I hope that everyone, conservative and liberal alike will now start holding the president accountable for results. We really need some.

“God, please bless the president and his family. Help strengthen him and guide him during these difficult times in our country, and let your light shine through it all. Amen.”

Shrouded

I read an article today entitled “Scientist recreates Turin Shroud to show it’s fake.” I chuckled when I read the title because I thought it was pretty stupid to say that just because they can make one that looks like the original that it means the original is a fake. That’s like saying if we can create fire by rubbing two sticks together like they did before matches then the original fire was fake.

To me, the disturbing part isn’t whether or not the shroud is a fake, I could care less, it’s that they’re touting this experiment as a means to take a shot at religion. They know they can’t disprove Christ completely, so they have to go after the next best thing: the religious icons.

Intelligent people understand that even if a religious icon is proven to be a fake, it doesn’t change the message of Christ. Unfortunately there are unsaved people out there that view this revelation to mean that Christians are liars, and now they’ve been found out.

It’s a simple tactic to chip away at the legitimacy of religion and scare people away from seeking God.

If you think I’m being paranoid, then think about the fact that the entire experiment was commissioned and funded by the Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics. Why would they go through such lengths to prove the shroud is a fake? What would be the purpose of an organization that doesn’t believe in God to spend a lot of money just to say “Ha! You’re religious icon isn’t real!”

This of course brings up the inherent problem of people putting stock in a religious icon as something of faithful significance.

Christ stayed away from that kind of stuff. His only ceremony was the last supper, and the only icon he presented, in my mind anyway, was washing his disciple’s feet.

But unfortunately various religions use icons as part of their belief system, and when someone debunks the icon, it leaves a hole in their faith, and brings doubt upon whether or not the god they believe in is truly real.

The Shroud of Turin is just a cloth with an impression on it. No one knows for sure if it was on Jesus or not, so the easy answer is to believe that it is not.

Stick with the things that are real, like the teachings of Christ. You can’t go wrong with that.

“God, the enemy never rests in their effort to keep people away from you. Help those of us who believe in your grace and glory to do a better job of making sure they fail. Amen.”

Reclaimed

My wife and I are members of the McNay Art Museum and were invited to a preview event for an art exhibit opening this week. The collection of paintings is incredible, and the story behind them is even more astounding.

Jacques Goudstikker was a man living in Amsterdam in the late 30’s who had a passion for art. He spent years collecting works of European old world masters and amassed a collection estimated to be 1,400 paintings which he displayed in his art museum. It included such works as The entrance to a harbor by Simon de Vlieger and Ferry Boat with cattle on the River Vecht near Nijenrode by Salomon van Ruysdael, to name a few.

Life was good. Jacques met and married Viennese opera singer Désirée von Halban Kurz in 1937, and they were the toast of Amsterdam.

Then the Nazis came to town. Jacques hid his family, and for a few months tried to smuggle things out of the country. But he soon felt it was too dangerous for them to stay in the country because you see, Jacques was a Jew.

Jacques and his family managed to get passage on a ship out of the country. Unfortunately most of his relatives decided to stay, and died at Auschwitz. But just as tragically, less than 48 hours after Jacques escaped the country he took a late night walk on the deck of the ship and fell through an open passage hatch and died.

Back in Amsterdam, the Nazis looted his museum. Hermann Göring himself came to the museum and took several hundred paintings.

For over 60 years Jacques family has been trying to hunt down the stolen collection. After WWII the paintings that Göring stole ended up in the hands of the Dutch, but for some reason they wouldn’t return them.

Between 1996 and 1998, Dutch investigative journalist Pieter den Hollander attracted international attention with his exposé of how the post-war restitution of stolen art often ignored the rights of the legal owners. But thanks to the efforts of many people fighting for the family’s rights, 202 paintings were returned to them in 2006.

These paintings are on display at the McNay until January 10th of next year, and they are stunning. Jacques daughter-in-law and grand daughter were there last night to give a presentation about the exhibit. Their story is compelling, and their work is far from over.

Interestingly enough, they said that most of the time when they discover some of their stolen artwork in European museums it is returned almost immediately now. The country that has given them the most problem is… you guessed it… the United States. They are battling several museums in California who refuse to return their paintings even when presented with positive proof of ownership. The one U.S. museum that did immediately return a painting that was discovered in it was here in Texas. It’s nice to know Texans respect other people’s property.

“God, war is never a good thing, and the events of WWII continue to affect us even today. I pray that we never let this happen again. Amen.”

What if it happened to you?

A judge in Switzerland denied Roman Polanski’s request to be released from prison today. I was amazed he even asked! Here’s a guy who did bad things to a child and then admitted it, but after being let out on bail he fled to France.

What disturbs me about this is how big Hollywood stars are clamoring for his release. What’s wrong with these people? He’s an admitted sex offender who fled from justice, and because he went to France and made some good movies he should get a pass?

I’d like to see how they’d feel if it had been THEIR daughter Polanski molested.

Just my two cents.

To the Moon!

It was 6:30am when my father came into the bedroom and woke up my two brothers and me. I remember being sleepy and wondered what was going on. He took us into the living room and sat us in front of the black and white television set and told us to watch. It was July 16, 1969, and a few minutes later I sat and watched the Saturn V rocket carrying Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins, and Buzz Aldrin blast off the launch pad and head towards the moon.

Although I thought it was neat to watch the space ship take off, I didn’t really understand the significance of what I was watching. My father did. He knew that history was being made and he wanted his kids to be able to say they witnessed it.

Four days later we all gathered around the television once again and watched as Armstrong set foot on the moon.

Today is the anniversary of that July day when mankind first set foot on another planet. It was a monumental achievement, and showed what we can do if we really set our minds to it. I will never forget that day, just like people remember where they were on Sept 11th.

Fortunately this isn’t a memory I ever want to forget.

The crew members of Apollo 11 are still alive, and they get together every five years to celebrate their trip. They are truly amazing people.

“God, we sit on our little Earth and gaze into the heavens and wonder what it’s like out there. It amazes me that you already know. Thanks for the great view though.”

Unfamiliar

I’ve been told that I’m an oddity in this world because I am unfamiliar with death. In the four decades I’ve been on this planet, I’ve been to the following funerals, in the order they happened…

My Great-grandfather.

That’s it. Seriously. My great-grandfather passed away when I was very young, and I barely remember it. That, besides an occasional passing of a pet, have been my only dealings with death. Until this past weekend.

My great-aunt, Syble, was 93 years old. She has been the closest thing to a grand-mother that I’ve had on my father’s side of the family. She has always been there for me, and is one of the sweetest persons I have ever met.

She had been ill for some time and was in the hospital. On Friday she became unresponsive and I left San Antonio in a hurry. It’s an 8 hour drive to El Dorado, Arkansas, and a lot of things should have gone through my mind, but I didn’t know what to expect, for I am unfamiliar with death.

I arrived at a cousin's home where there should have been at least ten relatives waiting, but instead I found an eerie stillness. Everyone was gone. I knew that didn’t bode well, so I went straight to the hospital. I arrived 15 minutes later to find that I was too late; Syble was gone.

I went to the waiting room where a lot of family waited. The tears flowed from everyone, including me. We were allowed to go into Syble’s room, and it’s hard to describe what I felt. There, on the bed was the woman that had spent hours telling me family stories, who had always baked a chocolate pie for me every time I came to visit, and had always loved me unconditionally. She looked frail. The end had taken its toll on her. She had simply had enough. It’s hard to put into words, because I am unfamiliar with death.

The next few days were spent hugging on family. We all told stories about Syble, and hugged each other some more. Friends came by with food. Lots of food. Eating is nature’s way of comforting us.

The funeral was difficult. Walking past her open casket for the last time I realized that it would be the last time I would ever see her, and the tears came once again. I wasn’t prepared for the range of emotions I felt, because I am unfamiliar with death.

I helped carry the casket to the grave site, and after a few words were spoken by the pastor, and people cried and hugged, we all left, leaving the funeral folks to finish their work. My family all met at a cousin's home and once again consoled each other. Some were saying that it was ok, because we would see Syble again in Heaven. That didn’t fill the void in my heart though, because she wasn’t there now.

Today as I left for home I stopped by the cemetery. The casket had been put in the ground, and it seemed like the loneliest place on Earth. How could we leave her there, so all alone?

The answer is in my faith. You see, leaving these bodies behind is just the beginning of a new life with Christ. Syble no longer feels pain, or gasps for breath. She has a new body and a new existence at the side of our Lord and Savior. There is no reason for me to be sad, and in fact I’m a little jealous that Syble is there with Him now. I’m happy for her, even in my grief.

Yes, I am unfamiliar with death, because Jesus broke the bonds of death, and now we have everlasting life.

"God, thank you for letting me be part of Syble's life while she was here. Please take care of her until I get there. I know she has more stories to tell me. Thanks."

Act your wage

I keep hearing about a recession that is supposed to be crippling America, and most of the world. I looked outside, but didn’t see it. I checked my garage, the cars are still there. I checked my savings account, yup, still something in it. I went to work and I still have a job. I went by the church and it’s still full of people. I got my paycheck and it’s still as much as it was last month. I drove to the Fiesta celebration and people are still participating. Hmmm. I can’t seem to find this recession.

I know I’m making light of this, and I also know that it has touched the lives of many people. I just wanted to make a point that it can be your choice not to participate in the recession.

The reason it hasn’t touched my life is because I’ve recession proofed my life. I live within my means and follow some very simple rules for using my money. Here they are:

1. Give faithfully. It is not a coincidence that the more I give to God’s work, the more I seem to be blessed with extra money at the end of the month.
2. Don’t live on credit. Americans have been sucked into the world of materialism so much that they think it’s “stuff” that makes them somebody. It doesn’t, you’re still the same person you were before you bought that cool car. But now you’re totally broke.
3. Save for a rainy day. The “rainy” days are here in the form of a depressed economy. But even if the business I work for is affected and I lose my job, I’ll be ok for quite some time because I’ve put money away to cover my expenses for several months.
4. Pay it off! Take steps to get rid of your bills. You can make extra payments on your loans and credit cards, you just make excuses why making the minimum payment is the only thing you can do. Bull biscuits! Just cut back on eating out a few times a month and you’ll have that extra house payment!
5. Put down the credit card and slowly step away from it! Seriously, either cut up the cards or learn self control. Because the alternative is what you’re experiencing now.

All this isn’t hard. It’s a matter of self control, something we Americans have little of. But I guarantee you’ll feel a whole new sense of freedom that you’ve never experienced once you’ve paid off your credit cards, your car, and even your house. Your view on life will change dramatically, I promise.

So live within your means, not your desires, and act your wage!

“God, thanks for your many blessings in my life. All that I have is yours, and I will do my best to be a good steward of it. Give me wisdom to use your resources wisely. And God, please help those who have been hurt by this recession. Guide our leaders to make wise fiscal decisions so our economy can grow, and give us strength to endure the lean times. Amen.”

The Freedom to Agree to Disagree

The stink being raised over Carrie Prejean’s answer to a question asked during the Miss USA competition is something I just have to say something about. So hang on.

First, Perez Hilton’s question was loaded. He thought that in the environment of the Miss USA pageant a contestant wouldn’t dare disagree with the gay lifestyle. He was expecting Carrie to say that same-sex marriages should be legalized. It would have given his agenda national coverage and he felt it would be a feather in his cap in the fight to normalize same-sex relationships.

He never expected Carrie to answer the way she did, and what bothers me is that she actually answered his question in a positive way. All you remember is the last thing she said, but do you remember the first part? The first answer she gave was that in this country we have the right to choose between same-sex and opposite-sex relationships. That was her answer related to his question and what she should have been scored on. But Carrie didn’t stop there, she went on to tell Hilton that she was raised in a family that believed marriage was between a man and a woman.

Hilton didn’t score her on the first part of her answer, instead he got mad and scored her on her personal beliefs, which shouldn’t be allowed in a pageant. He gave her a zero on the question and even admitted that before her answer she was the front runner in the competition. Hilton’s score helped push Carrie to second place.

The second thing I want to say is about how California’s state pageant directors Shanna Moakler and Keith Lewis treated their candidate for Miss USA. They both blew up initially and didn’t even greet Carrie after the pageant ended or bother to congratulate her. They said she was out of touch with her generation.

I disagree because over 7 million Californian’s voted against same-sex marriage in their state, so actually Carrie is part of the mainstream majority.

Moakler later twittered against Carrie saying “The MISS CALIFORNIA USA title is NOT supposed to be used to push your own agenda, that is NOT what pageants are about."

That’s funny because Hilton was doing just that! If Carrie would have given the answer he expected, they’d all be cheering for her. But instead Hilton is on his web site spouting hate speech that should be condemned. It was so bad that even CNN did a report on his hate speech and how it shouldn’t be allowed. That’s saying a lot when CNN denounces a gay liberal.

The point to all this is that Carrie Prejean is an American citizen and has the right to her opinion. She answered the question honestly, but now the left is berating her for being true to her beliefs.

I spent 21 years in the military defending people’s right to free speech, and I think it’s a shame when someone is attacked because of what they believe. I think both sides have a right to their opinion and should respect each other’s stance. People should accept that it’s ok to agree to disagree.

“God, give me the strength to endure these days. Help me to continue making a difference where I can, and lead others to you. Amen.”

Reaching across the world

There has been a lot of talk lately about president Obama visiting foreign countries. He’s taken a lot of criticism for bowing to the Saudi King and being nice to Hugo Chavez. People are saying that he’s running around the world apologizing for America and making us weak.

I’m torn on this. I believe our president should always show strength, but how will relations with other countries change if someone doesn’t offer a hand in friendship first?

Some believe we shouldn’t talk to people like Chavez because he’s a human rights violator and avid hater of America. He should come to us and apologize for hating us first. It’s the old “I’m not saying I’m sorry until he does first” mentality we had in grade school. It’s ridiculous and we need to change our mindset and think about making friends with someone like him, then maybe we could help change the way he treats his own people. It’s basic psychology: if you tell someone who hates you not to do something, they’ll do it to spite you. But if tell a friend, they’ll listen.

So I’m watching our new president with interest, trying to give him some leeway to see what he’s going to do with his turn in office. I like that he’s trying to talk to people who hate us. It’s the only way we have a chance to change how they see us.

For now I say go ahead and reach out Mr. President. Extend a hand of friendship, cautiously. Open doors that have been shut because of hard-headed Americans who think they don’t have to answer to anyone. The world is growing smaller, so we’d better get used to playing nice with others before we’re completely surrounded by countries who hate us.

“God, please give our president wisdom. Strengthen his relationship with you so that he will always turn to you first, and lead our country with a spiritual heart. Amen.”

Are You Ready?

Every once and a while I’ll catch a line in a movie or song that is very obscure in comparison with the entire movie or song, but it impacts me in a way that the author probably didn’t intend.

One of these moments was not too long ago while watching the movie “Joe Dirt.” I know you’re probably wondering what in the world could that movie teach anyone? It’s slapstick, low-brow humor about a kid who is abandoned by his parents and ends up living an interesting, as well as funny, life.

One scene shows Joe Dirt walking into a town where he encounters several local hooligans who take it upon themselves to pummel him. Its slapstick and they don’t really hurt him, but during the punching and shoving that Joe endures he says “Is this what you wanna be doin’ when Jesus comes back?”

He says it almost subliminally, but I caught it, and wow did it have an impact on me. “Is this what you want to be doing when Jesus comes back.”

That phrase has almost become my Mantra as I go through my daily routine. Is everything I’m doing each day something that would bring glory to God, or would I be embarrassed if Jesus suddenly walked in the room?

This simple line from a movie where a guy eats French fries off a giant ball of excrement he mistakenly thought was a meteor after an over passing airliner did a waste dump, has turned out to be an important piece of my Christian life. It’s amazing what can give us theological insights. Even from Hollywood.

So what are you doing today? Are you glorifying God in your actions and speech? Are the jokes you’re telling ones you would tell Jesus? Do you make excuses about your behavior and say it’s not that bad? Would you do what ever it is you’re doing if Christ was standing next to you?

I know I’m not perfect and I wouldn’t condescend to tell anyone how to live. I’ll just leave it with you to decide – is this what you want to be doing when Jesus comes back?

"For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.” I Thessalonians 5:4

Are you ready?

“Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice and washing away my sins. Help me to overcome the things that make me stumble, and give me strength to boldly act out my faith so when you return I will have no reason to hide my face from your glory. Amen.”

How Facebook killed the Blogger

I’ve been a blogger since 2007. It’s an enjoyable hobby, one that has helped me grow as a writer and given me an outlet for what might be deemed as insights. Of course that is a matter of opinion.

Then I joined Facebook. It’s a very interesting social network, and I find it almost impossible not to check it several times a day to see how all of my friends are doing.

The downside is that I seem to have much less to say on my Blog. I’m not sure why. I don’t write articles on Facebook because it’s not really the venue. But it seems that quickly jotting my thoughts in the box that says "What's on your mind?" has sucked the essayist right out of me. Does anyone else suffer from this? Or is it just my ADD mind needing quick and easy blurbs as apposed to semi-intelligent rants?

I will admit that my schedule has placed me in a position of less time for concentrating on insightful prose. Between work, church, school, and family I find I barely have time to sleep, let alone put together several paragraphs of text.

Or maybe I just don’t have a point to make anymore? Have I spoken my position so ardently that there isn’t anything else to say?

Tune in… I have a feeling I’ll find something worth commenting about that will force me to dance my digits across this keyboard again.

“God, I appreciate all that you give my mind to wonder about. I hope I don’t ask too many questions.”

Satan’s Bathtub – Part III

The never ending battle between me and the possessed swimming pool in my back yard continues this week. I tried something different this winter and closed the pool. Closing a pool seemed simple enough, just drain some of the water out of it and open the valves in case there is a freeze so any water in the pipes can expand. Then put the pool cover on it and that’s it.

I thought this would be better than running it all winter long. It would save electricity, and save me a lot of time checking chemicals and cleaning traps. Then at the beginning of the summer all I’d have to do is pull off the cover, close the valves and crank up the pumps. After a few days of balancing the chemicals it should be good to go! Right?

Wrong.

The first problem was that the pool cover wasn’t a true cover. It didn’t overlap the sides to keep out stuff, it’s just a large, industrial bubble wrap material you put on your pool to help keep the water warm. I didn’t think it would let leaves get through, but it did. It also let anything else through that happen to venture out on the cover… like a very unfortunate Possum. It must’ve been in there for several months because it was very, very dead. The stench when the cover was pulled off was horrendous, and the poor animal was so water-logged that it broke apart when it was fished out.

I finally got the cover off, and of course the water was dark green. I knew this would happen, but I didn’t take into account that the cover would let leaves get in. It let in A LOT of leaves, too. The leaves made the water even worse. It was like a stagnant pond. I scrapped leaves off the bottom for 3 days. There was about five large garbage bags worth.

I cranked up the pumps and dumped in a ton of chemicals, and after four days of cleaning traps, backwashing filters, and dumping in chemicals the water has finally reached a light green hue. It’s slowly getting there, but I learned my lesson. I will just run the pumps next winter!

Superheroes

Ever play superhero when you were a kid? Wouldn’t it be cool to have super powers and melt stuff with your eyes, or have bullets bounce off you? Unfortunately we grow up and life shows us that there are no superheroes. At least I thought there weren’t until tonight.

I went to the Kidney Foundation’s Gift of Life dinner and benefit that honored “living” donors. My brother-in-law Jim is a living donor. He gave a kidney to his friend Ollie. He met Ollie over 23 years ago when he was first getting sober. Jim is an alcoholic, and a few other things, back in the day. But he turned his life around and joined AA and found sobriety, and his version of God.

Ollie was there and helped him through it. He was recovering himself, and had been sober for about 10 years when they met. Their friendship grew as Jim became stronger in his sobriety. Ollie saved his life.

23 years later Ollie had been on dialysis for a long time. Without kidneys his health was poor. He was weak. Gaunt. His blood system was polluted and it made him very ill.

Jim couldn’t see his friend go through this, so he told Ollie, “Take one of my kidneys.” After a series of tests that confirmed a match, the doctors spent about 3 hours taking one of Jim’s kidneys and placed it in Ollie.

The Bible teaches us that there is no greater love than for someone to lay down their life for a friend. John 15:13. That kind of unselfishness seems foreign in this world of excess and “I gotta get mine.”

It was interesting sitting in a room of people who had donated a piece of themselves, who sat next to the person that received their gift. The love between them all was very evident, and their stories were astounding: a daughter who donated to her mother so that her own daughter would have a grandmother for just a few years more. A son who donated to his father because he knew it was the right thing to do to repay him for all that his father had done for him. A wife who gave to her husband, out of love. And a man who prayed for his friend to get a kidney, and then God told him “give him yours.” The stories went on and on about how these people gave of themselves.

And Jim, he unassumingly stood up and said, “It was the right thing to do. God expects no less from all of us.” He returned his friends kindness of 23 years earlier when he helped him into sobriety and saved his life. Now he had saved Ollie’s.

Superheroes. Yes, they really do exist. I sat in a room full of them tonight.

Life's Like That

I read an article by Jerry Bullock that I thought was very interesting. Check it out: Life's like that.

Political Strategerie

The GOP announced yesterday that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal will be giving the Republican response to President Obama’s address to Congress on Feb 24th.

They say he is a rising star, and the new face of the Republican Party. It’s the GOP’s bid to revamp themselves and appeal to a younger demographic. Jindal is being presented to America by letting him do this very important speech, and setting him up for a 2012 election bid.

I thought this was interesting for several reasons. First because I’ve never heard of this guy, and suddenly he’s the GOP’s new “it” guy. And second because they’ve abandoned Sarah Palin.

They kind of blame her for their loss last year, plus she has too much baggage. She’s been beat up by the press, which isn’t going to stop. Every perv in the country Photoshopped her face on scantily clad bodies holding guns and other things, which devalued her, and Tina Fey ripped her apart in her SNL skits. They can’t run Palin. She’s too venerable.

They looked at the election last year and saw a male minority become the President, so now they want to run the same play.

I also thought it was interesting that they waited until after the Academy Awards to announce this. I know, what do the Oscars have to do with politics? Think about it, the day after a movie from India wins 8 Academy Awards and becomes the number one feel good movie in America; they announce their new favorite person is someone with Punjabi heritage.

Am I reaching here?

I don’t want to take away from Jindal. From what I’ve read he seems like a real go-getter and a true conservative. I’ll have to wait to see what develops when the media gets a hold of him and starts digging up dirt though.

Personally I don’t care about race, color, or anything of that stuff. All I care about is their relationship with Christ. Unfortunately getting a Presidential candidate that is fully devoted to Christ would be like finding a live dinosaur. But I continue to hope.

Cup of Assassination

I love my wife. She always puts things in perspective for me. We were lying in bed the other night and I showed her a band aid on my arm.

Me: Look honey! I gashed my arm really bad today!

Kathy: What happened!? (She knew it was a tiny cut, but let me embellish my story)

Me: I was emptying the dishwasher and as I was putting a coffee cup in the cupboard it slipped out of my hand and shattered on the counter and a GIANT piece flew up gouged into my arm!!!

Kathy: Oh no!? Which cup was it?!!!

Aaah, wedded bliss. LOL.

We celebrated the 5th anniversary of our nuptials last week. It’s gone by fast, and I thank God for blessing me with her presence in my life. She is everything that I am not, and she keeps me balanced.

I have never doubted that she was the right person for me. I’d been single for 12 years after a failed marriage, and every relationship was bad during that time.

Then I found Christ. Or rather He found me. He knew I was incapable of having a real relationship apart from Him. It wasn’t until I gave my life to Him that He allowed me to meet my soul mate.

God works in His own time. I don’t know why he came into my life when He did. I’m sure most of it was because I kept ignoring Him. But since then I have experienced a wondrous spectacle of miracles and changes in my life. The least of which is my beautiful, loving, wonderful wife.

I don’t know what took me so long to see Christ. All I know now is that I spent the first 40 years of my life running away from God. And now I will spend the rest of my life running towards Him.

“God, thank you for having mercy on me, and blessing me with such a generous, graceful woman. You really know how to pick ‘em!”

God's Stimulus Package

There’s been a lot of discussion about the recession and how we got to this place in American history. Fingers point in many directions from Fannie and Freddie, to the banking system, to individual and institutional greed.

It’s really about focus. We’re inundated every day with messages saying we need more stuff. Bigger, better, faster, and newer is what we need. You have to be cool and wear the latest fashions, carry the coolest cell phone, and live in a bigger home.

We’ve lost focus of letting God provide. I know it’s hard. Trying to maintain this focus in our society of excess is difficult, but we give in to it all too often. The old saying “whoever has the most toys… wins” is typical of why our economy is so jacked up, and indicative of how the enemy blinds us to the truth.

We’re in a recession because of greed. Excess. A need to be validated by owning the latest and greatest stuff. People buy a house bigger than they need, then they fill it with so much stuff that they have to park in the driveway because their two car garage has to be used as a storage shed. Then they default on the loan because they couldn’t afford any of it in the first place.

We need to regain our focus on what really matters and stop letting the enemy blur our vision.

So don’t be fooled. Let God provide and use His money for the things that matter.

Live a life of interest, not excess.

“God, you know what I really need in my life, and I trust you to provide. Please give me the wisdom to use your blessings wisely. Amen.”

Replacing Hope

The other day I dusted off some old recordings of music I produced long before Christ came into my life. A line in one of the songs says “In my life it seems, I’ve had to sell my dreams, just to pay off all my hopes.”

I don’t remember what my frame of life was when I put that line to paper, but it struck me as odd. Odd because hope isn’t really something I do anymore. I’ve replaced it with prayer.

Hope is a simple human perspective. We’ve all used the word… “I hope it’s a good day,” “I hope I get a promotion,” “Keep hope alive!” In one fashion or another we’ve all hoped for something.

But if you think about it, the act of “hoping” has never made anything come true. But on the other hand, prayer has.

Jesus once said “But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted!” John 15:7.

Let’s see “hope” do that.

Hope may be an action, but prayer produces action. So replace hope with prayer, and the next time you feel like hoping for something, pray for it instead.

Talk to God, I guarantee you will see results.

“God, I pray for a good day today. Thank you for listening to me. I know you give according to my true needs. Everything I receive is from you, everything I have is yours, and everything I am is because of your grace and love. Amen.”

Cell Phones and Driving: the new Drinking and Driving

The National Safety Council came out today and said talking on a cell phone while driving should be banned, even with a hands-free device.

I have to agree that talking on a cell phone while driving is dangerous. I’ve almost been run over on my motorcycle a few times by drivers who were too busy talking on the phone to realize I was there. Luckily I’m prepared for this kind of event and have my idiot radar on full-blast when I’m on my bike.

I don’t agree that using a hands-free is dangerous though. Think about it, how is this any more dangerous than talking with someone who is sitting in the car with you? Actually, it’s safer because think about what you do when you talk to someone… you LOOK at them, right? With a hands-free device you’re not distracted by looking at a passenger, and you can concentrate on the road and have the same conversation.

So the answer is… ban passengers.

Just kidding, the answer is that you can’t police morons with licenses. Someone is going to use a cell phone whether they’re legal or not. They’re ingrained in our society now.

What they need to do is figure out a way to disable the ability to text message while you’re driving! Seriously, all phones should be paired with your vehicle so texting is automatically turned off while the engine is running. It blows me away to see someone going down the road typing a text message while going 80 MPH through heavy traffic. All I can think of is how I hope they’re an organ donor, and that hopefully there will be something left to donate after the crash.

I can remember the phone in our house when I was a kid, had a rotary dial on it! Now I not only have several wireless house phones, but I also carry two cell phones: one for work, and one for me. It’s pathetic, really. But I can’t help it, I’m a 21st century, wired kind of guy.

Let the Son-shine In!

It’s impressive how people change once they let Christ into their lives. I’ve always been a pretty friendly guy, but something happened while in Houston yesterday on business that really had an impact on me.

I entered an elevator with one other very solemn looking person on it. He was only going up a couple of floors, and I was going higher, so our conversation was brief. It went like this:

Me: Good morning sir, how are you today?

Him: I’m ok, how are you?

Me: I’m doing very well, thank you. Happy Friday!

Him: (laughing) Thank you, I'm sure glad this week is over.

Me: (smiling) Yeah, it’s pretty hard to screw up a Friday.

Him: (smiling) That’s true!

Elevator doors open, he starts to step out.

Me: Have a great weekend sir!

Him: You too. (he suddenly looks back) I wish everyone could be as nice as you are. Thanks for making this a better world.

(doors close)

I pondered that for a minute. I guess I don’t really critique my own behavior that often, so I didn’t realize my interactions with other people had any affect on them.

I realized that it wasn’t really me, but Christ shining through me that enabled my spirit to be happy and my contact with others to be pleasant.

It’s joy. The joy of having Christ in my life. I don’t view people the same way I did BC. I love people now. All people. Well, most people, I’m not Christ. But I really have genuine affection for everyone around me, something that could not be possible without the Holy Spirit dwelling in me.

Make a difference in someone’s life today. Let the Son shine through you and rub off on someone else.

“Jesus, I continue to be amazed by how you change me. Thank you for giving me a new way of looking at the everything, and help me to always do my best to make this a better world. Amen."