Danny's Stories

The Blame Game

2011-12-12T13:51:00.000-06:00

I’m a big Dallas Cowboy fan. I have been since Eddie LaBaron was quarterback and as a Jr. High football player I could get end zone tickets for 50 cents each at the Cotton Bowl. At halftime we’d move on over to the 30 yard line since Dallas didn’t always draw big crowds in 1960. I was a fan before they became “America’s Team” in 1978. I’m still a fan after the defense blew another one last night against the “Giants”.

Most fans like the game but they know little about the strategy or can look at a game in its entirety to see why a team wins or loses. Unfortunately even “football savvy” analyst who are ex-ballplayers don’t help with their bias commentaries.

Dallas lost the last two weeks with a chance to win or tie on the last play of the game. One, the coach “iced” his own kicker before a crucial field goal. The last one the opposing coach called a timeout that allowed the defense to adjust some things and block a kick. Many “fans” say that lost the game for the Cowboys. But in actuality they were only the last thing that cost the game. A game is 60 minutes long with approximately 30 different activities happening at the same time on the field at the same time; a dropped touchdown pass, overthrowing a receiver, a penalty that negates a long gain or big loss, a missed block that kept a first down from happening. These are all events that can “cost” a team the game, however they are really not noticed much unless they are one of the last events on the field.

However, the biggest game in the contest is the “Blame Game”. Everyone wants to find someone to blame for the loss; the kicker, the quarterback, the defense, the offensive line, the coach. Coaches who never set foot on the field are fired because the players can’t get it together. Players are criticized by the media, officials are raked over the coals and owners are told what to do by people looking for someone to blame. After all, we have to blame someone when things go wrong, don’t we?!

Unfortunately, Christians and churches are like that. When attendance is down we look for someone to blame. When contributions are low we look for someone to blame for their lack of giving. When things don’t go right we look for someone to blame.

In most cases the thing that we base our blame on is usually the most current event happening. In reality the problems may have been brewing for a long time. They are issues that have built up over time. The last event is the one that just took it over the edge.

So who do we blame when things go wrong? Who do we point fingers at to point out their faults? Who do we put up on the pedestal of shame?

Maybe the answer is not in who we blame but in how we approach things. Jesus once stooped down and wrote in the sand next to a woman who had been brought to him for being an adulteress. He spoke the words, “let he who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” In another place James asks the question about why should be concerned about the speck in our brothers eye when we have an entire plank in our own.

Everybody has a job to do and sometimes we make mistakes. Some of these mistakes will cost us dearly, while others will be of little consequence. So first if we are involved we should look at ourselves and see what may have done by “me” to contribute to the problem. If we have problems then let’s fix them. Second if we can’t do anything about it fill people with encouragement instead of blame and humiliation.

Most of all let’s just quit looking for a scapegoat and get on with the task at hand not waiting until the final play of the game to try and pull out from all our mistakes. That might just be too late.

God vs. “Dead Dudes in the House”

2011-11-07T16:47:00.000-06:00

My brother-in-law and I sat down late one evening and began watching a 90’s horror movie entitled “Dead Dudes in the House”. The basic story is about these kids who come to fix up a house and are killed off one by one. However, they always come back as zombies and have to be killed again. It was so bad that we laughed all the way through it. I noticed it on line and saw where people were giving it an average of 4 ½ stars out of five on some sights! Four and a half!!! I would have had a hard time giving it one, but it was so bad it was funny.

Then I noticed something else. Moves like “Fireproof”, “Courageous” and “Seven Days in Utopia” were struggling to get 3 stars. God was definitely losing out to zombies. Faith and perseverance were fading in the light of blood and creepy killers. “Too much God and religion” was the theme that I was reading over and over. God was definitely fighting a losing battle, especially with the critics. This only confirmed why I pay no attention to the critics when I watch a movie.

It brought back memories of when “Silence of the Lambs” won best picture over “Beauty and the Beast”. I’ve seen “Silence” once. That was enough. “Beauty and the Beast” is in our film library. I never like movies where evil wins out.

I don’t always agree with movies with “religious” themes especially the endings; however it gets to me when I hear people so ready to criticize a movie which promotes good morals and offer complete acceptance to a movie that haunts the mind with terror and misery. Life may not be all that a “God” movie portrays, but neither is it a world full of cannibalistic serial killers. The choice that we can make is with what do we want to fill our hearts and minds?

I guess that’s why I like the old black and white movies. Sure they are sappy at times and make you shed a tear here and there. The endings usually end up on a bright note even if the real life event didn’t. But the majority of times the good guys won. More often than not the guy in the white hat saved the girl often without killing anyone. Lassie always came home, the Babe always hit the home run and the right guy always got the girl. I can watch them over and over and over because when it’s said and done, I always feel good afterwards.

Paul wrote to the Colossians, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” I believe he said this because he knew that what is on our minds is also on our hearts. If we fill our hearts and minds with God there is no room for Satan. He later told the church in Philippi, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -think about such things.”

I’m not sure why I wasted my time with “Dead Dudes in the House”. I guess it was more the fun of my brother-in-law and I having too good a time laughing and joking about it. I know one thing for sure and that is that there was nothing lovely, right, praiseworthy or pure about it.

Halloween: Behind the Masks

2011-10-26T16:08:00.000-05:00

When the knock came on the door just as it was getting dark I was taken by surprise when I saw two people about my size staring at me through plastic masks covering their faces. I was around three and it was the first Halloween that I remember. I remember at that point my mother decorating my face with rouge and lipstick so I would look like a clown; then we went to about a half dozen neighbors for my first “trick or treat” experience.

Nowadays when I open the door there are witches and goblins, ghosts and ghouls, clowns and princesses and stormtroopers and super heroes. Masks cover their faces as they portray some fictional character they have come to know.

I know there are some who don’t like Halloween. I’ve heard preachers preach against dressing up as ghosts, witches and monsters. What effect will this have on our kids! Well, in my opinion, if it means anything, not much. You see I’ve been passing out candy now for close to fifty years, about the time I was too old to go collecting it for myself. I have greeted many a ghost, skeleton, princess, pumpkin, monster and such at the door. Some of them have been scary and ugly while others have been cute or pretty. What I’ve found out that almost without exception, no matter how they looked on the outside every one of them told me “thank you” when I put candy in their bag, even the big ones!

You see who we are is not based on our outward appearance it’s what is in our hearts that counts. Without a mirror I can only see myself from the inside, so I don’t really know what you see when you look at me physically. Maybe you see mustard on my mouth, messed up hair or a scar where I had chickenpox as a child. You can see it, I can’t. But no matter how I look on the outside that doesn’t matter as long as you see the true me when I say “thank you”.

Oh wait! Remember the masks? What bothers me much more than Halloween masks are the masks that people wear on Sunday morning. These are those that have a pretty mask on that makes them look like Jesus for a short period of time. Then on Monday morning the mask is removed and they retreat back to the ways of the world. The face may look okay but the heart has a long way to go.

The word “hypocrite” actually refers to an actor, one who wears a mask. It is someone who is playing a part by looking and acting differently than they are on the inside.

Jesus confronted the Sadducees and Pharisees and told them, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” (Matthew 23:25-28)

If I get right to it, I’d rather be told “thank you” by a ghost or kind witch anytime over the other. Mainly because behind the ugly mask usually lies a beautiful heart.

One Hour

2011-10-13T10:54:00.000-05:00

Courtesy Clker.com

Cade was born this week. Born with a major birth defect his life on this planet would be short; approximately one hour. But for that one hour Cade knew that he was loved by so many people. In that one hour a family was able to pour out their affection to their little boy.

On December 26^th of this last year I spent an hour with my mother. She didn’t know me but Kathy and I sat by her and my dad as he held her hand, kissed her and sang to her. Before we left I leaned over kissed her on the forehead and said, “I love you mom.” That was the last hour I would ever spend with her.

An hour seems like such a short time, but to some it’s a lifetime. These two events got me to thinking. How do I spend the hours that God has given me?

Phil Ware illustrated in a sermon not long ago how many days we have with our children before they are grown. We can use the same analogy with life. The average lifespan is 78.7 years as of a 2009 study. That gives us a total of 689,412 hours in our life more or less. I’ll be 64 next month so that gives me around 128,772 hours left on the average, Lord willing. Take from that the fact that sleep, getting ready for bed and getting ready when I get up will take about 9 hours a day or 48,290 hours I have 80,482 hours left. I’ve already used up including the future bedtime hours close to 90 percent of the time God has given me.

So the question is how do we plan to use the hours left that God has given us?

Again, what would you do if you knew you only had one hour left?

Watching TV? Arguing over some silly subject? Complaining? Sleeping?

Or…

Is there someone you’d like to call and tell them you love them?

Is there someone you’ve been working with on a problem that you’d like to help one last time?

Is there someone who isn’t a Christian with whom you’d like to share the gospel?

Is there someone with whom you need to make things right?

Would it be to take care of one final need in the church?

Would it be to be around those that we love and know love us; surrounded with God’s affection and the love of our family and friends.

How often do we wish we could go back and change the last hour with someone? To love more? To encourage more? To change what we said or what we did?

One hour.

Sixty minutes.

Thirty-six hundred seconds.

You know what? This could be our last hour. Any hour could be our last one. So we should make the most of it before the next 3600 seconds have passed. I’ve already spent over 1000 of those 3600 writing this. It’s a short time; then again maybe a lifetime.

Make your next hour count.

Tell someone you love them before it’s too late. Tell someone you care for them before the hour is up. Pick up the phone and call them. Go on Facebook and write on their wall. Email them. Go by to see them. Text them.

But do it before your hour is up. You may never get another chance.

The clock is ticking.

Leave Tomorrow 'Til It Comes

2011-10-03T16:04:00.000-05:00

Image from New Line Production of The Nativity Story

Several years ago there was a movie produced entitled “The Nativity Story”. As you can tell by the title this is a recounting of the story of the birth of Jesus. There is one scene in particular that has always stood out to me, mainly because I had always looked at the story as an outside observer but never through the eyes of Mary and Joseph. In this one scene Mary and Joseph have stopped for the evening. They are by a lake cooking a fish they had bought for supper and Joseph has just told Mary what the angel had told him about the conception of the child Mary was carrying. The young couple, scared about what the future may hold, is sitting talking when Mary asks a question.

Mary: “Do you ever wonder when we will know?”

Joseph: “Know? Know what?”

Mary: “When he is more than just a child? Will it be something he says? A look in his eye?”

Joseph: “I wonder if I will even be able to teach him anything.”

Of course we know how the story unfolds, but to this young couple it was something that they could only wonder about.

Life is that way to all of us. We never know what tomorrow may bring. We never know what will unfold as our story continues. Many of us take life with ease and even flow while others struggle and worry about what will happen next.

There have been many nights that I have opened my eyes at 3:00 a.m. and found myself wide awake. It's in those wee hours of the morning that it often creeps in. It takes me by surprise, but when it does I may lie awake for a good while. I hate it when it comes in. I hate it that it lingers around. I hate it that it often returns night after night. I wish it would go away and sometimes it does. I wish it didn't exist, but it pops its head up at these convenient times. It changes shapes. It changes ways in which it attacks. It's hard to shake off.

What is it?

Worry!

We all have things that weigh heavy on our hearts. We have issues in our lives that cause us to be anxious and wonder how we're going to get out of the undesirable place in which we find ourselves.

Long before "The Lord of the Rings" there was another little animated movie based on the Hobbitt. It was called "The Return of the King". It had several songs sung in the background. One of these was a little song that dealt with worry. It's entitled "Leave Tomorrow 'Til It Comes" by Glen Yarbrough. It's a simple song with a message that tells us to sleep easy; Tomorrow may help us look at things much more differently.

Leave tomorrow till it comes
Sleep will ease your mind.
With the dawn you'll find
Problems realigned a different way
Than yesterday.
Leave tomorrow till it comes
Time is moving fast.
Don't go pushing past
Endings of the day
Till yesterday.

Tangled dreams unfold
And webs may disappear
Stories are retold
And cloudy thoughts will clear.
Leave tomorrow till it comes
Sleep will ease your mind.
With the dawn you'll find
Problems realigned a different way
Than yesterday,

The key to making it through these times is to remember that “The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts in Christ Jesus”. If we do this then we will always know how the story will end.

Reminders of the Cross

2011-09-15T20:34:00.000-05:00

Laminins are major proteins in the basal lamina also called the basement membrane, which is a protein network foundation for most cells and organs. The laminins are an important and biologically active part of the basal lamina, influencing cell differentiation, migration, adhesion as well as phenotype and survival. Without Laminin we could not live.

Far out in the universe there is a spiral galaxy much like the one in which or planet exists.

If you travel to the center of the galaxy you'll find a black hole. In the black hole you'll see this.

Coincidence? Maybe...

By Plan? Again, maybe...

However they got there it's interesting that no matter where you go in the universe, from inside our own bodies to the far corners, you can never get away from the Cross.

It's a message that will be there for generations to come.

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18

Collision Course

2011-09-07T09:30:00.004-05:00

I believe it was Marshall Keeble who used to tell the story about an air traffic controller. It went something like:

Atlanta Pilot: Houston, this is flight 115 coming in from Atlanta, requesting permission to land.

Houston: Yes Sir. Flight 123, you’re clear to land going west there on runway 29.

Atlanta Pilot: Roger that.

L.A. Pilot: Houston, this is flight 97 coming in from L.A., requesting permission to land.

Houston: Yes Sir. Flight 97, you’re clear to land going east there on runway 29.

L.A. Pilot: Houston, didn’t I hear you just tell flight 115 to land west on that same runway?

Houston: I guess I did, flight 97.

Pause

Houston: Ya’ll be careful, hear!

Life is like that. We never know when we may be on a collision course with some unexpected event. Most of these instances can be avoided, but there are instances when we have no control over what occurs.

People react in all sorts of ways when the unexpected occurs. Some get angry, others confused, some fall into depression and still others may just ignore it and go on. So how should we react?

How should I face the brick walls that seem so great I can’t get over or around them? What do I do when I come to the edge of a river that seems too wide to cross? These walls and rivers may be financial problems; they may be a devastating illness; they may be a family crisis; they may be a death.

The first thing we have to keep in mind is that we are never alone. Jesus promised “I am with you always”. We may feel abandoned at times. We may feel that God doesn’t care. We may feel alone. But in reality God is always there beside us ready to comfort us and help us safely land if we will only let Him. It is difficult to trust in someone we cannot see or hear, but he’s there just the same.

In the movie “Spirit of St. Louis” Jimmy Stewart is portraying Charles Lindbergh. As he struggles to land his plane in Paris, he becomes confused and disoriented. Fighting the lack of sleep, glaring lights and fatigue he finally blurts out in despair “Oh Lord, help me.”

So, when we are in situations that seem to be impossible to overcome we can call upon our Lord for strength and as Paul promised “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Timmy's Valetines...Love is Not Self Seeking

2011-08-16T00:41:00.000-05:00

When I was growing up one of our favorite times in school was Valentines Day. I remember my mom helping me decorate an old shoe box with crepe' paper and then we'd go out and buy a package of Valentines for me to give away. I had to be careful who I gave them to since you sure didn't want to give a girl in the second grade some mushy card. The exciting thing was to bring your box home and look at all the cards you received from your classmates.

I read a story of a little boy, Timmy we'll call him, who was not very popular in school. In fact he was made fun of and often left out of games and kids parties. When Valentines Day rolled around he couldn't wait to get his box and Valentines together. He took a long tedious time picking out the right Valentine for each classmate.

As he left for school the next morning he took care in packing the Valentines and carrying his box out the door and to the bus. His mother knew Timmy was not very popular and as he left she couldn't help but have a heavy heart knowing that he would probably get few Valentines from the other children. She decided that he would need some extra love when he came home so she spent the afternoon making cookies and waiting for Timmy to return home on the afternoon bus.

Finally the bus drove up and Timmy stepped off the bus with head bowed and shaking it back and forth. As he approached his mother she heard him mumble "not a one". At this her heart sank and tears began to well up in her eyes with concern for her disappointed child. As he approached her, he looked up smiled and said, "Not a one, I didn't forget a single one."

Love is not self-seeking. When we love the way the Jesus wants us to love it means that we want the best for others. It means that we are just as concerned about others feelings, others needs, others wants and others welfare just as we are ours.

When we think of others we hurt when they hurt, we rejoice when they are happy, we weep with them, laugh with them and truly want the best for them. Love that is not self seeking has no room for jealousy. It has no room for harboring ill will. It puts others ahead of ourselves. As a result it makes us a better and happier person.

A man once died and was given a tour of Hell. When he walked into the room he saw a long table with everyone sitting around it. The table was full of the most delicious food imaginable. The problem was that each person had one arm tied behind their back and a three foot spoon tied to the other hand. They were crying and angry because even with all the food it was out of their reach.

The man was depressed with the scene so he asked to see Heaven. When he walked into the room he saw the same scene, table, food, spoon and hand behind back. But they were all laughing and having a great time. The difference was that they were feeding each other.

Love that is not self seeking is love that feeds each other.

How Ruuuuude

2011-08-05T00:51:00.000-05:00

One afternoon I called the phone company to check on an issue with my bill. It was about a quarter before 5:00 when I called and was put on hold by their computer. The wait was to be several minutes and intertwined with the music was an occasional, " We're sorry for your wait. Someone will be with you shortly." This went on for fifteen minutes then at 5:00 the recording came on, but this time it was different, "Thank you for calling. Our office hours are Monday through Friday 8 to 5. Please call back during our normal business hours. I thought, "How Rude". I had patiently waited to talk to someone then was abruptly dismissed by an insensitive computer.

I genuinely despise rude acting people. I really feel sorry for restaurant waiters, clerks at return desks, customer service representatives and just about anyone who has to spend their day dealing with people on a personal basis. People can be rude at times, sometimes on purpose and other times out of frustrations. Of course the people behind the counter can also be just as rude to their customers.

I've been to restaurants where people complained about the prices, berated the waiter for slow service or because something wasn't cooked right. One time I was with a preacher at a breakfast and he was so rude that I almost changed tables rather than be seen with him.

I read the story of a man who went into the athletic store to buy a baseball bat for his son. He spoke rather rudely to the clerk and then realizing what he had done apologized to her. "I've been at the Department of Motor Vehicles all morning dealing with a rude lady over my auto registration and I'm sorry I've taken it out on you." The clerk looked at him holding the bat and smiled "Do you want this gift wrapped or are you going back there this afternoon?"

Love means that we treat people like we want to be treated. Waiters don't cook the food, clerks don't set the return policies and customer service reps don't make the products that are giving you problems. They are there just doing their job in spite of how they may be treated.

Unfortunately in today's society rudeness appears to be on the rise. People are impolite to each other. We make degrading remarks about people. We talked down to those that serve us. We're quick to tell people exactly what we think without giving their feelings any thought. We ridicule, cut down, demean and often have a "better than you" attitude. We are impolite, have bad manners, bad attitudes, yelling, screaming, griping complaining and display snobbish noses.

Love is not rude. In other words love treats people like people and not things. It approaches people with the feeling "I care about you". Love listens. Love opens doors. Love says thank you and you're welcome. Love shows appreciation. Love makes people glad they passed out way. Love is not rude.

Remember Rudy on "The Cosby Show"? When her friend would treat her wrongly she'd always say, "How ruuuuuuude." Just maybe if we started telling ourselves this every time we stepped out of line it would help us to make everyone else's world a better place to live.

As the old saying goes, "You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar." So trying being nice to each person you meet and see how it changes people's lives.

Do You Know Who "I" AM?

2011-07-21T12:30:00.000-05:00

In All the President’s Wit by Gerald Gardner he relates a story of a visit of Ronald Reagan to Mexico City. On one occasion President Reagan stood before a large crowd and gave a speech, which on conclusion he sat down to a rather unenthusiastic applause. The next speaker approached the podium and began receiving enthusiastic applause after just about every paragraph. Reagan, not knowing Spanish did not understand what was being said but joined the crowd in applause. After a bit to show his enthusiasm he began to applaud even before the crowd would start. At one point our ambassador leaned over to Reagan and said “I wouldn’t do that. He’s interpreting your speech.”

Pride is like that. Without meaning to we get caught up in ourselves; what we have; who we are; how important “I” am. It becomes all about us.

Years ago my wife, Kathy, worked for Public Relations at a Christian College. On one occasion she was in charge of booking people into motels and hotels for a lecture series that brought in thousands of people. All the nicer places had been booked when one prominent preacher called in late and asked for a room. She assigned him one that was available in what might be considered a 1 or 2 star motel nowadays. When he saw where he was placed he became angry and approached her saying “Do you know who I am?”

Bell Telephone performed a survey years ago to see what people talked about over the phone. It was discovered that the most used word in phone calls was the word “I”.

Love is not proud. This follows “Love does not boast”. Love doesn’t continually point to “me”. It doesn’t set “me” on a pedestal. It doesn’t make “me” the center of attention. It is less concerned about “me” and more concerned about “you”.

The second greatest commandment is to “Love your neighbor as yourself”. To do this we take pride out of the picture. Our focus changes to others instead of self.

I like the old saying “Be kind to people on your way up, because you’ll meet the same people on your way down.” When our lives are filled with pride and arrogance we cut relationships. It turns people away. The “better than you” attitude severs ties with those around us and basically asks people “Do you know who I am?”

Solomon wrote, “A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.”

In other words the only way to really love “me” is to love “you” more.

Stripes All Over - Love Does Not Boast

2011-07-11T14:43:00.001-05:00

In the ‘50’s there were a lot of stories still hanging around from the World War II years. I remember one in particular about three little boys. One day these three boys were sitting around and began to argue about their dads and the war. The boys were boasting, as we may have done ourselves, about how great their dads were during the war. Each boy wanted to do his best to outdo his buddies.

The first boy proclaimed, “My dad shot down 3 enemy planes and they gave him a stripe for it.” Not wanting to be outdone the second boy said, “That’s nothing, my dad shot down 4 planes and sunk a battle ship single handedly and got two stripes.” Finally the third boy sat up and smiled a huge smile, “My dad’s got both your dad’s beat. He robbed a bank and got stripes all over him.”

We all get caught into the trap of boasting from time to time. We proudly say, “Look at what I have”, “Guess where I’m going”, “Let me show you.”, “Let me tell you.” And so on and so on.

We all do it. I do it. In fact, let me tell you about my grand-daughter. I can open my wallet and show you her picture, let you look at my Blackberry or the background on my computer. She’s the prettiest, cutest, best grand-daughter anyone could ever have. Now that’s not boasting; that’s a fact!

So why does Paul say, “Love does not boast”? Simply it’s because when we boast of what we have it puts on an air of superiority over those who might not have what we have. It in a way is a way of belittling someone else by calling attention to what you have and how much better it is than what they have.

I’ve learned not to boast in certain situations. I’ve learned not to boast about my grand-daughter around certain people who have lost a grandchild or are older and don’t have any grandchildren. I don’t boast about what I have or what I’m going to do around people who are less fortunate than I am. Love means considering others feelings before you speak or act.

It’s interesting how this follows, “love does not envy”. In other words we learn to be content without desiring what others have and not boasting of what we have. In turn, both follow “love is kind”.

A man once owned a home and because his friends kept boasting of what they had, he became envious of them and decided to sell his home and buy a bigger one. He called a real estate agent who came and looked at his house and listed it on the market for him. He then proceeded to search the paper for a house he could be proud of and boast about. Finally he found one. The description sounded perfect, exactly what he wanted. He quickly picked up the phone and called his realtor. The realtor took his information to make an appointment, then paused and said, “Sir, that’s the house you’re living in now!”

Philippians 4:12 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

The Envious Eagle

2011-07-07T15:29:00.000-05:00

I once heard the fable of an eagle who was envious of another eagle who was larger and could fly much higher than he could. The only way to be the best eagle again was to have the larger eagle killed. So one day the eagle went to a bow hunter and showed him the great prize he could have if he shot down the eagle flying so high. The hunter agreed to but needed a feather for his arrow. The eagle obliged, giving him one of his feathers. The hunter shot an arrow that sailed high and straight, but fell short since the eagle was so high. The eagle again gave him a feather to try again. Again he failed. This continued on until the eagle had no more feathers to give and he, himself couldn’t fly. When the hunter saw the dilemma he saw his prize and turned and shot the eagle sitting beside him. The moral of the story was when you envy the only person you hurt is yourself.

Love does not envy. Envy goes beyond simple jealousy. It is the desire to have what someone else has no matter what the cost. Kind David did this when he lusted after Bathsheba and then had her husband killed to cover his sin and gain his prize. Cain did this when he killed Abel. Ahab did this when he had Naboth killed to obtain Naboth’s vineyard for his wife.

The opposite of envy is to be content. Contentment means that I can be happy with what I have no matter what everyone else around me has. I don’t have to have a house as big as yours. I can drive an older car while you’re in a newer one. I will not wish you harm because you are better off than I am. I will not wish ill on you because of your success.

Love means you want the best for others. You want them to succeed. You want them to be happy.

Two men were once stranded on a dessert island. In order to co-exist they divided the island in half and they lived separately. The two men knew their only hope was to pray. The first day they prayed for food. The next morning one man had an abundance of food and the other had only enough to sustain his life. The next day they prayed for shelter. The man who had all the food was given a grand place to live while the other was stuck to living under a tree. After a week the first man prayed for a wife and it was granted to him. The other man remained alone on barren soil with little shelter. Finally the first man prayed for a ship to come by and take his wife and him away from the island. The next day the ship arrived and the man and wife boarded the ship and decided to leave the other man behind.

As the ship sailed a voice came from heaven, “Where is your shipmate that was on the island with you?” The man said that the he did not deserve to be saved, which was obvious by none of his prayers being answered. “On the contrary,” the voice came back, “while you asked for food, shelter and a wife, he prayed that all of your prayers would be answered. It was his prayers that gave you what you had not yours.”

Love does not envy means we want the best for those we love and would do nothing to cause harm.

Love is Kind

2011-06-30T11:57:00.000-05:00

It’s interesting that “Love is Kind” follows “Love is Patient”. Several years ago a study was done by a TV program on how people respond behind someone at a red light that doesn’t go. In the study they had someone stop a car at a red light and wait for someone to come up behind them. When the light turned green the test car remained in position and did not move. They did this in three areas of the country, South, East Coast and West Coast. They started in a city in the South. The car behind waited through two red lights before just going around the car in front. On the West Coast the car behind waited through one light then honked their horn when the light changed green again. On the East Coast the car behind honked their horn as soon as the light turned. Patience and kindness often work together. I think that’s why Paul probably put them together.

Four years ago while I was making some hospital visits I went by the room of an older lady whose son was dying from AIDS. It was sad to see him wasting away and his mother with eyes swollen from tears watching him slowly dying. There wasn’t anything I could do for him but pray. Instead of just saying the prayer I reached out and took his hand. It was a surprise to his mother since most people were afraid to touch someone with a disease such as this. Not long after the young man died.

A couple of months ago his mother came up to me after Bible class. “I still remember and thank you for when you came to the hospital; took my son’s hand and prayed with us.”

It was a simple gesture, but an act of kindness that she cherished four years later. Kindness is one thing that can be given away and doesn’t have to cost us a dime. I remember the time that one of the ladies at church was too short for her feet to reach the floor. One of the men of the congregation saw this and decided to do something about it. The next time she came to worship there was a stool for her to rest her feet upon. She never knew who put it there.

We recently stayed at a hotel in San Antonio. As we left the first morning we left $5 for the maid and thanked her for doing so well in cleaning our room. We came back later that day and as we were leaving a housekeeper stopped us and asked if we were room so and so. We said we were and she proceeded to thank us for the gift.

Kindness may just be saying thank you to a waiter or waitress who serves you at a restaurant. It may be picking up merchandise on the floor of a store and returning it to the shelf. It may be holding a door open for someone or passing up a parking place so the people behind you can have it even if you have to walk an extra distance yourself. It may be waiting patiently as a new person is trained at the cash register or simply telling someone you appreciate how they helped you.

The writer of proverbs wrote, “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” A kind word can make a person’s day. It can give them hope that life is better than they thought.

The story is told of Abraham Lincoln visiting a battlefield hospital during the Civil War. He approached the bed of a soldier who was dying and who did not recognize Lincoln. The young man asked Lincoln to write a note to his parents expressing his love to them and his family. The young man weak and dying could say very little so Lincoln concluded the letter, “written for your son by Abraham Lincoln.”

The young man asked to see the letter and upon seeing Lincoln’s name apologized for not recognizing his commander in chief. Lincoln then asked if there was anything else he could do. He requested that Lincoln hold his hand during his final moments of life. Lincoln sat holding the young man’s hand until sunrise when the young man passed away. It was a simple act of kindness from the most powerful man in the country for someone he had known less than 24 hours.

Simple acts of kindness are free to give and valuable to receive.

So today, hold a hand, open a door, and say thank you, praise good work, smile and share the gift of kindness with everyone you meet.

Next Week: Love Does Not Envy

Love is Patient

2011-06-23T11:02:00.000-05:00

I was feeling really good when I drove into the bank drive-in. There were six lanes open with two cars in each. As I drove up one car went on through so I pulled behind the single car. Fifteen minutes later I was still sitting in the same spot. All the other lanes had fulfilled the needs of the two cars in line and were now servicing the second influx of vehicles. By the time I moved up after twenty minutes of waiting I had seen more than a dozen other cars come and go and I think the leaves start to change on a tree or two.

So I decided from that point on to do a study of cars in the bank drive-in and see if there was a way to tell which line to choose. Through months of study I found out there are certain vehicles you avoid.

Never get behind a pick-up with more than just the driver if it’s a man. This is probably a construction crew and each man wants to cash his check and they must all be done separately. Each man in the pick-up equals a car and a half. The half is because it takes longer to do cash transaction than a deposit.
Never pull up behind a mini-van driven by a woman with kids inside. This is a mother who is probably frustrated with everything that is going on and will probably not have her deposit slip ready. And when she’s done she’ll have to send the carrier back because all the kids will want a sucker.
Never pull up behind an automobile with a business sign on the side. These are normally business people who don’t want to go through the commercial line. Their deposits are usually large and take up the time of two or three cars.
Never get behind a full size vehicle with someone with gray hair. I fit the gray hair part but don’t drive a full size vehicle by the way. These are usually older people who need help filling out their deposit slip. In addition they don’t trust the teller so they make sure to turn off their engine and count all the cash before they leave. It also takes longer to get the driver’s license back in their wallet.
Never, ever pull up behind someone who is shaking his head. This means he knows what he wants and why he’s here. He’s done his duty by filling out his deposit slip, added everything correctly and just wants to get through. He’s shaking his head because the teller is new and has no idea what he or she is doing and wonders why the person on the driver license picture has different color hair.

So having all this knowledge I pulled into the drive-in, studied the situation and pulled up behind a vehicle that met my new criteria and proceeded to wait while all the other cars in all the other lanes went through before I did. It was at that moment I realized I needed to work on the one factor I had left out; my lack of patience.

Patience is a virtue that almost everyone struggles with at some time or another. It’s used 25 times in the New Testament and self-control another 5 times. The lack of patience is a result of our worrying about things or in many cases just being in too big a hurry. It comes mostly because we put ourselves in a tight schedule and leave no room for enjoying life around us.

Several years ago I heard a song by AGAPE that has always stuck with me:

Have Patience, Have Patience

Don’t be in such a hurry

When you get impatient

You only start to worry

Remember, Remember

That God is patient too

And think of all the times when others

Have to wait on you.

Now when I sit in line at the bank drive-in I tune to XM Radio Classics and listen to a story while I wait. When I sit in a doctor’s office for two hours past my appointment time I carry a book to read. When I stand in a long grocery line I laugh at the tabloid headlines and watch how people react and tell myself, “I use to be one of those”. I’ve learned to give myself an extra hour or two if I’m driving through Dallas on a Friday afternoon at 4:00 during football season.

But most of all I’ve learned to be more patient with people. They may not move as fast as I want them to, but that’s okay, sometimes I move slowly myself. They may have a hard time with change when I want it to happen more quickly, but sometimes it takes me longer also. Everyone moves at his own pace and I have to be patient with those all around me that are moving at different speeds whether faster or slower.

Paul said “Love is Patient”. He said that because people are more important than the entire hullabaloo that goes on around us. Learning to be patient forces us to be more aware of the world around us. Learning to be patient forces us to realize that people are people just like us who have good days as well as bad. Learning to be patient is an act of love.

So next time you feel a little impatience coming on remember the last line of the little song above, “And think of all the times when others have to wait on you.”

Next Week: Love is Kind

The Legend of Gelert

2011-06-02T10:00:00.000-05:00

Lying in a remote part of North Wales is a small community called Beddgelert with a population of only a few hundred. The one big attraction to tourists as they pass through the town is a well maintained grave. It’s the grave of a dog whose name was Gelert. On the monument is the story of how he came to rest in this place. Some call it fact while others call it a mere legend. Any way you look at it the tale inscribed upon the stone is a sad one.

"In the 13th century Llewelyn, prince of North Wales, had a palace at Beddgelert. One day he went hunting without Gelert, "The Faithful Hound", who was unaccountably absent.

On Llewelyn's return the truant, stained and smeared with blood, joyfully sprang to meet his master. The prince alarmed hastened to find his son, and saw the infant's cot empty, the bedclothes and floor covered with blood.

The frantic father plunged his sword into the hound's side, thinking it had killed his heir. The dog's dying yell was answered by a child's cry.

Llewelyn searched and discovered his boy unharmed, but nearby lay the body of a mighty wolf which Gelert had slain.

The prince filled with remorse is said never to have smiled again. He buried Gelert here".

It reminds me of another incident. One in which a man was beaten, scourged and hung on a cross when all he was trying to do was save those who killed him.

However, the monument left behind is not made of granite, but of flesh and blood. His followers, the church, stands as a reminder that we, His heirs, live because of Him.

“For the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Birds in the Church Building

2011-05-19T15:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday there was a bird flying around in the church building. It was just a common ordinary sparrow, but it reminds me of many other birds that I’ve seen in our building. Most of them come flying through during worship. Here are a few I’ve seen lately.

Punctual Late Landers

Capistrano has nothing on this type swallow that always or invariably lands in the services about 8-10 minutes late. It is uncanny how they can do it consistently and not be a second off! Mother Nature has perhaps provided them with a timing system that defies man’s description. It is too bad that it cannot be set up about 15 minutes so they could arrive on time. But alas! Nothing can be done; it seems, to hurry them up.

Scarlet Throated Blabber Beaks

A bird found in almost any church building during services. He roosts any place and is unconcerned about the rights and desires of others. His head swings to the right or left but seldom toward the front. His throat has the identifiable scarlet color from much chatter, and you will notice the smallness of his ears for he seldom listens.

Flocking Scribble Scratchers

When the sermon is of a serious nature, these strange fowls begin to scribble and scratch with pencil and pad writing notes hurriedly to each other in order to distract those nearest. They seldom speak though’ they are animated and make funny faces. They are known by the groups in which they congregate. It can be told where they have nested after services are completed because the janitor has to remove the trash from the general area. Color them purple with rage.

Roaming-Eyed Rifflers

This strange visitor to places of worship is not content with that which is transpiring but compulsively allows his eyes to roam about. Some varieties count bricks on the wall, cracks in the plaster, and panes in the windows or holes in the ceiling tile. Another variety (for which the group finds its distinctive name) is the riffler of song books. This type also has a deep interest in some dusty book of the Old Testament. A strange breed the Roaming-Eyed Riffler.

Chirping Beep Tweeters

This is a relatively new variety of fowl. They are almost unrecognizable but for the faint sounds that come from where they nest. The interesting thing is that most have distinctively different sounds: Some beep, some chirp, some buzz while others are completely silent. They are distinctive however in that though they sit perfectly still while their eyes are constantly moving up and down, but rarely forward with the tips of their wings moving at a rapid pace. Occasionally one will turn and interact with a Scarlet Throated Blabber Beak.

When you enter into worship with God, where are you really? Are you there communing with Him or are you flying around here and there like so many of these birds?

Psalm 29:2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

Oh! By the way there is one other bird in worship with which I have no qualms.

Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;

If you must be a bird in worship, be an Eagle!

Memories of Yesteryear

2011-05-11T15:55:00.000-05:00

I'm a nostalgic person. Kathy and I both like to go to flea markets, garage sales and antique stores searching for treasures from the past. Sometimes they'll be things I can sell on EBay but mostly it's stuff we like from the "old days". Most cost a buck or two, some less, some a little more. I don't live in the past but I like the memories that things can bring. So here's a little test of a few things for those moving on in years. See if they bring back thoughts from years ago...

1. Use _____ the foaming cleanser. Gets out stains even bleach can't reach.

2. You'll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with _________.

3. Let _________ put you in the driver's seat.

4. Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is. _____________ ____________.

5. See the USA from your _______________.

6. Oh, I wish I were an ________ _________ __________.

7. I'd walk a mile for a ____________.

8. ____________, a little dab a do ya...

9. Cigars, Cigarettes, ______________.

10. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____________ makes the very best......cho....colate.

11. The best of waking up is _____________ in your cup.

12. A Guy -- Who Drives -- His Car -- Wide Open -- Is not thinkin' -- he's just hopin' -- ______ ______

13. I want my __________.

14. _______ soap, the soap that floats.

15. Does she or doesn't she? _____________

16. You can trust your car to the man who wears the star. The big bright ____________ star.

17. The breakfast of champions. __________

18. I love _______ it's rich and choclaty

19 All the kids in the neighborhood say __________ ______ ______ are triple good

20. Mother's love it. Kid's ask for it by name. _______________

Things change. Every generation looks back at those things that remind them of their youth. We go to class reunions to see old friends who we may or may not recognize in a crowd as we once would. We watch old movies with people of different clothing styles and hairdos, we listen to old songs with words that only our generation relates to and visit places from our past that are overgrown with what were once small plants and in need of repair. Life goes on.

The one constant that every generation shares however is Jesus Christ. Worship styles may change. Buildings look more modern. Communication methods are different. It's not the same place our parents drug us to when we were little.

But inside with the unseen it is different. "Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday, Today and

Forever." With this we have no need to look back, only forward.

1. Ajax 2. Pepsodent 3. Hertz 4. Alka-Seltzer 5. Chevrolet 6. Oscar Meyer Weiner 7. Camel 8. Brylcream 9. Tiparillos 10. N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestles 11. Folger's 12. Burma Shave 13. Mapo 14. Ivory 15. Clairol 16. Texaco 17. Wheaties 18. Bosco 19. Tootsie Roll Pops 20. Ovaltine

He's Dead Now: The Man Who Hated Christians

2011-05-03T11:50:00.000-05:00

He’s dead now: the man who hated Christians. He’s dead now: the man who sought to destroy the church and all for which it stands. He’s dead now: the man who threatened innocent men and women throughout the world. He’s dead now: the man whose followers obeyed his every command, murdering those whom they were directed to kill. He’s dead now: the man who didn’t care if he killed men or women. He’s dead now: the man who watched while thousands of men, women and children were brutally killed. He’s dead now: the leader who let everyone else perform his dirty work. He’s dead now: the man that many attempted to kill but he always eluded them. Yes, he’s dead now.

Oh, you’ll see him again: on the day we all stand before God to face our fate for eternity. And on that day I have no doubt that God will look at this man, the murderer, the Christian killer, the man who the world feared and say, “Come in my good and faithful servant”. And with wonderment we’ll step aside and watch as Saul of Tarsus, better known as Paul moves forward to stand side by side with those he at one time stood by and watched being murdered.

I did not hate Osama Bin Laden. I hated what he stood for and what he did. I believe he deserved to be punished for the atrocities and crimes he committed. I’m glad he’s not around to continue his leadership of an extremist group bent on destroying innocent people. He was an evil man with evil motives. The world is better off without his influence.

But you know what. Angels would have been rejoicing in heaven if he had turned as Paul did and changed his life. Can you imagine the impact on the world if the one who was the persecutor of Christianity had become the protector of Christianity?

It’s happened before. A man named Jake Deshazer was a prisoner of war in Japan and hated the Japanese, until one day he read the Word of God and decided that after the war he’d go back to Japan and teach them about Christ. It happened before. A man named Mitsuo Fuchida, an atheist who hated America. He led the attack on Pearl Harbor that killed thousands of Americans. Then one day he picked up a brochure written by Jake Deshazer that introduced him to the love of Christ. He was converted and became a spokesman for the cause of Christ until the day of his death. It happened before when a man named Stephen while being stoned to death by his enemies fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." It happened before when a man nailed to a wooden cross looked down on a crowd that hated him and said “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” It’s happened many times before. God enters a man’s heart and changes him dramatically.

There are numerous things that we as Christians are taught to do. One of the hardest is found in the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:

5:44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

I can think of nothing harder than to love those that hate me. Not only am I asked to love them but I’m also asked to pray for them. So I will. I’ll pray that they come “to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…” As I pray I’ll remember the words of Peter when he said, “that God is not willing for any to perish”. Praying for them does not mean you accept what they stand for and what they do. It simply means you care for their soul just like the Savior cared for yours.

Two men are dead now: Two men who murdered men and women because they were Christians. Two men are dead now: Two men who hated and were hated. Two men are dead now: but, one remains dead while one lives on because of a changed life when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus.

In his words what changed him from being a persecutor to a protector are simply:

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

The Minton Special

2011-04-20T13:36:00.000-05:00

Life was simple while I was growing up in small town Plano, Texas. At the turn of the 1950’s decade Plano had reached a population of 3,695. It was small town America and a wonderful place to grow up. Summers were lazy and easy going. As a kid the guys had Little League baseball as the only organized activity. Otherwise it was a scrub baseball game behind the old high school, swimming in the Texas shaped pool at the edge of town just on the west side of Hwy 75 known as the Central Expressway or maybe a tackle football game in the lot behind Billy Don’s house.

It would be another year before Six Flags Over Texas would open it’s gates in 1961. It was that same year, 1961, that a baseball team was formed bearing the name, Washington Senators. It would be another 10 years before they moved to Arlington as the Texas Rangers. In the fall of 1960 football would make its way to Dallas which lay 20 miles and 30 minutes south of Plano. On the old highway half the trip would still be in the country or sparsely populated areas. For 50 cents local football players could get general admission tickets to watch the games of the new NFL, Dallas Cowboys. They were so poorly attended at times you could move to a seat between the 40 and 50 yard line after halftime.

At the Minton household Sunday nights were mostly family time in front of our black and white TV. Mom would ask what we wanted to eat and most of the time we’d yell out “the Minton Special”. It was a simple meal. She’d take a plate and line the outside with half slices of bologna, salami, pickle-loaf or olive loaf, several slices of cheese and what we called “Liberace” crackers. “Liberace” crackers were a sweet club cracker that was sponsor on his TV show. In the middle would be pickles and olives and at times carrots or celery. Then we’d all sit down and enjoy an evening of “Gunsmoke” and “Cheyenne” or maybe it was “Bonanza” and “Have Gun Will Travel” while enjoying our sumptuous meal. Life was simple.

A while back when our kids came up for a visit we went to Frontier Texas. While going around with our granddaughter she wanted to punch every button and see what would light up. She had a ball and it was fun for me seeing her have so much fun doing something so simple.

Today is different, however, for most people. There’s soccer practice, baseball practice, volleyball, karate lessons, dancing lessons, cheerleader practice etc. Families are torn going this way and that and by the time they are home at night they are so tired that time is spent with the kids in one room and the parents in another. Meals are quick and fast. One eats in her room watching TV while another eats his in front of a video game. Another is busy “texting” or playing games on their I-Phone. Mom and dad plop down somewhere watching a reality show and just enjoying the peace and quiet. The fast paced world has worn everyone out.

Gone is the art of catching fireflies in jars or lying on the grass just gazing up at the stars. Gone in many families is family time where you just sit around together in the same room and enjoy just being together, eating together and laughing together. Our cell phones are rarely turned off and we constantly check our email to see if someone is trying to contact us with a life or death situation. As a result we have lost much of the togetherness that is healthy for families.

James wrote, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” We never know what God has planned for us the next day or the next. Before we know it it’s passed us by and we often live in the regrets of “I wish I had”.

Love your family while you can. Take time to enjoy the simple pleasures that life has to offer. Slow down. Go into the kitchen, make yourself a “Minton Special” then sit down with your family in the den, turn off your cell phones, shut down your computer, put your land line phone on silent, change the settings on your TV to eliminate the color and watch “The Wonderful World of Color” in black and white.

“Put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

A Thought on Kevin Na's 16 at Valero

2011-04-14T19:31:00.000-05:00

Photo from pga.com

27 year old Kevin Na knocked in a four foot putt on the 9th hole of the Valero Open today. It was the last in an accumulation of 16 strokes and penalties. Not a good hole for the young man, however it was one better than Chris Gane’s 17 on the 18th hole of the 2003 Diageo Championship and two shy of John Daly’s 18 in 1998 at Bay Hill. Unfortunately, it was all caught on camera since Na was the feature player of the day.

I read several blogs, accounts and comments today about this terrible hole. I guess what really bothers me is how many people out there really seem to enjoy someone else’s struggles. Some people seemed to relish the chance to say “I could do better than that!” He’s been made fun of, second-guessed, put down and laughed at by a lot of people on the internet.

As I watched the replay I was impressed by Kevin; not his golf on this hole or his decision making, but how he handled the situation. I’ve watched other golfers curse a blue streak, break clubs and even walk off in disgust and frustration. Kevin however for the most part kept his cool. He did rush a few shots and drop his club when he hit the drive for the second time into the trees. But, I saw his integrity when he said he thought the ball came back and hit his pant leg. That one cost him an extra shot. Then as he finally got out of the trees with his 13th shot he came out smiling. He then proceeded to shoot 3 under par on the back nine.

I see nothing funny in laughing at people’s struggles. Every one of us has made embarrassing and stupid mistakes in life. We’ve all made bad decisions. We’ve all been in situations where we’d like a “do over”. We’ve all been embarrassed by something we’ve done in life. The only difference is that Kevin’s was caught on film. How would we feel if our bad days were filmed for everyone else to see?

Making fun of people when they are down is simply trying to find a way to make us look better. If we can somehow make others look bad or point out their weaknesses it somehow raises our stature.

Paul wrote to the church in Thessolonica to “encourage each other and build each other up”. Of all the articles I happen to read they all dwelt on the 16 strokes on hole number 9. Not one of them talked about how he kept his cool and came back with that 3 under par on the back nine. I hope his fellow golfers took time to place a hand on his shoulder and encourage him.

Kevin Na will probably not make the cut tomorrow, but I also doubt that he’ll ever shoot anywhere close to another 16.

Next time before we judge someone, we should look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “What if that were me? How would I want to be treated?” And then remember that little saying we have been taught all our lives, “Do unto others, what you would have them do unto you.”

A Light in the Fog

2011-04-05T09:46:00.001-05:00

Image courtesy of /www.freefoto.com

The fog was thick as Sam slid into the driver's seat of his car and began driving home from work. It was so thick in fact that he could only see a few feet ahead. As he crept slowly along he was able to spot the taillights of a car in front of him. “This guy is moving pretty well, I’ll just follow him until we get out of this mess.” He thought to himself. The two moved slowly down the road turning corners and making progress. Then all of a sudden the car in front came to a full quick stop. “Crash!” Sam’s car plowed into the back of the one in front.

Sam was furious. He exited his car and yelled at the guy in front. “Why did you stop all of a sudden like that?” You knew I was behind you! The man who had exited his car quietly turned to Sam and said, “I don’t know where you were going mister, but I’m in my own driveway!”

Life has many directions and turns that make it difficult. At times we get lost and look for direction from different sources. Sometimes the direction we go is the right way. Then again, there are times we make bad decisions. There are times we follow the wrong crowd.

One of the biggest decisions we make is who we are going to be around. With what type of people do we associate? Are they people of integrity and good character who will help us in life? Are they people who are lost themselves? Are they people out for the good of others or people out for only what they can get for themselves?

The tough part is that we are often in a fog. We feel we’re okay when we really can’t see what is happening around us. Then we crash and it’s not until then that we realize the mistake we’ve made. Fortunately, most of the time we can recover and get back on the right road, but often the damage has been done and is difficult to repair.

There is one light, however, that we can always depend on to lead us in the right direction; One light that will help us through the twists and turns we cannot see in the fog; One light that can bring us safely home.

That light is Jesus who simply said, “I am the light of the world”.

So next time you feel that your life is in the middle of a fog, look for the true light. If we follow him we receive the promise that “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

So now, back out of the driveway and get back on the road, but his time watch out who you''re following.

That Scary Word: Death

2011-03-30T10:02:00.002-05:00

Legend says that Thebes was once invaded by a great monster, a Sphinx, a creature with the head of a woman and the body of a lion. The Sphinx would wait for travelers to come by and then give them a riddle. “What animal is it that in the morning goes upon four feet, at noon on two and in the evening on three?” If they answered the riddle correctly they could pass, if not they would be killed. Each person who passed was faced with the fear that if he didn’t answer the riddle correctly he would die.

Death: It’s one of those words that immediately bring fear or deep concern. It’s the ultimate disaster we feel we must face. Since December 27^th of last year I’ve had to put death dates by five family members. It’s a strange thing to write that number after the dash.

People have spent large amounts of time and money to find a way to beat it or at least prolong the inevitable. “The Fountain of Youth”, has been a topic throughout history. Herodotus wrote of it thousands of years ago. Ponce de Leon supposedly searched for it. Even today there are places where the water is supposed to prolong your life.

Today we have artificial hearts, breathing machines, transplants and the like that repair our worn out parts and help to keep us alive. There are anti-aging drugs and creams. Special newly discovered berries and oils that are intended to add years to our lives.

Even those of us who are Christians struggle with death. I often tell people that we spend a lot of time praying people out of heaven, asking God to heal them when it’s really their time to be with Him. But like everyone else the fear of the unknown is there. We don’t want to think about it. We hesitate to plan for it. We surely don’t want to talk about it.

Dr. F.B. Meyer once wrote a friend, “I have just heard, to my great surprise, that I have but a few days to live. It may be that before this reaches you, I shall have entered the palace. Don’t trouble to write. We shall meet in the morning.”

Death is only scary for those who do not have the answer to the riddle of life. Death only has to be feared by those who look at it as the end and not the beginning. When death is viewed as a door, a moment’s sleep or a packing up and moving to another home it’s not scary at all. It’s just another part of life.

Paul writes in Corinthians, “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Oedipus in his travels came upon the Sphinx and the creature repeated his riddle. Oedipus replied, “Man, who in his childhood creeps on his hands and knees, in manhood walks erect and in old age with the aid of a staff.” The Sphinx, Death, had been cheated and defeated at least temporarily by Oedipus and the monster threw itself from the cliff and died.

To Oedipus it was temporary, but to those who fear God it Is life eternal.

PRO 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

A Work in Progress

2011-02-01T11:32:00.010-06:00

In 1857 the London Philological Society embarked upon the task of developing a comprehensive error-free dictionary containing all the words of the English language and their meaning since 1150 A.D. Later to be known as the Oxford English Dictionary the first installment was issued on February 1^st in 1884. It was thought the dictionary would take four volumes and 10 years to complete. However, after five years the compilers were only down to the word “ant”. It would be another 44 years and a full ten volumes before the work 400,000 words and phrases would be completed. The work became the standard for knowledge of English meanings since it included the history of the words and all uses. The word “set” is the longest entry with over 60,000 words and 430 uses describing it.

By 1933 it was revised and the dictionary increased to twelve volumes. Again between 1972 and 1986 another four volume supplement was introduced. Today the dictionary is updated quarterly with over 1000 entries and revisions.

The Oxford English Dictionary is a growing document of over 60 million words and nearly a half-million main entries. It will never be finished. The memories of archaic words will still be in its pages. New words will be added and old words will be revised to reflect new meanings. It will continue to be a work in progress.

It’s much like us. When someone gives their life to Christ and decides to follow His ways it is the beginning of a work in progress. It is a work that will be revised, rewritten and renewed over and over as long as we live. The bad things, the mistakes, the faults, the things that are no longer useful will still be in our memories. But these will be replaced with the new, the fresh and the new rules on the right way to live.

Our work in progress will never be finished. We are required to look at it every day and make the changes needed. We add the good and make the bad obsolete. We’ll do this for as long as we live. We will never be finished.

We’ll that’s not really true. One day, when we have reviewed, revised and rewritten our lives over and over trying our best to make it right the Master will come, take the pen from our hand, close the book and say “Well done, my good and faithful servant”.

Then at the end He will make the final entry. At that point there will be only one word in the dictionary that has any meaning of any significance at all.

Grace.

Obstacle Man

2010-11-03T18:40:00.002-05:00

Slower than a sleeping snail! More negative than an electron! Able to stall plans with a single doubt! Look! Over there! It's a man! It's a woman! It's "Obstacle Man!" Yes, it's "Obstacle Man!" Strange creature from within our number who comes to meetings with thoughts and ideas far more negative than sub-zero! "Obstacle Man!" Who can stunt the growth of a great idea. Stop optimism with his forceful, "It won't work". And who disguised as a sword bearer, typical in many meetings of congregations of all sizes, fights a never-ending battle for negativism, problem causing and the static way.

"Obstacle Man" is a hindrance to the growth of many great ideas. When a new idea is brought up he automatically comes across with a list of reasons why it won't work. For a congregation to grow, it must think positive. It must build up good ideas and make them work. When an obstacle comes into the picture, positive thinking causes one to figure a way around, over, under or through the problem. Don't become one who harps on the negative! Don't be the one who is always saying "It won't work." Don't be labeled as the "It cost too much" critic. Don't be the "We've never done that before" brakeman.

Instead be the one who says "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." Be the one who tells the crowd "If God is for us who can be against us?" Be the one with the "faith of a grain of mustard seed." Be the one who says, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"

How many reasons do you think Jesus could have come up with for not coming to the little planet and going through the suffering of the cross? Personally. I'm glad He didn't let these reasons stop Him.

Now how about you?

Image from Clker.com free clipart.

The Unwanted Hero

2010-10-28T17:59:00.004-05:00

There are a lot of bad things that can happen in a sports arena. Most of the time they are forgotten and although may effect the outcome of the game have little impact past the game in which it happens. People get frustrated and angry, but it soon subsides. There are very few times that what happens on the playing field provokes hatred and contempt from both the visiting and home teams.

But that is exactly what happened one fall day almost a half century ago in a stadium less than half capacity. Only 23,154 fans in a stadium with seating for 56,866 were there on the last game of the season to witness what many people in the country both baseball fans and not would view as one of if not the most undesirable thing ever to be done on a baseball diamond. What happened that day, October 1, 1961 would eat at people for years to come. The commissioner of baseball did his best to dismiss it but the horror of it lingered in his mind to the point that he had to do something to diminish its impact on the sport.

To many it was Tracy Stallard's fault. He really could have prevented it and actually allowed it to happen. When it was all over the game ended with a 1-0 score. But it wasn't the score that burned people up. It was how the team won and fans from both sides wished it had never happened.

I remember it myself. It was the bottom of the fourth inning with Tracy Stallard on the mound. When it happened we held our breath and then gave out a deep groaning sigh. This couldn't happen could it? But it did. The count was 2-0 when Stallard threw a fastball. At that moment America's greatest baseball hero fell. At that moment Roger Maris parked the fastball over the outfield fence hitting his 61st home run and breaking the "Babe's" record. The great Bambino's record had fallen.

People thought it just wasn't right. If anyone was going to do it, it should have been Mantle. After all he was the true Yankee. But it wasn't his time. As Roger Maris put it "I always come across as being bitter. I'm not bitter. People were very reluctant to give me any credit. I thought hitting 60 home runs was something. But everyone shied off. Why, I don't know. Maybe I wasn't the chosen one, but I was the one who got the record."

"Maybe I wasn't the chosen one". Babe Ruth's home run record was sacred to a boy in the '50's and '60's. Roger Maris just didn't fit the type of player that everyone expected should break the record if it had to be broken. It was a sad day to many that would last for years to come. It was so "bad" for baseball that the record books showed his record as 61* since it was broken in more than the 154 games in which Ruth played. Ruth's record was intact along side Maris' due to a technicality.

It's similar to when Jesus came. Jesus is not what the world expected in a savior. He didn't come as a king. He didn't come as someone with the power to win great battles and defeat the emperor. He didn't come with "pomp and circumstance". He just wasn't what the Jewish people of the time expected. He was a disappointment. When the Messiah came he had to be a great king with a dynamic personality.

Too often we measure the greatness of a man's worth and accomplishments by what we see on the outside. God on the other hand is more concerned, not by what he can do on the outside but by who he is on the inside. That's the measuring stick that really counts. Are we men and women of God?

Roger Maris was a good guy. But he was not what America wanted. He was an unwanted hero. His accomplishments on the field are better than many of those in the Baseball Hall of Fame, though he himself is not in it as an accomplished player. The man who broke Ruth's record is left outside. The man who for 37 years sat atop the record books has been ignored.

Jesus, the son of God, who came to this earth and died on the cross too has been ignored. Whether he was who they wanted or not the fact was He's the one God sent. He was despised, rejected, spat upon and crucified. Yet "the stone that the builders rejected has become the capstone." (1 Peter 2:7) To many He was not the chosen one, but in the end He is the one who will carry us to victory.

The Ducks that Halted the Olympics

2010-10-05T21:30:00.003-05:00

By 1926 Henry Robert "Bobby" Pearce was one of the worlds greatest scullers. At the age of 21 he had won the Australian Single Scull Championship with his eyes set on going to the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam.

Johnny Weissmuller, know later for his role as Tarzan won two gold medals in swimming. The standard 400 meter track would be used for setting the standard for Olympiads to come. For the first time the Olympic Torch would be lit at the stadium to begin the games.

Previous games had their heroes including Jim Thorpe in 1912 and Erick Liddell in 1924. Later games would be followed by legends such as Babe Didrikson in 1932 and Jesse Owens who stole the show in 1936. But in the 1928 Olympics the hero award would go to a most unlikely candidate, Bobby Pearce.

It happened in the quarter final race against Frenchman Victor Savrin. Pearce was favored to win the gold medal when a most unlikely event occurred. In his words as he recounted the event,

"I had beaten a German and a Dane in earlier heats and I was racing a Frenchman when I heard wild roars from the crowd along the bank of the canal. I could see some spectators vigorously pointing to something behind me, in my path. I peeked over one shoulder and saw something I didn't like, for a family of ducks in single file was swimming slowly from shore to shore. It's funny now, but it wasn't at the time for I had to lean on my oars and wait for a clear course, and all the while my opponent was pulling away to a five length lead."

After the ducks had safely passed Pearce did what by any standard was a feat few men could accomplish. From a standstill in the middle of the race he began to row and by the end of the race had not only caught up with Savrin but passed him by a considerable amount on his way to gold medal a few days later.

There are times in life when things bring us to a complete halt. Times when we have more important issues that jump in front of us and keep us from our goals. Many times we just give up and quit. Other times we keep going but without the enthusiasm we had in the beginning.

The easy thing is to give up. The easy thing is to develop the "loser's limp". You know, you've seen it. A runner is in a race and knowing he's going to get badly beaten, pulls up, grabs the back of his thigh and hobbles to the side. People feel sorry for him and applaud him as he limps to the infield and lies down in "pain". But he's not really hurt. It was all a show. He did it to save face, to keep from being embarrassed for not fulfilling his goal to win.

Jesus said, "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." Paul wrote, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race..." That's the goal, to finish the race.

I heard the story of some people watching the Special Olympics 25 meter run. It was slow but the crowd watched as the competitors one by one crossed the finish line. Then far back there was one more. A young girl. A young woman on crutches slowly inching her way toward the finish. As the crowd watched she slowly made her way to her goal; to finish the race. She won, not because she came in first place, but simply because she accomplished what she set out to do; to cross the finish line.

One of these days we will all have to stop and wait for the ducks to cross. But we should never let that keep us from finishing with all our might the race that God has set before us.

A Boy with No Name

2010-09-14T20:05:00.006-05:00

It was a school day and he didn’t much look forward to going. After all when you’re a young boy there are a lot more things in life that are much more interesting than spending the day listening to boring teachers and the endless hours of lessons. So when he noticed the commotion outside his house he was ready to take full advantage of the opportunity to see what was going on and skip his studies.

He grabbed the lunch his mother had prepared for him and bolted outside where the crowd had been gathering. He couldn’t see much if anything and was jostled this way and that as he followed the crowd much like a fish makes its way up through the waters.

Surely he thought he’d get a glimpse of what was going on but the crowd just kept moving and he just followed along. Every now and then he’d jump up to see ahead but the crowd had grown and he could only see the mass of people moving swiftly down the street. “There must be a thousand people here”, he thought to himself as he tried to work himself in to see what was going on.

Then as suddenly as the crowd had started it stopped. A murmured silence moved over the crowd then he heard a voice talking to them. “You, this group, you sit over here.” It was only when they all sat down that he could see that there weren’t a thousand but many times that many.

As he sat down, lunch in hand a shadow passed over him. He looked up and there hovering over him was a man he had never seen before. The ominous figure looked down at him then reached out his hand and took him by the arm and grabbed his lunch in the other. “Come with me boy”, he said and pulled the young man behind him.

Was he in trouble for skipping school? Was he not supposed to be eating here? Was he not supposed to be in this crowd? All sorts of things ran through his mind as they weaved in and out of the massive group of people. He could hear murmurs as he went by several and knew the men must be talking about him. There were babies crying but also laughter here and there. For the most part people were just sitting quietly with little conversation.

Finally, as they reached the front of the crowd, the man who had been holding his arm all the way, gently pulled him in front of him and said, “Here is a lad with five loaves and two fish”. As he said this the man he had spoken to turned and looked down at him and smiled. “But what are these among so many?” the man with the boy added. The man who had looked and smiled placed his hand upon the boys head stroking his hair and with his other hand took the lunch that had been brought forward.

It was on that day that a young lad whose name we will never know, helped Jesus feed over five thousand people. He brought the lunch and Jesus brought the miracle.

It’s unfortunate that a lot of people think that it’s the most powerful speaker or the more famous individual that makes the biggest difference in what happens. The Bible shows us the fallacy of this type thinking. The Israelites were afraid of Goliath because of his size. The Israelites chose Saul as their king because he looked like a king. One of the reasons Jesus was rejected was because he didn’t look the part. But look at who God chooses to do great works. Moses was a shepherd who tried to convince God he was a nobody and not send him. Jonah ran away from God because he didn’t like what he wanted him to do. Jesus chose fishermen, tax collectors, assassins and little know men to be his apostles. A woman named Rahab was blessed for her act of saving the Israelite spies. Timothy was a young man when he started his ministry. Paul was a persecutor of Christians.

God chooses the most unlikely people to do his works. Why is that? It’s basically because the power is not in the individual but in what God can do with what we bring to Him. Whether it’s a lunch basket with five loaves and two fish or just a couple of empty hands, with God miracles can occur.

Next time you feel you’re not worthy to do something for God stop and remember this young man with no name; This young man who was a major part of one of the greatest miracles that Jesus ever performed.

If Life Had Mulligans

2010-09-10T12:51:00.003-05:00

The guys I play golf with have an unwritten rule. We are allowed one mulligan per nine holes played. For those that don’t know, a mulligan is simply a “do over”. You can redo any shot and the first one doesn’t count against you. We don’t play for money just for fun. Now I realize that it breaks the rules of golf and many golfers are probably appalled by the adjusting of the rules, but it eases some of the tension on a bad day. In fact there are days when someone is really struggling that mulligans are handed out even more generously.

Wouldn’t it be nice if life would be that way? How would you like it if life would allow you one mulligan every decade you lived? If this were the case then I’d be owed six mulligans. I’ve been wondering, “What would my life mulligans be.” I realized as I was going over them in my mind that I really needed more in my early years than I do now. That’s kind of like golf. We make more mistakes as we’re learning the game and fewer major blunders the better we get. Surprisingly enough many of the mulligans ended up being little things and not the major events I faced. It’s like that in golf too. It’s a lot easier to recover from a bad drive than a duffed chip shot. So what are mine? Well here they are:

0-10 This one was hard, not because of what I did, but because I can’t remember what I did for the most part. The one thing that stands out is when I said something that hurt my mother’s feelings. I apologized but I can still remember that day. It’d be nice to take it back.

11-20 it’s a shame I only get one. This was one of those times I needed several. I would however go back to my high school years and treat some people a little better. I look at kids today and feel for those who are outcast.

21-30 As soon as I finished college, I’d have made sure my wife got to finish her degree. She worked to get me through then we went on with life. I regret that.

31-40 This was a time of a big mistake of a job change that I wish I hadn’t made. It caused a lot of family struggles over the years that could have been avoided.

41-50 I’d have spent more time with my youngest son. I feel we missed out on a lot of father-son stuff because I was “too busy”.

51-60 I’d have at least started thinking retirement better. At the rate I’m going it looks like I can retire at 102.

Yes, it would be nice if life would have let me take a mulligan here or there, but it’s not like the weekend game for fun. Life is more like the pros play; no mulligans, no do overs. You play the ball where it lies. Of course every so often you get a free drop when something that is not your fault gets in the way. You also get a drop when you make a mistake, but it’s not free. You can get another chance, but it’s going to cost you a stroke. So it is with life. We suffer the consequences of our mistakes, but we still continue to get other chances. We learn from what we did wrong and in most cases our second chance turns out okay.

Then on the other hand:

That’s what’s great about being a Christian. Every time we pray and ask Christ for another chance he takes the eraser, cleans off the scorecard and says “Okay, try again.” And He’ll keep doing it until we get it right. We can’t change the past, but we’re given every chance possible to change the today.

May I Have a Cup of Coffee?

2010-08-24T13:35:00.004-05:00

The question sounds innocent and straightforward enough, right? Or maybe not! I went to Starbucks one morning around 8:00 and ordered “a cup of coffee please”.

“Would you like Frappucinno, Expresso, iced or brewed?

“Just a hot cup of regular ole’ coffee please…

“What flavor?”

“Flavor?”

“We have Cinnamon, cherry, dark cherry, peppermint, caramel, chocolate…”

“Do you have ordinary coffee?”

“Yes sir, we have ‘coffee of the day’”

“Good, I’ll take that.” There are now two people behind me in line.

“Pike Roast or Columbian?”

“What’s the difference?”

“I don’t know the taste I guess…”

“Columbian”

“Decaf or Regular?” Finally, a question I understand.

“Regular” I think there are four people behind me, but I’m afraid to look.

“Mild or Bold?”

“Which is better?”

“I don’t know I don’t drink coffee.”

“Bold, I guess.” The line is not up to six and I can hear some rumbling going on.

“Short, Tall, Grande or Venti?”

“What?” Did someone whisper ‘hurry up’?

“What do you mean?”

“What size do you want?”

“What’s Venti?”

“It’s Italian for twenty.”

“Twenty what?”

“Twenty ounces”

“How big is Grande?”

"Sixteen ounces"

“Okay, just give a small”

“Okay, one tall regular Columbian coffee of the day.”

“No I said a small.”

“We don't have a small. A Tall is a small.”

“Then what’s the short?”

“It’s a small tall but it’s not on the menu.”

“Then why did you offer it?”

“Well we have it but you normally have to request it because it’s not on the menu.” The line is now 10.

“That makes no sense?”

“Sir I only work here.” They open another line; at least the pressure is off for a bit.

“Okay, I’ll take the small tall.”

“A short?”

“No a small tall.”

“That is a short.”

“Give me a Grande”

“Cream and sugar?”

“Can I add it myself?”

“Yes, but you need to tell us if you want it.”

“Why? Is it extra?”

“No Sir”

“Then why do you have to know?”

“If you want cream and sugar we don’t give you a full cup?”

“So I get less coffee if I want cream and sugar?” The line is backing up again.

“Well, yes but only to leave room for the cream and sugar.”

“Oh. Cream, please.”

“Low fat, Nonfat, Breve, Soy, Organic or Eggnog?”

“Just black please”

“Here or to go?”

“I’d better get it to go; I’m expected home for supper.”

“Name?”

“You need my name to order coffee.” Two people left, I’m glad they were pretty grumpy folks.

“Yes to put on the cup.”

“You want to write my name on the cup?”

“Yes sir, it’s so we can call you when it’s ready.”

“When it’s ready?! It’s just a cup of coffee.” Both lines now have 10-12 people, I quit counting.

“Yes sir, but there are a lot of orders being filled and we’ll get yours as soon as we can.”

“Okay, put down Bob.” I didn’t give my real name because I was afraid of retribution from the crowd.

“Okay, Bob that will be $1.85.”

Silence.

“Bob that will be $1.85.”

Silence.

“Bob! Sir!”

“Oh, sorry I forgot my name for a second. $1.85!. Does that come with refills.”

“No Sir.”

“That’s $1.85 for a black, bold, Grande, Columbian coffee of the day. Would you like anything else.” Someone behind me said “no thank you.”

“I guess not.”

“Cash?”

“No, someone gave me this $50 gift card, so I guess I’ll be back again.” Something must have happened, the crowd was groaning behind me.

“I’ll have to thank them.”

“You’ve been very helpful. Are you working tomorrow?”

“Why, are you coming back?”

“I plan to come back every morning until my card is used up.”

“No, Bob, I’m on vacation for the next month.”

“Oh! Too bad.” I paid my bill, waited until my name was called, got my coffee and left. There must have been a party because I heard a big applause as I walked out the door.

Life is full of choices and decisions. Often times we become overwhelmed with life and the choices that we have to make. We long for times when we could walk in and say, “a cup of coffee please” and the waitress sets it down in front of us without asking a question at all.

Sometimes we just want someone to help us get things across. You know the Holy Spirit is that way. When we make our requests to God we are told that the Holy Spirit helps us to communicate. “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” It’s a simple process, no decisions required on our part.

Tomorrow, I will be thankful that when I turn on my coffee pot, I’ll get coffee with no questions asked. And when I pray, I’ll be thankful that the Spirit of God is talking on my behalf.

Leave 'em Laughing

2010-08-17T22:58:00.002-05:00

His name was Jack Thum. His profession was a professional clown. Few people remember him especially those outside the Chicago area. You see, Jack died some thirty years ago of terminal cancer.

When Jack died, Walter Cronkite mentioned it on his broadcast and the church bells of Chicago rang in tribute. All of Chicago mourned.

So what made him so special? Why, on October 31, 1979 did the mayor of Chicago declare the day to be "Jack Thum Day"? Why did Chicago mourn? The answer lies in the fact that Jack was more than just a clown. He was a man who loved children. For years he would perform in the children wards of the Chicago hospitals mostly without any compensation. He did it because he loved to make the sick children laugh.

But even greater than that, he and his wife, Shirlee, cared for 37 orphaned and neglected children throughout their married lives as well as their own. Although a couple of little means they cared for these homeless girls and boys without any government assistance. Again they did it simply because they loved children.

Mickey Rooney portrays Jack in a little known movie entitled "Leave 'em Laughing". In it there's a little song that carries a great thought. The movie has it as Jack's theme song. Its simple lyrics go:

"Wear a smile
On your face
When you're feeling blue
For a smile makes you feel
Like you think you should.
It's part of the clothes you wear
After you comb your hair.
Just put on your shoes and smile."

There's a lesson we can learn from Jack. We have a choice in how we approach life. We can wallow in the negatives and misery or we can put a smile on our face and make life better for ourselves or especially someone else.

Jack Thum's name will soon be forgotten except for an occasional rerun of the movie. There will be no more "Jack Thum Days" and the church bells will remain silent on the anniversary of his death. Soon his life will fade away into the pages of someones ancestral history.

But in the minds of the hundreds of children who saw him in the hospital his love will remain. The lives and futures of 37 boys and girls that spent time in his home will forever have Jack Thum as part of their heritage.

So, what mark will we leave behind? Will someones life be better off because they crossed our path? Will tomorrow be better because we were there for them today? Will someone be uplifted because we taught them to smile?

It should be our goal every day we live to find at least one person whose life will be happier because their path crossed ours. We should make it a point to make every day we live better for someone else and in wearing a smile on our face make their tomorrows better than their yesterdays.

It All Started with Kraft

2010-08-10T13:52:00.004-05:00

I believe it all started with Kraft. It was on that day when I opened the bag of caramels and discovered it wasn’t there that I began to realize that things had changed. I thought little of it at the time, but when I opened the second bag and found the same thing was missing, it was then that I knew the end was near. It wasn’t there and chances are it never would be again. I was disheartened at the change; a change in something that had been an American staple for all the years that I grew up. It was something my brother, sister and I fought over with each opened bag, but now it was gone. When did it happen? Was it when Nabisco bought them out? Was it before that, just to cut costs? Why change? Why leave out the single most important part of the bag? Tears come to my eyes as I think of that one lonesome chocolate fudge caramel once hidden in each bag and the loss haunts the memories of my childhood!

Change is something that has slowly slipped into our world and it is disheartening and confusing at times. Remember when a five pound bag of sugar was five pounds? Now it’s only four. For Christmas my mom would always give me a box of chocolate covered cherries; twenty to a box. Suddenly there were only 16 and the last box was only 12. The box was about the same size but the contents had gone down dramatically. Frankfurters are now 8 to a package instead of 10. Of course that one was logical since buns were always eight to a package, but I suspect any day now that will change to 6. This week all of a sudden the bread was shorter and sure enough, it was now one and a fourth pounds instead of one and a half. A sixteen ounce can of green beans is now fourteen and a half ounces, a pound of coffee is thirteen and an half ounces and baking chocolate has dropped two ounces in some brands, while cupcakes and Twinkies are down a third.

Oh, and it’s not only the food industry. A two by four is now a one and three-fourths by three and three fourths, while a three quarter inch sheet of plywood is now only twenty-three thirty seconds. So why, are they still called two by fours and three quarter inch plywood?

And by the way, did you know that the 400 meter dash is only 437.44 yards and the 1600 meter run is 10 yards short of a mile! Now when did that one slip in on us?

Change can quietly slip up on us and as a result can make life very frustrating. We get comfortable and secure in knowing things are dependable, when suddenly, without warning, we get caught off guard when quietly our security is torn out from under us.

In this world of change, however, there is one thing that never changes, Jesus Christ. The Hebrews writer tells us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (13:8) No matter what happens in the world we live in this is the one foundation stone on which we can continually trust. It is the one place we can always, from now and forever, turn to for security.

By the way I’m thinking of petitioning Kraft to bring back the fudge caramel in the regular bag of caramels. Some things just shouldn’t change!

Why You Should Watch MTV

2010-06-03T09:14:00.006-05:00

I believe every adult should sit down one evening, turn on the TV (or turn on the TV first if you live in the stone ages and don't have a remote) and tune in to watch MTV. You should plan to block out the whole evening so that you can get a good grasp of the station. After you have enjoyed your four hours go back and read the following article from the magazine "America, Return to God" edited by Thomas Wang.

“According to the Nielson Media Research, MTV is watched by 73% of boys and 78% of girls aged 12-19. Children are the target of the hard-selling of casual sex, drugs and alcohol. The Parents Television Council reported in their study that children on the average watch 9 sexual scenes per hour, 9 un-bleeped expletives per hour and 6 violent scenes per hour on MTV music programs. MTV reality show have about 13 sexual scenes per hour. There were 52 obscene words per hour in the program “Making the Band 2” and 32 sexual segments per hour in the program “Spring Break Fantasies”. Studies have shown that MTV is influential in changing the attitude of teenagers towards accepting promiscuity and homosexuality. With an hour of watching MTV, teenagers would have less inhibition in resisting sexual desires and temptations. Moreover, MTV is a prime station for beer commercials.”

Why should you watch it? So that you will know first hand what's coming into your home. So that you will, without hesitation, every time you walk through the room and the station is tuned in, calmly walk over to the remote and CHANGE THE CHANNEL.

Battle Scars

2010-05-14T13:24:00.004-05:00

When you go into battle chances are you are going to face an injury or wounds of some type. My battle injuries have not come from war since I have never been able to serve our country in this manner. My battle scars come from sports.

In baseball I’ve had “strawberries” from sliding into base and jammed fingers from catching the ball wrongly. I played second base and used my left leg to block the base from the runners stealing second. Mind you this was in the days of steel cleats so my left legging was ripped to shreds and left calf remained scared from being in the way of many a base stealer.

In track I ran the hurdles, high and low. We started out with a cinder track, which meant every time I fell I ended up picking small pieces of red clay from their embedded homes in my arms and legs. My left knee remained in a state of “need of repair” from constantly nicking the top of a hurdle as I sailed over them and sprinted down the track.

In football I played tailback, offensive end, defensive end and was on the kickoff and return team. I have had a broken collar bone, broken cervical vertebrae, two holes drilled in my skull for traction (no comments please) a cracked knuckle, two broken teeth, sprained ankles, a hip pointer and cuts, bruises and abrasions most of which I can’t even remember.

But, you know what? There is not one of these sports that I wouldn’t want to go back and play again. I loved all of them. Injuries and wounds are just part of the game. They are going to happen if you are on the field of play. The only ones who don’t get injured are those who are on the sidelines. Well, they may get injured if they stand in the way of someone playing, but for the most part sideliners are pretty healthy.

Life is that way, too. Any time you are trying to move ahead, anytime you are trying to do what is right, any time you take a risk there is the chance that you will be scarred. Church life, work life, school life and so on are going to be what we make of them. We can be sideliners and watch the world go by, never taking the time to make it better or we can be players. But if we decide to play we’d better expect that we will eventually get hurt. Then again, if you really love what you’re doing the hurts won’t be that painful and you’ll continue on in spite of the pain.

I never changed the way I guarded second base. I never ran around a 42” high hurdle because I was afraid of hitting my knee or toppling to cinder track. Believe it or not after I broke my collar bone I ran another play. I remember in the huddle telling Billy Don, “I think I’ve hurt my shoulder, let someone else take the ball.” And if I could go back to those days knowing what I know now, I’d still play. Why? Because I loved the games.

We have a choice. We can go through life afraid, never getting into the game, sitting on the sideline and not caring if we make a difference or not. Or we can run onto the field of play. Yes, we’re going to get injured from time to time. Someone is going to criticize us. Someone is going to get mad at us. Someone is going to treat us rudely. True, we may embarrass ourselves. Of course, we will make mistakes. And inevitably, we will probably fail many times. But if we love what we’re doing these things will only make us stronger leaving only minor scars of reminders that we can overcome what life throws at us.

I have a lump on my collar bone, two holes in the top of my head and a few knuckles with arthritis. They are all reminders, not of pain, but of the things which I enjoyed doing in my life.

October 4, 1957

2010-04-25T23:29:00.005-05:00

It weighed a little over 183 pounds and was less than 25 inches wide. Scores of people crowded to try and get a glimpse of it. It was the most amazing thing anyone had ever seen. Nothing in the world had ever been built that could compare to the amazement of what this small object held as people anxiously jostled for a chance to see it. The pyramids were spectacular, but only a few thousand people a year made the trip to see them. The Empire State building was magnificent with a glorious view, but again the crowds were minimal to the millions that wanted to get a look at this small simple object.

It was a Friday night in October when it came to our town. In Texas Friday night is big with hundreds of football games across the state. But the buzz that night was not the game. It was what was coming to town. The big problem was that it was to arrive after the ballgame had already started. The dilemma of choice was tough, should we miss the game to see it or not? Others made plans to see it after the game was over, but it was still on their minds throughout the game. Parents were telling their children about it and it was exciting that it was coming to our town.

I remember seeing it for the first time. We actually got to see it before we headed off to the game. “There it is” someone cried out, but it was a false alarm, so we continued to wait. Then there standing in the dark someone pointed upward and shouted “Look over there!” This time it was there right before our eyes. We all stood in silence and watched as it moved across the sky, a simple white streak of light, barely visible to the naked eye. Amazing! Fantastic! Wow!

It was October 4, 1957 and its name was Sputnik, the first manmade object put into orbit around the earth. There was really nothing to it compared to what takes place today, but to that generation it was a marvel of man’s achievement. It was a mere speck in the universe that circled the earth every 98 minutes.It didn’t do much, but it started the “race for space” that eventually put men on the moon and routinely now sends men up and back again. Now there is talk of even going deeper into God’s universe.

Great events don’t always start out great, but many times begin small and grow into greatness. It’s the same with people. The great people of history did not all start out great. Men like Moses, David, Joseph, Peter, Paul and many others of the Bible were simple ordinary people that God used to do great things upon this earth. No one said look there’s Moses, but when God used him to part the sea his name went down in history. David was a simple shepherd, but when he downed Goliath people wrote songs about him. The Bible teaches us that God can do great things using the ordinary, simply because “He” is great.

We often dwell on our weaknesses. We spend time looking at how little we are instead of the great things God can do in us. Most importantly we fail to see that when we do little things for God it can quickly spread and be something great for him.

Tonight as I walk outside and look up into the sky, I will no longer see Sputnik, but I will still behold the great heavens built by God in which it took its journey.

To My Friends of 1965

2010-04-20T20:04:00.005-05:00

Just recently one of the families in our congregation had family members involved in a terrible automobile accident. More than 50 people were at the hospital when the injured family members arrived. Others drove 60 miles to be with other family members and still others were in Ft. Worth at the hospital waiting for the arrival of others that were injured. It's times like this when you realize how great it has to have friends who love and care for you.

As I thought about it later I wondered, what is it like for people who have no friends when they need them? Did the people in the other car have scores of people waiting to support them or were they all alone? Solomon wrote "If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up."

In a time that seems so long ago, but then like only yesterday I was picked up by my friends. Many of these friends were people that I did not even know, but cared about me enough to be beside me through a dark hour. The attached video is a "God Story" that was given for our church. But it is also a friend story. It's a story of how I made it through a tough time because there were literally hundreds of people who were with me. I thank the Lord that I had so many people at the time who wanted to pick me up.

To all my friends known and unknown in 1965 I say thanks for being there.

I Started School as a First Grader

2010-04-14T11:06:00.006-05:00

I had the fortunate opportunity to attend the same public school system for twelve years. Although most of the memories are locked up somewhere in the file cabinet of my mind there are still glimpses of the past that will pop into consciousness every so often.

I started school in the first grade, since kindergarten didn't exist in Plano in the '50s. The school was Plano Elementary School, later to be named Mendenhall Elementary. First grade started on the far west wing and you continued from grade to grade and finished the sixth grade at the far east wing. The building was only around 3-4 years old when I started so was modern for the time.

It's hard to remember much of my childhood in detail, but I do remember every teacher I had in elementary school. I can even still picture their faces in my mind. I also remember how I felt about each one. In first grade I had Mrs. Rogers. I guess this was the one teacher I remember liking the least and was glad to leave first grade. She wasn't mean and in fact was always kind to me and a lot of my classmates loved her, but I can remember distinct times that she made fun of someone, one of whom was me, and I guess this stuck in my mind and I was ready to move on.

In second grade I had a grandmotherly type teacher in Ella Page. She was one of my favorites and I remember crying when school was out and we'd have a new teacher the next year. She tried to comfort me, but I knew no one could take her place. Then came the third grade and Miss Streetman. I think this must have been her first teaching job and to the boys she was beautiful. We were nine and she was a much older 22 at the time. She'd give the boys a kiss on the cheek when they left class, a highlight of the day. She was a very kind person. I didn't get a penmanship certificate that year and cried about it (I cried a lot back then). She felt sorry for me and said she'd give me one if I'd work on my writing over the summer. That was the last one I got, the rest of teachers weren't such push overs.

In the fourth grade I moved to the east wing and Clara Wilson's class. She was probably the most fun of all the teachers I had in elementary. You guessed it, I cried when I left that class too. For the record this was the last time I cried moving to the next class. From there on out it was "let's move on". Fifth grade brought Jack Harris another new one to teaching but was fun to be around.

Next stop was the sixth grade. The one teacher you didn't want to get was Mrs. Kate Holder. We had heard the horror stories of bleeding hands and boxed ears from discipline. To those of us who were younger she was scary! We had two or three 6th grade classes so everyone wanted one of the others. The first time I walked into the room there she was, I had drawn the short straw, the dread of the 6th grade. But you know, what we fear is not always what is out there. Mrs. Holder was strict, but she was also kind and I enjoyed being in her class that year.

Children are impressionable and and the impression we leave on them can last a lifetime. I've no idea where all these people are today. Some have passed away and others I'm sure are retired somewhere out there. But in my memories the legacy of school that they left me is still there over 50 years later.

Jesus loved children. He encourages us to make a good impression on them and not lead them astray. In our children lies the future of the nation and the church, we should do everything to give a great impression that will lie forever in their hearts.

In my mind I can still walk the halls of Plano Elementary School and am thankful for the faces I see in my mind that made my six years there a joy to remember.

Question from a Seven Year Old

2010-04-05T09:52:00.007-05:00

Friday night I answered the phone and my 7 year old niece was on the other end of the line. She then began to ask me a theological question that I had never been asked in my 40+ years of ministry. A theological question from a seven year old? Now that was something I was never expecting. In fact it's a question I'd never asked myself and have never been asked by an adult, mostly because to an adult the answer is obvious, but it was a very logical question for a seven year old to ask.

"Uncle Danny," she asked, "If the Bible says that brothers and sisters are not suppose to get married how can brothers and sisters at church get married?" You must admit that for a seven year old to come up with such a question it had to have her mind clicking on things she had heard at church and at home. However, no one knew how she came up with this particular question.

As adults many of us don't think that deep when it comes to Bible study. We rush quickly through our reading hardly pausing to take in what God's word is trying to tell us, much less asking ourselves questions about what we read. I don't know if it's an "I don't care" or just a "I never thought of that" attitude. However, most of the time the question goes unasked and often we go through life never knowing the answer.

As we study and start asking ourselves questions we'll get much more value from our time in the Word. What it does is cause us to research and seek out answers. This in turn deepens our faith. The "whys" and "how comes" are what can spark us on to delving deeper in the Words of God.

By asking questions I found out that Noah was still alive for the first 50 years of Abraham's life. Wow, just think to be able to sit at the feet of the man whose story you had heard over and over. By asking questions we learn that when we talk about Jesus bearing the cross, it's not the physical wooden cross, but the burden of sin that he truly carried for man. We learn by asking questions in our study.

A small child will ask you a thousand "whys" trying to quench his or her thirst to know. In the words of Jesus "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given unto you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door will be opened to you." If you never ask the question, you'll never know the lesson.

So I received a theological question from a seven year old. How do you explain it so they'll understand the answer. The simple answer is that brothers and sisters with the same grand-parents cannot marry other than it's okay. This doesn't completely answer her question, but maybe it will suffice until she turns eight.

What's Wrong with Today's Music?!

2010-03-26T15:10:00.005-05:00

I would like to share what is wrong with the music our young people play today. The answer is as simple as, you know, "the nose on your face". It is so plain that it will make perfect common sense once I explain it below. The main issue with music today is that it is too loud and the words don't make any sense. When you compare music to today to that of the past it is obvious there is a problem.

Where are the days when you could sit down and hear a love song about your girl "Boney Maroney" who's as skinny as a stick of macaroni or your girl named "Rama-lama-lama, lama-lama-ding-dong" who means everything to you?

You remember when music really asked the hard questions like "Who put the bomp in the bomp-bah-bomp-bah-bomp? or know that what sets our hearts aglow is the "boogity, boogity, boogity, shoo" and how it happens every time my baby and I dance to the "dip da dip da dip"?

Oh and what deep meaning when we hear that "a-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom" as we "Tutti Fruitti" or "Wooley Bully". Yes and how life could be a dream "sh-boom sh-boom ya-da-da da-da-da da-da-da da sh-boom" with my baby "beep bop a lula" in the red blue jeans.

And when we didn't know what to say to our girl the doctor coached us with "Oooo eee oooo ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang, Oooo eee oooo ah ah ting tang walla walla bang bang" knowing "hoop dee doo, hoop de doo" when we heard a Polka our troubles were through.

Generations are different. We all have our likes and dislikes. Granted I don't like the songs with off color or suggestive lyrics. Then again as a teen I remember having "Louie Louie" and "House of the Rising Sun" banned from our school dances.

In order for generations to get along and solve our problems it's important that we try to understand each other. No generation is any better than any other. We all have something to offer. The older generations need to listen to the younger and the younger needs to listen to the older. It's a two way street to a better world.

Now I'll still have a button on my XM radio for the 50's music and one for the 60's, but I expect that half-time at the super bowl will be music for a much younger generation. You know what? That's okay. It's okay to be different with different likes and dislikes. It's okay if you like blue and I like maroon. It's okay if you like chocolate and I like vanilla. It's okay if I wear a tie to church and you don't It's okay to be different.

The main thing is that we learn to respect each other for who we are and "hot diggity dog diggity" and "tweedlee dee" we'll be able to "ba-bah-ba-ba-bah, ba-ba-bah-bah-bah" in harmony.

My Dad: Plano's #1 Football Fan

2010-03-04T20:01:00.004-06:00

Plano’s “Friday Night Lights” Keeper Retires

By DeAnn Daley Holcomb, Special to the Star Courier

Published: Thursday, March 4, 2010 11:04 AM CST

In the lore of Texas football, Smitty Minton is truly what the saying “Friday Night ights” is all about.

Minton has missed just one Plano Senior football game since 1959, and for more than 20 years, Minton has been the final person in Clark Stadium to turn out the stadium lights.

Minton’s love of football led him out of retirement in the mid-1980s to join the Plano ISD athletic department to supervise Clark Stadium and on Friday, coaches, co-workers, friends and family said farewell as the 86-year-old Minton retired from his duties of taking care of the field and stadium at Clark.

“I always like to close,” Minton said. “When the game is over, I go through the field because it was always important to me to put the field to sleep – that’s what I call it: you close down the stadium, lock it up and turn off the lights.

“Everyone leaves the stadium and everything is back to what it was before. You make sure all the kids have a ride home and then you turn out the lights – I will never forget it.”

Minton’s granddaughter, Sarah Minton, watched as her grandfather greeted and visited with folks who had come by the Clark Stadium Athletic office on Friday to say goodbye.

“Football is his second love and family is his first love,” Sarah said. “He taught me how much he loves football and he always talks about how the football field comes to life on Friday nights.

“Then, when it is over, my grandfather told me the field tells what happened during the game and then when you turn off the lights at the stadium, it can heal you in a sense that it is taken care of and what football means to a community on Friday night.”

Minton and his wife, Dorothy, moved from Dallas to Plano in 1954, after Minton retired from the Navy, having fought in World War II. The Mintons started going to Plano football games because, as he tells it, there wasn’t much to do in Plano on Friday nights.

“We would go to Rice Field and watch Plano play back then,” Minton said. “From 1954 to 1959 we would go to the Plano home games and then in 1959 we started going to all of the games, whether it was a home game or out of town, and I have only missed one Plano game since 1959.”

The Mintons had four children, Kathy, Danny, Gary and Terry. All three of the sons played football for the Wildcats. During a Plano playoff game in Wichita Falls in 1965, Minton’s oldest son, Danny, broke his neck during the game.

“Back then we didn’t have trainers, so they carried him off the field and laid him on the bench,” Minton said, “and when he nearly passed out that was when they got him in to an ambulance.

“He recovered from the injury and Danny was given the game ball from the first Wildcats championship that year.”

In 1966 and ‘67, Minton served as the Plano Wildcats’ Quarterback Club captain. It would be 20 years later when Minton would come out of retirement and go to work for the PISD, where he first worked on a school crew mowing and taking care of school grounds.

“I got tired of staying home by myself since my wife was still working, and one day I ran into John Clark and asked him if I could get a job at the school district,” Minton said. “John was here at the stadium and I later told him I wanted to work on the athletic fields, and he called me when the guy working the fields was hurt and I started working full time at the stadium in 1986. I would clean the stadium, make it shine, mow the yard and keep the field in good condition. I like to lay out athletic fields and I like to work outside.”

The athletic department was moved to Clark Stadium in 2003.

“We built a storage house for all of the equipment,” Minton said. “My day starts at six in the morning with a cup of coffee, and by 7 a.m. I am ready and open for business, and then the coaches come over and pick up the equipment they need for the day.”

PISD assistant athletic director Russ Schuler calls Minton a Plano legend.

“All of the coaches love him,” Schuler said. “Smitty had his system of going around, locking all of the doors, picking up the barricades, making sure all of the outside gates were locked and making sure everyone is out of the locker room and no one was left behind. And when it was quiet and he prepared to leave, then the last thing would be to turn the lights out.”

Minton said he is going to miss the stadium, the field and coaches and being a part of the football aura.

“I’ve seen some great players and great games at Clark and I will never forget,” he said.

Remembering won’t be too difficult for Minton as he has every Plano football program since the early 1970s along with plenty of Wildcat memorabilia. Minton even drives a maroon truck.

But Minton isn’t likely to be forgotten either.

He was given special recognition at the Plano ISD Hall of Honor banquet for being a devoted Wildcat fan for more than 50 years and the elevator at Clark Stadium is known as “Smitty’s Elevator.” At Minton’s retirement reception Friday, he was presented with a Wildcat football jersey with the number “1” on the back, along with a lifetime pass to any Plano athletic game.

“He missed his daughter’s first child being born because he was in line buying tickets to a Plano football game,” said Terry Minton, Smitty’s son. “Dad loves being around football, coaches and athletics. To my dad, taking care of the stadium is a passion just like it is a coach’s passion with football.”

Sarah wrote on her blog the day before her grandfather’s retirement party, “I never thought I would see the day he retired. He’s leaving his second love tomorrow, his permanent Friday night date. I hope they let him turn the lights out at Clark Stadium one last time.”

A Man of Integrity

2010-02-23T10:43:00.008-06:00

Years ago while in high school I was given a book by Foy L. Smith entitled "The Days of Thy Youth". In one chapter of the book he tells the story of an old gospel preacher named Theophilus Brown Larimore.

T. B. Larimore was riding out west in a railway passenger car when outlaws came along side and halted the train. The robbers boarded the car and began demanding that the passengers drop their possessions into a bag; watches, jewelry, gold coins, wallets and anything else that could be exchanged for money. They came to Larimore and he placed a few crumpled dollars into the mouth of the sack. The outlaw asked if that was all he had and he told him it was.

As the thieves started to leave, the preacher called out to the leader who returned to him. "Sir", he told him apologetically, "I find that I have misrepresented the truth. When you asked me if that was all I had I told you it was, but then discovered I had put a one dollar bill in my vest pocket." Larimore extended his hand with the dollar bill toward the outlaw. The leader of the bandits was taken back and didn't know what to say to this. After a few moments he told his men to give the preacher back everything they had taken from him saying, "It is good to meet and honest man."

It used to be that a man's word meant something. Deals were finalized by handshakes. If someone said they'd do something, they did it. The grocery stores had counter checks without names or numbers, you filled those in. You could go into the corner store and if the clerk was busy, you'd put your money on the counter and leave yelling across the way, "Money's on the counter." Our parents left the front door unlocked 24 hours a day. You could leave your bike on the driveway, your car unlocked or your purse in the grocery basket and when you returned it would still be there untouched. Oh, there were exceptions, but they were few and far between in small town America where I grew up.

Today, however, it's a different story. We lock our doors and we have security systems installed for extra safety. Our cars have alarms and we are told never to leave valuables in plain view. Our sales slip is checked when we leave a store, our garages are locked and handshakes are just a greeting.

People fudge on their taxes, lie on their golf score and blame someone else whenever something goes wrong. We don't trust the president, politicians, lawyers, salesmen and often even preachers. We follow someones promise with "When I see it, I"ll believe it." We feel fortunate when the waiter forgets to put a charge on our check or the clerk inadvertently charges us too little.

Kathy and I were at a restaurant a couple of years ago in Plano. When I looked at the ticket I noticed that she had forgotten to charge us for one entire meal. I pointed this out and could tell the waitress was stunned. The manager came by and asked if something was wrong, so I explained to him the situation. He looked at me as if to say "You're complaining because your bill is too low?" It took 10 minutes to get it corrected and the manager told me he'd never had anyone do that before.

It's sad when honesty and integrity are so rare that it surprises people when it occurs. Yes , sometimes the truth hurts. Yes, sometimes being honest gets us into trouble. Yes, it's embarrassing at times to admit our weaknesses or faults. But to be viewed as a person of integrity and character far outweighs the negatives.

I hope someday that someone will be able to say about me, "It's good to meet an honest man."

God On Texas Ballot

2010-02-13T08:17:00.002-06:00

One of the most controversial propositions in the 2010 Republican primary is Proposition #4. In fact it's bringing more attention than the Perry-Hutchinson Governors race. Proposition #4 states:

Public Acknowledgment of God - The use of the word "God," prayers and the Ten Commandments should be allowed at public gatherings and public educational institutions, as well as permitted on government buildings and property. - YES or NO

Go online and you'll get all types of reactions most positive but also several calling Texans, idiots, loons and a few names I can't print here. It's strange I didn't hear this kind of uproar when one person would take an entire school district to court and win a decision that would keep hundreds from saying a prayer publicly before a football game or graduation ceremony.

What's really sad to me is that this type of proposition has to be on the ballot at all. It will overwhelmingly pass on the GOP ballot. But that's as far as it will probably go. Why? There are actually two reasons. First, most Christians leave Christianity out of politics. It's rare even to see a politician really let his Christian faith be shown once in public office. Secondly, Christians do not stand up for Christ in public the way we should.

Why is the Muslim religion the fastest growing religion in the world today? Part of it is because they take it seriously. They honor God and do not allow anyone to desecrate his name. Christians go to movies and are entertained by shows that continually abuse the names of God and Jesus. Muslims pray at least five times a day. Christians pray on Sunday and sometimes at meal times. Muslims are required to give a certain percentage of everything they own, not just their income. Christians for the most part will give a percentage of whatever is left over.

To let the world know what we stand for shouldn't take a ballot. It doesn't take violence. It doesn't demand that we walk around with a "better than you" attitude. It simply takes standing up for Christ everywhere we turn. Christianity is still the largest religious group in the United States. For Christ to win we don't have to force it down people's throats, we just have to live it even in the face of verbal persecution.

If we don't like the movies that are being made, then don't go. I guarantee you that the face of movies would change if the Christians of this country stopped pouring our money into them at the box office. The law says we can't have a prayer over the loud speaker, but nothing says a fan can't start the Lord's prayer in the stands. I would wager (if I did anyway) if someone did start the Lord's Prayer in the stands basically the entire stadium would join in.

The strongest power in this country is that of God the Father and Jesus Christ being lived in the lives of individuals. If Christians would just live like Christians, let their faith be seen in actions and words then I believe we'd see a changed country.

Proposition #4 may never get passed the Republican agenda. But that doesn't mean that God is silenced. Only Christians have the power to silence the name of God.

Don't Knock It 'Til You Try It

2010-02-04T23:01:00.010-06:00

What's the strangest food combination you've ever eaten? When growing up I learned to like liver and cooked carrots by dousing ketchup all over them. I like peanut butter on my waffles, crunchy of course. When I eat my peanut butter sandwiches I sometimes put the potato chips on the peanut butter in the sandwich.

My father-in-law liked onion on his apple pie and my mother loved a glass of buttermilk with cornbread crumbled inside. And who hasn't enjoyed a tasty Miracle Whip sandwich or a slice of pineapple dipped in horseradish sauce.

But my grandfather had one strange combination I had never heard of and have yet to try. He liked peanut butter and mashed potato sandwiches. Then I heard of people who have peanut butter and mayo sandwiches, pickles on their peanut butter sandwich and even ranch dressing and peanut butter.

My uncle used to make fun of his step-dad and the peanut butter and mashed potato sandwiches. Then one day my grandfather told him, "Don't knock, 'til you try it." So my uncle jumped off the deep end and tried it. And you know what? Right! He liked it!

I see people go through life always knocking what other people like before they've even tried it themselves. I hear people criticizing churches whose doors they have never entered. They judge people without even knowing them.

I'm reminded of the story of a man and woman who moved to a certain neighborhood. Whenever the couple would visit peoples homes the husband would always stay close by his wife. He would never let her leave his side even for a short time. After a few years the couple moved and the families they left behind began to criticize him. They would talk about how much of a chauvinist he was and how he acted so much like a tyrant to his sweet wife. Finally, a fellow neighbor who knew him better than everyone else spoke up. "What you don't know," he said, "is that his wife is a kleptomaniac. By keeping her by his side he was both protecting her as well as your belongings."

So before we become judgemental of people. Before we criticize this or that. Before we present ourselves as being disgusted over someone or something. Let's take the time to know what we're talking about.

Chances are it will change our entire view of things and we just may like it!

War Close To Home

2010-01-29T14:11:00.005-06:00

Luis Draco formerly KBR IT and currently ITT recently died at the hands of cowardly terrorists. Cowards who lob mortars and rockets (aka Indirect Fire-IDF) into camps congested with unarmed civilians. I lost a friend this way in the Green Zone. I can’t think of anything else so cowardly! C3 Warhorse is located approximately 35-45 miles northeast of Baghdad on Baquba Airfield.

The above was information from a friend of Luis', Darick Knight. When Luis was killed his daughter, Nev, became an orphan. Nev's mother, Hope, passed away in 2003. Hope was my niece and Nev is my great-niece (grandniece). It is now up to the courts to determine where this little 12 year old girl will live.

It reminds us that the tragedies of grown-up wars too often end up being devastation for the innocent children who have no idea what's going on. It's also a reminder that each of us is only a phone call away from finding out someone we know is a victim.

We don't know where Nev will end up. We must trust in the wisdom of God to help those decision makers make the choice that is best for this little girl.

When you go to bed tonight, say a little prayer for Nev.

Next time you pick up the paper and see that someone has been killed in a war or accident, or that someone has died from a disease or sudden illness or for any reason for that matter, remember that somewhere someone is hurting because they have lost a loved one. Too often they are the tears of innocent children.

The Greatest College Bowl Game Ever...

2010-01-19T13:30:00.007-06:00

If you had to choose one college football bowl game as the greatest one ever which one would you choose? Maybe it would be the 1963 Rose Bowl when Wisconsin almost made a great comeback to beat USC, scoring 23 points in the last 12 minutes to close in on a 30 point deficit. Then there was the 1979 Sugar Bowl where Alabama has a fantastic goal line stance keeping Penn State out of the end zone from first and goal at the 8 yard line and hanging on to a 14-7 victory. Then again it could be the triple overtime win in the 2006 Orange Bowl when Penn St. beat Florida State or even the 2006 Rose Bowl where Vince Young led Texas to a win over USC.

But as exciting as these games were as were many others there is one that stands out among all the others. In my opinion that honor goes to a game played on Thanksgiving Day in 1961 called the Mercy Bowl. On that day, Fresno State beat Bowling Green 36-6 before 33,000 fans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

But it wasn't the game that made this one great. In my view it was why it was played. Today there are over 30 bowl games involving millions of dollars in proceeds to the schools. The teams are playing for the prestige of being a bowl winner and the top ones to be crowned national champions. But not the Mercy Bowl, this bowl had a much higher purpose in mind.

On October 29, 1960 a leftover WWII C-46 Arctic-Pacific charter taxied down the runway of the Toledo Express Airport. Whether the plane made if off the ground in zero visibility is uncertain, but before it left the airport the plane hit and broke apart killing 22 people, including 16 Cal-Poly football players, a manager and booster. It was the first plane crash of an American sports team.

The following year the Mercy Bowl was held to raise money for the medical costs, funeral expenses and families of those on the plane. In a act of kindness and love over $230,000 was raised, the equivalent of over $1.6 million dollars today. What a great game, one played not to honor self but to help those in need. Wouldn't it be great if every year there was at least one bowl game that was played for a cause! A game where the winners were not on the field, but in the hearts of the people. A game where something mattered more than just winning a trophy.

Jesus was a man of compassion. He was always thinking of others more than himself. One of my favorite verses is Mark 10:45, "For the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." Barnabas once sold a field and gave the money for the poor. Acts informs us how the early church would sell things from time to time and bring the money to the Apostles for those in need. People not only like to help but want to help when there is a need.

The Mercy Bowl is not in the record books as an official bowl game, but it is in the record books in my opinion as the greatest bowl game ever played, not because of the score, not because of the fantastic plays, not because of a fantastic finish, but because it was played out of love for our fellow man. "Carry each other's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Gal. 6:2

The Story of the Two Suitcases

2010-01-12T09:55:00.004-06:00

If you've ever sent your kids off to summer camp you know the apprehension that comes from releasing them to be basically on their own that first time. I remember the story of a mother who sent her daughter, Janie, off to camp for the first time and after the return home she was complaining to the mother of her daughter's best friend, Mindy.

"When Janie came home you should have seen her suitcase. Every piece of clothing came back filthy and smelly. It took me forever to get all the sand out of her bag and I had to air it out for two days because of mildew from wet towels. It was just terrible."

Mindy's mother listened to her friend then stood in silence a few moments before speaking.

"When Mindy came home", her mother said, " I opened her suitcase and nothing had been touched for the whole week!"

Now ask yourself which was worse, a little girl trying to keep clean ,but at the same time getting all her clothes filthy or a little girl staying dirty all week without trying to be clean? I think it's obvious that as parents we'd much rather have a dirty suitcase arrive back from camp than one untouched!

Sin and prayer in our lives is much the same way. We do wrong, then go and ask God for forgiveness. He forgives us. Then we do wrong and go back to Him again. Again and again and again we go through the process throwing our dirty laundry in and getting clean again.

Then there are those who continue in the wrongful ways of the world, never taking the time to repent and turn back to God. Eventually their lives become so dark that they forget that God is still there to cleanse them.

Which do you think God would rather see? The answer is obvious, He wants us all to keep coming back to him. And every time we do we can leave our dirty laundry with Him and He'll send us away clean. Peter wrote in his second letter 3:9 that "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

So now let me ask you, "How does your suitcase look?"

The Journey of Charles Coghlan

2010-01-07T12:24:00.004-06:00

Charles Coghlan was born in 1841 on Prince Edward Island to a poor Irish family. Neighbors helped him get a good education, but after school he decided that he wanted to be an actor.

Infuriated, his father disowned him and Charles left home to pursue his career. One day he visited a fortune teller who told him that he would be very famous but die in the prime of his career. His soul would never rest until it was buried on his home land of Prince Edward Island.

Charles did become a great popular actor of the late 1800's traveling the States entertaining audiences all over. In the late 1800's he came to Texas and ended up in Galveston. One night on stage he collapsed and died. He was buried on Galveston Island in a lead lined coffin in 1899. Then in 1900 a great hurricane engulfed Galveston Island killing thousands, destroying homes, ripping up trees and uncovering graves. One of those graves was that of Charles Coghlan. Charles' coffin was washed out into the Gulf of Mexico by the waves that overcame the island.

The coffin floated in the salty waters of the Gulf, making it's way around the Florida Keys and into the Atlantic Ocean. The coffin took an eight year journey from Galveston and up the Atlantic coast line, until one day in 1908 a ship saw a box floating in the waters of the Northern Atlantic. Bringing the box aboard the sailors noticed the plaque on the barnacle encrusted box with the name Charles Coghlan. The ship that found the coffin was just off the sandbar coast of Prince Edward Island. Charles Coghlan had come home and was buried not far from the small church where he had been christened as a baby.

Legend or fact this story does have a good point about the journey we all must take before we can truly rest. That journey is life itself. Life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns and can be very stressful at times. The one thing that a Christian has over the world is that he or she has a rest to look forward to in the future and no matter where life takes us we will eventually end up resting in the arms of God.

One nice thing to is that God takes care of us as we make this journey even though we may not know how to get there. "I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; " Is. 42:16

The People in My Church

2010-01-04T15:07:00.007-06:00

If you're looking for a church home or just one to visit I thought I'd let you know what kind of people you can find when you come to Southern Hills. It always helps to know something about a group before you walk through the doors, so here are my observations.

When you come to my church you'll find several hypocrites. Then there is just about every sin represented that you can think of. We have liars, cheats, alcoholics, gossipers, complainers and short tempered people just to name a few. There are different viewpoints on just about anything you can think of and some very strongly opinionated folks that hang around. We have people who have been divorced and people who have been in prison. We have people whose marriages are struggling and who are having difficulty raising their children. If you come to my church you'll find a lot of imperfect people.

So if you are looking for a church to visit that is full of perfect Christians you probably should just pass us by. That's one thing you won't find here.

But if you decide to stop by what you will find are a lot of imperfect people who want their lives to be more like Jesus. You will find everyday people with everyday problems who know that the only solution is to turn their lives around to be like our Savior. They do not profess to be better than the people on the street, but do proclaim that they want to be better than they are now.

If you stop by you'll find people who will accept you and love you because they know we all have struggles in our lives. Nobody is perfect. Nobody is without fault. Nobody can stand up and say they have never failed their Lord. At my church there are people of all areas of life with all kinds of struggles who just want to do better.

So if you want to find a place where people are just like you. If you want a place where you can be loved and accepted no matter what has taken over your life. If you want a place where you will see people of various colors and races, people with suits and street clothes, people of all classes of life, people old and young and people of all education levels mingling together, worshiping together and loving each other for whose they are and not who they are then you might want to stop by and give us a try.

I remember the story of a man who had the opportunity to see what Hell was like. When he got there he saw a big long table with all sorts of food on it. Everyone sitting at the table were thin and starving. The reason was that they all had four foot spoons tied to their hands and they couldn't get the food to their mouths. The man said he didn't like this so asked to see what Heaven was like. When he got there it was the same scene except the people were well fed and happy. The difference was where in Hell they couldn't get the spoons to their mouths, in heaven they were feeding each other.

At my church you can be assured you will be well fed!

I Am Resolved...

2010-01-01T08:51:00.009-06:00

As I stepped on the scales this morning the LED screen came on flickered a little then went blank. Maybe it needs a new battery I was thinking, but I stepped off and then on again. Nothing. But the battery isn't that old was my thinking so I tried it one more time. This time it worked but when it stopped on my weight I was positive it needed a new battery since the number was obviously inflated!

It's that time of year again. Everyone is making their New Year Resolutions. Mostly I see the same ones in some form or fashion: lose weight, get in shape, quit some bad habit. read the Bible daily, get organized, get out of debt, keep in touch with family, etc. The list goes on and on; same lists new year.

In reality they aren't really resolutions, but admirable goals. You see, a goal is something we want to achieve. It's something to shoot for and keep in our sights. If we don't reach it we'll try again. Every year I set goals, most of which are not kept to the one hundred percent level, but only in part. I can only remember keeping one New Year resolution in my life.

A resolution on the other hand is the way we approach our goals. We are looking for reSOLUTIONS to areas we feel we are lacking. We're trying to find a way to solve them and make ourselves a better individual. To be resolved means to make up your mind that you are going to be successful. To be resolute carries the meaning of being firm, stubborn, steadfast, tenacious and unwavering.

The reason we don't keep our resolutions is primarily because we don't have a resolute attitude. Many of us start out and then get the "loser's limp". You know what that is don't you? You've seen it. You watch a race and see an athlete who sees that he is going to lose usually in an embarrassing way so to save face he reaches back and grabs the back of his thigh as if he's pulled a muscle or maybe she starts hoping on one foot as if she turned an ankle. The crowd responds with empathy and the athlete doesn't look so bad for not fulfilling his or her goal. They were saved by the "loser's limp".

Paul wrote to the Corinthians "Do you not know that in a race, all the runners run but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."

As you consider your goals, if they are worthy make them true resolutions. But make the first one to be like Jesus. Then, when you have achieved them you can be as Paul when he said in a letter to Timothy "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

As I sit here writing this and sipping on my cup of black coffee, I'm reminded of the only New Year resolution I really ever kept made some 30 years ago. No more sugar or cream in my coffee. Not a biggie, but it does show that anything we set our minds to can be accomplished and stuck with.

Have a great New Year. For me, I'm changing the battery out of my scales today.

Yes, Virginia

2009-12-22T09:12:00.004-06:00

September 21, 1897

Dear Editor: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O'Hanlon, 115 West Ninety-Fifth Street.

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

Thus begins the most well know editorial ever written in a newspaper. Most editorials are tossed out with the trash or end up at the bottom of a bird cage. Some of them may be stashed away for future reference, but are often lost and forgotten as generations pass. However, this one, written by Francis P. Church, over one-hundred years ago is read over and over every single year. There's at least one movie about it and thousands of printings can be found folded in books, tucked away in drawers or neatly preserved and brought out every year in sermons or parties or blogs like this one. Search the Internet and you'll find page after page of references to it with all sorts of stories behind the story, some true, some fictional, but all based on this one little letter by an 8 year old girl.

In their innocence and purity children have the uncanny ability of making adults stop and think about things they have ignored, taken for granted or about which they just outright hadn't given too much thought. How does a lightning bug make light? Where do the stars go in the daytime? Where to babies come from? Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why doesn't God just keep the old ones? In Bible times did they really talk like that? I was at a wedding and they kissed. Is it okay to kiss in church?

At what age do we stop believing? At what age do we quit asking questions? At what age do we just become apathetic to the world in which we live? When did church become boring instead of a chance to talk about God? When did Christmas become a chore instead of a time to which we looked forward with eager expectations? When did life become more mundane and less of an adventure?

"You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood."

Jesus told us unless we become like little children we will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:3). Humility, purity, innocence, goodness and seeking to learn are but a few of the traits that are a part of each at every one of us at birth, before the world starts to take hold. It is only when we begin to look at the world through the eyes of a child that we can truly see what it looks like.

Christmas is a time to think about what life is really all about. It's a time to focus on a baby born thousands of years ago in a purity that would never be tainted by the ways of the world and man. It's a time to gather again those things we lost from our hearts. It's a time to start believing again.

"This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in rags and lying in a manger."

Family Reunions

2009-12-15T10:16:00.005-06:00

This past weekend I went to the first family reunion I had been to in over 10 years. Like many families the Minton family has always made it a point to get together on a yearly basis to keep in touch. I believe this is an important part of a family's legacy and should be a practice that every family should make a part of their tradition.

While driving home my mind raced back to reunions of years past. I remember the Fourth of July reunions that took place in I believe my Uncle Carl's back yard when he lived next door to my Granny Minton. I remember when the cousins went around to all the uncles gathering everyone's change together and then being carted off to the fireworks stand returning with a treasure box of exploding missiles, bottle rockets and Roman candles.

I thought of all the Christmas' that the family would get together in Granny's house. I remembered the joking and laughter of my aunts and uncles and the cousins racing through the house and being made sure their every need was met by Granny. I can still hear the knock on the door as my Uncle Clyde came in dressed like Santa Claus. "Where's your reindeer?" several of us shouted. Without a pause he quickly told us "You didn't have a chimney so I parked them down at the corner." Of course we all believed him.

The sounds of dominoes shuffling as my uncles played "42" at the kitchen table are still clear in my head. I see my Aunt Mary enjoying and doting over every niece and nephew. I hear the distinctive laugh of my Uncle Troy. I listened to my Uncle Carl talk about the antique Ford he was restoring in his garage. In fact as I remember it, every single aunt and uncle had a great fondness for every niece and nephew. I can still see the presents, taste the food, hear the stories, smell the tree and feel the presence of love in the small house in Dallas, Texas.

Years later as I returned it was all still there. Yes, most of my aunts and uncles are now gone, but their spirit lives on in their children and grandchildren. There were familiar and not so familiar faces yet there was still a bond that pulsated through the room. It was the bond of family. A bond of love that had been started years ago by a hard working matriarch. A woman who after the death of her husband was left with a house full of children for whom to provide. A woman who I watched iron clothes for a living at 10 and 15 cents a piece when most women her age were sitting in rocking chairs on the front porch. As I look at the house full of people I thought to myself, "What better legacy to leave than a family that continues to love each other and want to be with each other decades after you have left this earth." I felt the ever present remnants of family love that remained from years gone by.

I'm also reminded of a second family reunion. This one is not yearly but weekly. It's the reunion we have with our brothers and sisters in Christ as we gather together with Him on Sunday mornings. It's a time of joy and love provided by the our most great and wonderful Patriarch. The one who loves us and takes care of our every need. I'm reminded of the church in Acts 2. "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." It is there too in this setting that you will feel the presence of the love , the love of our Lord and Savior and our God, our Patriarch.

Memories and Mementos

2009-12-10T09:34:00.010-06:00

Sitting on my office desk is a glass case with a football from the 1965 AA State Game inside. Resting on the case is a book entitled "The Best High School Football in the Country". One step higher lying on the book is a baseball glove from my little league years some 50 years ago. Move down to the desktop and you'll find a homemade paperweight with a piece of fool's gold neatly encased within its clear acrylic shell, a memory from a trip to Apache Junction, Arizona many decades ago. On the other side of the room sitting quietly on a table is a piece of the original deck of the USS North Carolina, the ship my father served on during WWII and behind it a maroon songbook from the same place and era. Turn to the right and you'll see a pink camera, one of two that were given to my brother and me as we prepared to take a family trip to the Alamo and Corpus Christi. Further right you'll see on a shelf a set of baskets that belonged to my Granny Minton.

If you come to my house you'll find hanging on a hat rack a nice Stetson hat worn by my Uncle Carl. If you'll ask I'll show you the Civil War writings of my Great-Great Grandpa Hazilip and you'll even see the shaving mug used by my PaPa Tom or the porcelain cow from my MaMaw.
On a glass shelf by the kitchen is my first cup from... well we won't go there. In the bedroom is a chair that belonged to Kathy's Granny Brew and in the den a clock left to us by her mother.

In my closet you'll find a box filled with items of days long gone past. There are letters from well wishers when I broke my neck playing football years ago. Among the other items are chin straps from Junior High and High School football days, my high school diploma and a book containing cards with my high school classmates names printed on them. Shuffle through it and you'll find a pair of cuff links (a gift from a friend), a small trophy with a plastic football that Kathy gave me while we were dating, a high school pennant and my baby blanket. Then there are the boxes of photos of our boys, family and friends, hundreds of them.

There are other items too numerous to list, but they are all reminders of good memories that have embraced me in the past. As I look at each one it reminds me of the many friends and loved ones who have been a part of molding my life. There is little or no monetary value to any of the things I've mentioned, only sentimental value. If you picked it up at a garage sale you would probably set it down and say "I wouldn't even pay a nickel for that". To me, however, they are priceless. Memories are something on which you can never put a value. They are great treasures to the one who holds them dear and close to their hearts.

Oh, by the way there is another reminder I have. I have 30 or so of them in different colors, shapes and sizes. Some of them are red, some brown, a couple are white and several black. Three or four of them are so big they are bulky to carry and one is small enough to carry in my shirt pocket. They are at the office and at home and I even carry one on my cell phone. It's God's Word. A reminder of whose I am and how much He loves me.

The Blind Side

2009-11-30T15:41:00.003-06:00

Kathy and I go to the movies once in a "Blue Moon", so when we go we try to pick one that is worth the money and time. We decided on my birthday to go see "The Blind Side" since I had seen the story last year on one of the college football games. Since I like sports movies and especially those that are true this was my obvious choice.

Before going I did something I don't normally do and that was read the reviews. I was surprised at how many negative comments were out there by the "critics". It was criticized by some as being another "upper class showing superiority by helping a poor black boy". Some didn't like the way the characters were portrayed while others thought the story was just too "goody-goody". This is why I don't pay attention to a lot of reviews. As for this film, however there were tons more positive than negative viewpoints.

Like the movie "Rudy" this is not really as much a sports movie as it is a movie about people. It's a great movie on what happens when people decide to help someone who needs something positive in their life. This story has little to do with race and everything to do with opening our eyes to someone who is in need. You can't ignore the race factor when a young black teenager moves in with an upper class white family, the by far it's a story of someone helping a fellow human being get their life on the proper track.

I would recommend this movie to everyone. With the exception of one conversation toward the end it is good clean movie with a great lesson. It's the story not as much of a rich family helping a poor young man but of a caring family helping a homeless young man by giving him a home to stay in and the opportunity to reach his full potential.

It's the story of Michael Oher and the Tuohy family. Michael Oher was recently drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. If you've read the book, Micheal Oher has said it is pretty accurate with the exception of the book questioning his I.Q. Which I'd have to agree with him since he was able to accomplish so much. The story actually tells us that many times we are the product of our environment and a situation that leaves no room for growth.

This is the story of a young man who has shown that he is able to get his life together and move forward in life leaving the past behind. The story of a man who will not let the downside of yesterday deter him from fulfilling great dreams.

It's also the story of a family who felt moved by God to help someone in need. It's the story of what can happen in a world where people care.

If you only see one movie this year or as I said once in a "Blue Moon", I'd pick this one. You won't regret it. You might take along an extra tissue though. By the way the movie next door was "New Moon", a much more popular but I'm sure much less uplifting than "The Blind Side".

When Worlds Come Crashing Down

2009-11-19T19:56:00.004-06:00

There are times in a person's life that are suppose to be moments of euphoria. They are those times that we want to remember and relive over and over. Maybe it was a great athletic feat that won the big game or receiving an award in front of a large assembly. It could be your wedding day or the day you went forward and picked up that diploma that seemed so far away.

To parents it's when you see for the first time that small son or daughter that has come to live in your home. We've had the privilege of going through it twice. Both times were filled with smiles and laughter. But sometimes the smiles fail to last. Sometimes your world crashes down around you.

When our first son was 5 months old, Kathy took him in for a checkup. The pediatrician in a cold way blurted out to her, "your child is severely retarded". Since he was adopted and the adoption not yet final he urged her to give him back since he'd never be normal.

When your world comes crashing down and you are only 23 and 25 it's devastating. All your dreams seem to vanish into thin air. All your plans must now take a different orbit and move off into realms unknown. You cry, you get angry, but most of all you wonder "why" did this happen to me.

But somewhere along the line you have to decide that life goes on. Decisions have to be made. New plans have to be drawn up. You have to remap your life so you can keep going. You end up relying on God more than ever.

This year Scottie turned 36. Things haven't changed much in the last 36 years except that he is bigger. His mind and abilities are very little beyond the 5 months checkup. But we've made it through. It's been tough. It's still hard. But along the way there have been other smiles.

We have another son with a loving family that brings joy to our lives. He and his wife have a beautiful little girl that will make you smile. And when Scottie laughs it makes you feel good that he's enjoying something in this life.

When our worlds come crashing down, when our dreams fade away and when life gives us more than we think we can bear it's time to step back and look again. In doing that we can go down new and different paths. We can seek out other moments of euphoria.

When our worlds crash it doesn't mean our life has to die. It just means we have to rebuild.

Nehemiah once went outside the city of Jerusalem to inspect the walls. Upon reentering the city he spoke to the people saying, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace."

When our worlds come crashing down, the only way we can survive is to rebuild.

On Forwarding Email

2009-11-05T23:00:00.005-06:00

Hardly a day goes by that I don't get an email that at the end wants me to forward it to 5 people or even everyone I know. They come in different forms. If I really love Jesus I'll forward this email on, indicating that if I don't forward it then I don't love Jesus. Others tell me if I'm patriotic then I'll send them on. Again it indicates that if I don't somehow I'm not a true American.

Next, there's the email that says I'll have good luck if I forward it to a certain number of people. Some of them even tell me the time the good luck will happen. On the opposite end are the ones that say I'll have bad luck if I don't send it on to someone else.

I've wondered, who is it out there that is determining if I love Jesus or if I'm patriotic or how lucky I'll be or not be by sending or not sending their email? What did they do before email to show love and patriotism? I don't ever remember sending a letter to prove my love or American pride. I do however remember getting a chain letter that threatened me with bad luck if I didn't send it to 5 people. I have had a little bad luck during the past 50 years or so. I guess I should have forwarded the letter!

Just to let you know, only on a rare occurrence do I forward an email and then only after I've removed all the meaningless threats at the end. But let me tell you something. I still love Jesus. My eyes still swell with tears when I hear the National Anthem at the Olympics. I've had all kinds of luck both good and bad and suspect I always will.

Simply put, forwarding an email gives us no assurance or promise whatsoever. We can share them if we think they are good, but not link them to who we are on the inside. We show we love Jesus by how we live every day. We show we are patriotic by flying our flag, by putting our hand over our hearts during the singing of our anthem or voting for our leaders. We realize that luck, bad or good happens, but by just living a good life we'll have more good than bad.

So next time you send me an email it will probably just stop right here on my computer. But you know what? I still love Jesus and my country and I still love you.

Oh, and by the way you might check Snopes and Truth or Fiction before you send me that 3 year old email about the non-existent virus that is going to wipe out my computer!

Tapley Holland

2009-10-15T11:58:00.004-05:00

Who is Tapley Holland? That's the question that the majority of people who read this are probably asking. He's not a household name. He was not a movie star or great sports figure. He was never elected to public office or nominated for some political post. His chest was not covered with medals, nor was he in command of a great military regiment.

Tapley Holland was born in 1810 in the state of Ohio, the son of Canadian immigrants to the United States. Tapley's family moved to Texas in 1822 as part of the "Old Three Hundred" settlers.

On March 5, 1836 Col. William Travis knew that the fate of the men of the Alamo was sealed. For twelve days they had held off Santa Anna's slowly tightening assault. Now with the Mexican army a mere 200 yards away from the Northern wall, their fate was dim. Col. Travis vowed to stay and fight, but that was his choice. On that day he took his sword and drew a line in the sand. Looking across at the 180 plus men, mostly volunteers he told them that whoever wished to stay and fight should cross the line. No man would be shamed or looked down on for not staying. All the men crossed but two. One was Jim Bowie, who lay sick on his cot. He requested that he be carried across the line and four volunteers helped him over. The other was Louis Moses Rose.

The first man to cross did it as soon as Travis made his charge. The young man was 26 year old Tapley Holland. Upon crossing the brave volunteer stated, "I am ready to die for my country". Over 180 men crossed the line knowing fully that they would die within days, maybe hours. However they took the challenge led by this brave young man.

With such great names as Crockett, Bowie, Bonham, Dickinson and Travis an ordinary soldier's name can get lost in the crowd. Yet what he did on that cold March day of 1836 showed great bravery and love for his country.

Centuries before Jesus stood before a group of hand picked volunteers and figuratively drew a line in the sand. "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." They are told they will face persecution, insults and even death. Yet they accepted the challenge because they knew the cause and were ready to die for their savior.

God needs men who are willing to serve. it doesn't matter to him whether we are a leader or a follower. What matters is are we willing to make the sacrifice. Do we have the courage to say, "I am willing to die for my God?" Do we have the love to say, "I will die so that others can be free"?

When was the last time you stepped across the line?

"Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down hi life for his friends" (John 15:13).

What Difference Do It Make

2009-10-01T07:35:00.005-05:00

One of the most inspiring books that I have read over the past few years is Ron Hall and Denver Moore's book, "Same Kind of Different as Me." I've just finished reading their new book, "What Difference Do It Make?"

This book tells of how the story they shared in the first book changed the lives of people who read it. In addition it is a heartwarming story of Ron Hall and dealing with a tough relationship with his father. It's another book that you'll have a hard time putting it down.

What I like about it most is how it shows that the principles of dealing with the homeless should also be used in dealing with all others around us. Love, compassion, encouragement, devotion and the like are qualities that should be a part of us no matter who we are around.

Isn't this exactly what Jesus and his follower taught! "Do for others as you would have them do for you." "Love one another." "Let us do good to all people." "For we are God's workmanship created in Jesus to do good works." "Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good." "Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

It's amazing to see how one woman, Deborah Hall, is changing the world because one day she wanted to go work at a homeless shelter in Ft. Worth, Texas. We just never know how God can use us for His glory.

The Blue Butterfly

2009-09-28T16:28:00.004-05:00

"The Blue Butterfly" is probably one of those movies that when you see the title you keep on scrolling down the menu. It's not a real exciting movie. There are few action scenes and basically no violence.

But it is a love story. It's the story of a mother who wants her 10 year old terminally ill son to be able to travel to the rain forest to capture a rare blue butterfly. He has heard an entomologist say how that when you hold the blue butterfly it unravels the mysteries of the universe.

The young man is determined to capture the butterfly before he dies from a brain tumor. He actually is obsessed with obtaining this one certain butterfly. Along the way he meets a young girl who questions why he wants to find this butterfly so badly. After his explanation she tells him "the blue butterfly" is really everything. The idea is to look around and see all the things he is missing by being so focused on one single insect. He is in the middle of one of the most beautiful places on the earth where life and color abound, but passes it all by with little interest.

Then one day he opens his eyes and notices a scarab. He realizes that there are things in this world more important than the elusive blue butterfly. There are people who care. There are unnoticed mysteries that come to life. He realizes he is trapped in a world of which he wants to be freed.

When he finally obtains the blue butterfly he sits outside on a bench, opens the cage, removes the butterfly and sets him free. He tells the butterfly instead of being trapped it will live.

Unfortunately, that's the way a lot of us are today. We are trapped in worlds headed in the wrong direction. We may be obsessed with making money, climbing the corporate ladder or some personal goal. We become so entangled in our obsession that we fail to see the world around us. We let life go by in a desire to reach a goal that in the end gives little satisfaction. Once we realize where we're headed and the emptiness it holds we long to be free.

Jesus had the answer when he said "Seek first the kingdom of God and then all these things will be given to you." Very simply to be free we must be obsessed with seeking God.

By the way the movie is based on a true story. When the young boy returned home his tumor was gone. He was set free from his illness to live a long life.

Yale vs Harvard

2009-09-22T23:52:00.005-05:00

It was in the early 1920s and Yale was preparing for it's big game against rival Harvard. These schools along with Princeton were the powerhouses of the early years of football, dominating the game until 1919, and this was always a big game. The quarterback and one of the captains was Charles Buell. Charles along with teammates George Owen and Charles Hubbard had been selected to the consensus All-American team in 1922.

In 1921 Charles along with Owen were named team captains. On the night of one particular game between Yale and Harvard Charles Buell was injured. He had injured his shoulder in a previous game but was going to play in this particular game anyway because it was so big.

The sentiment going around the Yale team was that a few good hits on Buell's shoulder and they could knock him out of the game giving Yale a decided edge. Coach T.A.D. "Tad" Jones then spoke to his players. Earlier in 1916 when he coached Yale before going off to WWI before a game with Harvard he challenged his players, "Gentlemen, you are now going to play football against Harvard. Never again in your whole life will you do anything so important."

But this was 1922. Coach Jones stood before his team and told them he was aware of the injury to Charles Buell. He then admonished his team telling them that any member of the team who deliberately hit Buell on his injured shoulder would be pulled from the game. If they were to win it would not be by taking advantage of injured players with cheap shots.

Late in the fourth quarter the score was tied 3-3. Charles Buell then took the ball and made the winning touchdown for Harvard with the game ending, Harvard 10, Yale 3.

However, while the winner on the field may have been Harvard the true winner was the man in the Yale locker room before the game. T.A.D. "Tad" Jones had shown his players that there is much more to football than winning the game on the scoreboard. True athletes know the value of sportsmanship. When you loose that you lose the game no matter what the score.

Sportswriter Grantland Rice is credited with coining the phrase "It's not whether you win or lose. It's how you play the game." At the time he was referring to a golf match and the gentleman atmosphere. However, it does hold true in all parts of life, although there are those who disagree with the phrase. It does tell us that in life there are more important things that always being first.

"For to me to live is Christ." Philippians 1:21