After watching some of the discussion in the health care summit yesterday the real truth of the matter sank in. There is not a partisan disagreement over how health care should be handled in our nation. There is a sharp philosophical divide between those who believe that the solution lies in government and those who believe the solution lies in the marketplace. It is such times as these that I fondly remember the days that I knew little and cared less about what government was doing around me. The saying goes that "ignorance is bliss," and I was the biggest blister on the block.
My concerns began when government impeded my rights and responsibility as a parent. The more time spent on that rabbit trail, the more my eyes were opened to other government usurpations of personal responsibilities. Zealous to address the issues, it appeared that my trust could be put in conservative Republicans to present the answers. Wrong. The lesson learned was painful, personal, and spiritual. You can never put your trust in man - it is idolatry.
My view changed, not to one that there was no hope this side of Heaven, but to understand that God's ways are not our ways. The ability for the people to directly control the destiny of our government through the constitutional rule of law is a gift the Lord has given to Americans that is not equally enjoyed by all nations. The model envisioned by our founders has served us well for well over 200 years. But, watching yesterday I understood that whether the torch of freedom in America is passed to the next generation could well be determined in the next decade.
The Book of Genesis tells the story or Joseph. Disliked by his brothers, he was sold into slavery to Egyptians where he found great favor with the Pharoah. Through a series of circumstances, and an interpretation of a dream, he was the instrument to strategically place Egypt as a land of plenty when a famine occurred. Acting on behalf of the Pharoah, Joseph traded the people's money for food. Then he traded their cattle for food. And, finally, he traded their land and their labor for food and so enslaved a nation. The enslavement lasted 400 years. (Until the Lord heard their cries.)
The path of government provision of services that are not a legitimate government role leads to enslavement. Slavery is nothing more, nor less than when the product of one's labor belongs to another. In the case of the Egyptians and Israelites who sold themselves and their posterity for food, at least there was a reasoning that the alternative was starvation.
In the case of health care reform, the debate is not even over the delivery of health care services, but the provision of health care insurance and who will pay for that. And, the bad news is that increased health insurance does not necessarily increase access to health care services. Everybody in rural Texas can have health insurance, but there are still more cows than people in many of the counties and there are no doctors or hospitals in the areas. And, in the urban areas, the current socialized systems of health care that we have experimented with - Medicaid and Medicare - the reimbursement rates are so low that many patients cannot find a doctor who is filling to provide the services for the government rate of return. The result is long waits for a doctor's appointment and increased use of the emergency room. Yes, the government solution is exacerbating the problem it was intended to solve.
Do you trust your elected officials to solve this problem for you? Was personal virtue a factor in your last voting decision? Do you believe that the men and women whom you have elected have the personal virtue and courage necessary to stand strong in favor of your personal rights and responsibilities? Do you trust your fellow Americans to rise to the occasion of fulfilling their personal responsibilties?
Or, have you so lost trust in those who do not do the right thing that you are willing to give up your own rights and responsibilities to make sure that "everybody" is provided by government what you have worked and sacrificed to obtain? Do you believe that there is still a constitutional right to be an idiot (as one of my readers pointed out yesterday), or do you believe that the role of government is to protects its citizens from themselves?
I no longer know for certain whether or not our citizens have the personal virtue and political will to pay our debts and restore our nation. But:
This I know, that God is for me. In God whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust without a fear. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:9-11
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
It is random thought time again. Fasten your seat belt and be prepared for quick changes.
The news this morning is about a killer whale which killed a trainer at Sea World in Orlando. It was a whale with a history of killing two other people - one a trainer and the other an ill-advised individual who jumped into the tank to go swimming. The trainer's family understood the risk the trainer was taking in working with the whale. Think about it. The species has "killer" in its name. As tame as my basset hound is, when we go to the vet he has a star on his chart that dictates that the vet hands me the muzzle and I put it on. Sam doesn't like vets and my vet is wise enough to not trust him. You should never be surprised when a dog acts like a dog or a killer whale acts like a killer whale. Having said that, you should also never put yourself in a position to pet a killer whale that has a history of killing people.
President Obama had a novel idea. Hold a health care meeting with the democrats and republicans to discuss how to go about health care reform. The meeting is going on as I type. The first quote that got my attention was, "Health care is a right, not a privilege." Wrong. Health care is a commodity. A right is something that you may exercise without infringing upon someone else's rights. You cannot provide health care for everyone without implementing a confiscatory taxing system and government control of benefits.
My second quote to hear from the health care meeting was that people are "Entitled to your own opinion, but not to your own facts." That is an awesome quote. The legislator then went on to give an anecdotal story about a person who was denied benefits because of pre-existing conditions. The story was a fact, but anecdotes are a terrible basis for making policy. Generally, laws made based on anecdotes tend to not work well in practice. While an insurance market needs to be provided for people with pre-existing conditions, the issue does not warrant a government take over of 1/6th of the nation's economy. There are much less intrusive and less expensive solutions than those being proposed.
And finally, a staffer in our district office called to tell me of a constituent whose son attends UTSA in San Antonio. Apparently, there are signs on campus promoting an event coming up sponsored by some atheist organization that instructs students to bring their Bibles, Korans, and other holy scriptures and they will exchange them for pornography. When the constituent called the university, he was told that it was a freedom of speech issue. (Don't explode. We are working on it.)
So, the thought for the day is, Proverb 18:17 He who states his case first seem right, until the other comes and examines him.
The news this morning is about a killer whale which killed a trainer at Sea World in Orlando. It was a whale with a history of killing two other people - one a trainer and the other an ill-advised individual who jumped into the tank to go swimming. The trainer's family understood the risk the trainer was taking in working with the whale. Think about it. The species has "killer" in its name. As tame as my basset hound is, when we go to the vet he has a star on his chart that dictates that the vet hands me the muzzle and I put it on. Sam doesn't like vets and my vet is wise enough to not trust him. You should never be surprised when a dog acts like a dog or a killer whale acts like a killer whale. Having said that, you should also never put yourself in a position to pet a killer whale that has a history of killing people.
President Obama had a novel idea. Hold a health care meeting with the democrats and republicans to discuss how to go about health care reform. The meeting is going on as I type. The first quote that got my attention was, "Health care is a right, not a privilege." Wrong. Health care is a commodity. A right is something that you may exercise without infringing upon someone else's rights. You cannot provide health care for everyone without implementing a confiscatory taxing system and government control of benefits.
My second quote to hear from the health care meeting was that people are "Entitled to your own opinion, but not to your own facts." That is an awesome quote. The legislator then went on to give an anecdotal story about a person who was denied benefits because of pre-existing conditions. The story was a fact, but anecdotes are a terrible basis for making policy. Generally, laws made based on anecdotes tend to not work well in practice. While an insurance market needs to be provided for people with pre-existing conditions, the issue does not warrant a government take over of 1/6th of the nation's economy. There are much less intrusive and less expensive solutions than those being proposed.
And finally, a staffer in our district office called to tell me of a constituent whose son attends UTSA in San Antonio. Apparently, there are signs on campus promoting an event coming up sponsored by some atheist organization that instructs students to bring their Bibles, Korans, and other holy scriptures and they will exchange them for pornography. When the constituent called the university, he was told that it was a freedom of speech issue. (Don't explode. We are working on it.)
So, the thought for the day is, Proverb 18:17 He who states his case first seem right, until the other comes and examines him.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Hey! Who Shook my Snow Globe?
I woke up this morning to discover that someone was shaking my snow globe. My first clue was when the forecaster on the weather channel shared that there was a 100 percent chance of snow today. (I don't know about you, but I always listen to the weather to see what things are like outside before I actually look out the window for myself. )
By the time I looked out into the back yard, the snow was seriously falling. And, it was not the wimpy little snow flakes of a few weeks ago. These were the big, fat, fluffy snowflakes that seem to float down before plopping into their final destination. In this case, the destination was the back deck.
When Sam (the basset) joined me at the back door for his morning excursion, he had second thoughts about venturing out. His last experience with snow was six years ago and he didn't like it any better then than he did this morning. But, all bassets and people are now happy and content as we sit in front of a roaring fire and watch the snow fall outside.
It is a warm and safe place to ponder the glimpse that weather gives us of the Creator of the Universe. The same God who gives us the gentle spring rain allows the torrential downpour. The extreme heat of summer is replaced with the cold of winter. Droughts and floods are all at the hand of God. Come to think of it, it may actually be rather presumptuous for man to take credit for global warming - as if God has not been handling the thermostat since the creation of the world.
The earth is the Lord's and all it contain, the world and those who dwell in it. Psalm 24:1
By the time I looked out into the back yard, the snow was seriously falling. And, it was not the wimpy little snow flakes of a few weeks ago. These were the big, fat, fluffy snowflakes that seem to float down before plopping into their final destination. In this case, the destination was the back deck.
When Sam (the basset) joined me at the back door for his morning excursion, he had second thoughts about venturing out. His last experience with snow was six years ago and he didn't like it any better then than he did this morning. But, all bassets and people are now happy and content as we sit in front of a roaring fire and watch the snow fall outside.
It is a warm and safe place to ponder the glimpse that weather gives us of the Creator of the Universe. The same God who gives us the gentle spring rain allows the torrential downpour. The extreme heat of summer is replaced with the cold of winter. Droughts and floods are all at the hand of God. Come to think of it, it may actually be rather presumptuous for man to take credit for global warming - as if God has not been handling the thermostat since the creation of the world.
The earth is the Lord's and all it contain, the world and those who dwell in it. Psalm 24:1
Monday, February 22, 2010
Curling
OK, fine. It is true. I enjoy watching the Olympic curling matches. My lack of understanding of what is happening is enhanced when neither of the teams speak English and the excited comments and gestures the players make are totally incomprehensible.
For those of you who have not yet discovered this sport, it combines the strategy of chess with the mechanics of pool, a delivery reminiscent of bowling and scoring similar to horse shoes - played by throwing granite stones down a sheet of ice. Oh, and there are people with brooms sweeping the ice to direct the path of the stone, adding a component of housekeeping to the sport. Not exactly a run faster, jump higher, hurl further sport that is indicative of traditional Olympic sports, but entertaining nonetheless.
There is something about watching Olympic sports. For the most part, these are athletes who have trained for the better part of their young lives for one thing - an Olympic medal. All, have competed in their own countries and around the world to qualify for the opportunity to participate in the games. And, of the thousands of atheletes who qualify to compete precious few take home a medal.
While watching a qualifying round yesteday for men's speed skating, the difference between going into the medal round and just going home was only 6/1000 of a second. Train your entire life and when it really matters, less time than a blink of an eye moves you from contention to defeat. And, no one but you and your mother will ever remember how close you got.
Most of us will never commit to the training and sacrifice that an olympic bid entails. But, we are all called to a race of our own. And, while most of our successes and failures will not be televised for the world to see (and then reshown in slow motion), we ,too, live our lives before a great cloud of witnesses. When we complete the race of our lives, the victory we are promised is not momentary, but eternal.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
For those of you who have not yet discovered this sport, it combines the strategy of chess with the mechanics of pool, a delivery reminiscent of bowling and scoring similar to horse shoes - played by throwing granite stones down a sheet of ice. Oh, and there are people with brooms sweeping the ice to direct the path of the stone, adding a component of housekeeping to the sport. Not exactly a run faster, jump higher, hurl further sport that is indicative of traditional Olympic sports, but entertaining nonetheless.
There is something about watching Olympic sports. For the most part, these are athletes who have trained for the better part of their young lives for one thing - an Olympic medal. All, have competed in their own countries and around the world to qualify for the opportunity to participate in the games. And, of the thousands of atheletes who qualify to compete precious few take home a medal.
While watching a qualifying round yesteday for men's speed skating, the difference between going into the medal round and just going home was only 6/1000 of a second. Train your entire life and when it really matters, less time than a blink of an eye moves you from contention to defeat. And, no one but you and your mother will ever remember how close you got.
Most of us will never commit to the training and sacrifice that an olympic bid entails. But, we are all called to a race of our own. And, while most of our successes and failures will not be televised for the world to see (and then reshown in slow motion), we ,too, live our lives before a great cloud of witnesses. When we complete the race of our lives, the victory we are promised is not momentary, but eternal.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Illusion of Security
The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2
Yesterday it was the non-stop coverage of the plane crashing into the building in Austin. Prior to that it was the lock-down of the Capitol due to the man firing a gun on the south steps of the Capitol. Before that it was the underwear bomber, the shoe bomber, 9-11, Timothy McVeigh, the attack on the USS Cole and the list goes on and on and on.
Horrible, terrible no good things happen and people try to make sense of them. In an effort to create the illusion of security, the government generally intervenes to "close the barn door" on a particular situation so that it will not recur. So, we have long lines at airport security. Barefoot and beltless, we walk through the check points. Our finger nail clippers, nail files, and bottles of water are confiscated. We are subject to metal detectors, pat downs and searches of our luggage.
Does having the government employee search you make you any safer? It doesn't me. But then I don't generally carry anything other than my knitting needles that could be used as a weapon in the first place. And, oddly enough, airport security does not care that I have knitting needles, somehow thinking that ten inch long, pointed, metal rods do not pose the threat of something more sinister like nail clippers.
At work, I swipe my security card to get in the parking garage, use it again to get into the building, and yet again to get out of the building, and again to exit the parking garage. My every move in the halls of the Capitol are watched by DPS officers or security cameras. Great time and expense is gone to to ensure that I and my fellow employees are not a security risk. Meanwhile, the general public usually has unfettered access to the Capitol without question. Hence, the gunman on the front steps.
In all honesty, the security risks do not bother me as much as the loss of liberty in the name of security. The only way government can make our environment totally secure is by taking away all liberty. I would rather not see that happen. I prefer the approach of Todd Beamer, the great American who, after praying the Lord's Prayer and reciting Psalm 23, led his fellow passengers to take back control of the fourth hijacked plane on September 11, 2001. It was the only hijacked flight that day that failed to reach its intended destination.
Your security lies in your relationship with your Lord and Savior. Once you establish that, you do not have to spend much time fretting over the news of the day.
Yesterday it was the non-stop coverage of the plane crashing into the building in Austin. Prior to that it was the lock-down of the Capitol due to the man firing a gun on the south steps of the Capitol. Before that it was the underwear bomber, the shoe bomber, 9-11, Timothy McVeigh, the attack on the USS Cole and the list goes on and on and on.
Horrible, terrible no good things happen and people try to make sense of them. In an effort to create the illusion of security, the government generally intervenes to "close the barn door" on a particular situation so that it will not recur. So, we have long lines at airport security. Barefoot and beltless, we walk through the check points. Our finger nail clippers, nail files, and bottles of water are confiscated. We are subject to metal detectors, pat downs and searches of our luggage.
Does having the government employee search you make you any safer? It doesn't me. But then I don't generally carry anything other than my knitting needles that could be used as a weapon in the first place. And, oddly enough, airport security does not care that I have knitting needles, somehow thinking that ten inch long, pointed, metal rods do not pose the threat of something more sinister like nail clippers.
At work, I swipe my security card to get in the parking garage, use it again to get into the building, and yet again to get out of the building, and again to exit the parking garage. My every move in the halls of the Capitol are watched by DPS officers or security cameras. Great time and expense is gone to to ensure that I and my fellow employees are not a security risk. Meanwhile, the general public usually has unfettered access to the Capitol without question. Hence, the gunman on the front steps.
In all honesty, the security risks do not bother me as much as the loss of liberty in the name of security. The only way government can make our environment totally secure is by taking away all liberty. I would rather not see that happen. I prefer the approach of Todd Beamer, the great American who, after praying the Lord's Prayer and reciting Psalm 23, led his fellow passengers to take back control of the fourth hijacked plane on September 11, 2001. It was the only hijacked flight that day that failed to reach its intended destination.
Your security lies in your relationship with your Lord and Savior. Once you establish that, you do not have to spend much time fretting over the news of the day.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Brother - Where are You?
For any of you who believe that this devotional is carefully thought out and planned in advance, please know I walked into my office this morning and asked our administrative assistant to give me a topic for my writing this morning. Her immediate response, "Patience."
Technically, patience is an easy topic to suggest for a devotional. It is an issue with which everyone struggles. But it just so happens that our family is currently dealing with a specific lesson in patience and we could use your prayers.
In addition to our granddaughter, Hannah, we have two grandsons who live in Missouri (Kaden and Hunter). Being a huge fan of grandchildren, my desire is to have as many as my children are willing to provide me. Stormi and David (Hannah's parents) have decided to once again contribute to my grandchild pool, but they are choosing to do so through adoption.
Almost a year ago they finished the rather lengthy process to be licensed to adopt a child out of the foster care system. Their criteria is pretty broad. They are willing to take a boy between the ages of three and ten and are even willing to negotiate on the ages. They are willing to consider siblings . (I vote for that!) They have no preference on race or combination of races. And they are willing to take a child with moderate emotional or learning issues.
We refer to him as Brother.
Jerry and I took CPR classes during session last year, along with other extended family, expecting Brother to be in the family by summertime. Then Labor Day passed and Halloween. We were certain Brother would celebrate Thanksgiving and then Christmas with us. But, still no Brother. My patience is wearing thin, but it is in great shape compared to Stormi's.
There are over 13,000 children waiting for adoption in the Texas foster care system. We only want one - maybe two. Just what is the holdup?
Well, there are all kinds of answers to that question. Many of them have to do with the efficiency of government systems. But, we are comforted by the fact that all things work in God's perfect timing. And, as James 1:2 reminds us to count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces patience.
So, while we are standing around counting our joy over this delay in getting Brother, please pray with us that we learn everything we are supposed to learn while we wait. Also, pray that Brother is in a safe environment, loved and cared for in his current foster care situation.
Technically, patience is an easy topic to suggest for a devotional. It is an issue with which everyone struggles. But it just so happens that our family is currently dealing with a specific lesson in patience and we could use your prayers.
In addition to our granddaughter, Hannah, we have two grandsons who live in Missouri (Kaden and Hunter). Being a huge fan of grandchildren, my desire is to have as many as my children are willing to provide me. Stormi and David (Hannah's parents) have decided to once again contribute to my grandchild pool, but they are choosing to do so through adoption.
Almost a year ago they finished the rather lengthy process to be licensed to adopt a child out of the foster care system. Their criteria is pretty broad. They are willing to take a boy between the ages of three and ten and are even willing to negotiate on the ages. They are willing to consider siblings . (I vote for that!) They have no preference on race or combination of races. And they are willing to take a child with moderate emotional or learning issues.
We refer to him as Brother.
Jerry and I took CPR classes during session last year, along with other extended family, expecting Brother to be in the family by summertime. Then Labor Day passed and Halloween. We were certain Brother would celebrate Thanksgiving and then Christmas with us. But, still no Brother. My patience is wearing thin, but it is in great shape compared to Stormi's.
There are over 13,000 children waiting for adoption in the Texas foster care system. We only want one - maybe two. Just what is the holdup?
Well, there are all kinds of answers to that question. Many of them have to do with the efficiency of government systems. But, we are comforted by the fact that all things work in God's perfect timing. And, as James 1:2 reminds us to count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces patience.
So, while we are standing around counting our joy over this delay in getting Brother, please pray with us that we learn everything we are supposed to learn while we wait. Also, pray that Brother is in a safe environment, loved and cared for in his current foster care situation.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
In my humble opinion . . .
It was probably inevitable in today's society. The push for same-sex marriages in Texas led to first statutory and then constitutional prohibition of legal recognition of the unions. As other states began to confer the benefits and privileges of marriage on same-sex couples the battleground has shifted to recognition in divorce courts.
In a recent case in Travis County (40 square miles surrounded by reality), a judge required the parties seeking a divorce to offer briefs on the constitutionality of whether he could legally grant a divorce of their relationship based on the full faith and credit clause of the United States Constitution. In other words, he is asking for legal cover to recognize the marriage relationship that is unconstitutional under the Texas Constitution by declaring failure to do so unconstitutional under the U.S. Constitution.
The full faith and credit clause of the U.S. Constitution states that "Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceeding shall be proved, and the effect thereof."
The purpose of the clause was to give some continuity across states. Contracts and agreements from one state would be recognized in other states. It was to prevent a person dissatisfied with a legal decision in one state from going to another state and having the issue re-litigated for a different outcome. But notice that Congress was given the authority to establish the rules for how the clause was to be implemented.
In 1996 the Congress statutorily defined marriage for federal purposes as a union of a man and a woman and expressly granted states the right to refuse to recognize marriages performed in other states. That definition means that for the purposes of any federal benefits, same-sex marriages are not recognized. It also means that Texas has the right to not recognize a same-sex union - both the creation of such a union and the dissolution of the union.
But that does not stop the legal battles from raging. In this case, the Attorney General of Texas has interceded to prevent the judge from going forward with his ruling.
There is a part of me (the part that has no mercy) that could care less about this situation other than to hope the rule of law continues to prevail in the state and that the legal system is not used to attempt an overthrow of a provison of our constitution.
The other part of me mourns for the women and the adopted child in this situation. Regardless of how or why the state defines marriage or family, a four-year-old little boy is caught in the battle not of his own making. And, he is not alone. There is a struggle going on beyond just the personal relationships, driven by an agenda that would rip the fabric of our society apart. Marriage, a relationship called to be held in honor among all, has become a political football and a subject of ridicule.
In only one generation we have gone from the TV depiction of Ward and June Cleaver as the model family to the point where an intact, healthy family is rarely shown. There is no longer any social stigma attached to divorce. An unwillingness for couples to reconcile their differences and behave like adults has resulted in simplifying the divorce procedure. The resulting divorce rate plus the increased number of out of wedlock births has escalated the break-up of the family. And, while adults may actually deserve the consequences of their behavior (no mercy, again) the children and our society certainly do not.
An appaling and horrible thing has happened in the land; the prohets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes? Jermiah 5:30-31
In a recent case in Travis County (40 square miles surrounded by reality), a judge required the parties seeking a divorce to offer briefs on the constitutionality of whether he could legally grant a divorce of their relationship based on the full faith and credit clause of the United States Constitution. In other words, he is asking for legal cover to recognize the marriage relationship that is unconstitutional under the Texas Constitution by declaring failure to do so unconstitutional under the U.S. Constitution.
The full faith and credit clause of the U.S. Constitution states that "Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceeding shall be proved, and the effect thereof."
The purpose of the clause was to give some continuity across states. Contracts and agreements from one state would be recognized in other states. It was to prevent a person dissatisfied with a legal decision in one state from going to another state and having the issue re-litigated for a different outcome. But notice that Congress was given the authority to establish the rules for how the clause was to be implemented.
In 1996 the Congress statutorily defined marriage for federal purposes as a union of a man and a woman and expressly granted states the right to refuse to recognize marriages performed in other states. That definition means that for the purposes of any federal benefits, same-sex marriages are not recognized. It also means that Texas has the right to not recognize a same-sex union - both the creation of such a union and the dissolution of the union.
But that does not stop the legal battles from raging. In this case, the Attorney General of Texas has interceded to prevent the judge from going forward with his ruling.
There is a part of me (the part that has no mercy) that could care less about this situation other than to hope the rule of law continues to prevail in the state and that the legal system is not used to attempt an overthrow of a provison of our constitution.
The other part of me mourns for the women and the adopted child in this situation. Regardless of how or why the state defines marriage or family, a four-year-old little boy is caught in the battle not of his own making. And, he is not alone. There is a struggle going on beyond just the personal relationships, driven by an agenda that would rip the fabric of our society apart. Marriage, a relationship called to be held in honor among all, has become a political football and a subject of ridicule.
In only one generation we have gone from the TV depiction of Ward and June Cleaver as the model family to the point where an intact, healthy family is rarely shown. There is no longer any social stigma attached to divorce. An unwillingness for couples to reconcile their differences and behave like adults has resulted in simplifying the divorce procedure. The resulting divorce rate plus the increased number of out of wedlock births has escalated the break-up of the family. And, while adults may actually deserve the consequences of their behavior (no mercy, again) the children and our society certainly do not.
An appaling and horrible thing has happened in the land; the prohets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes? Jermiah 5:30-31
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Be Still and Know
Sleeping later than wisdom dictated and hitting the snooze button resulted in my getting into the office only thirty minutes before my first appointment this morning. I rushed through my emails, attended a training class and hurried back to the office for a few minutes of quiet to write the devotional.
And, as God would have it, when reading in Psalms the Lord led me to one of my life scriptures as yet another reminder that I should, Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
This is one of the verses in scripture that I am pretty sure God was thinking of me when He had the psalmist include it in his writings. The jolt it gives me every time I come across it is like the someone slapping me upside the head and saying, "Duh."
When was the last time you sat still before the Lord? No TV. No phone. No computer game. No email. No making a grocery shopping list in your head. No interruptions. Just you and God.
The Creator of the Universe has you penciled in for some time today. Don't miss the appointment.
And, as God would have it, when reading in Psalms the Lord led me to one of my life scriptures as yet another reminder that I should, Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
This is one of the verses in scripture that I am pretty sure God was thinking of me when He had the psalmist include it in his writings. The jolt it gives me every time I come across it is like the someone slapping me upside the head and saying, "Duh."
When was the last time you sat still before the Lord? No TV. No phone. No computer game. No email. No making a grocery shopping list in your head. No interruptions. Just you and God.
The Creator of the Universe has you penciled in for some time today. Don't miss the appointment.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Vive le Difference
During a conversation with my mother over the concept that "opposites attract," she wisely informed me that being male and female was opposite enough for any relationship. My husband is a outgoing, well-organized, people-loving, neatnik. He doesn't understand how (or why) I lose my keys, store everything of importance on my desk, or need a shower after working in the kitchen. (That last one is generally caused by a dust cloud of flour or some other explosion of ingredients that attack me.) When he gets particularly frustrated, it always helps to remind him that among my other talents, I take only 20 minutes from wake-up to out the door, know how to work on cars, and am fairly handy with tools.
Yesterday at my grand daughter's birthday party the difference in male and female was evident even among the six year-olds. Hannah has a passel of girl friends and two young men who are her "best friends." The best friends have to be invited to the party, even when it is a party for little girls and their dolls.
As the girls arrived, there was the hugging, whispering, giggling that is so little girlish. Then they would move to the arts and craft table to make their projects and giggle some more. The boys, on the other hand, came in, said hello (when prompted to do so) and went straight to the game room where the TV was on. Both boys spent the entire time lounging on bean bag chairs, not speaking to each other (as far as could be seen) and ignoring the whispering and giggling in the other room.
When it was time to open gifts, the boys joined the rest of the party for the oohing and ahhing of each gift opened and passed around. They did not giggle once. While the girls were all wanting to see each gift, they merely rolled their eyes when a big deal was made over a particular doll or stuffed toy. Neither of them had a single word to say about the entire event.
Then, the final gift was presented. As if on cue, both of them moved out of their seats (for the first time) and went to help Hannah unwrap it. They could tell that the end of this ordeal was over and the cake had to be the next event on the agenda. They were ready for that.
[Rabbit trail: that final gift was an American Doll. For those of you who are not up on the current trends, American Dolls can be accessorized with anything a kid can get. There are doll houses (for which you need a mortgage), doll clothes, strollers, backpacks, computers . . . you name it. I suggested to my son-in-law that he consider taking the doll as a deduction on his income tax.]
Anyway, the boys ate their cake and went back to the play room until time to leave. They dutifully told Hannah "Happy Birthday" when their mom's reminded them as they were leaving with their army camouflage bucket of party gifts as rewards for their endurance. The girls left, still not finished talking, with their pink heart party bags.
Every parent who has raised both a boy and a girl knows the innate differences between the two begins at birth. It isn't societal. It isn't environmental. It is hard-wired. And, it is for a reason. When it comes time for Hannah to marry, she is likely to choose a man who will balance her chattiness with his silence. She will look for someone who complements, rather than duplicates her gifts. And then she and her husband will spend their entire married life (like her parents and grandparents) trying to understand how two people who are so different can enjoy being together so much.
The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him." Genesis 2:18
Yesterday at my grand daughter's birthday party the difference in male and female was evident even among the six year-olds. Hannah has a passel of girl friends and two young men who are her "best friends." The best friends have to be invited to the party, even when it is a party for little girls and their dolls.
As the girls arrived, there was the hugging, whispering, giggling that is so little girlish. Then they would move to the arts and craft table to make their projects and giggle some more. The boys, on the other hand, came in, said hello (when prompted to do so) and went straight to the game room where the TV was on. Both boys spent the entire time lounging on bean bag chairs, not speaking to each other (as far as could be seen) and ignoring the whispering and giggling in the other room.
When it was time to open gifts, the boys joined the rest of the party for the oohing and ahhing of each gift opened and passed around. They did not giggle once. While the girls were all wanting to see each gift, they merely rolled their eyes when a big deal was made over a particular doll or stuffed toy. Neither of them had a single word to say about the entire event.
Then, the final gift was presented. As if on cue, both of them moved out of their seats (for the first time) and went to help Hannah unwrap it. They could tell that the end of this ordeal was over and the cake had to be the next event on the agenda. They were ready for that.
[Rabbit trail: that final gift was an American Doll. For those of you who are not up on the current trends, American Dolls can be accessorized with anything a kid can get. There are doll houses (for which you need a mortgage), doll clothes, strollers, backpacks, computers . . . you name it. I suggested to my son-in-law that he consider taking the doll as a deduction on his income tax.]
Anyway, the boys ate their cake and went back to the play room until time to leave. They dutifully told Hannah "Happy Birthday" when their mom's reminded them as they were leaving with their army camouflage bucket of party gifts as rewards for their endurance. The girls left, still not finished talking, with their pink heart party bags.
Every parent who has raised both a boy and a girl knows the innate differences between the two begins at birth. It isn't societal. It isn't environmental. It is hard-wired. And, it is for a reason. When it comes time for Hannah to marry, she is likely to choose a man who will balance her chattiness with his silence. She will look for someone who complements, rather than duplicates her gifts. And then she and her husband will spend their entire married life (like her parents and grandparents) trying to understand how two people who are so different can enjoy being together so much.
The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him." Genesis 2:18
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Random Thoughts
Those who know me well know that my brain often takes turns onto random trains of thought without warning. That has led to a rule in our family that if I expect Jerry to follow me in a conversation, I have to raise my hand when changing subjects. It is a lot like using a turn signal to let the traffic around you know what is happening. Consider yourself warned.
Six years ago today my granddaughter, Hannah, made her debut into the world on Jerry's 50th birthday. Since then we have been completely blown away by the joys of grand parenting. Sharing a birthday with your Pops means a number of things. First, she has him completely wrapped around her little finger. Second, Jerry will be celebrating his birthday at Chuckie Cheese until Hannah is old enough for Dave and Busters. Third, Stormi (Hannah's mom) has totally shown us all up on birthday gifts. Since I can't top that one, I'm just not buying anymore birthday presents for Jerry. Happy Birthday, Hannah and Pops!
I heard on the news last night that the federal government has been shut down due to weather for four days now. Did you notice? Think about that. There may be a budget cutting idea coming into focus. How long would it take us to notice if most of them never went back to work? Is this a picture of the proverbial "hell freezing over?" And, when you say, "when hell freezes over," do you anticipate that it will stay frozen or that it will thaw at some point?
Friends are one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves. Today the devotional is going out for the first time to a long time friend of mine to whom I recently got re-connected. This friend was privy to the very first series of devotionals I wrote, long before my involvement in state government. We both had young children, attended the same church and were cohorts in crime for a number of years. Those devotionals, entitled Meditations from the Compost Heap, were thoughts on some of my first experiences of really trying to do what scripture says when you find yourself having an issue with a fellow believer who happens to be in leadership over you at a church. It was a painfully profitable learning experience, to say the least. Welcome, Karen!
So, you may wonder, just how is she going to try all these random thoughts together with a great big bow and make it into a devotional? Piece of cake. Regardless of the randomness of the events in your life, God tells us:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6.
Six years ago today my granddaughter, Hannah, made her debut into the world on Jerry's 50th birthday. Since then we have been completely blown away by the joys of grand parenting. Sharing a birthday with your Pops means a number of things. First, she has him completely wrapped around her little finger. Second, Jerry will be celebrating his birthday at Chuckie Cheese until Hannah is old enough for Dave and Busters. Third, Stormi (Hannah's mom) has totally shown us all up on birthday gifts. Since I can't top that one, I'm just not buying anymore birthday presents for Jerry. Happy Birthday, Hannah and Pops!
I heard on the news last night that the federal government has been shut down due to weather for four days now. Did you notice? Think about that. There may be a budget cutting idea coming into focus. How long would it take us to notice if most of them never went back to work? Is this a picture of the proverbial "hell freezing over?" And, when you say, "when hell freezes over," do you anticipate that it will stay frozen or that it will thaw at some point?
Friends are one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves. Today the devotional is going out for the first time to a long time friend of mine to whom I recently got re-connected. This friend was privy to the very first series of devotionals I wrote, long before my involvement in state government. We both had young children, attended the same church and were cohorts in crime for a number of years. Those devotionals, entitled Meditations from the Compost Heap, were thoughts on some of my first experiences of really trying to do what scripture says when you find yourself having an issue with a fellow believer who happens to be in leadership over you at a church. It was a painfully profitable learning experience, to say the least. Welcome, Karen!
So, you may wonder, just how is she going to try all these random thoughts together with a great big bow and make it into a devotional? Piece of cake. Regardless of the randomness of the events in your life, God tells us:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Google God
Awakened at 2:00 am by a restless basset, the issue I had been pondering when I fell asleep returned to my mind. A writing project has me stumped. While shivering at the back door waiting for Sam to finish his survey of the yard, the thought hit me. Call God. You have His number.
Long before the advent of phones, cell phones, emails, the internet, texting or social networking God inserted His contact information into scripture.
His number is Jeremiah 33:3 - Call on me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known.
As a baby Christian I was taught to remember that this was God's phone number. At the time, we were not too far removed from when phone numbers began with letters followed by numbers. The first two letters in a word were the pre-fix for the phone number. For example, Mission 3-0123 would be dialed as MI3-0123. (OK, having to explain this makes me feel really, really dated.)
The modern day equivalent of God's phone number would be the internet search engine. Perhaps the concept would be better understood if you just imagined "googling" God.
It makes no difference which generation of technology is most familiar. The eternal truth is that if you call upon the Lord, He will answer you. And, He will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known if you will take the time to listen.
Long before the advent of phones, cell phones, emails, the internet, texting or social networking God inserted His contact information into scripture.
His number is Jeremiah 33:3 - Call on me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known.
As a baby Christian I was taught to remember that this was God's phone number. At the time, we were not too far removed from when phone numbers began with letters followed by numbers. The first two letters in a word were the pre-fix for the phone number. For example, Mission 3-0123 would be dialed as MI3-0123. (OK, having to explain this makes me feel really, really dated.)
The modern day equivalent of God's phone number would be the internet search engine. Perhaps the concept would be better understood if you just imagined "googling" God.
It makes no difference which generation of technology is most familiar. The eternal truth is that if you call upon the Lord, He will answer you. And, He will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known if you will take the time to listen.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Paw Prints and Nose Smudges
Spurred on by preparations for a Super Bowl party and a beautiful sunny day, we were in a spring cleaning frenzy around the house on Saturday. Fortunately, my disdain for housework (obviously my mother scared me with a broom in my youth) is covered by having a husband who not only doesn't mind cleaning, he actually says he enjoys it. (There is no need to understand that to appreciate it.)
Since we are many years past having all our children move away from home, we can only blame the dirt, dust and hair balls on the floor on the basset hounds. And, they deserve the blame. Sam has paws the size of the palm of my hand. For some reason, he has never learned to wipe them before coming through the dog door. When it is raining, the dog door is always closed. Still, it is a two man project to catch the beasts as they run through the door and make sure that each paw actually lands on the towel set down to dry their feet. Even with two of us, we only have about a 75 percent success rate.
All that to say, the tile floor in the living room was in dire need of mopping. And, since Jerry is thorough in any job he does, he started the project by moving all of our living room furniture out to the deck. My project was to remove the winter's accumulation of muddy paw and wet nose prints off the glass in the french doors opening out to the deck.
One good thing about basset hounds is that they are only knee high. Their nose and paw prints are generally confined to the lower panes on the french doors. So, for the most part, the upper panes don't look all that dirty. I cleaned the outside first, spraying each pane individually and wiping it with a dry cloth to ensure that all the streaks were removed. Then I repeated the process on the inside, only to discover as I looked through the glass to the job I had done on the outside that the streaks left behind were more distracting that the original dirt had been. The battle was on as I would clean on the inside, go back to the outside, come back in and notice yet another streak and go back out.
It reminded me of the scripture James 4:8 that says "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." A couple of times each year - either out of pride or humility (sometimes it is tough to tell the difference) - I will write in my journal something along the line of "Dear Lord, show me those things in my life that are unpleasing to you." Generally, at the time it is written, I think I am repented up and in good standing with the Lord. Invariably, the entry in my journal a few days later is, "Thank you, Lord, for all those suggestions. Please let me work on those 2o or so suggestions before you share others."
My point is, when we are standing away from God, like my glass doors, we don't see the dirt. When we get really close to God (or the door) our vision becomes much better. And, generally, after an effort has been made to correct our faults, we find there are streaks left behind. As I stand back and look at my solutions, I have often found yet another wrong way to do the right thing. And so, the process continues.
On the bright side, my floor and doors were both clean at the same time at 3:45 Saturday afternoon. At 4:00 there were dog nose prints on the doors again. Where are the muddy paw prints and nose smudges in your life?
God can show them to you.
Since we are many years past having all our children move away from home, we can only blame the dirt, dust and hair balls on the floor on the basset hounds. And, they deserve the blame. Sam has paws the size of the palm of my hand. For some reason, he has never learned to wipe them before coming through the dog door. When it is raining, the dog door is always closed. Still, it is a two man project to catch the beasts as they run through the door and make sure that each paw actually lands on the towel set down to dry their feet. Even with two of us, we only have about a 75 percent success rate.
All that to say, the tile floor in the living room was in dire need of mopping. And, since Jerry is thorough in any job he does, he started the project by moving all of our living room furniture out to the deck. My project was to remove the winter's accumulation of muddy paw and wet nose prints off the glass in the french doors opening out to the deck.
One good thing about basset hounds is that they are only knee high. Their nose and paw prints are generally confined to the lower panes on the french doors. So, for the most part, the upper panes don't look all that dirty. I cleaned the outside first, spraying each pane individually and wiping it with a dry cloth to ensure that all the streaks were removed. Then I repeated the process on the inside, only to discover as I looked through the glass to the job I had done on the outside that the streaks left behind were more distracting that the original dirt had been. The battle was on as I would clean on the inside, go back to the outside, come back in and notice yet another streak and go back out.
It reminded me of the scripture James 4:8 that says "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." A couple of times each year - either out of pride or humility (sometimes it is tough to tell the difference) - I will write in my journal something along the line of "Dear Lord, show me those things in my life that are unpleasing to you." Generally, at the time it is written, I think I am repented up and in good standing with the Lord. Invariably, the entry in my journal a few days later is, "Thank you, Lord, for all those suggestions. Please let me work on those 2o or so suggestions before you share others."
My point is, when we are standing away from God, like my glass doors, we don't see the dirt. When we get really close to God (or the door) our vision becomes much better. And, generally, after an effort has been made to correct our faults, we find there are streaks left behind. As I stand back and look at my solutions, I have often found yet another wrong way to do the right thing. And so, the process continues.
On the bright side, my floor and doors were both clean at the same time at 3:45 Saturday afternoon. At 4:00 there were dog nose prints on the doors again. Where are the muddy paw prints and nose smudges in your life?
God can show them to you.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
You Can't Offend a Dead Man
How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? Romans 6:2
The buzz on talk radio this morning is an ill-advised comment made by President Obama's chief of staff when he referred to something as "(expletive deleted) retarded." Sarah Palin, mother of a child with Down's Syndrome has called for his head for the insensitive comment. Supporters are coming to his defense, saying that he meant no offense and that expecting someone to take the word out of their vocabulary is unreasonable.
The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Was the chief of staff intending to offend the parents of special needs children when he made the comment? Probably not. Was he using the dictionary definition of the word to describe a situation? Prefacing it with the strong expletive indicates that he probably was not. His ill-advised comment likely indicates a blast from his past when such comments were used to refer to special needs individuals without consideration for their feelings. Chances are he does not know anyone with special needs (his loss) and the uproar over the comment has taken him by surprise.
While there is no excuse for someone in his position to make such an insensitive remark, the political realm is quickly getting to the point where anything you say is like manuvering through a field of land mines. For example, the candidate for governor in South Carolina made a comment about government assistance being like "feeding stray animals." His point is that the more government assistance you give, the more it will be requested. And, it is true, that government gets the behavior it subsidizes. People immediately tried to spin the comment to mean that he wanted to euthanize people in order to lower government costs. Not his position at all.
One of my triggers is when someone makes the comment that a situation is like "having a gun pointed at your head." People who say it in my presence generally do not know that my mother was murdered, shot in the head. But, the concept they are attempting to convey is lost on me as my personal experiences color the reaction I have to the phrase.
Over the years, I have learned that I am not going to stop everybody from saying the phrases that set me off. However, my response to them is my choice.
Several years ago my mentor advised me to repent (again) because I was carrying an offense over something. His point was that you cannot offend a dead man. If we have died to sin, insults and attacks should not offend us. I, of course, debated the issue for a while since I was feeling particularly offended and felt entitled to my feelings.
Let me save you some time. You can't logic yourself out of it. If you have died, you can't be offended. If you are feeling offended, you probably have something else that needs to die.
The buzz on talk radio this morning is an ill-advised comment made by President Obama's chief of staff when he referred to something as "(expletive deleted) retarded." Sarah Palin, mother of a child with Down's Syndrome has called for his head for the insensitive comment. Supporters are coming to his defense, saying that he meant no offense and that expecting someone to take the word out of their vocabulary is unreasonable.
The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Was the chief of staff intending to offend the parents of special needs children when he made the comment? Probably not. Was he using the dictionary definition of the word to describe a situation? Prefacing it with the strong expletive indicates that he probably was not. His ill-advised comment likely indicates a blast from his past when such comments were used to refer to special needs individuals without consideration for their feelings. Chances are he does not know anyone with special needs (his loss) and the uproar over the comment has taken him by surprise.
While there is no excuse for someone in his position to make such an insensitive remark, the political realm is quickly getting to the point where anything you say is like manuvering through a field of land mines. For example, the candidate for governor in South Carolina made a comment about government assistance being like "feeding stray animals." His point is that the more government assistance you give, the more it will be requested. And, it is true, that government gets the behavior it subsidizes. People immediately tried to spin the comment to mean that he wanted to euthanize people in order to lower government costs. Not his position at all.
One of my triggers is when someone makes the comment that a situation is like "having a gun pointed at your head." People who say it in my presence generally do not know that my mother was murdered, shot in the head. But, the concept they are attempting to convey is lost on me as my personal experiences color the reaction I have to the phrase.
Over the years, I have learned that I am not going to stop everybody from saying the phrases that set me off. However, my response to them is my choice.
Several years ago my mentor advised me to repent (again) because I was carrying an offense over something. His point was that you cannot offend a dead man. If we have died to sin, insults and attacks should not offend us. I, of course, debated the issue for a while since I was feeling particularly offended and felt entitled to my feelings.
Let me save you some time. You can't logic yourself out of it. If you have died, you can't be offended. If you are feeling offended, you probably have something else that needs to die.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Groundhog Day
Proving that there is little in this world that can happen without offending somebody, People for the Ethical Ttreatment of Animals (PETA) thinks Punxsutawney Phil, the Pennsylvania groundhog who has been predicting the weather for years, should be replaced by a robot.
Betcha didn't know that Groundhog Day was originally a blend of ancient Christian and Roman customs. (You just have to love the internet.) The Christian clergy distributed blessed candles in honor of Candlemas to celebrate the Virgin Mary's presentation of Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem on February 2. That date coincided with the pagen Celtic festival of Imbolc which falls on February 1. Tradition held that clear skies on Candlemas meant an extended winter.
Romans also believed that conditions during the first days of February were good predictors of future weather, but the empire looked to hedgehogs for their forecasts. When German immigrants came to Pennsylvannia, there were no hedgehogs, so they substituted groundhogs to make their weather predictions. And, so we have Groundhog Day.
FYI, opponents to Punxsutawney Phil's use as a weather predictor do not seem to be gaining much traction. Recognizing Phil as the goose that laid the golden egg, one spokeperson's comments referred to his living arrangements as "better than most children's in Pennsylvannia."
Perhaps PETA should take Proverb's 26:17 to heart. He who, passing by, stops to meddle with strife that is none of his business is like one who takes a dog [goundhog] by the ears.
Betcha didn't know that Groundhog Day was originally a blend of ancient Christian and Roman customs. (You just have to love the internet.) The Christian clergy distributed blessed candles in honor of Candlemas to celebrate the Virgin Mary's presentation of Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem on February 2. That date coincided with the pagen Celtic festival of Imbolc which falls on February 1. Tradition held that clear skies on Candlemas meant an extended winter.
Romans also believed that conditions during the first days of February were good predictors of future weather, but the empire looked to hedgehogs for their forecasts. When German immigrants came to Pennsylvannia, there were no hedgehogs, so they substituted groundhogs to make their weather predictions. And, so we have Groundhog Day.
FYI, opponents to Punxsutawney Phil's use as a weather predictor do not seem to be gaining much traction. Recognizing Phil as the goose that laid the golden egg, one spokeperson's comments referred to his living arrangements as "better than most children's in Pennsylvannia."
Perhaps PETA should take Proverb's 26:17 to heart. He who, passing by, stops to meddle with strife that is none of his business is like one who takes a dog [goundhog] by the ears.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Nothing to Say
Have you ever pondered why people who have nothing to say take so long to say it?
He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles. Proverbs 21:23
He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles. Proverbs 21:23
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