Observations from the Side Aisle

The AMERICAN Dream

2012-01-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

So, over the weekend past, I received an email with a link to a video clip. It bothered me to the extent; that uncharacteristically, I sent it to each of the kids and their spouses as well as the wife and one of the in-laws (only one I had an email address for).

I also offered the following for them to consider. My words were heartfelt.

To all my children:

Please take the time to watch this.

Am not sure where you stand on everything addressed but I PROMISE you that the points made by the instructor are valid.

"No citizen is 'owed' any standard of living by our government according to the documents by which this nation was created. We are guaranteed equality as to opportunity, not as to circumstance. And unfortunately, some people by virtue of nothing else than blind luck, catch undeservedly the short end of the stick while others; likewise sometimes undeservedly, receive more than they should. Since recorded history began, governments and legislation has never been able to correct this fact. Nor, will it ever in the future. Depressing thought, isn't it.

What I fear is that you are too idealistic to understand, quite simply, when producers are no longer provided the fruits of their efforts they will cease to produce for the impetus to do so will no longer exist. Whether you realize it or not; idealism, certainly a good construct, can not be enforced by law but must be freely offered by people towards one another and if one chooses not to operate from a position of altruism they can NOT be forced to do so. Attempting such only creates a climate for utter failure by virtue of one peoples enforcing their will on another and when that happens the oppressed will eventually rebel in some fashion or another against those who would limit their freedom of choice. Mankind has been created with free will and nothing can be done to alter that fact.

I suggest that I've found balance to operate in this life by virtue of my faith and its precepts and teachings, and commend you each and all to do likewise. We are called to be 'in the world', not necessarily 'of the world'. We are called to offer choices, not to force behaviors. We are called not to save the world but rather those whose lives we have the opportunity to effect. We are called to love, and by that love allow each other the chance to do likewise."

Peace & grace,

Daddy

I suppose I was expecting some sort of reply and sadly have yet to receive one from anyone. I'm not really trying to change any of the kids thoughts, but rather challenge them to examine their positions and be able to defend them; for that's what allows you to stand strong in your own beliefs and understandings. Could the vid clip portray more accurately than I presumed the mind of our ensuing generations?

?Quien sabe?, (Who knows?)

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Wishing all a Happy New Year; that it be filled with Peace and Love in the days to come; that 2012 inaugurate a new time of prosperity, and that good health be enjoyed by all. Let's put 2011 aside and look forward to the fulfillment of our earnest desires according to God's will, and accept those answers as He provides us them.

Peace & grace

G R A C E

2011-12-19T13:29:00.000-08:00

Sin can usually be defined a separation from God and is thought to be “covered” by Grace. A few evenings past our graduate EFM (aka “Thirsty Thursday”) meeting’s TR was about sIn (original and otherwise), Evil, and Grace; with a healthy helping of politics thrown in for the topic was adapted from two Dennis Prager columns (read them here and here). I had hoped to keep politics out of the discussion but we’re a rather independent bunch and don’t follow anyone’s lead very well. Consequently, a part of our time together was spent on adultery and its relation to qualification for public office, though it won’t be here. However, and finally, we did get onto what I had hoped to consider; that being a differentiation between sin and evil and why the Bible speaks so often toward sin and so infrequently towards evil. A interesting concept, for isn’t evil just really bad sin? I’ve come to believe not.

It’s based on my conviction that the Bible is not history as understood by 21st Century thought processes, but rather an ongoing love story tracing the relationship between God and His creation and should be approached accordingly. Sin and love can, do, and possibly must co-exist. Evil and love don’t. And therein I believe we glean the answer to the question:
“Isn’t evil just really bad sin?”
No way, Jose!

My “ah-ha” moment from last evening came with the realization that to be in sin with God one must in fact know God, while people who are truly EVIL are incapable of recognizing His existence. Seems like a bit of a fine line: “When one recognizes God, one comes to recognize behaviors that are sinful and only then can they receive grace. Without that knowledge of God, they can’t be in sin. One can commit crimes both civil and criminal and be in violation of the laws of the land, just as they can obey or skirt around those laws and still be judged morally bankrupt. As decent human beings they can also rue their mistakes and seek to atone for their errors; however, without acknowledging their belief in God they are incapable of receiving or accepting His Grace. One can not take hold of that which they believe does not exist.

Another question then becomes: “Are all Atheists evil people?” Absolutely not! But all truly evil people are in probability Atheists, for they are devoid of the ability to enter into God’s love story. And in retrospect, that’s probably why the Bible doesn’t spend much time addressing evil per se. It does, however, constantly remind us of our failures to live up to God’s expectations and His desires for us.

Beginning with:

“Don’t eat that apple.” &
“But it really won’t hurt and it will make you like God.”
And even up until today:
“But I don’t want to.”
“I want to do it my way.”
“I know what’s best for me"

God’s people continually attempt to equate themselves with Him. It’s human nature; could that be what original sin really is? When we were given free will was original sin its adjunct? Is sin solely relational and subject only to forgiveness through love?

I’m not sure how I can justify God’s response or lack thereof toward those who refuse to acknowledge Him, but feel it must be contained somewhere within that gift to mankind of free will. We can’t be directed or forced to love Him, it’s a decision each must come to on their own terms. Withstanding a personally held affirmation to be in relation with Him, we are only obedient puppets, under subjection to God rather than being bound to Him by our love towards Him. Time after time the New Testament speaks to love, not obedience. Love God, love His creation and love all whom He peopled it with. Practice charity, treat others as you yourself would be treated, be kind to one another, forgive transgressions. LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! And, that’s something that must be done only from personal conviction. If it’s done from obligation or due by law, it’s not freely given. If it’s not freely given, it’s not done with love.

In the next few days we will again be reminded of that most precious gift of love the world could ever know. God become man, that man might begin to understand the depth of love God holds for each of us. Watch, listen, accept, LOVE!

Merry Texas Christmas, y’all.

Faith & Liberty

2011-12-14T10:33:00.000-08:00

I suppose most Americans see our Declaration of Independence, Constitution and its Preamble, and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address as foundational documents of our beliefs as a citizenry. I know I do. ‘Tis strange that each in its own way evokes:

1). A belief in a (one) Supreme Being. And
2). A belief in equality of creation and opportunity rather than an equality of circumstance, and that circumstance being subject to the effort, ability, and fortune of each resident.

Personal liberty seems paramount in our forefather’s writings. Their belief in equal justice before law further enforces thoughts regarding social justice; that: “It is not the obligation of government to insure all its citizens obtain and enjoy the same standard of living.” Unfortunately, however, that is what our system of governance has become and wherein we find ourselves today.

The ideas of those founders created an opportunity for their government’s populace and not the structure itself, to offer a knowledge, understanding and efforts of necessary charity towards their disadvantaged and disenfranchised. A chance for those more fortunate to share of their bounty “by virtue of their human nature and belief; through a heartfelt obligation to their fellow man, rather than by fiat alone”.

Love, and human kindness for that matter, can not be legislated and attempts to do so only doom all to a less selfless nature. When and if we reach the point that individuals concern themselves each with their fellow man as well as those marginalized by society coming to appreciate the efforts on their behalf instead of accepting them as their due, we will have come a long way in solving many of the problems stemming from that inequality of circumstance.

Declaration of Independence
When in the Course of human events, …to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, …

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.-…

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, …. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Preamble to the Constitution
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Gettysburg Address
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. …

… that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom …

"What say you?"

2011-12-05T09:38:00.000-08:00

On the 29th of last month I sent this to my kids with the query attached:
"What say you?"

A Response to Oregon's Governor on Capital Punishment
Tuesday, November 29, 2011

The governor of Oregon, John Kitzhaber, announced last week that he would not allow any more executions in his state during his time in office.

Kitzhaber, a Democrat, gave five reasons for his decision. My response follows each one.

1. "I refuse to be part of this compromised and inequitable system any longer."

This has become one of the most frequently offered reasons for objecting to capital punishment -- that because the system is not equitable, no murderer should be put to death.

This is a reason that is devoid of reason. If a system is not equitable, you don't end the system, you try to end what is not equitable. This is classic left-wing thinking -- destroy what is good if it is imperfect. Documentary-maker Michael Moore was recently on CNN with Anderson Cooper and provided a perfect example of this way of thinking.

Moore: "2011 capitalism is an evil system set up to benefit the few at the expense of the many."

Cooper: "So, what system do you want?"

Moore: "Well, there's no system right now that exists. We're going to create that system."

The utopian streak that is an essential part of the left-wing mind is puerile and destructive: "If it isn't perfect, eliminate it."

2. "I do not believe that those executions (the two that the governor allowed) made us safer."

We all acknowledge that two executions do not make us safer (though they do make it safer for prison guards and for other inmates). Who ever said two executions would make us safer? Overwhelmingly, the reason people give for supporting the death penalty is justice. It is indescribably unjust to allow everyone who deliberately takes a human life to keep his own.

But if you want to talk safety, then yes, we who support the death penalty are certain that, applied with any consistency, it is a deterrent. The late sociologist Ernest van den Haag had an interesting thought experiment. Suppose that murders committed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays carried a death sentence, while those committed on the other days were punishable by a prison sentence. On which days do you suppose more murders would be committed?

The notion that parking tickets deter illegal parking but that death does not deter murder is truly irrational. It shows what happens when people put ideology over common sense.

3. "Certainly I don't believe (the executions of murderers) made us more noble as a society."

Why is it noble to keep all murderers alive? Was Israel less noble for executing Adolf Eichmann, the architect of the Holocaust? When two men enter the home of a family of four; rape the wife and two young daughters; beat all four nearly to death, leaving them in the agony of crushed bones and skulls; and then tie them up and burn the three females to death, why is it "noble" to keep the men who did that alive?

4. Oregon has an "unworkable system that fails to meet basic standards of justice."

Opponents of the death penalty make it virtually impossible to execute murderers. They then lament how long and laborious the effort is to execute a murderer.

5. "... And I simply cannot participate in something I believe morally wrong."

Opponents of the death penalty simply assert the death penalty is immoral. That is their prerogative. But "morally wrong" in this context means nothing more than "I don't like it." Indeed, as reported in the The New York Times, "Asked with whom (Kitzhaber) had consulted, he said, 'Mostly myself.'"

Kitzhaber's moratorium delays the execution of a murderer who had raped and brutally beaten to death a woman named Mary Archer. Needless to say, the family and friends of Mary Archer disagree with the governor's action.

"We are just plain devastated," said the man who had been Mary Archer's husband. "This is such a miscarriage of justice."

Indeed it is. And worse. Societies that allow all murderers to live have lost some of their hunger for justice and certainly lost their hatred of evil. They also cheapen the crime of murder. Punishment is society's way of communicating how serious it views a crime, and there is all the difference in the world between the death penalty and life (not to mention less time) in prison.

When all murderers are allowed to live, the evil exult while the victims weep. Why is that noble?

Got a reply back today, following:

My support for capital punishment has waned significantly in the last few years to the point that I would support it being abolished. Of course, I would leave it to the states. But if it came up for a vote, yes, I would vote to abolish it and move to life imprisonment without parole.

As for my reasons, I look to the consensus among economists that putting someone to death costs the state (and taxpayer) significantly more than life imprisonment when all factors are considered (i.e. litigation, cost of holding someone on death row vs. regular prison, etc.). However, perhaps most importantly, I just know that our system makes mistakes. Innocent men and women have been put to death. And that is an unacceptable cost for me.

In the end, I just don't think its a good system, especially given the chance for innocent people being improperly punished. I don't think we as a society need to kill an offender in order to mete out justice. But the idea of justice is different for everybody. Some people are willing to allow the death of a few innocent people in their quest for justice. In this instance, I'm just not one of them.

Love you, and your thoughts as always are appreciated.

To which I offered the following reply:

I saw this piece about more than the Death Penalty. Which (FYI) I only support until such time as there is true Life without Parole available. Suppose that is due to seeing murderers being paroled and then killing again. When the death penalty is applied we can be sure the convicted will murder no more and that society is safe as least from that one person.

Twas sent more to reflect on what I see and believe is a liberal bias towards engineering social betterment and a personal and long held belief in the inability of government to effect it. To the extent I believe equality is a right bestowed by our Creator and afforded by one another to one another rather than to be enforced by a political system. Does government have an obligation to care for its disenfranchised citizens? Absolutely. Does it have an obligation to provide them rights equal to those who are more fortunate? Absolutely again. BUT, does government have the obligation to afford them the same standards of living as those who have worked to better themselves (or whose fore bearers did so for them before their time)? Nope!

If you study genealogical history you find most everyone started at the bottom of the ladder somewhere along the line and then made a choice to better themselves. Hispanic and Asian cultures would seem an example of that ethic in our current time. I've attached a copy of what I said when you got your Eagle Award. Feel like it's still true, everyone gots to pay their dues.

Love
Daddy

Let's begin again to...

2011-11-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

Wife & I went out for our usual Thursday Night Mexican Dinner at the Taqueria (Thursday because it's Dollar Dos Equis Night) and as we were eating dinner I glanced up at a TV set (VERY common in Taquerias). A thought came to mind. Without endorsing any one candidate over another on the non-socalist right, it was what I consider an epiphany.

"The mainstream media has managed to villify Newt G., Sarah Palin, Michelle B., Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Ron Paul, et al. because they can't abide the possibility of one of them or anyone with their beliefs being elected."

It appears (IMHO) that Obama will be a one term president. Conventional wisdom also indicates he will be the candidate from the Democrat Party, much to their dismay. So... whoever gets the Republican nomination will probably be the next POTUS.

In their liberal obsession with equality (read sameness or socalism) for all (except the "elite", of course) they must cause any God fearing, right thinking, conservative, patriotic, capitalist to be seen as a demon. Hence the:

1). tearing down of all the above mentioned (and other) candidates;
2). the "pass" given the liberal socialists; and
3). the pass being given Mitt Romney.

Because (again, IMHO) while they have realized the distinct possibility of an elected Republican President, they are looking for the most liberal one out there. They can help him/her get elected and then criticize them for not being close enough to center to make them look bad throughout their term(s), and again begin moving us (U.S.) back left because: 'the Republicans certainly can't fix our problems.'

Where I'm going with this thread is that it's time we stood up against the MSM and began thinking for ourselves. The good Lord provided us with a brain to reason and 'free will' to pursue our thoughts. I think in part that's the point being made in the following video which I perchance receive this AM. Please take a moment to consider the common sense of what's being said rather than filter it with an opinion of the speaker based on what the media has caused you to believe about him. Choose your own candidate to support but make it upon what you individually have observed and KNOW to be fact rather than what a news outlet has caused you to believe. I blame the mainstream press for putting us in the position we now find ourselves; for, we certainly don't want to appear 'racist', don't you know? Rather than examining political positions, we as a nation have made a choice for their definition of equality when it really doesn't exist. To quote an old adage: 'Stupidity is the act of doing the same thing we've always done, the same way we've always done it and expecting a different result.' Let's not be stupid this time choose wisely; that we might begin again to: "establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity' ."

Vaya con Dios, Angel Miranda.

2011-09-27T06:15:00.000-07:00

RIP: Angel Miranda, founder of Lola’s

While a frequent visitor for many years, I had the privilege of dining at Lola's very shortly after its reopening from Katrina and will NEVER forget the power failure that occurred the night in question, and Angel bringing in lights hooked up to his car's battery to provide enough light so he could continue preparing his orders and feed his patrons that had already been seated.

Dinner by industrial Halogen work lights in the wake of Katrina... you had to have been there. Truly a magical evening and surely one of my most memorable NOLA dining experiences EVER.

Godspeed Mr. Miranda

Political correctness gotten out of hand…

2011-09-26T15:31:00.000-07:00

Why do some consider it racist for a news outlet to report a speech by a black man given to a group of blacks using “black” vernacular as it was presented directly to the audience rather than cleaning it up and removing the black vernacular which appeared to be expressly used to make points with those to whom it was presented?

Could one not make the point that the speech was racist unto itself if the speech giver deliberately chose to use grammar in this manner when they were capable and cognizant of presenting without falling to idiomatic usage to make a point?

What say you? Go to Yahoo and decide for yourself.

A random thought

2011-09-08T07:49:00.000-07:00

It’s been said that: "When you reach the speed of light, time ceases".

It is also said that; "God IS light".

Could this be how we might understand God and His time?

It's EfM time again...

2011-08-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

... and this year I'm officially co-mentoring and really looking forward to it. In no particular order, our group will include 5 PHD's, 3 Year Three's, 7 Year One's, ages ranging from late 60's down to early 40's, an Oregon liberal and some Texas conservatives, at least one Universalist, 2 Baptists, 1 Methodist, 8 Episcopalians and 1 member of undetermined affiliation, 4 women and 8 men including one married couple; and no "shrinking violets", I hope and pray.

That's a pretty diverse group, "Thanks be to God", for I believe that's what makes an EfM experience really work the way it should. I can assure you that this will be a seminar setting with anticipated unique contributions from all. As mentor, I'll get to watch and absorb, but will NOT teach. The last 4 years that I've been associated with this particular group, we've had some members come and go, graduated 9 and are returning three from last year. The relationships formed have been one of the high points of my journey. EfM has truly taught me the meaning of "brothers and sisters in Christ." I can't wait to begin re-establishing old and beginning those new relationships which define the EfM process.

If anyone who happens by doesn't know about or hasn't considered EfM (Education for Ministry) here's the link. Check it out, particularly if you're searching for meaning amidst all our earthly trials.

Peace & grace y'all.

Butterfield's Lullaby

2011-07-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

We lost another member of the "Greatest Generation" today.

In your honor:

Day is done, gone the sun
From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky
All is well, safely rest
God is near.
Fading light dims the sight
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright
From afar, drawing near
Falls the night.
Thanks and praise for our days
Neath the sun, neath the stars, neath the sky
As we go, this we know
God is near.

Rest in Peace, John.

The Tree of Life …

2011-07-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

… is not only a film set in my hometown, but I grew up a few blocks from where I’ve come to learn Terrance Malick lived while he was here (the setting for this film). And he’s only got about four years on me, too. You can take it to the bank, “I identified with it, in both time and place.”

So, how do you review something that is almost beyond description? Thoughtfully and carefully, I would presume. First things first, you will either love or hate this movie and everyone who sees it will come away with a different perception of its message. Likewise, I daresay, it’s not a film for the younger crowd for it contains way too much symbolism for those who’ve not had the chance to experience all life has to offer. It speaks of a different time and unless you were there you well might miss out on a great deal of its premise.

Is it a good movie? ABSOLUTELY! Four Stars out of four, from my point of view; but ‘tis more than a couple of hours entertainment. Creation symbolism abounds at its start; volcanoes erupting, Hubble telescope pictures of galaxies far away, oceanic creatures and special effects reflecting the dawn of time behind a beautiful score of background music. Cut to a telegram received, possibly late sixties, a son has died. Flashback to the fifties and that time of youth when games were played outside, trees climbed and bicycles ridden thru fields high with grass. That time when elementary age kids roamed their neighborhood playing en mass while searching for glimpses of adulthood. That first “coming of age” before that real one during our High School years, give or take.

Then, what’s the message? I’m not sure there is one, per se. It seems to be more of an accurate revisitation of a time long forgotten for us “boomers”, when Ike and JFK were Presidents and things seemed much simpler than they do now. BTW, this is a film with definite faith based overtones and the “Tree of Life”, if anything, represents that cycle of continuity we find in life and death and rebirth. I can’t tell you what you’ll come away with for it seems most personal for each individual viewer, but you might well like it and surely will have witnessed greatness, that I promise.

For Jack

2011-06-23T10:28:00.000-07:00

I offer Congratulations and wish you Happy Graduation; though it’s the saddest one I’ve wished anyone in this lifetime. My friend, we had a tremendous amount in common and I looked forward to another three years of exploring those commonalities; however, such is not to be and I feel a lesser person for it.

These wishes may not seem exactly the most proper thing to say at this moment, but I’m sure you understand what I mean and accept them in EXACTLY the manner in which they are intended. Our short class time together convinced me you were on the correct path.

So, Congratulations, I’m certain you’ve “got the cookie”, though far, far too soon. And, Happy Graduation. You didn’t complete EFM but you’ve graduated these Shadowlands and can now see and understand much more clearly than we would have ever hoped to in our discussions.

Godspeed my brother. Save me a seat at the table and set aside a “wee dram” for me when we next meet up.

A serious legal question:

2011-06-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

In general, in cases of property disputes, legal precedence has been accorded that portion of a Diocese maintaining connection with its National Church, rather than the splinter group breaking off and aligning itself with another “arm” of the Anglican Communion. However, this has been done while The Episcopal Church has ostensibly “maintained membership in good standing” within its Anglican Communion.

Should it occur that the National Church, or for that matter, an individual Diocese, no longer is “In full Communion” with the Anglican Church, could/would that alter presumed past or future property dispute settlements?

My basis of this question is the Court’s seeming general reliance on the rights of the “larger whole” taking precedence over the individual rights of the separatists. And subsequently, could/would that give precedence to the group still maintaining “Covenant Status” within the Anglican Communion rather than a group that does not?

Or, am I missing a legally defined relationship between TEC and The Anglican Communion?

Father's Day

2011-06-15T14:08:00.000-07:00

I started this post three years ago, and am finally finishing it now, the week of Father’s Day, three years hence.

Sunday was Father’s Day and the sermon was one of grace to me. Not sure that’s what Friar Chuck had in mind but that is what I heard. Because, we all seem to hear from our point of view and not that of the speaker, don’t ‘cha know?

From early childhood onward, the relationship with my parents was strained and confrontational, at best; which long caused me issues with the Commandment to “honor thy father and thy mother.” In the case of my mother that relationship was never healed. In the case of my father, it was, several years prior to his passing.

I had been completely estranged from the parents for many years when the wife was diagnosed with a chronic, frequently progressive, neurological condition and we truly didn’t know then what our future held. As a result of many issues, I had left “the family business”, under difficult circumstances well prior to that time; and was, in fact, somewhat in competition within a similar market. I suppose that was the final straw in my mother’s mind with regard to her feelings towards me. But that’s a story for another time, because this is about Father’s Day and my father.

Daddy was, in retrospect, a weak person led along by his wife. It was her father, my grandfather – whom I idolized and who started “the family business”. In Grandpa’s mind I was always his “heir apparent”; but then things don’t always work out as intended. Anyway, I was self employed at the time (still am today) and Daddy came into my office shortly after learning of the wife’s diagnosis to offer any help we might need. I remember clearly his comment: “We are still family and we’re here if you need us.” I’ve always believed that to be his affirmation of love and respect for myself and my family. In his waning years I saw him more frequently than before and by then he had mellowed a bit.

We all seek affirmation; myself, my father, my mother’s father and my son, one and all. I suppose there have been those few times in my life when I truly felt grace received. Once was the day when Daddy said “we are still family”. Another was after Father’s Day when I received an email from the son. We didn’t manage to make contact Sunday but his email was waiting for me Monday morning. He remembered back to a moment I’ve long forgotten, one of those “father moments”. In that same email he indicated that he’s using one of my favorite phrases as the basis for his transfer statement. “No deposit, no return.”

The relationship between fathers and sons is rather an unusual one, I have come to believe. And while it IS about love, it’s more so ultimately one of RESPECT based not on negatives but positives. Not the daily give and take but rather that of being there in “the clutch”. More one of character built and of character exhibited at those odd times least expected and most appreciated.

So, Happy Father’s Day Daddy, you taught me character and I still think well of you, even as time passes.

What’s wrong with this picture?

2011-06-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

A practicing Muslim woman marries a Jewish man because they “love” each other. She later learns, while ostensibly pregnant and before their 1st anniversary, that he is emailing suggestive pictures of himself to other women.
The Rest of the Story

Raised Jewish, Weiner told Moment Magazine in 2011, "We weren’t a very religious household, but we had a very strong sense of our Judaism."

In May 2006, Weiner attempted to bar entry by the Palestinian delegation to the United Nations. He claimed that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas did not represent the PLO, and implied that this was because the group is listed as a terrorist organization by the US State Department. Weiner further stated that the delegation "should start packing their little Palestinian terrorist bags." Weiner went on to claim that Human Rights Watch, the New York Times, and, in particular, Amnesty International are biased against Israel

On July 29, 2007, Weiner and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) announced that they would seek to stop a $20 billion arms deal that the Bush Administration had negotiated with Saudi Arabia. The lawmakers objected to the deal because they do not want to provide "sophisticated weapons to a country that they believe has not done enough to stop terrorism," also noting that 15 of the 19 September 11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Weiner made the announcement outside of the Saudi Arabian consulate in Washington, stating that "We need to send a crystal clear message to the Saudi Arabian government that their tacit approval of terrorism can't go unpunished." Weiner and Nadler intend to use a provision of the Arms Export Control Act to review the deal and pass a Joint Resolution of Disapproval.

Weiner married Huma Abedin, a longtime personal aide of Hillary Clinton, on July 10, 2010. Former president Bill Clinton officiated the wedding. Weiner proposed to Abedin on May 23, 2009.

In October 2010, Weiner urged YouTube to take down Anwar al-Awlaki's videos from its website, saying that by hosting al-Awlaki's messages, "We are facilitating the recruitment of homegrown terror." In November 2010, YouTube removed from its site some of the hundreds of videos featuring al-Awlaki's calls to jihad.

Weiner attracted wide attention when, on February 24, 2010, he proclaimed in front of Congress: "Make no mistake about it, every single Republican I have ever met in my entire life is a wholly owned subsidiary of the insurance industry.

Weiner, along with several other members of Congress, have criticized the Obama administration proposal to sell over $60 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia. Weiner said:

"Saudi Arabia is not deserving of our aid, and by arming them with advanced American weaponry we are sending the wrong message"

He described Saudi Arabia as having a "history of financing terrorism" and teaching hatred of "Christians and Jews" to their schoolchildren

Weiner is a friend of actor Ben Affleck, whom he met while Affleck was researching this role for the film State of Play, in 2008. "We got into a chest-to-chest shouting match over Obama–Clinton within about four minutes. Literally, people were outside the office wondering if they should go in and separate us," Weiner has said about one of their first encounters.

Weiner has been friends with Jon Stewart since Weiner and some of Stewart's college friends rented a summer house in Dewey Beach, Delaware, in the 1980s.

Huma Mahmood Abedin (born 1976) is an aide to United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton who served as traveling chief of staff and "body woman" during Clinton's campaign for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential election.

Abedin, an American of South Asian descent, was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Her father was an Indian-born Islamic and Middle Eastern scholar who died when she was 17 years old, and her Pakistani-born mother, Saleha Mahmood Abedin, PhD, is an associate professor of sociology at Dar Al-Hekma College in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. At the age of two, her family relocated to Jeddah. Abedin returned to the United States to attend George Washington University.

Abedin began working as an intern for the White House in 1996 and landed an assignment with the First Lady. She currently works for Clinton at the State Department

In June 2011, less than a year after her wedding to Weiner, Abedin became the subject of widespread media attention amidst her husband's Twitter photo scandal in which he admitted he had engaged in sexually charged exchanges with "about six women" over the Internet during the past three years. In the press conference admitting the sexual liaisons, Weiner said he had revealed his online relationships to his wife before their marriage. Regarding the new revelations, Weiner said, "She was very unhappy, she was very disappointed, and she told me as much. And she also told me that she loved me and we're going to get through this."

So I ask you, “What’s wrong with this picture?”

An illumination:

2011-05-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

"All the problems we face in the United States today can be traced to an unenlightened immigration policy on the part of the American Indian."
Just finished reading Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History by S. C. Gwynne. It’s a good book, well written and would be a worthwhile and enjoyable read for anyone interested in that period of history, Texas History and possibly sociology.

I live only about 45 minutes from Col. Parker’s Fort (referred to in the book), have a smattering of knowledge about Cynthia Ann Parker (daughter of said Col. Parker, later wife of Comanche Chief Peta Nocona and mother of Quanah Parker, the last great Comanche War Chief) and consider myself somewhat learned about Texas History and the Texas Rangers. However, the text enlightened me as to how little I know about Indian depredations in Texas and all across the Great Plains from the 1820’s when the land of Texas was held by the Republic of Mexico until the 1870’s, by which time Texas had won it’s independence from Mexico, been a nation unto itself, joined the Union, seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy, been on the losing side of the War of Northern Aggression and rejoined the Union again. A mere 25 years +/- from the beginning of the 20th Century, by which time man had invented the telephone, was actually using electricity within his home and the Wright brothers were already experiencing unpowered flight at Kitty Hawk. Why, my Grandma was born right here in Central Texas in 1898.

But to the point of this post; while reading towards the latter part of the book, the author makes reference to the fact that the U S government, because they had no better approach, decided to take away the lifestyle of the Plains Tribes, or more so the complete identity of all indian tribes so that they (the Govt.) could “assume control” their lands. This post is not to argue the merits of property rights but rather to examine what the government did in removing the Indians from their territories and placing them on the “Res.” Not surprisingly, I see many parallels to an unfortunately large population of those currently warehoused within today’s “projects”. The correlation is too great to be overlooked.

Shortly after “The End of Camelot”, LBJ managed to secure legislation to enact what was then called his “Great Society”. I’ll not argue that conditions of the time necessitated actions insuring equal rights but rather that in government’s desire to solve a social problem they created new problems of much greater magnitudes than those they solved.

By throwing admittedly limited funding at the Indians on the reservation, those Native Americans relinquished their independent spirit becoming dependent upon the largess of their Great White Father to see to their every need, enslaving them to their condition as deemed appropriate by that government. By accepting their government’s offer of resource to “improve” the quality of life of our nation’s impoverished and underserved in the late 60’s, it appears we created yet another dependency rather than independence. A group of society satisfied to exist with that which they are given rather than encouraged (or forced) to rise above their condition and earn that which they were capable of as equals before our Constitution.

So what’s the answer. I don’t know. Problems are easily identified and solutions are complex and hard to come by. We are all created equal but that does not mean all are equal in terms of knowledge, abilities or talents; nor do I recognize, nor accept a government mandated obligation towards that type of equality (sameness, if you will). Creative problem solving could suggest the answer lie in societal change towards what I consider the disenfranchised and in turn a change in them with regard to their lot in life. I believe that until such time as people really desire to better themselves and sacrifice to do so, they will remain “on the Reservation”. And until such time as we take steps to provide them the means and impetus to do so, things will likewise remain status quo.

Shadowlands

2011-04-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

From C. S. Lewis' The Last Battle:

"When Aslan said you could never go back to Narnia, he meant the Narnia you were thinking of. But that was not the real Narnia. That had a beginning and an end. It was only a shadow or copy of the real Narnia, which has always been here and will always be here; just as our own world, England and all, is only a shadow or copy of something in Aslan’s real world. You need not mourn over Narnia, Lucy. All the old Narnia that mattered, all the dear creatures, have been drawn into the real Narnia through the Door. And of course it is different; as different as a real thing is from a shadow or a waking life is from a dream.”

So…, about 3 months back, when we had a bitter cold snap I wore a hat to work; a cowboy hat, for many reasons: I own several, I think they look good on me, they keep my head warm and of course because I am yet a cowboy.

Here in Central Texas the weather can change rather rapidly and as circumstance would have it, by late morning of one day the temp had warmed up quite a bit, the wind had quit blowing and the sun was shining. I had bundled up leaving the shop going to the Post Office and by return had shed my coat and was wearing only my hat. Walking back from my pickup I noticed my shadow. ‘Twas a bit of an epiphany.

At 63 years old (or young depending on my point of view at the time) I’m still six foot tall though I carry several pounds more than “back in the day”. And in my mind, I regard myself as that youth of 20 something, still able to do anything I could back then. Before the ravages of time I wasn’t so bad lookin’, either.

Anyway, glancing at that shadow, I realized I had seen not who I am today but rather that cowboy of years ago, tall and thin, “cool”, your typical “Marlboro Man”, able to achieve admiring glances from all who beheld him. And I thought: “Wow, that’s really how I would like to picture myself back then”; and thought also, in my understanding, how it might be one day in the future. When we finally get to “the real Narnia” and become all that we were created to be, individual in our selves but united in our love for God, each other and His “real” Creation.

An epiphany during Epiphany

2011-02-23T08:12:00.000-08:00

As one who has already completed EFM and is acting as a backup mentor while restudying Year 1 & 2, I was asked to lead Year 4 Lesson 19 tonight. In preparation, while going over the material last evening (Wm. Temple and the Niebuhrs), a thought seemed to jump up and slap me in the face:

“I am a disciple/follower of the Christ as I know Him, rather than any understanding espoused or proffered by any theologian, spiritual leader, or other mentor. While “greater minds” can provide some level of knowledge and direction regarding God and His message; by virtue of “free will”, it is incumbent upon me to know and recognize Him where and how He offers and presents Himself to me.”

What are you so mad about?

2011-02-21T13:01:00.000-08:00

The following is "stolen" from the cover of our Order of Worship a few weeks back. It's so powerful, I had to share. The sermon that Sunday was an accompanyment to it. It should soon be posted here under 13 Feb 2011.

6 Epiphany 2011

What are you so mad about? No, really, have you noticed how much madder people seem to be lately? So really, what are you so mad about?

Well, since you asked, there are plenty of reasons, aren’t there?

You’re mad about the crazy pace of change in the world.
You’re mad about our world’s seeming mad dash into craziness.

You’re mad about wars and rumors of wars.

You’re mad that so many people are so poor.
You’re mad that so many people are willing to stay poor.
You’re mad that no one seems to want to help the poor.

You’re mad about irresponsibility run rampant.
You’re mad about the deterioration of values we have long depended on.
You’re mad about our culture’s willingness to spend money we don’t have on things we don’t need.

You’re mad at your parents because they just don’t understand.
You’re mad at your kids because neither do they.

You’re mad at your body because it no longer does what you want it to do.

You’re mad that your church has changed in so many ways it’s hard to recognize it.
You’re mad that the church won’t change to meet the needs of the modern world.

You’re mad that no one even knows what you’re mad about
You’re mad that you don’t even know what you’re mad about.

Yes, there are plenty of reasons to be mad. And to make matters worse, Jesus says leave all that anger alone. If there are so many good reasons to be mad, why does He say leave it alone?

Perhaps it is because of the cancerous power of anger. Mad begets mad. Angry people find other angry people and it feeds the anger. Then the anger is no longer healthy, no longer reasonable, and no longer honest. Before you know it, unchecked anger leads to a kind of madness. But finally unchecked anger sets us up as mini-gods, assuming we know what is right, what is good and what should happen with every one, everywhere.

So turn it loose. Let it go. Make peace, Offer it to God.

Let God be God.

Fr. Chuck

Reflections upon a retirement

2011-01-15T11:01:00.000-08:00

Recollections upon the retirement of The Right Reverend Rayford Baines High:

I'm proud to call Rayford High a friend as well as a spiritual mentor. Was asked to share a few recollections for possible presentation at Council. Here's what I wrote.

Earliest would be the story he told about the live lamb used in a Christmas Pagent when he had a Church in the Rio Grande Valley (Harlingen, I believe). Seems the lamb wouldn't quit "bleeting" during the pagent. As the Parish included several sheep & goat ranchers, one of those ranchers arose and walked up to the lamb, grabbed it by its coat and shook it roughly, whereupon it quieted down. Many members of the audience were aghast at what had just taken place, though it was an approprite cure for the problem. However, Rayford did say that was the last time he tried a "living Nativity".

I was not in Church the day he decided to use his fishing rod as a visual aid during one of his early sermons here at St. Paul's; however, legend has it he took and cast down the center aisle almost hitting one of his Vestry leaders sitting in the pew. Last time for that idea too.

And, I can't help but remember his credo: "If you can't sing well, sing loud." Joyfully too, in his case, I'd add. That has to be one of his hallmarks.

Don't recall any other particular quotes from his time here; rather, an overarching spirit of care and concern for the flock. He offered me insights into how difficult it is to pastor a Parish well. I know for a fact some very onerous tasks fell to him while he was here, but he gladly bore those burdens out of concern for others so that he might face things rather than them having to do so. His advice to his many assistants was: "Make sure you get the Weddings and Funerals right. You get many chances at Sermons and Sunday Services but only one shot at those most important times." And he was a stickler for liturgical detail, just ask his Acolytes. Being from the "business community", I remember trying to engender a little more organization within our Parish structure, for organization was not one of Rayford's strong suits. If I remember correctly, that didn't exactly work out as we (the Vestry) had anticipated, either.

But... all in all, he loved us and we loved him. And that's what the journey is about. In Rayford, we were fortunate to watch as he truly exhibited Christian love and charity for all those with whom he came into contact. By example, rather than words, he taught us what it means to be Christian.

Pax and Godspeed, my brother, and always keep a tight line.

Wheat and Chaff

2010-12-13T14:59:00.000-08:00

2 Advent 2010

Matt 3:11-12 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Heard a great Sermon last week, with a different “take” on the preceding. It appealed to me, ever the contrarian.

I’ve long considered this passage to be one describing the separation of that which is good from that which is bad. “Not so”, said the Curate.
“Chaff, when used as a metaphor, is a worthless bi-product as in what we find at the end of today’s Gospel reading in comparing wheat and chaff. And why not, it is inedible and has to be removed from whatever it is protecting for proper consumption and digestion. It also happens to be that little annoying piece of popcorn that gets stuck in your teeth. So, chaff, when not protecting whatever it is coating, is mostly useless and even annoying.

A friend of mine, who also happens to be a Priest, once tried to burn coffee bean chaff; that scaly protective coating around the bean, and could not get it to catch on fire. From the looks of it, chaff would not be able to withstand much of anything: wind or fire. In retrospect its service is to protect grain, cereal and coffee from the elements in order to foster growth and life. So it makes sense that it would be resistant to fire, but at some point, the chaff has to be removed and its fruits must be revealed.”
But, is chaff truly worthless? It does offer protection to that which it shields. I see this reading as a call to become less reliant upon those things which protect us from that which is undesirable, that which we would rather not face, that which can bring harm to us. The inconvenient and uncomfortable shedding of those secular defenses where we find safety; which in turn forces us to become vulnerable. A willingness to freely expose ourselves and our best fruits so we might become that which is intended all along.

I can get behind that.

My Heroes have always been Cowboys...part 2

2010-12-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

In his book Reflections, Bob Lilly captions one photo of Don Meredith recounting the story of a flight back to Dallas following a game. The turbulence was tremendous, even the Stewardesses were afraid. Don Meredith was sitting towards the back with some of his “gang” drinking beer (Lilly was included in the group).

While several thought the plane might be going down and were fearful, Meredith just turned to Lilly and calmly said: “Well, it’s been a good ‘un, ain’t it?”

UBER COOL… and no one but Dandy Don could pull it off. Or for that matter many of the successes of the early years.

You were one of my heroes Dandy. Rest in Peace. Yeah, it really was a good one.

RIP - June & Mr. "C"

2010-10-22T07:11:00.000-07:00

For a couple of days now, I’ve meant to acknowledge the passing of Barbara Billingsley (June Cleaver, the “Beaver’s” Mom) and Tom Bosley (Howard Cunningham or Mr. “C” as the Fonz would say).

They were characters I grew up with (along with Ozzie & Harriet and the Andersons of Father Knows Best) that seemed to define what was right about nuclear families of the era and the relationships therein.

I suggest those programs defined my concept of how family relationships could work and in turn determined how I would attempt parent my children. They offered good examples, albeit sometimes sanitized of the true facts of life, and while idealistic, set that benchmark to strive towards. They presented essentially good people, in good and bad times, attempting to live a positive life in relation to those with whom they interacted. Sure, they made mistakes occasionally, but only out of good intent and they called us to do the same.

You characters provided guidance and I hope made me a better person. Thanks for your portrayals and thanks to the writers who had the good sense to offer good positive models.

Rest in peace, y’all.

The World's Greatest Bargain

2010-10-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

Just got back from Target with a few office supplies including a 10 pack of Bic "Stick" Pens, medium, black 99 cents a package. Was talking to wife as I opened the package and came to the realization that I had to have just purchased one of life's greatest bargains.

For under 10 cents I got a pen that writes every time, isn't subject to clogging up and is virtually indestructable. I'm not trying to sound cheap for I have several nice fountain pens I also use but this struck me as a revelation. Hardly anyone wants to use the good old Bic pen anymore, why?

I guess dependability just isn't cool.

A little song, a little dance, ...

2010-10-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

The following is from a newsletter I get and was received in less than a positive manner. Suppose that's because it seems to me a big fault of some contemporary Christians is their desire to impose certain societal rules on others in the name of Christianity while playing down other sins such as greed, pride, etc.

One can "proof text" the Bible for almost any type behavior and find it OK or wrong depending upon the reader's interpretation rather than who any particular book was written to/for, and what was being addressed.

For myself, I'll try and stick with "Love God & Love your Neighbor" and let the Big Kahuna sort out all the other issues we face.

Peace & grace

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

A girl who works where I work says she loves Jesus and wants a close relationship with him. She goes to church every Sunday and is living with her boyfriend.

Can we really say we love the Lord but don't obey him? As Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command." The reality is it's what we do, not what we say, that counts.

The Bible, says, "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." Hebrews 13:4

As the Bible also says, "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." Romans 6:15

Pastors and teachers are instructed to rebuke and correct people who are sinning. What so many people fail to realize is that God's instructions are for our good, not to take away the joy of living. Living in harmony with God's will gives us true liberty but it doesn't give us a license to do as we please. Also, when we sin, we not only hurt ourselves, but very often others we are close to as well.
.....Daily Encounter

John’s not doing well

2010-07-31T13:28:00.000-07:00

He is, in no particular order:
• Someone I’ve known for quite some time: in two different Parishes to be exact.
• An American Navigator who flew with the RAF before the US joined Britain in WW II.
• A lifelong Episcopalian, to the best of my knowledge.
• One of the reasons I sit on the outside of “my pew”, there on the side aisle every Sunday.

And therein, to quote Paul Harvey: “Lies, the rest of the story.”

I’m sure John is well into his 90’s, and this last year or so he has become so debilitated that he’s gone from assisted living to full time nursing care. He’s in such condition he can’t make it to Church any longer. I promised myself I’d write this entry when he passed. That hasn’t happened yet, but it’s just a matter or time. Today it feels right to get a head start.

When I started my blog, it needed a name. Sitting on the side aisle where I do most Sunday’s, I feel that seat has offered me more than my share of opportunities of grace. I’ve been witness to several small occurrences which illustrate that grace, blogged of them occasionally and likewise am frequently physically “touched” by communicants returning to their seats following Communion while I kneel in prayer before and after my “receiving.” Generally, it’s only a soft hand on my shoulder. Occasionally it’s a hand offered in friendship; but always, in that Peace which passeth all understanding. I consider it my own special “blessing”. John will not bless me again as he has done so many, many times before. For some time now, I recognize that I’ve missed his weekly hand on my shoulder and have taken on the giving of that touch to others as he did for me. May I continue offering others that blessing he so richly offered me, and may their lives be touched by it as his touched mine.

The road from Facebook

2010-06-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

Facebook is an interesting social phenomenon. If one "hides" all the games, causes, etc. you are presented only with updates from "friends". Likewise as your friends connect with others, you have the opportunity to keep up with casual acquaintances too. And, I suppose, after you've gone past 60 a lot of those old longstanding youthful biases are set aside, allowing one to truly look into the thoughts of contemporaries we may not have had such an affinity for back in the day. It's been a good thing. With age, it seems we've all become a bit more mellow.

I've recently reconnected with several High School & College "buds" not seen or heard from in 30 or 40 years and was looking at the page of one of 'em about that far removed. Scrolling thru his "friends" to see who else I might know, I ran across a quote from one of his classmate now living in Israel.

She said: "All roads lead to Jerusalem, sooner or later........" And I thought: "How profound." Jewish theology slapping a Christian upside the head.

Yeah, I'll buy that: "All roads do lead to Jerusalem, eventually."

Gobekli Tepe and "stuff"

2010-05-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

Gobekli Tepe is presumed to be the oldest "temple" yet discovered by archeologists, dating to some 9000 years B.C. Some believe it turns the idea of civilization and agriculture preceeding a culture of worship on its head, putting the act of worship first and establishes a possible location for the true Garden of Eden.

Some 7000 years before the Great Pyramids were built; some 6000 years before the invention of writing or the construction of Stonehenge, hunter gatherers came together near the 'Cradle of Civilization'. In a land indicated to be overflowing with plenty, before the establishment of settled communities, those peoples came together for the purpose of worshiping a greater being. That worship preceeded settlement. Mankind attempted to develop a relationship with God while he (man) was still gathering fruits in the wild (garden).

Even stranger is the indication that some 1000 years later, when man began his shift towards agriculture, that garden Temple was buried by human hands. FAR OUT!!! Just how far could one take this discovery in relationship to the words of Genesis Chapters 2-3? Is it possible that archeology is again providing validation to scripture? Parallelling those two Genesis Chapters:

It is being shown, that in an area of modern day southeastern Turkey on the northern edge of the Fertile Crescent, before the establishment of either agriculture or civilization, peoples assembled in a place where there was a bounty of both flora and fauna, gathered what they needed to survive on a day to day basis, and conducted some sort of worship to a Higher Power. Sometime later, for yet undiscovered reasons, the area was abandoned and covered up, again by human effort, only recently to have been found and begun being examined. Or to put it another way, mankind was existing in communion with his God in a location of plenty until something happened to cause him to leave that paradise. Only later did he begin establishing communities.

In another vein, while following up on last Sunday’s Lesson from Acts 11:1-18 as well as the portion of this week’s EFM Chapter concerning Ezekiel (1-3) I happened to also wander into some pictures I had saved of the Gobekli Tepe “Constellations”. Considering the Biblical descriptions of those creatures that came down from above, as well as what the Gobekli carvings might indicate, I was given even more cause to wonder as to the structure of our greater universe.

“I’m just saying, mind you.”

Founded on the promise of equality

2010-04-06T14:22:00.000-07:00

Was just listening to a clip of Michelle Obama speaking to the LGBT folks in convention, around 2008, I believe. The video was offered up with regard to her saying Kenya was Barack’s home country. I’ve no comment on that issue other than the entire birth scenario has been mishandled by BOTH sides, and without proof one way or another, the issue has been settled; so: “Get over it. Move on.”

But, I was very interested in Ms. Obama's comment that: “…discrimination has no place in a nation founded on the promise of equality.” Is a promise of equality the cornerstone of our Nation's foundation, or is it, rather, a promise of liberty? Was her allegation true? Are equality and liberty the same, or are they fundamentally different concepts?

Words and their meanings are important to me; so, I took the time to revisit the Preamble of our U. S. Constitution. There's the line about: “…secure the Blessings of Liberty…” but nothing about equality was mentioned.

Assuming her reference towards equality must then be in the Declaration of Independence, I took time to read it in its entirety, also. The closest I could get is: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,”

So, what I believe was being established was a free state, rather than an equal one. Emphasis from both documents appears to be with regard to liberty. Mankind is created equal; however, it is not the job of government to enforce sameness (rather than equality) upon its citizens but rather: “…being created equal, citizens are free to pursue those opportunities offered by liberty (within the bounds of established civil governance) as they see fit without intrusion from those whom they have consented to determine issues political.”

Our entire Declaration and Constitution are interesting documents and worth rereading to see what was actually on the mind of the Framers. I commend them to you.

Chuck's Cross

2010-04-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

Chuck’s been here about 6 years now, or is it seven? When he arrived, the previous Rector had left some notations in his Parish Roster about his flock, their interests, abilities, good points, etc., ostensibly to make his (Chuck’s) life easier. Likewise, for several years now I’ve considered myself a part of the leadership of the Church, so when he came it was natural that we should have some interaction. Whether a result of the prior Rector’s notes, my visibility, or whatever; early following Chuck’s arrival, he asked me to construct him a Cross to be used in the Good Friday Service. I saw and reflected upon it again today as I do each Good Friday.

It’s built from two pieces of cedar, with the bark still on them and is around five foot tall. Had Christ have been crucified in Central Texas, it’s likely His cross would have been made of cedar. It’s everywhere, and grows straight enough to make a cross. We use it for fence posts all the time. It’s indigenous to the area as probably was the wood used in the First Century by the Romans.

When I built it, I reflected on how unusual it seemed to be building one but I suppose that until today the real depth of that experience hadn’t been fully realized. For the first time, I believe I finally understood that the cedar cross I built is only a copy of the real one I helped build. The one Christ hung upon some 2000+ years ago. Much the same as in The Passion of the Christ, where the soldier pounding the nails was portrayed by Mel Gibson (without credit), done as an affirmation of his responsibility for Christ’s sacrifice, so did I today realize that the cross I built for Chuck is the second one I’ve constructed.

Render unto Caesar

2010-04-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

One of the passages from the New Testament that I tend to rely on all too frequently is Matthew 22:21 (…Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.). It’s definitely in my Top Ten of all time most relied upon verses. Just today I received a newsletter from one of the vitriolic, right-wing, hate-mongering, hypocritical, judgmental, gun-loving, fundamentalist, mind-numbed robots & writers often vilified by Leftists. It said:

“…, Jesus never once spoke about the need for the government to address anything. He was (and is) solely concerned with each individual's heart and being. (“Render unto Caesar”) And it is His gift of life and liberty that we embrace when we fight the tyranny of leftist "compassion."

As Thomas Jefferson wrote, "The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them."

We know well that the world is a harsh place. As we survey its poverty -- both fiscal and moral -- or the damage and suffering caused by natural disasters such as the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, or the man-caused disasters (i.e., "solutions") … inflict upon us, we're reminded of the brokenness of this world. Indeed, Christ didn't die on the cross for a world that didn't need Him. He died for one that did and does.

Ironically, perhaps, that's where Easter brings the greatest hope. Christ conquered death when He rose from the grave that Sunday morning so long ago so that He can return to right all wrongs. In Revelation 21:5, Jesus said, "Behold, I am making all things new."

Our ultimate hope is not in political leaders (though we must always strive to elect upright ones) or in political solutions (though we must always fight for the right principles), but in the renewal that will one day come, as promised by our true Savior. Our hope will not wax or wane with each election, because this world is not all that there is. For that we are truly thankful to our Creator, and we look forward to the day when all things are made new.
Patriot Post
Maundy Thursday 2010”

Ignoring my earlier sarcasm, this really spoke to me. OUR HOPE IS IN CHRIST. Not in Republicans or Democrats, Tea Partiers or Socialists but in CHRIST alone. Government has always been and will always be imperfect. I feel it is mankind’s nature to attempt to place himself on equal footing with that of his Creator, and it can’t be done. We must instead realize that our hope is in the promise of Christ’s grace alone.

At the same time we are called to the necessity of existence in this temporary realm and should approach that existence as would Christ. Rendering unto God that which is His and unto government that which is its due. And thus the argument begins. Exactly what belongs to God and what exactly, is due Caesar?

ALAMO FALLS - Travis’ Dispatch Yields Naught

2010-03-06T10:50:00.000-08:00

If you attended school in Texas (in the 50’s or 60’s at least) you got a year of Texas History as part of the curriculum. One of the texts studied was Texas History Movies sponsored and distributed by the Magnolia Petroleum Company. It instilled in me a certain pride that Texas was different, special if you will. Anyone who knows me knows that a love of Texas and her ideals run deep in my psyche. I still have a beat up copy of that ‘50’s era publication and I treasure it.

On 6 Mar 1836 following the third assault of that early morning, Santa Anna’s troops breached the walls of The Alamo. Their overwhelming numbers allowed them to take the garrison. All her defenders perished, most in battle though a handfull were executed following an attempt at surrender. One of Travis’ surviving letters became fact from his supposition and the “Runaway Scrape” was on, only to end a short month and a half later at San Jacinto at the hands of Texians led by General Sam Houston. The Mexican Army, still led by Antonio López de Santa Anna’s defeat was total and complete. Texas had achieved her declared Independence. Casualties that morning for the Texians reportedly were only 7 dead while Mexican casualties numbered around 700. Travis, Crockett, Bowie, et al had been avenged.

“Among the original ink on paper war documents that have survived to our time, the Travis Letter from the Battle of the Alamo has no comparable equal in textural content and value to future generations of Texans and Americans. The Letter not only records Lt. Colonel William Barret Travis' appeal to "The People of Texas and all Americans in the world", but also carries two additional signed postscripts.

The first is from Captain Albert Martin and is located on the right hand side of the second page of Travis's Letter. … Captain Martin was selected by Travis to carry this to Gonzales his hometown. He arrived in Gonzales on February 25th with the postscript already added…

True to his word Albert Martin returned to the Alamo with a small relief force on or about March I, 1836 and died in at the Alamo on March 6, 1836. There are few accounts in military history of personal dedication that surpasses Captain Martin's brave ride through the Mexican Armies lines and a return to almost certain death with his fellow patriots at the Shrine of Texas Liberty.

The second is from Lancelot Smither. He had been sent by Travis the day before Martin left with an estimate of the growing strength of the Mexican troops. Martin gave the February 24th Letter to Smither to carry out the order of the Letter shown on the extreme left hand side of the first page to take to San Felipe "by express day and night." Smither added a note to the back of the Letter located running at a ninety degree angle below Martin's postscript…

Smither carried the Letter to San Felipe after forty hours of hard riding and delivered the appeal to a citizens' committee. Printed copies of the Travis Letter were made which were not faithful to the original Letter. At some point after the war the Travis Letter was returned to his family. Smither lived until 1842 having served as a city treasurer of San Antonio and as mayor pro pro-tem for a short period. He was killed by invading Mexican troops at Sutherland Springs in September of 1842. The final courier would also die at the hands of Mexican troops.”
…
The Travis Letter and the Alamo are forever linked together and they continue to provide Texans and all Americans with a sense of pride and respect for sacrifice, honor and dedication to country. In this regard, the Travis Letter continues to be a treasure for our time and a beacon from a distant past, which inspires all those who fight against tyranny, and oppression in the world.

TRAVIS' LETTER
Page 1
Send this to San Felipe by Express night & day To the People of Texas and All Americans

Page 2
Commandancy of the Alamo—Bejar, Fby. 24th 1836—
To the People of Texas & all Americans in the world—
Fellow citizens & compatriots—
I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna—I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man—The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken—I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls—I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & every thing dear to the American character, to come to our aid,
Page 3
with all dispatch—The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country—Victory or Death

William Barret Travis
Lt. Col. comdt

P.S. The Lord is on our side— When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn—We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels & got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves—

Travis

Page 4
Since the above was written I heard a very heavy Cannonade during the whole day think there must have been an attack made upon the Alamo. We were short of ammunition when I left. Hurry on all the men you can in haste. When I left there was but 150 determined to do or die tomorrow I leave for Bejar with what men I can raise [copy here illegible] at all events— Col. Almonte is there the troops are under the Command of Gen. Seisma
Albert Martin

[printed sideways]
Nb I hope that Every One will Rondevu at gonzales as soon poseble as the Brave Solders are suffering do not neglect this powder is very scarce and should not be delad one moment
L. Smither

Was reading a book by a friend (Empty by The Rev. Patrick J. Miller – another Texan BTW) and he was speaking about visiting Masada in Israel and how it is to Israelis as The Alamo is to Texans; or for that matter what Thermopylae was to ancient Greeks. It allowed me to develop an interesting insight into the current Israeli soldiers state of mind. Having just finished the book I suppose it’s in part responsible for this post.

Travis wrote several letters from the Alamo but the preceding is his most poignant, best remembered; and gives witness to the character of those 182 brave men who fought and died in support of their beliefs. Guess that’s where my love of Texas began germination.

On this March 6th 2010:
“Remember The Alamo and Remember Goliad”

N.B. All of Travis’ Alamo Letters in order of date of composition may be found here.

Texas Independence

2010-03-02T06:33:00.000-08:00

Today is Texas Independence Day.

March 2, 1836, representatives of the citizenry gathered at Washington-on-the-Brazos and adopted Texas’ Declaration of Independence. Bowie, Travis, Crockett, et al, had been gathered at the Alamo and under siege by Santa Anna and his troops since Feb 23rd. It would fall only four days later.

I stopped by the local “C” Store for a bottle of Ozarka Water, from Piney Woods Springs, Woods County, Texas to celebrate the morn. I couldn’t find any Utopia brand. As I drank it, I read: ”To Texas” by Joe B. Franz.

To Texas-

Joyous and sparkling,
Evergreen when it rains,
enduring in drought,
Timeless, endless in
boundaries, exciting,
Home to the adventurous of
yesterday and today,
With shrines from the past
And space and spirit for the
future.
To Texas,
Everlasting in the hearts of
your people!

That was just after I had voted in our primary elections. On the way to work, at a light, a young fellow got out of his car, ran over to my window and asked if I had voted. I said: “I had.” Having seen my Kinky Friedman for Governor sticker in the back window of my truck, he wanted to remind me to vote for Kinky for Ag. Commissioner this time around.

Lordy, I love Texas and am proud to be a native son…

More reflections on An Holy Season

2010-02-22T13:31:00.000-08:00

Awhile earlier, I’d indicated that a few weeks before Thanksgiving the wife went to NOLA to visit the daughter. Son-in law was out of town at a debate tournament with his students so it was just wife, daughter and the kid’s cats. I stayed and took care of home, hearth and dogs. That Friday evening I received a phone call from one of wife’s sisters (in fact, though not by birth). Long and the short of it was that the caller’s older sister (even closer to the wife) had experienced a reoccurrence of her Cancer and if experimental treatment wasn’t successful, she was terminal; so, I was required to make an uncomfortable phone call that evening. Early the next a.m. daughter called to ask if I’d received any more bad news. Answering: “No”, daughter said that more was probably coming. She was right. Seems the son of a family very close to us had died the night before, tragically. And thus began a journey of incredible grace and holiness.

Al was 36, an oral Surgeon, over-achiever and all around good guy. He was found dead at his desk around Midnight that Friday, and No, it wasn’t self-inflicted. Later, a Tox Report confirmed accidental death. Al’s sister Stel, one of the daughter’s two BFF’s had called daughter early Saturday a.m. and left a message to call her back. She was distraught but didn’t say what was going on. Daughter could tell that whatever it was, it was bad, hence the “more’s probably coming” comment. Monday of that week we began keeping our friends company as they worked their way through a process culminating in Al’s Memorial Service on Thursday. Al’s Mom, though close to the wife had her BFF come in from Dallas and spend the next few days with her, ministering to her throughout the process. Al’s parents made it through everything by their trust in the promise of God with lots of help from the extended Church family and Al’s mom’s BFF.

Following Al’s Memorial Service on Thursday we immediately switched gears; our concern shifting to Poll, the Cancer victim. Not sure when we found out, but experimental treatment wasn’t successful. Poll was a twin, living in Dallas with her sis and sis’s husband. The other younger sis and her Mom were in Austin. Everyone was going back and forth. Guess it’s time to explain the Poll & her twin are Christian; while younger sis & Mom (in Austin) are Sufi Muslim (it’s a long story). The weekend following Thanksgiving weekend all the girls (Poll & her twin from Dallas, the wife and Poll’s younger sis from Austin) met at our house in Waco to have “Girl’s Time” and celebrate the twins 59th Birthday.

Suppose I should explain the closeness of the wife and her “sisters”. The twins’ Dad was the partner of wife’s Dad and a brilliant Architect, a true talent. Wife’s Mom was pregnant with her at the same time that her “sisters’” Mom was pregnant with the first set of twins (identical), Poll & her sis. They went from birth at the hospital to homes within a block of each other. From that day thru High School all lived in those same homes and grew up as close extended family. The twins Mom had another set of twins (fraternal) within two years of Poll & her sis. This time it was a boy & a girl. Non-related folks just don’t get any “tighter” than they all were.

While at our home, though weak, Poll was still in OK shape and Saturday they all went out for a burger at a little hole in the wall burger joint that no one but then everyone goes to. While there, they ran into a friend from childhood whose Mom-in Law owned their old home. The Mom-in-Law was along and unknowing of the circumstances, invited them to revisit the home. It was virtually unchanged. My Jan. 02 post goes into more detail but suffice to say for a short period of time “Poll, did go home again”. My rather spiritual wife said it was a “Holy moment” and that God was obvious in His presence for that time.

That’s also about the time we found out Al’s mom’s BFF’s husband of 43 years had suffered an aneurysm. They performed surgery, thought things would be OK, but such was not to be. Several days after the procedure and relatively positive prognosis, he began going down hill. Inserting a feeding tube and performing other heroic measures Jim was kept comfortable. On Christmas Eve day, with both their girls in town, Al’s mom’s BFF and her daughters went to visit the ICU Doctor on call who indicated things really wouldn’t get any better. Jim could be kept going indefinitely, but at what cost and what quality of life. A day or two after Christmas we received a forward of the most grace filled email I have ever read. Written on that Christmas Eve, Jim’s wife explained that she and the girls had given Jim the most precious gift one could offer another loved one. Earlier that day they had made the decision to transfer him to Hospice, remove the feeding tube and let him "go gentle into that great Goodnight". It would seem to be that only by faith could someone do such a thing at such a time. Or, was it possibly made easier given the timing?

The day after Christmas Poll and her twin sis stopped by our house on the way back to Dallas from Austin where she had been since the girls visit in Waco. Our kids were all there and it was obvious Poll was having a much harder time, physically as well as emotionally. They stayed for a short time, got to visit the “nieces” & “nephews” and exchange feelings of care and love. While everyone was getting ready to leave for Dallas, I walked Poll to the car by myself. Got to tell her “Goodbye” alone without anyone else being there. It was emotional. My one regret was I couldn’t bring myself to ask her to become our Guardian Angel. Have to hope that she knew what was in my heart and accepted the task anyway.

It was the following Sunday that the wife traveled to Dallas to see Poll again. I’d gone to Church that morning and was coming back to drive her, but while I was gone Poll’s Mom (from Austin) had stopped in on the way and asked the wife to caravan with her, so she did, leaving me with the dogs. No problem since I’d already made it clear that I was down for whatever was required, go or stay. It was a good thing she went ahead because shortly after they arrived it became clear that Poll was near the end of her journey and had I been along I’d have had to leave wife there and come back to deal with animals. Being at home I was able to email some of the “Prayers at the Time of Death” to wife from the BoCP for her use. I was where I needed to be, when I needed to be there, Thanks be to God!

Poll passed away while her twin sis, Mom & the wife were with her. Each had quiet time alone to offer their individual prayers (both Sufi & Christian) for release and peace and grace along the journey. Later after she’d passed, the wife helped sis and Mom bathe, dress and prepare Poll for transport to the funeral home, where she was to be cremated. The wife was struck with how Holy an experience it was to be able to prepare one for their committal.

The next Saturday, all the family met in Austin in Zilker Park where we planted a tree in Polls’ memory, Sufi prayers were offered that day. I see them as no less Holy or to any lesser God that He who I know, the same Entity, just experienced in another way. Oddly, returning home, I saw yet another hawk on the way back. Wife stayed in Austin with Poll’s younger Sis that night so I was again alone. We had committed to attend the Wedding of friends daughter later that evening and as we’d missed their last Daughter’s Wedding 6 months earlier, I felt a need to attend. While there I ran into Lyndy, the childhood friend who’s Mother in Law owned the house Poll grew up in and enabled them to revisit their old home. Took some time to explain to her how much a ‘God Moment” the visit had been for Poll, the wife and her sisters. She understood.

The next Saturday there was one last goodbye for Poll’s family and friends at the Belmont in Dallas. The Belmont is this old restored upscale Motor Hotel in South Oak Cliff. It bills itself as: ”modern luxury, local flavor and mid-century swank” and really is. Built on a landscaped stone bluff, the views of Downtown Dallas and the Trinity River are gorgeous. We all met in the Bar where Poll had recently enjoyed several consecutive birthdays with friends, family and clients. Knowing her, I could understand why this place held so much importance. Late that afternoon, with only a few faithful remaining, remembrances were offered, stories told and final goodbyes said. As I looked out towards Downtown Dallas I could only think such was: “meet, right and our common duty and service, so to do.”

Rest in Peace Sis, you will be long missed and forever treasured.

FLAWED THEOLOGY

2010-02-01T06:21:00.000-08:00

Saw a Church sign that read: “Jesus walks in when everyone else walks out.”

Had to take exception with it, because I believe He’s always there from the “git-go”, bidden or unbidden.

Maybe it should have said: “Jesus is still there when everyone else has walked out.”

I’d have much preferred that.

Hey, y'all

2010-01-11T15:06:00.000-08:00

I am a son of the South. When writing, as well as when speaking, I tend towards use of our great Southern colloquialism “Y’all”. In a humorous email sent out today among our EFM class I wrote it once again. One of our group was intrigued by the word and researched its etymology. He sent back the dictionary definition and I took “minor” exception to his findings as they seemed not to recognize its legitimate use in a singular manner. So, for all y’all out there here is my understanding of the correct declination of the word in its various forms, though always a pronoun of neuter gender.

Y’all 2nd person, Singular or Plural
Y’all’s 2nd person, Singular or Plural – Possessive form
All Y’all 2nd person, Plural ONLY
All Y’all’s 2nd person, Plural ONLY – Possessive form

Be advised, this does not necessarily describe its usage in those most famous last words of many a youthful redneck Texas male: “Hey y’all, hold my beer and watch this.”

And that, boys & girls, is today’s lesson in English of the Southland.

Vaya con Dios, Decade of the “Naughts”

2010-01-02T11:26:00.000-08:00

Just before this Thanksgiving some very close friends tragically lost their son. He was around 36, an Oral Surgeon and an overachiever. Other acquaintances lost their son, slightly younger and another overachiever, under similar circumstances about 10 days later. We learned of the surgeon son’s death only some 12 hours after we’d found out a close family member (a sister in actuality, if not by birth) was terminal with cancer. Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas plans were thrown into limbo, as we began dealing with quite a bit of turmoil, an all too frequent occurrence it would lately seem.

I was reading the Sunday paper before Church the other morning and came across an op-ed piece by Leonard Pitts regarding what to call the decade just passing, he suggested: “Uh Ohs“ resulting from so many facets of life as we know them falling apart within the period. He describes “Uh Oh”, saying it’s: “that interjection you mutter when the excreta hits the ventilation device, that word you whisper when the wheels come off the bicycle,” but I disagree, I see it as the “Naught” Decade (nothing or nothingness; ruin, complete failure; to have disregard or scorn for; disdain. In Mathematics nought is used as a term to refer to “0”, nothing, zip, nada).

01/01/2001 to 12/31/2009 Rest in Peace, don’t stick around any longer, I’ve enjoyed as much of you as I can stand”

That got me to pondering events of the last month or two. It’s been a profound recent journey.

A long time family friend/associate was buried the 21st and I began that week attending his Funeral Service on Monday. It was held in a non-denominational Church and before the proceedings there was a montage of photos showing on a retractable screen, representing his life, as has become common in this day and age. While watching I was struck with the thought that though he operated his own business for 56 years there were no business pictures in the presentation, only family, his ranch, hunting trips and vacations. He had his priorities straight. I should do likewise. Were it I in his place, what pictures would they show for me? I fear far too few to reflect back on a life well spent. I saw a Red-tailed Hawk sitting on a lamp pole as I pulled away from that funeral. I’ve come to see special birds in unusual locations as signs from God calling me to closer attention, a wake up call if you will, God’s way of saying: “focus”. So, I have been…

I’ve spoken about T.A., so I’ll let him rest in peace. And mentioned the “sister in actuality”, but her story deserves a bit of expansion.

At the first of the month with her two sisters (1 twin, 1 younger), we hosted the bunch at our house for the weekend. I saw God at work while they were here. They’ve been gone from town for onto 40 years and their Dad, a really talented Architect, died even before that. Their Mom sold the family home, remarried and also moved away. While the wife and all the girls were enjoying lunch at an obscure “burger joint” Saturday, they ran into a friend from their youth and the friend’s mother-in-law who coincidentally had purchased that childhood home from their Mom. She was still living there and graciously invited them over to visit. I’d mentioned that their Dad was an extremely talented architect. The current owner of the home was so impressed with his abilities that some 40 years ago when she bought the home she chose to keep it as original as possible and has ‘till this day. So, after being gone for such a long time, with one of the girls not long for this earthly realm; they were given the opportunity to go back and revisit their childhood, together, one last time, in the family home virtually unchanged since those early. Yeah Lord, I hear you loud and clear: “Focus”

All the kids and their spouses made it home this Season, even some of the in-laws and we all went Midnight Service on Christmas Eve as is our tradition, transitioning yet once again from the secular to the Holy. Christmas Dinner the 25th was wonderful with everyone around. On the following day, the “sister” with Cancer was back through with her twin on a return to Dallas following time spent in Austin with the younger sister. It was a difficult visit for I fear she’s failing fast. It further brought the importance of relationship into focus.

That same day, we and the kids went to see “Up in the Air”. Highly recommended and thought provoking to the max. However, I came far too close to identifying with George Clooney’s character in regard to his uninvolvement… that focus thing again.

Then Sunday, during a joint Church Service held since we’d “churched out” even the faithful the prior week (I failed to mention an Ordination to the Priesthood of a friend on the 22nd, the wife’s and I’s Anniversary, BTW), and our Rector decided only one Sunday Service after Christmas was appropriate. I was struck by the fact that I knew all but a handful of the people there. Our Parish is reasonably large (near 400 ASA at three different Services, I’m 11:00 AM, myself) all mixed from 8:00, 9:00 & 11:00 AM crowds. Reflecting on the folks there that day, they all seemed more like family than Church acquaintances. Our Deacon, Billy, offered a good sermon and then we had Communion. I was yet again struck by the thought we omitted the General Confession as we’ve done in years past during the Season. A bit of additional grace, unmerited and unearned… focus.

Finally, while going to an appointment this Monday, I saw another Red-tailed Hawk where they’re not normally seen. It seemed to be urging me to complete my thoughts of the last few weeks, that I might again focus… and learn, but what?

I suppose it would be to concentrate on the important things and let the day to day minutiae go. Accept that offered gift of Grace. Value what’s important and be able to set aside that which is not. “Illegitimi non carborundum”, (don’t let the Bastards wear you down). It seems only occasionally are we given the chance to really have the important things in life brought to the forefront and for me that’s what it seems life has been urging me towards this last year or two. I’m really trying to identify and get a handle on my priorities. The only issue left is how to effect them. I hope the New Year and decade enable me to accomplish that, preferably sooner than later.

So again, to the Decade of the “Naughts”, I say: “Vaya con Dios, Go with God… Just don’t let the doorknob hit you on the way out.”

Happy Holydays

2009-12-11T07:50:00.000-08:00

An interesting thought occurred while Wife and I were having a conversation about preparations for Advent and Christmas at her school. She made two comments about goings on and I questioned both of them. One being that at a parochial school she wasn’t certain all the teachers were practicing Christians, and the other that they didn’t seem to “get” Advent.

Ever the contrarian, while I agreed that the school should be called to task if all teachers weren’t nominally Christian; at the same time, I suggested she be more tolerant of different denominations approaching Christmas from different angles. Our understanding of Advent as preparation for the Incarnation and awaiting Christmas from a point of anticipation stems from our denominational tradition, and not all folks have the same “take” on the season. For some it’s more of an “it’s already here and will culminate on Dec 25th”, rather than just begin and last for an ensuing 12 days.

That took me to the thought that: “It would seem many evangelical &/or pentecostal denominations seek to focus only upon: ‘Jesus died to save me from my sins’; while I see the Christ’s crucifixion almost completely thru the lens of resurrection and God’s subsequent redemption of mankind.” Kind of like the difference between the “God’s ‘gonna get you for that” God of the Old Testament and my “There but for the Grace of God go I” God of the New.

Going one step further, while I hold a “sure and certain hope in the resurrection”, my wife is “confident” in her salvation. Same words – different perspective. But then wife says: “She’s not that Anglican; but I am.”

Y’all all prepare, each in your own manner, for our Lord’s coming. However, do make ready.

Unrelated Thoughts

2009-09-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

Three unrelated thoughts; but…

1). Sat. am, I’m watching the Brady Bunch reruns on TV and the word “Squaw” is used by a character portraying an Indian Chief in the “naming” of Carol Brady and Alice. 2). A younger friend of mine recounts a few days ago on his Facebook page of seeing a person driving a car down the street wearing a football helmet (with facemask). 3). Monday of the past week I’m driving down a major street in town (2 lanes each way. Does that make it a four lane street?) and see a person, riding a bicycle in a traffic lane at a decent rate of speed, down hill, going in the opposite direction from me, sitting on the handlebars of the bike, facing and looking towards the direction from whence they had come. None of these are very funny, right?

Except, if I fill in some missing details on the second and third thoughts: such as the person driving the car was a woman and the person riding the bike was young, and male, then it becomes more humorous. For example, the young friend says he’s driving down the street and sees this woman (perhaps a blonde) driving a car while wearing a football helmet with facemask or… I see this Hispanic kid (or black kid, or kid wearing an Aggie shirt - that‘s Polak in Texan, BTW), riding a bicycle in traffic as described; then it begins to become funny. Because, I suppose, stereotypes are being reinforced.

Now, don’t get ahead of me yet, I’m taking a contrarian tack with this. Has political correctness become so overridingly important we are willing to give up all ability to laugh at the human condition, the absurdity of life?

Just recently I was admonished for joking in our EFM class about “women being associated with chaos even in Babylonian times“, by a guy, no less. My young friend was chastised on his page for lack of compassion and tolerance. I could be likewise, for telling of the kid riding the bike in an attempt to garner a Darwin Award. About a year ago or so I was upbraided by a cousin for using the word “squaw”. She said I didn’t know what it meant. I took the time to look up and it turns out that only since the 1970’s and with any significance since Native American activist Suzan Harjo appeared on Oprah in 1992 has the word engendered negative connotation. Up till then it only meant woman. I suppose since I don’t follow Oprah, I’m in the dark on these things.

So where does that leave us? Afraid to make any comment, even in good natured jest, for fear somewhere, someone might take exception? When we lose the ability to find humor in those things that are funny, lest someone be offended, we are at the mercy of the P.C. Police. Boys & girls, that’s not somewhere I care to be. After all, if God didn’t have a sense of humor why did he give us the Platypus?

Moving Pictures

2009-08-31T09:23:00.000-07:00

As a youth, while I didn't go to "camp" like many other kids, I went to the family camp in Blanco, Texas. It wasn't a camp really, it was my cousins' country home (there were six kids total - 2 girls, 4 boys; two of the boys were slightly older than me and two were slightly younger.) So I spent a few weeks every summer with them, in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, about a mile out of town on one of the most beautiful pieces of property imaginable. In a much earlier post I speak of their family selling the property; to the daughter of Tom Benson, BTW, which will give you an idea of the beauty of the property. It had the headwaters of a spring fed creek on it which in turn fed into the Blanco River. Once at a family reunion my daughter and I walked down the road to the rear of the property and "spooked" three does that were bedded down thru the afternoon.

I could write an epistle about the all the times we had without getting into serious trouble. Though we did "prank around" quite a bit. We hunted, fished, swam and ran loose and free. We had a tractor to ride to town, a State Park where we trapped ground squirrels, a Bowling Alley where we bowled with the pins being set by hand, a Drug Store that had the best Cherry Limeades you ever tasted, a Red & White Store that handled everything from dry goods to meat and produce and a theatre - The Last Picture Show just like in the movie. Just like in the movie.

Larry McMurtry's film of the same name could have been set and shot in Blanco during the time I was there. It is absolutely that accurate with regard not only to place but person. I suppose I was in my late adolescence and early teens when I began spending significant time there and I can assure you it marked me for life. I can remember my peers of the time, still know their names (some are long dead) and see them in the characters in McMurtry's portrayal of small town Texas in the late 50's. It was a time of my "coming of age", for while American Graffiti is another of my coming of age flicks, I truly identify with The Last Picture Show. I suppose that I'm really of a different era and have never gotten past it.

Perhaps that's because that past was at least in part carefree and without responsibliity. But sadly, we become adults, taking on adult responsibilities and frequently become bogged down in the mundane details of living that responsible life.

Damn, I miss the old days.

People who read People

2009-08-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

Was looking at an old People Magazine Special Edition called Gone Too Soon and it seemed to me that it embodied quite a bit of what is wrong with our present culture. It's premise was to identify 65 celebrities who died far too young. It listed various categories of personality: People's Covers from '74-07 (a 33 year period), Entertainers, Musicians and Athletes.

The names listed were:

John Lennon, John Belushi, Princess Grace, Jessica Savitch, Karen Carpenter, Rick Nelson, Christa McAuliffe, Andy Gibb, Rebecca Schaeffer,Ryan White, Gilda Radner, Jim Henson, River Phoenix, John Candy, Kurt Cobain, Elizabeth Glaser, Selena, Jerry Garcia, Margeaux Hemmingway, Jonbenet Ramsey, Gianni Versace, Princess Diana, John Denver, Phil Hartman, Dana Plato, JFK Jr., John Ritter, Christopher & Dana Reeve, Steve Irwin, Anna Nicole Smith, Freddie Prinze, Brad Davis, Jon-Erik Hexum, Brandon Lee, Heather O'Rourke, Michael O'Donoghue, Alexander Gudunov, Chris Farley, David Strickland, Charlotte Coleman, Josh Ryan Evans, Robert Pastorelli, Matthew McGrory, Chris Penn, Elvis, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Freddie Mercury, TUPAC Shakur, Biggie Smalls, Michael Hutchence, Paula Yates, Rob Pilatus, Wendy O. Williams, Aaliyah, Lisa Lopes, Luther Vandross, Sergi Grinkov, Payne Stewart, Dale Earnhardt, Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin, Cory Lidle & Keiko (the Orca from Free Willy).

Now I'm pretty sure there are people on this list that everyone who reads it will say were talented, enjoyable to listen to or to watch perform, admirable people who did die "before their time". I've long enjoyed the performances of several of them myself. But, that's NOT my point. It is, I suppose, rather: "What did they do for the greater good? How did they really make this a better world?" I was struck by the lack of names which could fit that category; names whose shortened lives could be considered as suitable to be admired or emulated. A few of the folks above are bolded, people I suppose do meet the requirements. I count by my very liberal interpretation of that definition 10 names; though truthfully, I'd rule out at least 4 of them.

Even at that, 10/65 is equal to a percentage of 15.384. When I went to school (before do-overs) failing was anything below 60%. Obviously I don't think People got it right. And since People is considered an icon of our society, I must believe society is failing in its message, likewise. From the past third of a Century, I could pull up a mile long list of folks that would better fit the definition of dying "too soon" but each can do that for themselves in their own retrospective.

It has long appeared to me that entertainment has become our new god and its stars our "lesser gods".

"May G_D have mercy on the soul of our present day society."

Covenants and contracts

2009-08-14T09:23:00.000-07:00

Heard a sermon a while back about the 10 Commandments which went into the difference between a contract and a covenant. Some see differences in the structure, others don’t; I do.

And that got me thinking about the Bill of Rights of our Constitution and whether it’s a contract or a covenant between government and its citizens?

Because ----- Then
NOT
If ------------- Then

N'est-ce pas?

The Shamrock

2009-08-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

My Granddaddy started in the hotel and restaurant supply business in Houston back in the early twenties. More than moderately successful, he partnered with a man by the name of Frank Henshaw, they later opened restaurant equipment and supply houses around the state of Texas, based out of Southern Hotel Supply Co. Granddaddy's line of work, successes, and his effusive personality gave he and Grandma membership into what was then Houston's "Cafe Society".

By 1949, when Glenn McCarthy's Shamrock Hotel had it's grand opening he had been gone from Houston for maybe a year and a half; but, he wasn't so removed that I assume him to still be part of the "crowd" that attended the Hotel's (in)famous Grand Opening. Long after he passed and going thru his "treasure box" I came across a napkin from the Shamrock. Wish I'd have asked him more questions about those times. I do know he and Grandmother also frequented the Balinese Room in Galveston run by the Maceo's back in the day.

What does all this mean? Number two of my favorite films is Giant. I suppose because of the connection with Grandma and Grandpa and their early years. I imagine they knew more than a few of the characters depicted in the movie. Family legend even says Grandma used to play bridge with the sister of Howard Hughes. When I watch the movie it seems to return them closer to me. Gone more than 35 years now, I still miss them.

The Alamo

2009-07-29T06:31:00.000-07:00

For some odd reason or another I was thinking about “My Favorite Movies” and which ones were listed on my profile this morning. Made a minor change in that I added one film, and deleted one film and one book. I also re-ordered the listing of the movies.

Because, you see, I realized my favorite movies seem to sum up my being and my life’s experience. Call it a spiritual autobiography, if you will. So, for the next few postings I’ll offer a few thoughts about what each means to me and why they are listed. Might omit one or two as I don’t feel they are quite as in tune with my life as the others are; then I might not, deciding they fit in too. This is all in an effort to get back to posting, BTW.

Obviously The Alamo is first, the movie of my youth. John Wayne was and remains one of my heroes. His film The Alamo, speaks to everything I hold dear in life, particularly independence, self reliance, sacrifice, respect, duty, honor, courage… It was a very idealistic movie that made a tremendous impression on me when I was at an impressionable age. The fact that I’m from Texas and visited the Alamo many times might have something to do with it too. I was also brought up with the impression that those traits were admirable and they remain so today. Maybe too much so for my own good, for I’ve never been one to do anything half-way.

Red Neck Ugly

2009-07-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

I spend waaay too much time on Youtube searching out older Country Music. Have been a fan of Tony Douglas and The Shrimpers since the mid 60's and I've found a couple of their videos posted by one "red_neckugly". This is one of the best videos I've seen. Check it out. Anyway, Red Neck is trying to generate interest in a site for the fans of older style "Country". I sent them an email in reply to a comment they had made to me. This is it.

Hey Red Neck:

Appreciate the reply to my comment (justlookin11) on Youtube.

A website where real country music fans could congregate sounds great to me. I suppose I quit buying the newer CD's and listening to most of the new country sound about the time Randy Travis lost his popularity. it just ain't the same as it was.

Talk about memories. Have lived in Waco, TX all my life, rodeo'ed for a time and every weekend we weren't at a show we were at either The P & L Casino in Gholsen on the county line road, Geneva Hall in Elm Mott or Buddy Moore's Western Club on the circle in Waco. Those were great times, I polished many a belt buckle on those dancefloors. Waco was on a circuit that most all the big names traveled. We would get them the day or so after they played Panther Hall in Ft Worth, the Longhorn Ballroom or Deb's Danceland. The only "stars" I remember I didn't see in person were Bob Wills and Hank Thompson. Serious regrets about both.

Seems like every time Bob & the Playboys were nearby someone else great was here too and we always thought we'd catch them next time since they were around so often. Then Bob had his stroke. Did get to hear Tommy Duncan though. And am an aquaintance of Dick Gimble, Johnny's son. He's a musician and he and his daughter play together from time to time, sometimes even with Johnny.

Hank was from Waco, he went to Waco High about the time my mother in law was there. I heard tell he was made fun of in High School for being a "hillbilly picker" and it put him in a mind not to return once he made it big. Oddly enough, his last live performance was in Waco, at the Heart of Texas Fair & Rodeo. Unfortunately, they scheduled him for 5:00 pm on like a Tuesday and I couldn't get there in time. Suppose mgtmt. thought no one wanted to hear an "over the hill" country singer.

Anyway thanks for the comment, thanks for the postings and if you put together a site for us fans of oldies, let me know.

So if anyone out there who wanders across this post has an interest in "real" Country Music; go to Youtube, hear a great song and see a great video, then email Red Neck and let them know you enjoyed their efforts. And, if it's the case, let them know you're supportive of the proposed website.

It's a sad day

2009-07-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

It would seem that political correctness and social justice are more important to "The Episcopal Church" than maintaining continuity with an historic faith the Anglican Communion has attempted to follow for nigh onto 2000 years. I suggest it will get worse before it gets better; and where we, as a Diocese, end up yet remains to be seen. From my point of view the "liberal wing" of "the Church" has won out.

Fortunately, the apparent intent of D025 is strictly in regard to same sex relationships; however, down what path will our Church go trod? Surely the desire to recognize the needs of all God's children is paramount; but at what cost to the greater good? At times isn't a call to repentance and change also a part of the equation?

I've long felt that I am a Texan (a citizen of that great Republic, not the State). Likewise, I've long said I'm Anglican first and foremost; and will remain so, but where does that mean I find myself? If I've learned one thing from EFM, it is that when politics are allowed to be mixed with matters of faith, politics wins out and the faithful are the lesser for its inteference.

'Tis a sad day, my brothers & sisters.

Homesick for Heaven

2009-05-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading an autobiography titled "My Years with Bob Wills" by Al Stricklin and found reference to an old Gospel song Bob Wills and his Playboys performed called: "There is No Disappointment in Heaven". I didn't recognize the piece (and I know quite a bit about both Bob Wills music and southern gospel). Seeing as how Bob had recorded it and I wasn't familiar with it; curiosity got the best of me, so I went and “Googled” it on the net. Doing so, and reading the lyrics, one particular phrase really resonated, that of being "homesick for Heaven."

I've always been intrigued by things that can't possibly make sense but do anyhow. This phrase fit that notion to a "tee". On one hand how can a person be homesick for something they've never known or experienced yet on the other yearn so much for what they know it MUST be, that they truly are homesick to get there?

An Holy Message

2009-03-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

Heard a super Sermon this past Sunday, listen to it here.

The Lectionary readings were:

Numbers 21:4-9
Psalms 107:1-3, 17-22
Ephesians 2:1-10
John 3: 14-21

Before the Priest began speaking I was struck with a thought from the Numbers reading (the one about the Israelites questioning Moses as a result of their impatience in the wilderness, God punishing their impatience sending poisonous serpents among them, Moses praying for forgiveness, God directing him to make a bronze serpent, erecting it upon a pole and thereafter any who were bitten could look upon the pole and live.) Since I had recently finished an EFM chapter on suffering, including references to Job, it’s not surprising that the thought came to mind: “He didn’t make it easy, but He did provide the way.”

During Andrea’s message I took a completely new outlook on the second half of John 3:16. You see, I’ve long thought the first half of the verse is far and away the most salient. “For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son,”. End of story, finis, nothing else need be said.

But… suppose in interpreting the second half of the verse (“that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”), we assume the “Him” refers to God (in total) and not only His manifestation as The Christ as commonly interpreted? I am not a bible scholar and while I’ve read multiple translations they have all been in English. If you asked me to read: “See Spot, see Spot run.” in Greek I’d be up a creek with no Indian outboard. I wasn’t even part of the Greek system in college a few (many) years back, so I don’t propose any level of knowledge in translation. However, following my train of thought could seem to give the passage a whole new meaning regarding inclusiveness.

Quien sabe?

Uncommon ground

2009-03-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

I’ve got this “coffee table” book called “The Amazing Faith of Texas” by Roy Spence that I peruse from time to time. Subtitled Common Ground on Higher Ground it’s a compendium of photos of Texans from a wide array of faith backgrounds across our entire state along with comments about their faith. Sometimes even in relation to their love of Texas. I reopened it at lunch time again today and felt compelled to share.

You see, I feel it’s difficult to live in God’s Country and not be in relationship with him; lots of us down here feel that same way. This book illuminates some of their thoughts with a bit of further explanation as to why they are so dearly held.

The author defines our common ground in three categories. I’ve chosen a few of my favorite quotes from each to share:

Common Ground found in Faith

“Faith is like riding in a car with Ray Charles driving. If you can’t ride in a car with Ray Charles driving, man, you ain’t got faith” – Pastor Rudy Rasmus (Methodist)
“Don’t mix your thoughts with your heart. Because your heart is always right.” – Louis Beareagle (Shaman)
“We Texans never give up. Neither does God. Could it be that God is a Texan?” – Lynn Kindler (Seeker, believer)
“God is beyond our capacity to define.” – Rabbi Samuel Karff (Wise man, Kind man)

Common Ground found in the Golden Rule

“I say Allah, you say God. It’s the same.” – Jilan Bruce (Muslim)
“We have been put here by God, and we have an innate knowledge about how we should live.” – Garland Robertson (Mennonite, Peace Activist)

and, Common Ground found in Values.

“Your faith should be able to withstand the heaviest tearing apart you can do with it.” – Jimmie Dale Gilmore (Singer, Buddhist)
“Charity is giving up your tortilla, Honey, when it’s the only one.” – Lydia Hernandez (Presbyterian)
“I kneel, you stand. I fold my hands, you put them out. We’re doing the same thing.” – Bianca Aguilar (Catholic)
“Forgiveness is God’s way of teaching you love.” – Aniela Maree Costello (Mother, Baha’i)

Pax, y'all.

Jacksie today

2009-03-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

This year's EFM (Yr 4) has seemed to be overly endowed with modern and postmodern existential psychological B. S. understandings of God, attempting to define that which I see as indefinable and to quantify that which can't be understood. Somewhere along the journey to Faith I believe one must accept the Mystery as God's design.

Unfortunately, I happened to read an op ed piece immediately following my finishing up some more of Sewanee's dreck and was just tired of hearing and reading it. So, here’s my take.

The author calls Lewis a sophist (by modern definition and as used, sophism is "a confusing or illogical argument used for deceiving someone"). To be kind to the author, he’s full of crap, even though he tried to downplay his disdain by saying: "he fooled himself first".

He went on to say: "What's palpably ridiculous are his warmed-over medieval arguments for the objective truth of Christian doctrine. One was that Christ had to be "either a God or a devil" - or self-delusive megalomaniac, as we'd now say. While sniping at the imperfections of scientific Biblical scholarship, Lewis shut his eyes to the painstaking work of two centuries that convincingly discerned different voices, sources, periods, influences on Biblical text. There's also no recognition in his work that people from different eras might perceive and express truth differently -- i.e., that someone in an earlier era who claimed to deliver God's words directly might be neither a fraud nor God's stenographer." More CRAP! God has been debated for nigh onto 3500 years and just because someone of presumed knowledge and position offers up ideas contrary to the generally accepted wisdom of those preceding them doesn't validate their position. One can certainly examine thoughts that precede their own and form judgments based upon their own understanding; however, that does not invalidate the understanding of the multitude of prior generations. Else why bother to read and study the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles and Paul's correspondences, much less the writings of St Augustine and other early Church Fathers. We are the product of our prior knowledge.

The next paragraph states: "Then there's the cultural chauvinism in his claims that other religious traditions foreshadowed or provided latter-day distortions of Christianity ..." And the absurd argument that God would create the physical laws of the universe in part to get our attention by His deliberate breaking of them through miracles. And his over-correction of what he called (this may be a paraphrase) our era's chronological snobbery -- an assumption that new ideas are inherently superior to old ones. Lewis, making the opposite error, refused to acknowledge any lasting advances in political ethics or developments in our understanding of human rights." Regarding the bolded sentence, I see its snobbery and assumptions of superiority referred to day in and day out. "Because I have scientifically examined all the evidence and proof available, I conclude that: 1). The facts are ..., and 2). I'm right and you're wrong because I'm more educated than you are."

Going into politics he says: "He's one of your conservatives of doubt -- dubious about the efficacy of human attempts to permanently improve human life. He's a democrat (small d, believer in democracy) by default, of the Churchillian school that democracy is the worst form of government except for all the alternatives. His own formulation was that democracy is necessary because human corruption means that no individual or small group can be trusted with power." Before the development of an agrarian society when there only existed nomadic tribes, that tribal socialistic society worked (I would suppose) though there's no evidence to confirm or deny it. With the development of that agrarian society and all else that's followed, mankind has always striven for equality and freedom. However, in the words of Orwell (I might be paraphrasing): "Everyone is equal but some are more equal than others." I agree with each accusation he makes towards Lewis' thought process but fear he's trying to accuse Lewis of being wrong in his thoughts, though I consider him right. Mankind's propensity to serving self does mean that no individuals or small groups can be trusted with power. Witness Washington for the past 80 years or so. Both parties want to do, not what is best for the country, but what, and only what, best enables them to maintain their power and position and the public be damned. I'm speaking of both Democrats and Republicans. A BU History Prof. I know made the comment: "The last politician who went to Washington to accomplish what he set out to do and left was Reagan." I think he's probably right.

The next paragraph adds: "What Lewis lacked was any sense that participating in political life is part of what makes us fully human -- and the corollary, that a people's meaningful participation in politics could permanently advance human welfare. Strange, for a man steeped in Greek literature -- no sense that man is a political animal. He charmingly wrote, "I myself am not fit to run a henhouse." Well, neither am I. But that doesn't mean I have no role or responsibility in governance, and that if all were well I'd live like one of Lewis's Narnian badgers, in peaceful quietism. And while you, Andrew, are a very political animal, you share Lewis' unduly limited sense of what government and politics can accomplish. I recognize, with Obama, that Reagan had a lasting insight, and that the lasting pressure he put on liberalism not to bloat government, not to intrude it into every aspect of our lives, not to let it suck any more resources out of the private sector than it needs to perform its functions at maximum efficiency, is salutary. But to go from there to an assumption that government can't improve on its furtherance of commonwealth, that it can't fairly counteract rising income inequality or spread the most fundamental risks, like illness or destitution in old age, more effectively than it does now, is defeatist." Well, strip my gears and color me a defeatist. I firmly believe that government CAN'T improve on its furtherance of commonwealth, fairly counteract rising income inequality or spread the most fundamental risks, more effectively than it does now. Two hundred and thirty three years ago (give or take) the Founding Fathers created a Republic called the United States of America (note, I said Republic, not Democracy; though we could be called a representative democracy). At that time the government's main focus was joining together for the protection of the individual states. They did a good job of that; however, much the same as any other form of government, once someone attempted to determine how someone else should live, what they should have, etc., they began making a bigger mess of things than existed before they got involved in imposing their will on others. Income redistribution doesn't work real well because what happens is that without incentive there is no justification for labor. Go read Atlas Shrugged.

I was also put off by his mention of Phillip Pullman (an avowed atheist with a self spoken agenda to move children away from faith towards atheism). I’ve read his Trilogy and have fully observed and understood, the contempt he has towards faith in general and Christianity in particular. He also harbors an intense dislike - bordering on hatred - for C. S. Lewis and his works, and in fact produced his Trilogy solely in response to and rebuttal of the Narnia Chronicles.

The article ends with: "But I'd be lying if he didn't occasionally give me hope that politics can actually make our lives a little better." Politics in general and government in particular has never made things better for its subjects. I challenge you to name one political system that made things better for its citizens and that worked. If you could, wouldn't that be the model for today's more progressive governments?

So, I suppose my ultimate comment is don't worry so much and get to know God yourself. Don't trust what someone else tells you He/She is, learn for yourself. And don't expect for government to make thing better for you, it won't and can't. Don't become overly skeptical of everyone but don't trust, on blind faith, what people tell you either; for you will only be disappointed and disillusioned. Vote your conscience, but from a position of understanding and not trust, for only The Father is deserving of that.

Over and over and over again...

2009-03-04T13:20:00.000-08:00

Sometimes messages are repeated over, and over, and over. This week’s EFM Lesson was that way. The crux of which was one of suffering and how we relate it to our understanding of God.

For unspecified reasons, I identified with this lesson and spent quite a bit more time on it than normal. I looked at the Holocaust from a Jewish perspective, read a little about Rambam, got into theodicy, and looked into evil. Even went back and reread Job, one of my favorite books of the Bible; along with Isaiah, Wisdom and the Gospels. The commentary for Sunday’s reading in my 2009 Lenten Meditations by ERD asked the question “… is God present in the terrible things, too?” Then I got an email from one of our group members this morning addressing the concept once more (an article from Slate by its editor David Plotz).

During Lent our Parish joins with 4 other Downtown Churches (Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist & Presbyterian) for ecumenical weekly Lenten Worship. A pastor from another denomination preaches at the host Church on a rotating basis and members of all 5 congregations join and listen together. It makes for some interesting messages. This noon we were host Parish and addressed by one of my favorites, the Pastor of First Presbyterian. He’s about my age and can throw a “hand grenade” better that even I (and that’s high praise indeed – just ask any of our EFM Group members).

Seems Jimmy spoke, yet again, on this week’s lesson. More references to the Book of Job, and more other thoughts than I could handle in a 12 minute homily. Two of his more salient ones were:

“Good Friday Prayers are as important as those of praise.”
And “You can’t get to the prayer: ‘Into Thy hands I commend my Spirit.’ without first crying: ‘Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani’.”

Yeah Lord, I hear You.
Redemption is easy, you only have to die.

With Child

2009-02-16T08:45:00.000-08:00

The daughter of a friend is “with child” and it turns out that her prognosis is extremely poor. Her unborn infant (a girl) carries an extra “X” chromosome and the diagnosis is: life for only 2-3 days after birth, if she carries to term. There are also risks to the mother if she continues with the pregnancy. We’re all praying for what’s best, that God’s will be done and for wisdom for the parents that they make wise decisions, though I’m certainly not sure what those decisions are.

Anyway, that got me to thinking about the greater issue. In terms of “Right to Life” and “Pro-Abortion”, I tend to vacillate with definite leanings towards the sanctity of life; though on the other hand I do recognize a woman’s right to choose. I suppose I just hope and pray that it’s the right choice.

Many years back when we were having our family, the wife became pregnant and as is more common than one would imagine, miscarried, 3 different times to be exact. Twice were relatively early 1st Trimester, one was not. While I know that the difficult miscarriage lingers with her and she still mourns the loss of that son on Easter Morning so long ago, I’m pretty sure she’s not forgotten those other miscarriages either and continues to mourn the loss of those children, too.

Ultimately, where I’m headed with this is a perceived disconnect in the thought process of far too many young people; “enlightened” young women in particular. It generally appears to me that when one “terminates a pregnancy” (i.e. aborts by medical action), it is looked upon as a birth control issue and the fetus is not considered an infant; yet were that same woman to miscarry (in a contemporaneous time frame) she would have just lost a child. I am also assuming it is not uncommon for miscarriages to happen to many women who have previously had abortions. As such, I don’t see how you can have it both ways for the nature of the being in the mother’s womb remains the same, given either result.

Ghosts of Christmas Past

2008-12-21T12:59:00.000-08:00

Was at the HEB the other evening waiting to check out. The store was uber crowded because it was cold with possible freezing precipitation in the forecast and down here if the weather even looks questionable everyone runs to the store to stock up on food enough to last them thru the next Ice Age.

There was a young man in line in front of me and we struck up a conversation. He had one item, I had four and the line was slloow. After going over every other topic, I asked him if he rodeoed. Us cowboys got an innate sense of each other. Just like in poker, rodeo cowboys got “tells”, too. He said he had, and I guessed (correctly) that he was a roper.

Having something in common with each other we opened up a little bit more and he ventured that his family used to have a Western Store out on the old highway. I asked him if it was Koonsman’s and he said: “Yes, it was.” His Grandad was Rudy Koonsman who died about 6 years back. He was wearing his Grandad’s ring. I remember Rudy well, used to buy clothes and hats from him, ran with his son Tommy Koonsman (a trick rider who with his mother Mary billed themselves as the Comanche Fireballs) and considered them friends. The young man was not 21 years old but said he wished he could have known his Uncle Tommy. You see, his Uncle Tommy died of cancer sometime in the late 60’s or early 70’s at a very young age, not more than his early twenties, long before this young man was born.

Later it got me to thinking about that time close to 40 years ago when I cowboyed and ran with others of the ilk. The next noonday I was at the Post Office and bumped into another friend, whose Dad also had a Western Store, where I could occasionally be found. We also talked about the good old days and people long since passed. The day after that a friend from High School & College who I hadn’t seen in ten or so years dropped by the office.

Don’t know exactly what I’m supposed to take from these "ghosts of yore"; but possibly, like the first apparition who visited Scrooge, that trip down memory lane was for me to recollect the carefree times of long ago and maybe realize not to take life too seriously. That’s a tough thing to accomplish. As time goes on, we get caught up in an accumulation of responsibility towards others and it’s hard to cut loose and be that carefree person we were created to be; comfortable being only ourselves, and going with the flow instead of molding ourselves into another’s perception of what we are supposed to be or even what we have caused ourselves to be turned into rather than who we were created to be.

I think it’s about time I slowly reread Charles Dickens immortal Christmas Carol.

Y’all have a Happy Holyday Season, ‘ya hear?

Thanksgiving

2008-11-24T15:06:00.000-08:00

Wife and I are going to NOLA for Thanksgiving with the kids. Son & Daughter from St. Louis will be there as well as the In-Laws from Houston. Looking forward to a wonderful time. Daughter just called from NOLA and asked if I'd saved a recipe from a previous dinner. Went to a file on the trusty old computer and there it was. While looking thru the "gazillions" of recipes stored there I found the following commentary about a Thanksgiving Dinner several years previous. Felt it was worth sharing.

"At Thanksgiving we take time to Give Thanks for the many blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us.

I was reading an article in a 'WINE' magazine a month or two ago, taking about Leah Chase and Thanksgiving with her family. She says, “it’s a big thing. The spread is just humongous. … “You sit down, and, my dear, you never leave.” I was struck by the attitude of which she spoke. Food & family. Is anything more important?

The story behind this year’s various dishes follows. Who knows, maybe there’s a tradition here somewhere.

Gumbo: for NOLA and the wonderful place she is; and for "The Club" and our memories of the Mixed Grill, eating their delicious Gumbo and raising our kids.

Proscuitto Wraps: for O & H and our friends Otto & Hilda who owned it for so many years. They probably taught me my first lessons (of many) what really GOOD food was about. They also had the “meat sticks” that a yellow dog loved almost as much as she loved us.

Banana Peppers: for SLS, who is the only person who eats more of them than I do.

Calmata Olives: for our Houston connection. First tried them at Antone’s out on North Main. It was our stop when leaving town after visiting Skip & Mary. We got their sandwiches and though we always tried to bring some home they got eaten up before the ride was over. In their own way they were as good as Central’s Muffuletta.

Baked Ham: for Paw. As much as y'all like my hams, his were even better. Lord, I still miss him and Maw.

Rib Roast: Beef, for Texas. May my family ever appreciate it for the place it is. I am an American, but I’m Texan first. If you don’t understand, you never will.

Mashed Taters: for Wm. ‘Nuff said.

Corn Maque Choux: again, for NOLA, and all the love and joy she’s given us.

Yeast Rolls: for Waco, Waco schools and remembering the delicious rolls they served us everyday. The fed us knowledge too. I don’t know that blessed is the right word, but the first rate education we received should count for something. Days before High School really weren’t all that bad.

Cheese Cake: Aunt Ruthie’s recipe. She and Uncle Chuck were my pods. Chuck died way too soon. Ruthie became Episcopalian way too late; but she was one. Surprised Daddy?, Episcopalians do get to Heaven too!

Pecan Pie: for Gran. Second only to Maw. You died too soon too! We miss you."

A discussion on education

2008-10-31T07:24:00.000-07:00

Received a link to a news article from a British paper The Guardian. It was sent to all my EFM group and generated some valid discussion. One of the members of the group is an ex-pat Brit who now holds American Citizenship.

The link to the article is here. Comments generated have been edited to insure confidentiality but only to that extent.

1st reply after viewing the clip:
This is drivel. The sorry state of public education in the US is directly tied to the rise in teachers unions and the degradation of personal responsibility and we all know exactly who supports the unions (Democrats) and we all know who supports government taking the place of individual responsibility (Democrats and Republicans alike).

Everybody in the education system bitches about the NCLB Act and I am sure there are lots of problems with it but its main purpose is to install some accountability in a system that has virtually none (with the exception of those school systems and/or individual schools that have parents that still believe in personal responsibility and will spend the time and effort to make sure their schools succeed). Add to this, that to climb the ladder in school system administration, higher and higher degrees in Education is the only way to move up. This is madness since it means teachers that could get Masters in one of the sciences or mathematics, etc. don’t because it doesn’t give them any hope of succeeding within the management structure.

I am not sure it’s possible to overhaul the US public school system but one thing is for sure, until it happens, this will simply get worse. By the way, if you listen to many of the Democratic leaders besides Obama, their grammar is completely suspect (try listening to a speech by John Murtha if you want to confirm this).

2nd reply:
We fix a lot of things in this country with focus and attention. See the US military, post Vietnam. Should we write off a corner stone of our country because of unions? That's drivel. I guess we can continue to build private schools for the rich, jails for the rest, and enrich other countries with our jobs

3rd reply:
I appreciate the opportunity to discuss real issues of social consciousness with people whom I know and trust and can know personal perspective. The writer's perspective is not known to me and therefore comments regarding his thesis may be a little off base as we have learned from our EFM studies. I do know, however, the time period and culture about which he writes and, therefore feel comfortable in commenting for the sake of discussion with my friends and possibly making some small impact in our community about this important issue. Education, whether of adults or children, shapes a community for generations and is a process that is both institutionalized and individualized. Although there is diversity in the education in the United States, most aspects of this discussion, and, indeed, the greatest result of "education" in the US is a product of our institutional learning or lack thereof. Although there of some aspects which I must agree with this author sadly, most of his thesis I believe misses the mark. What I can agree with him about is the trend in the past generation and possibly current generation in degradation of importance and respect for education and the expression of education in articulated speech. The pop culture does not give positive attributes to the sophisticated thinker, writer, or speaker and punishes those who appear so in the public community--not only politics but also our judicial system and entertainment industry. I cannot understand why that is so and would disagree with this writer in his postulated motives. Certainly, it is not a phenomenon peculiar to the South as he asserts. The further assertions that Christian fundamentalism and social engineering drive misinformation and ignorance in our schools may have some acknowledgment, but far greater is the fact that our public educational system reflects our bottom-heavy social structure rife with racial prejudice, violence, absence of discipline often coincident with absent parents, poverty, diffusion of accountability, and crippling effect of community unproductive attitudes sustained by entitlement programs. Certainly centralized rather than locally controlled education is NOT the answer since centralization further promotes service to the lowest common denominator and diffuses accountability further. Centralization is clumsier and less responsive and less aware than local control, but there must be empowerment over a broad reach of communities which is greater than the regionalized wealth and there must be an impassioned, educated, and accountable local mechanism. To that end, I heartily endorse you ….(person) and ….(other person) attending and speaking up for education at the next school board meeting. When you and other parents take control of local school boards and become involved in your community in other ways addressing the other social ills regarding equal employment opportunity, support for the core family in parental responsibilities and meeting basic human needs in nutrition, housing, clothing and spiritual direction; restoration of at the neighborhood level of a violence-free and property-respecting community; then indeed we will ALL be closer to the kingdom of God.

4th reply:
I would agree. Involvement is vital but the even greater over riding problem is the bottom heavy-ness as you describe it. In ….(city), for example, the problem is not the schools teachers curriculum or administration. It is the generational poverty we have. The value of education is not valued.

5th reply:
I agree with you that lots of things have been fixed over the years with focus and attention. However, focus and attention in itself is worth little without a clear, realistic plan and the determination to carry it out (see W & Donald Rumsfeld and their failed (no)plan for governing Iraq after the war) and most importantly the willingness to change the plan if it’s not working. Most of these requirements for success are lacking when it comes to public education. I think you and I should attend the next ….(local school) Board meeting. I bet we can decide pretty quickly if ….(school board) is on the way up or the way down by simply listening to what they say (up I hope – and yes I voted for the bond election so we can build new PUBLIC schools that hopefully will help cure this problem ).

6th reply:
I have spent the last 20 years of my life dealing with public education, and certainly I agree with it being in a sorry state. In looking for causes, I can agree that teacher’s unions must carry their share, even though IMHO they have failed their members in some very important aspects. Lack of personal responsibility, as ….(person) points out, is another factor though I am not sure whether this is a cause or a symptom of an underlying causes.
From my brushes with public education, I have concluded the following:
• • Since the 1960’s in this country we have created (unintentionally, I am sure) a permanent underclass marked by entitlement. This social engineering has had devastating effects, including the destruction of traditional family systems, respect for law, and completely distorted values and priorities.
• • By throwing money rather than good thinking at educational problems, we have created an environment in which education is something we do to students, rather than make available to them. In this environment, students (and their parents) rapidly arrive at the conclusion that if a student fails, it is the school’s fault rather than the student.
• • Well-intentioned sub-divisions within schools—i.e. vocational education—have allowed schools to dump students into academic curricula that assume that they cannot learn so rigorous academics are not offered. This has the effect of allowing teachers to conclude that all students are incapable of learning, and has created a massive negative stigma towards those students not in an academically rigorous curriculum.
• • Some of the side effects of social engineering have created living nightmares for teachers, which result in a huge teacher drop-out rate within the first two years of starting to teach. They are subjected to physical and verbal abuse, they are faced with latch-key students who were unable to sleep, let alone study, the night before because of their horrible home environment of drugs, violence and abuse. I assure you that none of this is exaggerated. While ….(local city) has plenty of this, our urban areas reek of it. Talk to teachers, as I do, and ask yourself if theirs is a life that you could stand. Many are highly dedicated but find themselves under stress on all sides. Faced with being asked to test students at every turn rather than teach, many wonderful teachers are getting out as soon as they can, and I don’t blame them. For support on this, talk to any of the teachers at ….(private) Day School who have been in the public schools. Many take a lesser salary to be at ….(private Day school) rather than face the current school conditions.
• • For many reasons, many teachers in classrooms are not qualified. For example, I hear estimates that at least 30% of math teachers nationwide do not have math or teaching qualifications. They teach under waiver. State after state is offering a bounty to qualified teachers if they will move to that state to teach. Some are advertising internationally. You cannot teach what you don’t know.
• • The ethnic mix of our student population has shifted radically over the last 40 years. Interestingly, almost all subgroups of the student cohort—i.e. black females, Hispanic males, etc.—have made progress on standardized tests, but the aggregate average has deteriorated. White and oriental students are scoring as well or better than they ever have; there are just fewer of them compared to minorities, who start way behind whites in performance.
• • Lack of education used not to matter a whole lot. In 1950, 85% of American jobs required basic arithmetic, a 5th-grade reading level, and the ability to drive a car. Now most of these low-level jobs have been exported to where they can be done cheaper. The 85% number had shrunk to less than 15% by 1990. The vast majority of today’s jobs requires higher math and communication skills, along with computer and improved social abilities. Schools simply have not kept up with the needs of employers. At the same time, many students and their parents (who do not involve themselves directly in education reform) continue to be in love with the fantasy of going to college, only to run into the wall when they “graduate” from high school, finding that they have neither the abilities to get into university nor the skills to get a good job.
• • The Guardian is a lousy newspaper, and has been ever since it quit being the Manchester Guardian. I found George Monbiot’s article to be further evidence of this. He is ignorant of our political system. He has no first hand knowledge of our educational system. He believes he is capable of passing judgment on people he has never met, who reside on a different continent, and who have the effrontery to hold different political views than he. Clearly he has no religious bone in his body and little knowledge of religious matters. What more need I say?
• • Like ….(person), I am not sure that the current educational system can be fixed. Perhaps if we eliminated education as a fundamental right and made it a privilege, we would see some change. Perhaps if we gave teachers and schools authority to rescind the privilege, that would help. Perhaps if we denied unqualified teachers access to classrooms—no matter what the consequences might be, that would help. Perhaps if we gave parents and students choice to leave bad schools for better ones, that would help. Perhaps if we had a national consensus of what should be taught and when, that would help students who move from one school to another from falling off the cliff. Perhaps if we forced the different levels of education to work together for the betterment of students, where all levels took responsibility for the success of students at every level, that would bring about change. Perhaps if sports was part of the curriculum for ALL students, and not just a chosen few, we could address obesity and other problems. Perhaps if we valued academics and technical skills as highly as we do sports, things would change. But then again, pigs might fly!

My political screed

2008-10-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

In an email from a loved one the other day I was asked:
“The more angry mobs and outcries I see at McCain (and especially Palin) stump speeches and town halls, the more I have come to believe this is not just your typical presidential race. And I am not talking about the candidates honesty here. I think all distort the truth to their benefit (even the "holy one", Obama). However, I do think the Republican Party is walking a very fine line between appropriate and truly harmful behavior. And with people hurting and scared about their future more than normal, I fear they are quickly achieving an unwanted result--that being a angerously divided country. They are succeeding in making up to one half of the ountry, were Obama to win, believe that their President is something akin to an Arab terrorist. Again, not playing politics, I think the coverage I have seen over multiple networks have accurately captured the sentiments of many. What I wonder is just how much I should worry about my fears becoming reality. Specifically, when we look back to times of integration and the Vietnam War (both of which you were witness to in some capacity), is this one of those times? Should we fear the irrational response of an extremist against our president (yes I am referring to Kennedy, but also to Reagan, who was shot at shortly after a period of discontent) or a statesman (like MLK, though I don't know your opinion of him). I hope you can shed some light on how closely you feel this period in our Country's history resembles the others I have mentioned, and what may or may affect whether we reach one of those times.”

Considering the email over a period of a couple of days, I replied:
“I have to preface this reply with the comment: ‘It is my considered opinion that if Obama wins this election it will be as a result of the Mainstream Media's concerted efforts to cause it to occur. I don't know when I've seen more one sided coverage of an election. It seems to me that Obama and Biden are being held to a far different standard than that of McCain & Palin by the MSM, strictly due to the MSM's liberal agenda.’

Now, on to your question. Politics do seem progressively more volatile than in years past. Eisenhower vs. Stevenson (I believe) was very low key. That was followed by Kennedy vs. Nixon and that race wasn't volatile either. The biggest issue of that election seemed to be Kennedy's Roman Catholic faith. Some believe that LBJ was at least complicit in JFK's Assassination, others see it as the Cubans as a result of his botched Bay of Pigs invasion, still others the "Mob" because of Bobby Kennedy's efforts to renege on a campaign promise to them for their support and yet others as the CIA, who he "crapped" on. I won't ever know, but I will die believing that Lee Harvey Oswald was NOT a "lone gunman" who shot the sitting President. Nor was it by disgruntled American citizens. Kennedy's assassination was about POWER, plain and simple. LBJ then ran against Goldwater (a Republican from Arizona who I supported) and defeated him. He (LBJ) later halfheartedly took most of the steps in Vietnam that Goldwater said needed to occur and that LBJ promised wouldn't, following his (LBJ’s) using of Goldwater's comments to scare the country from electing him. He also created the "Great Society" which I feel is a root cause of the current black impoverishment and decline of black society (and society in general). Exclusive of segration (which HAD to end) black society was much more mainstream in the 50's & 60's than it is now, the hatred of blacks towards whites didn't seem to be what it is today. Supporting and enabling a class of society to be poor has encouraged that class to remain so. Crime rates back then weren't near as high, single parent families weren't as prevalent, discipline was far better, etc., etc., etc.

The mid-sixties were a time of quantum change. The first "boomers" reached 18 in 1964 and their parents, who had endured the great depression, WWII, the Korean conflict and "the specter of the bomb" wanted a better life for them. To a point children weren't very rebellious towards their parents and were looking for a cause. They found it in Vietnam War protest & drugs, i.e. "peace, love, dope". Shortly before this was forced integration which was divisive (to be kind) in the deep South. That coincidentally is what cost Martin Luther King his life. He was a great statesman; however, a recollection of him in that period was his failure, much the same as the liberal Muslims of today, to preach directly against the violent proponents of his/their cause. None the less, there have always been and will always be bitter people, and he was shot by one. For the most part it's my opinion that the young people of the era were who drove most of the unrest of the time, looking for change, BTW. The Sixties were an ugly time with close to anarchy in some cities and campuses. But we did get change, though not for the better to my way of thinking. It is also my belief that most of the news media is now liberal and has come of age since the Sixties; hence, they are "pushing" their agenda of the Sixties yet again.

Following LBJ's decision not to run for a second term Nixon ran against Humphrey (I believe). He (Nixon) was elected, ended the war in Vietnam and withdrew. The Vietnamese War was poorly run and the people of the US (much the same as they did towards the end of WW II) grew tired of it. I feel it was in part caused by the one sided reporting of the news media. It also seems the US people have never been much on inconvenience and with biased reporting, grew tired of the investment, real or presumed. Anyway, Nixon had Watergate his second term, he resigned and Jerry Ford took over as Pres. He was a good man and the country was relatively quiet once again until Carter came along. Ford had an assassination attempt on him while President. The Ford Carter race was not terribly divisive, Carter was elected and became arguably the WORST person ever to serve. He was dumped after one term, beaten by Reagan. Again a relatively quiet race and time in history. Reagan, who I believe to be one of our BEST Presidents, unified the Country, brought back a pride in America and ended the Cold War. Reagan was also shot while in office, by a nut case, not really over politics. He was followed by one term of Bush Sr. who was then defeated by Bill Clinton. Without going into my beliefs about the Clinton White House, I concede that the economy flourished and most people were happy to some extent though more conservative folks quickly became disenchanted with the Clintons liberalism and social agenda. This is where it seems that a more vocal conservative base began being heard. Newt Gingerich's conservative "Contract with America" won the House of Reps. away from the Dems. and the fight was joined. From that point forward it seems to have become a case of one upsmanship between the two parties with the American people being the losers. Definitely, progressively more volatile from that point forward. Following the Clintons was Bush II, who WON Florida by all accounts but the Dems. were "pissed" and the war was on for good. It was time to "get even" for all the conservatives actions towards the Clintons. Bush II has not been a good President but I believe there are some things he's gotten a "bum rap" for. As such, we've become a Nation of "gotchas" and it became the Dems' turn to do the gettin'.

Really there seem to be two battles going on simultaneously, that between the two parties (Dems. and Reps. - each one as bad as the other) for POWER and control as well as that between the liberals and conservatives for the direction that America will pursue in the future. The battles have been "pitched", and each side is absolutely vilified by the other. Common sense, as well as any middle ground, has been lost along the way and I fear that the America I was taught to love and honor has long since been set aside.

So in answer, Yes, America is a dangerously divided country, driven to that division by the powers that be to secure their power. Is it akin to those other times, No, I don't believe so; I fear the issues are far more reaching. It is my considered opinion that the U.S. is already Socialist and the true question becomes to what degree will we be so? You know me well enough that you don't need my opinion on Socialism, in any form. I am a Federalist and a Libertarian.

In closing, I commend you to three books. Animal Farm and 1984, both by George Orwell and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. In them I fear I see the direction our Nation is taking and believe that soon the question on thinking peoples minds will be: ‘Where is John Galt?’ Before it comes to that you can/will color us gone.”

Love always,

Much as I hate to credit

2008-09-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

Much as I hate to credit Rush Limbaugh:

He was speaking of “Change” on a recent program and posed the question: “What kind of change do we want?”

As a matter of personal opinion I want:
1). A better enforcement of laws on the books regarding illegal aliens and those who hire them.
2). Less intrusion of the Federal Government within matters of State Government.
3). Less intrusion of the Federal Government with regard to personal liberty.
4). Less intrusion of the Federal Government, period, with regard to any issue not specifically authorized them by the Constitution of the United States of America.
5). Better protection of our borders.
6). Out of the Iraqi war when it is reasonable to withdraw without sacrificing the investment we have put forth to date.
7). A stronger military, so we are in a better position to defend our national interests, should further needs arise.
8). More effective use of tax dollars sent to the Federal Government and less waste and pork.
9). A better social security system for ensuing generations without taking away the benefits I’ve spent the last 44 years contributing towards and relying upon to be available.
10). Medicare “ditto” with the exception that I’ve only been contributing for 42 years. Actually, I’d like to see available medical care to all without destroying what is arguably the best care available in the world or one’s choice as to how to receive it. Or being taxed out the wazoo to pay for it.
11). Elimination of programs that reward people who use welfare to provide for their livelihood rather than using them to provide interim support until they can get back on their feet and again become contributing members of society.
12). All those/my freedoms guaranteed me by the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States of America.
13). Protection of my interests (as an American Citizen) before my government involves itself (by funding or actions) in the interests of other countries.
14). The ability to drill for oil offshore or in ANWAR, to establish “wind farms” where most effective, to construct “pocket” nuclear power plants without gross government interference, etc.; all in an effort to reduce dependency on imported energy sources.
15). Federal judges to rule on the laws of our land as written and to not attempt “interpret” them in light of current thoughts or social mores. For judges to quit legislating and stare adjudicating, as is their charge.
16). Stricter non-selective enforcement for any and all those who break the laws or subvert them to further their own interests.
17). A better public education system that brings discipline back into the classroom, that allows teachers to teach and that holds them accountable for the quality of their instruction.
18). No more racism from any culture or community.All Americans are equal one to another, but no one should be “more” equal by virtue of past discrimination.

I could probably go on & on with this, but what’s the use. Guess you know how I’m going to vote this November.

A groaner

2008-07-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

At EFM last year we had several discussions about N. T. Wright or John Shelby Spong's "take" on any given theological position. As anyone who has read them both knows, their positions are almost diametrically opposed.

Anyway, I've just finished reading N. T. Wright's Judas and the Gospel of Jesus and at Church this a.m. ran into all three of the upcoming year four students in our EFM Class. I was so taken with the book's applicability to upcoming studies and its tying of years three and four together, I had to tell all that they really ought to read it before beginning year four. One of the three said that though he had read Wright he much perferred Spong, to which I had to reply: "Well, I guess you're either Wright or Spong."

Don't be groaning too loud, now.

Go in Peace, Peter

2008-07-03T07:16:00.000-07:00

Just caught up with the doings in Jerusalem by our brothers and sisters of the Global South, and am deeply saddened. You can read reports here and here.

I've for some time felt that P. Akinola (am hesitant to pay respect to his title) is a most dangerous person within our Anglican Communion. Reports from recent meetings and their "Jerusalem Declaration" go far to reinforce my thoughts. It seems "Lord Peter" is finally effecting what he's desired for some time, a split within the historic faith and a shot at being named archbishop of his own fiefdom.

I hope I've found God's peace and grace and am of the opinion that is the message, and the only message of our Lord Jesus Christ: "Love God and love your neighbor, as I love you." All else is "buttons". And, that's a hard message to follow.

For quite some time now, Akinola has exhibited far too much judgment and desire for power within his realm; and offered far too little peace, grace and forgiveness towards those with whom he disagrees. Over and over, from he and his followers, we have seen a distinct lack of charity to the detriment of those with whom they are in disagreement. IMHO that's what we are constantly warned against in the Book that Peter A. and his troop espouse to "uphold". His pronouncements are not the message of my Anglican faith, nor my understanding of the catholic faith for that matter.

However, if I learned little else in last year's EFM class; it's that these "turf wars" have existed since our beginnings. Man is called to establish his relationship with the Father based upon his limited knowledge of Him. Then I suppose the question becomes: "What is Peter and his follower's knowledge?" Not mine for sure and hopefully not that of many others.

We have long been counseled to beware of false prophets. Is Akinola a false prophet; quien sabe, who knows? In any case, my being afraid of having to make hard decisions, it appears that by Divine Providence, direction continues to be given. Thanks be to God.

The Hippie Dippy Weatherman

2008-06-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

Just saw that George Carlin died. I've enjoyed him since the 60's and though his later style was a tad crude, to be sure, he was funny; and had a great run making people laugh. I've got to believe God has a sense of humor; else wise, why do we have platypus'.

RIP George

Under the Baobab tree

2008-06-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

Just finished rewatching Evan Almighty last night with continued enjoyment. It’s become a semi-favorite because of the profound theological thoughts I see therein.

My most inspirational comes right at the end of the picture when Evan, having returned to his normal demeanor, is having one final conversation with God, beneath what I see as a Baobab tree. I know it’s not really, but I’m projecting symbolism. In that conversation Evan tells God: “I fought You every step of the way.” To which God replies: “Yes, but you obeyed Me.”

“I fought You.” “But you obeyed.” Powerful thoughts, particularly in terms of the Old Testament. No wonder I’m so taken with the Book of Job.

Princes, Kings and Queens

2008-05-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Our Order of Worship from Sunday just passed had a profound quote, worth sharing:

“Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.”
Thomas A’Kempis

And, yesterday afternoon, as C. S. Lewis (esp. Narnia) fans, we had to go see Prince Caspian. Very enjoyable, though from recollection it doesn't follow the book as well as the first. I'm rereading it to confirm those thoughts. Reviews called it "darker" in tone and more violent than the The Lion, Witch & Wardrobe. Didn't see that. There was, however, severe underlighting at the very first part of the movie that made the beginning hard to visualize; and some of the dialogue, overridden by the sound track, seemed a bit difficult to follow.

But, all this was made up for in the scene where Caspian was urged by Nikabrik to bring back the White Witch. Without revealing a lot of what happens, the immagery following Edmund's rescue of Peter and Caspian, while keeping the White Witch at bay, is majestic beyond description. That moment, for followers of Narnia, is worth the price of admission unto itself.

So, where do I stand on the film? If you're a Narnian at heart you'll love it. Great filmmaking? Probably not. A good afternoon's entertainment for the family? Absolutely!

A question

2008-05-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

Exerpted from todays news:

Myanmar's military regime distributed international aid Saturday but plastered the boxes with the names of top generals in an apparent effort to turn the relief effort for last week's devastating cyclone into a propaganda exercise.

"We have already seen regional commanders putting their names on the side of aid shipments from Asia, saying this was a gift from them and then distributing it in their region," said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, which campaigns for human rights and democracy in the country. "It is not going to areas where it is most in need," he said in London.

The junta has refused to grant access to foreign experts, saying it will only accept donations from foreign charities and governments, and then will deliver the aid on its own.

So rather than an observation today, I offer earnest questions:

What is the Christian response to this tragedy?

Should we provide means for the "Herodians" to further their power and position, knowing that almost all aid and comfort sent will not be provided to those most needy or rather withhold aid because of the same knowledge; or even work counter to the current administration and their directives in an effort to provide sustenence and care for the least of these, by force if necessary, knowingly circumventing the government and furthering the civil unrest?

Truly, I don't know.

You only have to die

2008-05-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

Went to see John, His Story at the theater last Saturday night. It was performed by Jeanette Clift George’s A D Players from Houston and was uber well done; her take on The Gospel of John in one act. Part of it really got me to thinking “outside the box”, as I am wont to do from time to time. In the 3rd chapter of John, Christ says: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” I understand that conventional wisdom says this speaks to Baptism and is in fact the basis for that Sacrament.

A while back I also started a post on Robert Farrar Capon's Kingdom, Grace and Judgement that I never got around to finishing. I was struck by Capon’s thoughts regarding salvation. He emphasizes, more than once, the point that: "Death is absolutely all of the Resurrection we can now know. The rest is faith."

Which put into my head the song lyric: "You only have to die." Took me a good half hour to recall where that music was from. I kept thinking of a James Bond movie, but finally realized it's in Jesus Christ, Superstar, one of my favorite musicals. I continue to be awed by the profundity of Rice and Weber's music and lyrics, as I am likewise by Fr. Capon's theology.

I think where I'm going with this is that we are frequently blind to the true teachings of grace. No one, I repeat NO ONE, is going to make it:
1.) on their own works. It doesn't matter how good we are, we are all still sinful.
and
2.) without dying, accepting death, our actual physical death, in this world.
Both of those statements seem to be absolute truth.

What Capon was emphasizing is not live for today because tomorrow you have as good a shot as anyone at justification; but rather, that God found His creation so wonderful that He was willing to undertake the ultimate sacrifice to redeem it. For in truth, only He was capable of meeting the requirement of a perfect sacrifice.

Which finally brings me back to “being born again.” What do you suppose was John’s thought regarding that particular passage? An injunction to practice Baptism or rather possibly that only by the acceptance of physical death as we know it are we able to be born again into new life.

Quien sabe? “You only have to die.”

A God Moment

2008-04-14T14:49:00.000-07:00

I just experienced a God moment.

Wife & I went down to Houston Saturday to visit the son (who's a 1st year Law Student). Friday he completed and turned in the Appellate Brief for one of his classes which constitutes about 75% of the Semester's grade in that particular class. Following all that work he finally had part of a day he and the daughter-in-law could share with us. In Law School you really do work pretty hard and personal time is at a premium. We all enjoyed a nice dinner as well as brunch the next morning before returning home. It was quality time.

While driving home from the visit I was listening to a Johnny Russell CD (Greatest Hits) that has one of my favorite tunes on it - Catfish John. I made comment to the wife that probably one reason the song meant so much to me was that one of my friend Roscoe Johnson's nicknames was "Catfish." Rocky was well about 45 years older than I, a black man, and he and his wife "Lil" baby sat me as a child. He worked at our family business for 'nigh onto 35 years. "I was proud to be his friend." He died a bunch of years back and I was the sole white person at his well attended funeral. He and his wife had no natural children but adopted a baby girl (Roxanne) much later in life. She was the absolute apple of his eye and did my wife and I the great honor of inviting us to the renewal of her Wedding Vows several years back, long after both her parents had passed on.

Anyway, listening to the music driving back got me to reminiscing about Rocky and Roxanne. I've not had contact with Roxie (or her husband) since that Vow Renewal. But back to my God Moment. I answered the phone here at the office this afternoon and Roxie's husband was on the line, looking to find an item needed for the place where he now works. I was blown away. Having not seen, spoken of or even thought about them for several years until driving home yesterday while listening to a piece music, I get a phone call today.

All I can say is: "Thank You, Lord, for the personal contact." And Rocky: "Keep a Jax cold for us to share when we next meet up."

John 19:25-27

2008-03-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Is a part of the Lectionary we read this Palm Sunday past. From the NIV:

“25Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ 27and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”

Ever the skeptic, it intrigued me. Conventional wisdom says that Christ was referring to John (The Beloved) when speaking to His Mother saying “here is your Son.”, and to John when saying “Here is your Mother.” However, everything pointing to John being there seems to hinge upon the pronoun “his” in the passage: “this disciple took her into his home.”

I can find no other reference to the Apostles being at the Crucifixion and have always recognized Mary of Magdalene as a Disciple (note that I didn’t say Apostle). Searching out the Synoptics, I can’t find any passages to contradict John’s description of those near the Cross. Figured out where I’m headed with this, yet?

Here then, is my heresy. What’s to say that Christ wasn’t speaking to John but to Mary Magdalene when He said: “Here is your Mother.”? The earlier part of the passage can certainly be interpreted as Christ speaking to His Mother in regard to His condition, saying behold, “here is your Son”; rather than instructing Her the Disciple is to be taken as Her son.

Obviously as a disciple Mary was loved by Christ, and is shown to be one of His favorites. I don’t believe that could be argued either. But for the pronoun “His”, there seems only circumstantial support and tradition for Jesus’ speaking to John. I’m not smart enough to translate from the original Greek and even were I so, after 2.67 years of EFM I might be tempted to question the possibility of a recension or redaction somewhere along the line.

The question then becomes: “Where does that leave me?” Truly, I don’t know. What I do know; however, is that Christ was crucified for the redemption of God’s creation. In that simple statement I find the salvation of this world, myself included. And that’s really all that matters, isn’t it? So, I guess I’ll just go home and reread The DiVinci Code.

Location, Location, Location

2008-03-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember and probably as long as I’ve been Episcopalian, I’ve always sat on the Gospel side of center, at the side aisle, about a third of the way back from the crossing in whatever Church I was attending or visiting. Habits certainly die hard, don’t they?

We have long been members of the old downtown Parish here. Our Church was organized in 1868 and we’ve been in our current location and structure since 1879. That’s only 32 years after Texas Independence and three years after the end of the War of Northern Aggression. Over the years, our historic structure has had several additions since it was first built. It so happens that the extension of the Nave which occurred some many, many years back begins about a row or possibly two in front of where we sit. You can see the joint where the original flooring stopped and where the “new” flooring begins. There’s a seam across its entire width.

While attending Maundy Thursday Services last week, following Communion, during the Stripping of the Altar, my mind wandered a bit. In EFM we’re working on all the different Reformations in Europe in the 16th Century. This, in turn, caused me to consider that much like our house of Worship, I’m somewhere between the past and today: trying to remain faithful to our tradition and yet be cognizant of modern knowledge and reason. And no, I didn’t forget culture, it was omitted for purpose.

That faithfulness presents a hard line to walk, but then that’s probably why I embrace Anglicanism. The Elizabethan Settlement (aka the Via Media or “Middle Way”) seems a successful attempt at bridging differences in the practice of faith while remaining true to fundamental principles of Christianity. Would that we were so fortunate as to have that wisdom and guidance today we would be much the better for it.

Chocolate Eggs and Jesus Risen!

2008-03-24T08:26:00.000-07:00

Y'all all have a Happy Eastertide

So I was bored

2008-03-08T12:12:00.000-08:00

So I was bored and took yet another test which told me what I already knew about myself, or at least the way I see myself. Every time I try one of these evaluations I hope to gain some new insight but all I really receive is affirmation. Here it is for your reading pleasure:

Your score on this personality test was 45%

Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a longer time to get over if that trust is ever broken.

Personality Quiz
Take More Quizzes

Old Dogs and Children

2008-02-26T14:40:00.000-08:00

Two of my better friends each lost their dog just this past week. Those losses brought back memories and reopened wounds that had long since scabbed over. One died in her Mom & Dad's arms at home of old age while the other; old likewise, was with those who loved her but at the Vet's having to be put down. It was hard for each of them to say goodbye, as it was hard for me to drop each of them a note of condolence and offer what thoughts as I might. At various times I have been in each of their shoes myself.

Over a year ago Barbaro was put down and I referred to it in a post. People are either animal people or they're not. I am.

I've always found compassion and love in animals while it has not often been so in people. That's probably why I identified with my friends' loss and why it was so important yet difficult to say the right thing. But, I'm fairly certain each appreciated my comments. To often we hear: "It was just a pet, get over it." But only from one who has not been in relation with one of God's creatures.

I feel compelled to post the words of George McDonald, the Scottish poet, writer and Christian minister:

"I know of no reason why I should not look for the animals to rise again, in the same sense in which I hope myself to rise again--which is, to reappear, clothed with another and better form of life than before. If the Father will raise His children, why should He not also raise those whom He has taught His little ones to love? "Love is the one bond of the universe, the heart of God, the life of His children: if animals can be loved, they are lovable; if they can love, they are yet more plainly lovable: love is eternal; how then should its object perish? Must the love live on forever without its object? Or, worse still, must the love die with its object, and be eternal no more than it? "Is not our love to the animals a precious variety of love? And if God gave the creatures to us, that a new phase of love might be born in us toward another kind of life from the same fountain, why should the new life be more perishing than the new love? "Can you imagine that, if, hereafter, one of God's little ones were to ask Him to give again one of the earth's old loves--kitten, or pony, or squirrel, or dog, which He had taken from him, the Father would say no? If the thing was so good that God made it for and gave it to the child at first who never asked for it, why should He not give it again to the child who prays for it because the Father had made him love it? What a child may ask for, the Father will keep ready."

Now, y'all go home, hug your pets a little tighter and give them a treat. They deserve it.

Sure and certain hope

2008-02-19T10:15:00.000-08:00

Several years back, when my father died a few years following my mother's death, I was approached by the Minister who was going to do his Service. The "Old Man" wasn't from a liturgical tradition as I have long been, consequently I was asked if there was anything I specifically wanted included in his (the Minister's) "words". I requested only that he make use of our Prayer of Commendation (you know, the one about our "sure and certain hope..."). I'm not really "down" with why I felt it important that particular prayer be said at a Baptist Graveside Service, but I felt it necessary. I suppose it's because those are words which provide me comfort from time to time, not solely during funerals.

Yesterday I was listening to a bit of "talk radio" while on the way to the Post Office and one of the callers was speaking to the use of the word "hope". His comments were not germane here; however, his and its definition were.

Hope - a trust and reliance upon God following our putting forth our own best efforts. A belief that a positive outcome is possible even when there is some evidence to the contrary, a spiritual grace. After we've done all we are capable of, hope is God's promise to do the rest. All we must do is allow it.

That struck a responsive chord and I suppose that's why those words hold such importance.

Grace & Peace, y'all

2008-01-25T07:53:00.000-08:00

At EFM the other night we were doing Theological Reflection on the passage from Matthew 13:44-46 (you know, about the Hidden Treasure in the field and the Pearl of great price).

I have long heard this parable preached as relating to our discovery of The Kingdom. However, the thought process within our EFM group is sometimes unconventional, to say the least. Anyway, one of our Mentors, in referring to John Claypool's take on this parable blew me away. He offered up Claypool's thought that possibly the field with the hidden treasure and the pearl referred to us, ourselves; while the man finding the treasure/pearl was God. To me, yet another description of Grace.

I've heard it said "all preachers only have three sermons" and that each time they speak is only a conceptual modification of one of those three sermons previously given. Were I "of the cloth," I suppose one of my sermons must would be on Grace. Having come to know the concept it seems I now see God's Grace everywhere and focus on it, often to the exclusion of other facets of the Faith. Perhaps that's why I was so taken with Claypool's image. But then, conservative as I am, I've never been accused of being conventional.

Grace & Peace, y'all.

Good Bad & Ugly

2008-01-11T12:09:00.000-08:00

Let's see; on Sunday past the wife went to the Clinic and found she had an infected finger; no great big deal but the medico did need to deaden it to open it up and then put her on antibiotics. Later that day she took the son back to Houston so he could get ready for second semester of Law School, year one. Jr. was a little nervous because he was awaiting first semester grades. I believe it was Wednesday that all the grades finally made it in and (no surprise to a proud papa) he made Dean's List. His sister called from NOLA that same afternoon with the news that she had been asked to shoot (photograph) a friend for a small article in Bon Appetite (proud papa speaking again). It would have been her first time to be published nationally. Yesterday, I was asked to allow myself be nominated to our Parish's Exec. Committee (even more snaps). About 3:30 pm I was feeling more than a little satisfied with how the week was going. Following a Finance Committee meeting at Church I made it home by 7:00. Whereupon, I found out that the daughter's shoot was cancelled about 30 minutes before it was scheduled. Also, that afternoon, the wife had accidentally bumped (hard) her foot (that was operated on 5 months prior) into a chair leg and it looks like she might have broken a bone. Finally, daughter called later that evening saying a good friend of her's was miscarrying at something like 4 1/2 months. Very quickly, the week had gone from good, to bad, to ugly.

But such is the way of life, isn't it? Wouldn't suggest our week was much worse than any other's, but you might have had a hard time arguing that point with us last night. One minute you're on the mountain top and the next you're deep in the valley.

Not really sure of the point I'm going for here; but just perhaps, it's enjoy to the utmost your time on the plains.

Serendipity

2008-01-02T07:27:00.000-08:00

Was talking to the daughter last afternoon and she told me about a serendipitous moment she had just experienced while online. Goes like this:

It seems that she had just gotten a notification from one of the airline companies that some 40,000 of her miles were due to expire due to inactivity on the account. Obviously not wanting that to happen she went online to donate 1,000 or so of the miles to cause activity and keep her mileage current. While doing so she was also surfing around some photography sites (have I mentioned she's a starving professional photographer?) and found that a free workshop was being offered, on how to establish your photography business, to the first respondent. So, she popped off an email. As fate would have it she was the first to reply, thus receiving a scholarship to a workshop she was really interested in.

I've long said that "No good deed goes unpunished." I guess this time that's inaccurate. In blessing others she also was blessed.

Have I mentioned that the name of the website was, in part: "Pay It Forward?" He works in mysterious ways, No?

Y'all have a happy & prosperous New Year.

Kinky quotes

2007-12-14T06:32:00.000-08:00

I'm a collector of thoughts. When listening or reading I seem to hear profound truths from time to time and like to keep them for future contemplation.

Have recently finished Kinky Friedman's Cowboy Logic. Here are a few of my favorites:

“It may not be the easy way,
but it’s the cowboy way.”

“Courtesy is owed. Respect is earned.
Love is given.”

“Hang on tight, spur hard,
and let ‘er buck.”

“Find out what you like and let it kill you.”

“Be yourself - that way you never have to remember who you are."

“The judge of who is a cowboy should be
God and little children.”

And finally, our City is in a bit of a "to do" over a proposed statue for the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum located here. Lots of Letters to the Editor and opinions on both sides of the issue. A young lady (about 14) wrote the local daily and queried the following:

"Whatever you do, always ask yourself:
'Would the Alamo defenders have died for that'?"

There is wisdom all around us, No?

Reflective

2007-12-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

Seems I always become more reflective around Christmas. I've been told it's "the nature of the beast." Guess it has something to do with missing some of the carefree times of my youth when Grandparents exhibited unconditional love, unconditionally; when all the family got together to bake cookies for Christmas gifts to Grandaddy's customers, and when a kid had no responsibility other than to be a kid.

Much of our extended family always came together one weekend each Advent, for companionship and baking. We all ate homemade chili and Grandmother's Tamale Pie and baked hundreds of dozens of different kinds of cookies. Those were good times. Times have changed and we've moved on to other traditions and currently the family's not together that often; but, "the good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise," given time even this will pass.

Y'all enjoy your Advent and look forward with anticipation to His birth.

Rodeo Tough

2007-11-28T16:01:00.000-08:00

For no good reason, a phrase from long ago drifted thru my mind the other morning. “Rodeo Tough”, it took me back about 40 years or so and I’ve seldom heard it since. Now days the catch phrase seems to be “cowboy up”. But, in my mind, they don’t equate.

From first hand experiences, “rodeo tough” is dislocating your riding shoulder on a head of rough stock Friday night, jamming it back in place behind the chutes, loading up, going on down the road, being up on another bull the next day and taking him to the buzzer. It’s going to the hospital to get a bone set and cast and then hurrying on to the next “show” ‘cause you’ve already paid your entry and you know you can still ride hurt. It’s a 135 lb. cowboy-clown-bullfighter putting himself between a bucked off cowboy and an 1800 lb. bull and taking a real beating because “that’s his job”; sacrificing himself to keep another cowboy safe. In short, it’s doing what has to be done, irregardless the cost, how broke up you are or how much the pain you’re in when the chute gate opens because that’s how you’ve learned to live your life. No-Matter-What!

Today’s rodeo cowboys still have a “get-r-done” attitude and do play hurt. They’ll “cowboy up” and give a better try than most because that’s their nature. But, rodeo’s changed over the years and today’s cowboys are athletes. They take care of their bodies and don’t seem as prone to take the extreme chances as their predecessors did before them. Probably, that’s a good thing because you don’t see as many hands ruined for life being that they’re too stupid to take any care of themselves and instead just tough it out. However, I miss the old time attitude. It strikes me as much the same thing that made our country great: “Damn the Torpedoes, Full Steam Ahead!” Don’t hear that any longer, either.

The grey middle way

2007-11-11T13:43:00.000-08:00

Spent yesterday out of town at a Diocesan meeting to "profile" our next Bishop Co-Adjutor (election presumed to be upcoming in May or June of next year). It was interesting in that I was seated at a table with 6 staunch conservatives. I guess they needed a designated moderate.

I was pleased in the way the profile workshop took place. Only uncomfortable times were:

1) When I was asked what I meant about a comment regarding the Via Media,
and
2) When I was asked what I thought a definition of traditional family values was.

In both cases my answers were something along the lines of: "I can't really define it/them but I know when I see it/them." Guess someone was trying to put me in a box but I've long ago given up being boxed in anywhere. When I was young I could see things as black or white; but eyesight seems to dim with age and all I seem to get now are varying shades of grey. Maybe I should have used that as a definition of the "middle way".

Brazos Valley Boys

2007-11-08T06:46:00.000-08:00

News from yesterday is that Country Music Legend Hank Thompson, a native Wacoan & graduate of Waco High School died at age 82 in Ft. Worth. Ironically his last performance was in Waco at the Heart of Texas Fair just this past month. I'm sorry now that I missed seeing him though they had him scheduled Monday at 5:30 pm. which is a rotten time for any performer. With work, I just didn't seem able to make it. That makes two of my favorite performers I missed seeing in person and won't have another chance to do so, Bob Wills being the first.

Hank is best known for his classic "Wild Side of Life". He never played Waco in those days, I'd been told it stemmed back to resentments he had from High School. His classmates supposedly made fun of his interest in country music and he couldn't put it behind him. Even in your teens you can be seriously injured by your peers.

Each time Bob played around here it seemed someone else special was performing too. Since The Playboys were more or less "local" and the others weren't, we felt like we'd catch them next time. Yeah, well next time finally turned into a stroke for Bob; so he and The Texas Playboys went down as an opportunity missed ... and regretted.

Every time I hear music by Hank or Bob or any other of the "Legends" of the era, I'm transported back to another time and place. It was classic Honky Tonkin' and we polished many a belt buckle to some great music. But, to quote Ray Price from a previous post: "Time takes no prisoners, and nothing but time marches on."

Y'all don't miss any opportunities, you never know what tomorrow may hold.

Grace appears in the strangest of places

2007-10-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

I'm one of those emailers who is always filling up your mailbox with things I find interesting. Probably a bunch of it is dumped, but now and then something does have attention paid to it.

Yesterday I emailed a group of Episcopal friends as well as the Episcopal portion of my EFM group a humorous snippet about Episcopalians that resonated with me. It reportedly was adapted from an essay by Garrison Keillor.

This morning I got back an email from one of my EFM group who said in part:

"...On a more serious note, this paragraph hit home - I do believe this, people: Episcopalians, who love to sing in four-part harmony are the sort of people you could call up when you're in deep distress. If you are dying, they will comfort you. If you are lonely, they'll talk to you. And if you are hungry, they'll give you tuna salad!

I will expound on this ... but suffice to say, 'I saw all of this and more given to a close relative, by a church that had never set eyes upon her before she barged into their parish and cared for her until her death. If ever there was a way to illustrate grace, this would be it'."

How about that, I sent out a funny that returned to me a sermon. Guess you never can tell when you'll be struck by Grace.

Shutting Doors

2007-10-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

Let's see; following their latest Council Meeting, the Diocese of Ft. Worth is now in line to join the Dioceses of Pittsburgh and San Joaquin, moving towards disassociation with TEC. The House of Bishops communique wasn't deemed sufficient for them.

Most recently, the Diocese of California in convention has approved three rites for trial usage, blessing same gender couple's unions, and is urging their Bp. to approve them. Seems they weren't satisfied with what came out of the H.O.B's Meeting either and have decided to take matters into their own hands, too.

So, despite the Church's leadership attempting to keep our TEC from walking off a precipice, the laity is still hell bent on marching straight into oblivion. I'm most fearful other Dioceses will also follow, according to their leanings.

I remember reading and saving a definition of the Elizabethan Settlement once as:
“… via media was the term applied to the Elizabethan Settlement of the 1550’s. … She (Elizabeth) set aside her personal preferences in hopes of gaining national unity and peace. The ‘middle way’ was applied to elements not essential to one’s salvation.

The brilliance of the Elizabethan Settlement was in the way it incorporated various Catholic and Protestant ideas of worship into a single entity. The middle road accepted divergent ideas on items of less importance, ...

… It was not having a large table with room for everyone and every view. … The historic middle way was not a compromise between competing theories about God. It was … ‘not a bridge but a causeway.’ It did not join together two differing religions but was a way through the middle ground of the one true religion. The historic via media did not open new doors to a new Church, but allowed entry through several doors to the same Church.”

I see us all as sinful before God and theologically don't differentiate between those of a greater or lesser nature. Distinguishing between sins mortal & venal is an exercise in futility, IMHO. By denying sinners access to the Church we immediately become unable to seat anyone in the pew.

So my question is: "Why can't we take time to 'do the theology' on these issues that divide us before we begin closing and locking doors on each other?"

Bias

2007-10-05T06:56:00.000-07:00

I’ve just finished reading a news report that was broadcast on 20/20. I didn’t see it when it aired as I have come to believe that the news media everywhere no longer reports news, but only espouse their particular agendas. I include therein all major network nightly news, programs such as 20/20, all the Sunday AM political hacks, daily newspapers, etc. Consequently, my reading or listening to events of the day comes from either multiple financial journals (I’ve found that when it comes to issues regarding money, there’s no bias, only facts) or sources that admit they are pushing their agendas and make no effort to present themselves as evenhanded. I suppose that’s rather cynical, but that’s why they don’t waste my time. It causes me to do more research about items I find of interest but my opinions are thus my own and not fed to me like pablum or propaganda.

None the less, I was moved to tears by a story that 20/20 ran. Read it here and see if you can make it through without being deeply moved. It’s about everything that is right and good about our Armed Forces. I also worked my way thru most of the comments and was pleased that most respondents felt and reacted as I did. I guess my biggest issue with the whole thing is why wasn’t it worthy of “real” news reporting at the time? More agenda or bias, I guess…

Dogs in the Manger

2007-09-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

I’ve read TEC Bp’s. message to the Abp. of Canterbury and to the greater Anglican Communion in response to the Tanzania communiqué as well as several different Bps. take on the message. Likewise, I have read the positions of the GLBT community and the Joint Statement of the AAC, Forward in Faith and the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes. Finally, I’ve read what Bp. Akinola had to say.

Until recently I’ve held the position that NH Bp. V. Gene Robinson was probably the loudest of several dogs in the manger howling at the issue, to include puppies from all sides of the ponds. However, I’ve come to change my mind. I see that distinction now falling to Bp. Akinola.

If any attention has been paid to previous posts, y’all know I believe a middle way is the only way through this crisis and I’ve long held that both sides were in need of attitude adjustment. What I don’t think I’ve offered is my thought that Bp. Robinson could resolve a lot of the turmoil but for his refusal to compromise. I’m no longer sure of that, having come to believe Bp. Akinola the single most dangerous person to continued communion of the Anglican faith, becoming my new “top dog” by his utter refusal to consider anyone but himself as able to divine the will of God.

The God I’ve come to know and trust is the God of the New Testament, one of love and compassion and not one of judgment and bitterness as portrayed in parts of the Old Testament. It’s pretty clear that Bp. Akinola will settle for nothing less than total capitulation from TEC and I fervently pray that never happens. I see him as standing not just on his scriptural beliefs but coming from a position of “homophobia” and believe that his homophobia and not his faith, directs him.

Personally, for the record:
1). I support “the civil rights, safety, and dignity of all gay and lesbian persons.”
2). I do not object to the blessing of same sex unions; however, I do not support their becoming sacramentalized.
3). I feel that by taking “Holy Orders” one is held to greater standards of behavior and becomes a “role model” for the laity. Offering an example by word and deed of clean and upright living to be emulated by those to whom they minister. As I see it, this precludes presenting any challenge to their own or the wider church or providing for any further strains on our tenuous bonds of communion.

All this presents even more of a quandary to me. I’ve long held that I am Anglican first and Episcopal second and really don’t want to have to be forced to decide where exactly my allegiance lies. If you read Common Cause Partners Theological Statement it makes complete sense to me and I can accept it fully. However, I know in my heart that these are agenda driven people and their agenda is to marginalize and exclude some to whom they have no right in so doing.

So where exactly do I stand?

I wish I knew.

House of Bishops

2007-09-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

Email this AM included my daily from TEC, indicating that the House of Bishops, concluding their meeting in NOLA, issued a response to the Tanzania comunique.

It would appear at first glance a reply acceptable to maintaining rather than breaking communion with worldwide Anglicans. While the next few days will provide further comment from both sides as to what it "really" means; this observer sees it as a statement both concilitory and compromising of positions strongly held by all.

Thanks be to God!

1st Amendment Freedoms

2007-09-26T06:48:00.000-07:00

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke Monday at Columbia University either at their request or Iran's. All the "to do" surrounding it has been couched in 1st Ammendment "Freedom of Speech" terms. That is purely a load of CRAP.

While the 1st Ammendment allows for the free exercise of speech, it does not include any provision for forum nor audience.

We've missed the boat on this one, both the left and the right. While not a citizen of the U.S., I suppose Ahmadinejad is accorded some of the rights of a citizen while on our soil, but no more so. No where will you find a requirement to provide a platform for Klansmen, Moveon.org or any other group or individual to spew their particular position. Nor is there a requirement to force folks to listen to what they consider "B.S." As the right to speak is guaranteed, so the right not to be compelled to listen is likewise.

The way I see it; we have a school which, for whatever purpose, has allowed an enemy of the State a platform to speak against our Country. And, I can't get on board with that. Shame on you, Columbia University.

My Daemon

2007-09-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

Have read (quite some time back) all three books of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. Enjoyed the first and second books (The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife) and thought I saw leanings towards Christianity in them. As I finally read the third book (The Amber Spyglass) I remarked to the wife that I did not enjoy it and in fact found it slanted against Christianity towards something much darker. It is my recollection also, that I somewhere read of Pullman's being either Agnostic or Atheist and that his trilogy was produced to offer alternative points of view regarding faith and salvation for young people. I suppose that's also why I ultimately failed to appreciate the series.

Anyway, the first book is coming out on film in early December and the production company has this website to publicize it. Part of that website provides the opportunity to determine what form your personal Daemon (an alternative inner self in animal form) takes. I found that to be a very intriguing thought; an alternate side of one that accompanies them throughout their life as a creature of lower species. Having found the website on another blog I took the test and found my personal Daemon to be Aspasa, a female Osprey. Those who know me, go here and see what you think. You have 12 days from today to modify my Daemon by testing yourself against my answers.

From NOLA

2007-09-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

Daughter living in NOLA just emailed me what the Times Picayune had to say yesterday about the Bp's Meeting. Read it here.

A few things I found interesting.
From the article itself:

Bishop Charles Jenkins of the Diocese of Louisiana asked each to bring a gift of $10,000 to be divided between Louisiana and Mississippi.
Many will, he said Tuesday -- and Bishop Mark Lawrence of South Carolina has pledged to arrive with a gift of $100,000, Jenkins said.
"It seems now the way it's going to work is they're going to have to go home and digest what they've heard" before declaring their response to whatever the Americans put forward, Jenkins said. (referring to the Global South Primates)
"On a more pragmatic level, those who will be hurt the most by this are the poor," he said. "We are involved heavily around the world in ministries of relief and development. And I don't think we have the luxury of giving in to our self-absorption on this issue, and taking that energy and those resources away from the poor."

And from the comments:

Posted by droopybuzums on 09/19/07 at 5:25AM
I'm of two minds about this...as a Christian I hope they can reconcile and continue God's work. As a gay-friendly straight woman, and member of PFLAG, I want to see the homophobes not muzzled but also not take over this church, as they have so many others.
Posted by godsvision35 on 09/19/07 at 1:24PM
I'm happy for those of you who classify yourself as "gay friend". Hey, I guess I'm gay friendly too, which means I don't have a problem with anyone who chooses to live as a homosexual. However, there is a big difference from respecting someones lifestyle and altering your spiritual belief to accommodate something it specifically speaks against. Those who believe that the bible doesn't speak against homosexuality, that is your choice and everyone else has to respect that. However, you also have to respect those who believe that the bible doesn't speak against homosexuality. The thing is we cannot be hypocrites as the bible speaks equally against fornication, adultery, stealing, murder, etc.

No personal comment on the issue this time. Everyone needs to form their own opinion and yet respect the right of others to differ. As a Church we MUST try and find our cherished "Via Media" somewhere in between.

What we have here is a failure to communicate.

2007-09-20T06:23:00.000-07:00

TEC is meeting in New Orleans beginning today. ABp Rowan Williams will spend the 20th and 21st meeting with the American Bps. in private session. Seems to me this is the "make or break" meeting.

Came across an observation in an AP news article that included the following. It seemed extremely accurate: "The various debates ... over my lifetime have been a fascinating study in two ships passing each other in the night," said the Rev. Peter Moore, a leading conservative thinker and retired head of the Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pa. "Neither heard a thing the other said. It was clear that both groups had made up their minds on totally different grounds, and they were not speaking the same language."

I consider myself one of the many, many average Episcopalians somewhere on middle ground and am dismayed that the Church I have grown to love could be rent asunder by the far right and the far left.

Politics are driving my Church as well as my Country and both are much the worse for it. Truly it seems that no one wants to consider the point of view of their opponents. Why is it that we can no longer dialogue, listen and learn; but instead close our minds to all but our own biases and refuse to even acknowledge other thoughts?

Pray for wisdom and foresight for TEC throughout the coming days.

Blessings on thee

2007-09-17T07:54:00.000-07:00

Church was good yesterday. The wife made it back on her new "scooter" after a two week absence (recovering from her foot surgery) and for the first time a new mother in the Parish had her 3 mos. old son there with her. That made it doubly special. The little guy was born 3 months early. His due date would be right now. Both she and he looked fine. For a while we weren't sure how things would turn out.

She was beaming and rightfully so. And, what better a place for him to be on that Sunday Morning. Happy Due Day!

So I say to him:

"Blessings on thee little man, barefoot boy with cheeks of tan."

Fear Not !!!

2007-09-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

News of the day is that Madeline L'Engle has passed on to her greater reward.

She was probably most famous in the wider world for her sci-fi series but the wife and I had an opportunity to spend a weekend retreat with her in the beautiful Texas Hill Country one January several years back. She led the retreat and based it upon her most recently published The Glorious Impossible. I took a few things with me from that retreat, a knowledge of how to compose a Collect, personalized autographs on a few of her books and the vivid memory of two of her comments.

First of all would be "BUTTONS". At some time during the weekend we discussed things that were superfluous. As an example she used the cuff buttons on a jacket. To this day I still think of some things as "BUTTONS".

The second and more important memory was of this great woman shouting out "Fear Not!" in reference to the Angel of the Lord's appearance to the shepherds announcing the birth of The Christ. She was, in all likelihood, the first to cause me to recognize the utter fear that those shepherds would have felt with the Angel's appearance, not in a small part due to its size and magnitude. I can imagine they were scared s&#tless. What else should have been said but "Fear Not!" Prior to that weekend I'd always thought of Angels in a childhood way: small and cute and cuddly, Cherubim if you will. Since then I've learned this is not so. Some time after that retreat, while in Europe, wife and I found an Angel that matches a wooden Creche we display at Advent and through the Christmas Season. It was much larger than any of the other figures and rightly so. I suppose it will be displayed even more prominently and proudly this Christmastide.

She was a wonderful, thought provoking and caring person and this world is a lesser place for her passing.

Tesser well Ms. L'Engle, and Fear Not!!!

Ramblings

2007-08-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was 24 Aug 07. The wife had foot surgery, yet again, to correct work performed a few years back. Done in Dallas by one of "The Pros from Dover" this time, we're most confidant of a good outcome and recovery though not looking forward to the cost in terms of time and energy invested. Reruns do become boring after a time, particularly when they weren't well done on their first release.

That Friday was also my Grandfather's Birthday (24 Aug 1899) and wherever good souls gather, I'm sure he spent a part of his day pulling for us and the best possible outcome while enjoying a cold beer and spending time with his beloved. That would be his Heaven. For no apparent reason, this year particularly, I spent no little amount of time remembering him.

He (my "Paw") was truly a good man and contributed more than a little to my being. Over time I've learned what I believe to be his shortcomings as well as the successes. There were many of the latter and certainly a few of the former. At family reunions where his wife's kin gather, I've heard more than once from the cousins that: "Everyone should have an Uncle Clarence!"

The eldest of her generation, my Grandmother was either "Sister" to all her siblings or Aunt Edith to the others and was long viewed as the matriarch of the family. But her Clarence, now he was the clan's "go to guy", who always had the solution to a problem and was frequently called upon to effect that solution. All the kids loved him. In return he loved them equally as much. Understand, as close as he was to his Edith, I'm not so very sure that solutions to problems oft didn't come from her and he just put them into action. He was generous to a fault, but subject to fits of sadness and depression. Most everyone has that seminal person or two in their life and in mine he was it. Our birthdays were 10 days apart and it seems curious, almost eerie, how much my life has mirrored his. Yeah, everyone needs an Uncle Clarence in their life; but, who did Clarence have for his?

Katrina's second anniversary was a two days ago, today is the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death and 09/11's 6th anniversary is less than two weeks off. Today a long term employee left taking his retirement.

I may have mentioned I'm not very fond of my birthday. I wonder if that's because I've long had little positive to associate with it? At one point in For the Love of the Game, John C. Reilly (playing Kevin Costner's Catcher) turns to him and says: "Chappy, this just hasn't been your day." Seems I could almost say those days between our birthdays "have never been my fortnight." However, this too shall pass.

Thanks be to God.

Reaking is fundamental

2007-08-13T15:19:00.000-07:00

So I heard about this PSA showing on BET about a rap cartoon directed to kids telling them to "read a Mo' Fockin' book, read a book Nigger, a Fockin' book.." The balance of the presentation is worse yet.

Before writing this, I waited for half a week doing research to determine if it was really aired or not. I wrote Snopes; no surprise that I didn't get a reply, and after further investigation finally came up with this link to a BET message board reinforcing my premise that it really was shown on their (BET's) channel.

The original report came from a newsletter which provides a better commentary than can this observer. Further research brought forth two schools of thought regarding the piece:
1). That its purpose is to uplift the audience to which it's directed and that audience can better understand the message if it's put forth in the vernacular of their own culture.
OR
2). That it's a satirical piece making fun of and attempting to shame the culture it portrays and hopefully they will see and understand the error of their ways.

I don't see it as successful in either case. In a couple of weeks this old man will have been around for 60 years and I'd be hard pressed to remember anything I've found more disgusting, distressing and offensive. I have long had serious concern for our country's corporate identity as well as the future of my children and my grandchildren yet to be. This "cartoon" only reinforces that fear. As a society it would seem that we are accepting of abhorrent behaviors and rationalizing those same behaviors in the hopes that we can "get through" to the marginalized folks who don't know any better. I can't (or won't) buy into that premise.

Right is right and wrong is wrong. There's no way to pick up a turd by it's clean end so that you don't have stinky on you afterwards. And this turd, my friends, reeks to high heaven.

The Chess Game

2007-08-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

Bishop to Queen two, or is it Pawn to Bishop?

Yesterday's news, just seen today, is that the Diocese of South Carolina again elected The Rev. Mark Lawrence to Bishop.

Wonder what's going to happen this time around?

Prayer

2007-08-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

Perusing my daily dose of newsletters and blogs I came across this on Questing Parsons website:

"I heard a young bride pray this prayer once: 'Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom to understand my man; love to forgive him; and patience for his moods; because, Lord, if I pray for strength I’ll beat him to death.' "

For some reason it struck a responsive chord with me. Possibly because that's how my family probably feels about me with too much frequency and possibly because that's how I occasionally feel towards them.

Seems there's a lot of truth in that prayer and that's how we all should pray...

Pax y'all.

Speaking of uniforms

2007-07-26T15:49:00.000-07:00

On 3/Feb/70 I took the oath of a recruit in the Army National Guard of Texas. Some thirty years prior to that my father had taken his oath of enlistment as he joined the U.S. Coast Guard. He signed up well before 7 Dec 41 and as was common with all the military during the war his tour of duty was extended until well after VJ Day. Among his stations were Biloxi, MS, Houston, TX, and San Juan, PR. He was an Aviation Machinist Mate (1st Class) and crewed PBY's - Flying Boats.

Upon my joining the Guard, I received basic training at Ft. Polk, LA. After rejoining my unit I transfered to another unit in Ft. Worth, TX and later Gatesville, TX. The Army in its infinite wisdom decided I was to be a Mess Cook and my Advanced Training was Army Mess School (MOS: 94B20). Oddly enough it has served me well throughout my life.

The Old Man was proud of his service and always talked about it. To the extent that I suppose it was as memorable a period as any in his life. He truly did believe he was serving his Country. Several friends, some close others not so, served during the Vietnam era. From a distance to a man, they are all proud of their time on duty and look upon it as valuable. Tools for life, if you will. In retrospect, I likewise look upon my days in the Guard as time well spent.

Don't know exactly what point I'm shooting for in this post. Perhaps it's an acknowledgement of the military's value in molding young men (and women) into citizens who are proud of their time spent learning a sense of self-reliance, duty, obligation and teamwork which the Armed Services instills in its members. I was a most reluctant recruit and did not enjoy any of the time invested during my service. It's only from a distance that I recognize what serving did for me as well as my friends. Am afraid I don't see so much of that in today's youth and wonder if we are not a little worse off for going to an all volunteer Armed Forces. Or at least for not recognizing the benefits of the growth and development military service offers.

Sleep well tonight, your armed services are awake.

So I took this silly test...

2007-07-16T16:16:00.001-07:00

You scored as Severus Snape, Well you're a tricky one aren't you? Nobody quite has you figured out and you'd probably prefer it stayed that way. That said you are a formidable force by anyone's reckoning, but there is certainly more to you than a frosty exterior and a bitter temper.

Severus Snape

100%

Harry Potter

95%

Albus Dumbledore

90%

Remus Lupin

80%

Hermione Granger

75%

Ginny Weasley

75%

Ron Weasley

65%

Sirius Black

60%

Lord Voldemort

30%

Draco Malfoy

20%

Your Harry Potter Alter Ego Is...?
created with QuizFarm.com

It's a small world, after all ...

2007-07-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

This, according to my "blogger dashboard", is post number 100. I can't think of a better one to mark the occasion.

Just got off the phone with the son in Houston, fixing to begin Law School in August. Having just moved there from TN and being unfamiliar with Houston parking regulations, he was ticketed for facing the wrong direction (against the flow of traffic) on a street in front of his apartment.

As he is:
1.) A less than wealthy student working his own way thru Law School, and
2.) A student who believes it’s never too soon to start practicing one’s chosen profession,
he went down to the Court House to try and beat the ticket.

Well, here’s where it gets interesting. When he appeared before the Judge he began explaining the injustice of his ticket saying he had just moved to Houston from Sewanee, that the street was in a residential neighborhood and not marked as to directional parking (good thinking, ignorance of the law is no excuse). The Judge, a fellow Episcopalian, asked him about Sewanee, being the first person in Houston to indicate any knowledge of the University of the South. They get to talking about Parishes, where son had grown up, which Parish the Judge was a part of and so forth. You know the routine. In visiting, the Judge indicated some degree of involvement in Diocesan activities (including a term on the Camp Allen Board) and the son then asked: “When were you on the Board, you might know my Dad?” At which point the Judge puts two and two together and admits (not even reluctantly) that he does know me, tells son we were friends on the Board and asks how we are doing.

So the upshot of all this is that son’s argument held water. He got a reduction in the fine (to $ 10.00), was told a few things to expect in Law School, and made an acquaintance who indicated a willingness to be of aid if the need ever arose. Guess he also learned the old man does get around from time to time.

It isn't a very large world, is it? The wife & I have even run into an acquaintance from Laity Lodge (the Camp's Director at the time) at dinner in an out of the way hotel in Kufstein, Austria while on holiday once, but that’s a story for another time.

Y'all have a good Fourth and take time to say a prayer for our troops.

Because freedom isn't free, it's very, very expensive.

It takes a village to raise an idiot

2007-06-27T15:09:00.000-07:00

One of the most important books I’ve read (third only to the Holy Bible and C. S. Lewis’ The Last Battle) is Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. It continues to have an overwhelming effect on my thought processes and is probably the main reason I have long feared for the future of our country.

Recently, Democratic Presidential Candidate hopeful HRC suggested “It's time to replace an ‘on your own’ society with one based on shared responsibility and prosperity.” My recollection is that 19th Century political observer Alexis De Tocqueville opined: “A decline of the American experiment in government would occur when the majority of its peoples learned they could legislate wealth away from its holders, to be distributed among the masses according to the desires of those masses”. Could be that’s why we were founded as a Democratic Republic and not a Democracy. The Founding Fathers were awfully smart and we should pay more attention to that which they gave us and less attention to making their structure “work” by constantly altering it.

I could be confusing De Tocqueville with Ayn Rand somewhat, but the point remains valid. So then, what’s to keep America from becoming Socialist? Nothing, I fear except America’s desires for freedom and towards prosperity. I know that in Atlas Shrugged Rand observed the nation’s “producers” ultimately leaving their homes quietly and independently for another place that valued work and respected the right of one to profit from their labors. And in the country they left behind there remained nothing but waste, for without reward for one’s effort there is no reason to produce other than to provide for basic needs. If one can work productively for eight hours and only receive basic sustenance or they can work only 4 hours for the same, what reason is there to labor longer? And for that matter for two, or for none at all? Does the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard come to mind? Not quite, I believe.

A strong believer in Capitalism and the Free Market System, I would make the case that the only system which lifts up the individual to greater self worth is one such as we experience, though I believe it’s really about freedom and not reward. In any society where wealth is distributed equally, freedom can not long exist. All ultimately become dependent upon the State for fulfillment of their needs, and then the State becomes their god. I don't recall this as how our Father designed His Creation.

So, how does one fit Christian charity into this equation? I suggest it is incumbent upon true Christians to look towards the less fortunate and see that their needs too, are met; for that is Christ’s call to us. “To love one another as we love ourselves.” But for that call to work it must come from the heart and not from legislation. My biggest disappointment with Ayn Rand’s work is her approaching everything selfishly and not from a position of brotherly love. Coming to America from Russia in the heyday of Communism, it appears she didn’t understand or else couldn’t justify the Christian thought process, the main place I feel she “missed the boat”. Otherwise, I find her thoughts most profound, … and scary.

Edication

2007-06-25T11:04:00.000-07:00

Picked up a copy of Reader's Digest last night. In thumbing through it, I was not really surprised with an article about the U.S. public educational system, which though as recently as 30 years ago being ranked number 1 worldwide, had fallen to something like 19th today. I've long felt we are failing in quality education for today's kids.

Got a real problem with that! Why can't we teach our children what they need to know to achieve? Lack of discipline in the public school system? Yeah, that's probably part of the problem. Breakdown of the family unit and moral fiber of the Country? Most probably a factor also.

But the biggest problem I see, and "hold on to your hats boys and girls", is government mandated equality. I am a product of the Texas Public School System (Class of '65 -thank you) and truly believe I received a first class education. It was a segregated system at that time. Please don't get ahead of me because I support integration 100%. In no way can I argue that any race, color or creed is less or more capable of learning than another. Statistics will bear that out that equal abilities cross all socioeconomic boundaries. Nor does any one have less of a right to the best education available to them. If that means they need to be bussed across town, so be it. Then my point is?

In an attempt to provide an equal learning environment we have reduced the expectation of nearly each and every student by working towards the least common denominator. Instead of seeking excellence among those capable, instead of asking each child to achieve to their individual maximum; we are willing to settle with mediocrity for all, in the name of equality. And that equality, folks, will never happen. Some people are more talented than others. It's always been that way and so forever shall it remain. Different people have different God given talents and no matter how hard one works to change it, little Johnny with the IQ of 95 is never going to be able to learn at a level equal to young Albert of the 130 score. Trying to teach at a level that all can understand got us where we are. Sure, Johnny might max out his abilities but without Albert being challenged too, a large portion of his time and mind goes to waste, strictly because we don't want little Johnny to feel bad about himself or that he's of lesser learning ability than Albert.

Now I'm not suggesting that Johnny doesn't have the right to feel good about himself. Lord knows he is of as much worth as any other in the eyes of the Father. However, that's what he needs to be taught. Help him to understand that though all are equal under the law and the eyes of God, each of us was created with different talents and the way we use those talents to their fullest is what determines the success of a person. There is no less worth in being a top notch plumber than a civil engineer and frankly, I've known several plumbers who cash paychecks in excess of what many civil engineers do.