"Poor" Excuse...

I mentally and spiritually battle within myself about how best to help the poor. We live in a society that has tried many a wonderful and many a devastating things. Some with good results. Some with marginal results. Many with bad after-shocks that trapped people into a variety of classes of poor. A serious discussion needs to happen, starting with people who are truly compassionate, and ending with the politicians.

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Empowerment. A strong word that indicates a partnership. Not with a social program, although it may be driven or funded through such agents, but a person-to-person relationship that speaks truth, challenges, encourages and takes ownership of the upward mobility of another. I was challenged and yet know that the problem is bigger than simply I. It is wider and deeper than even those who are stuck within it can imagine. It does have cultural truths that must be parlayed without fear of retribution. And, it does have grey zones.

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The following monologue is by Doug Pagitt (pastor of Solomon's Porch and prolific author):

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"In our Minneapolis community, I’m really caught up in the complexities of the difference between people who don’t yet have the money that they need and those who are truly poor, meaning they could never get the money that they need. The Hispanic families that we work work with are just poor for a while. They are not going to be poor forever. They have a strong work ethic, and they’ll learn how to work the system. There are other people in our neighborhood, oftentimes poor white families or African-American families stuck in more systemic problems, and there doesn’t seem to be any solution. Now that’s a different conversation from what happens in Guatemala and Jamaica and other places.

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"So it gets really complicated when I see the term “the poor.” It also complicates it for me because I know that most of our "theology of the poor" in North American evangelicalism comes out of work that the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) has done. If you’re not familiar with that group, it's been very active. Its central concept is to relocate, to redistribute and to reconcile. Those are its three major emphases about how you make a difference in the world.

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"It’s my opinion that the CCDA was developed rightly and properly during a time when global economics was in a period of scarcity, meaning there wasn’t enough. You could've said to someone, “Eat what’s on your plate. There are people starving in China,” and rightly so. It’s also my opinion that we don’t live in a world of economic scarcity anymore; we live in a world of surplus. Our problem is not that we have too little food or too few economic resources; the problem is the poor distribution system that’s funneling food through complicated global mechanisms and multi-national corporations. All of which is to say, we live in an industrialized, global economy that’s no longer made up of simple agricultural societies.

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Christianity has played out the great majority of its history and a great majority of its theology in agrarian societies that don’t exist in this world anymore. We have to be engaged with the question, What does it mean to be a people who are involved in systems of poverty in our world that go beyond any personal involvement that we have?

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"The world has changed in some profound ways that make it a real issue for me to live as a good neighbor. So in my life, I’ve had to reduce all of this down to a question: How do I live as a good neighbor and never remain satisfied with that being enough? I’d love to have a conversation about what it means to truly live as a good neighbor in the world that we all live in — especially to those people who literally live next door to us."

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And with that I say "let's get to work,"

Wettin' my whistle

An ice cold glass of Coke. Or maybe for you it's a giant, icey Mountain Dew. It's that lip restoring, tongue rehydrating, mouth moisturizing, flood of refreshing that can only be met with a certain thing. Something that at any time can be good, but at certain times it's greater than great. Those certain times are usually times of fatigue, thirst, weariness, sadness, loneliness, hunger, desparation, and generalized "down-ness." Now I'll be the first to admid that I wish things never went wrong and that I never got depressed or I never felt overwhelmed. But I do. And I think that we all do to a varying extent. But to each of us, life happens. To some, more than others. But I've always said "life and death, everyone gets their fair share of both." What differentiates people of faith is that they can demonstrate hope in the midst of great sorrow and a joy that surpasses all "human" understanding.

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Like the woman Christ met at Jacob's well, he offered her a water she had never tried. One of which after drinking, she would never thirst again. It was life-giving. It refreshed us like an ice cold Coke would someone crawling out after 3 days in the desert. Life parches us. And sometimes we settle for less. We settle for worldly refreshment. Things to relax us. Things to stimulate us. Things to feed us. And what God is saying is "come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest." The woman drank from what Christ was offering her and she was never the same again.

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Yeah, I know that although I have a relationship with God that bad things will still continue to happen. And that's o.k. I know however, because of the tastes of heaven I have enjoyed thus far, that it will always be better to wet my whistle with the presence of God than the things of this world.

Churchs of Hate

They say we’re evolving. Getting smarter, Living longer. Loving more. I guess I just don’t see it. Do you? I mean we have a Hollywood elite that has completely lost touch with reality. A majority of them cannot comprehend what is required to make a relationship successful so bank on their career exploding after their third or fourth divorce and child out of wedlock. We have a soapish generation of teens vying to emulate what they are told is “reality” by MTV. Shock-Jocks make millions by hurtling all common-sense aside and spreading the gospel of lust and self-centeredness across the airwaves 24x7. We have left-wing people calling for the extermination of the president and demonstrating amid laughter the beating and kicking of a conservative on TV. We have police officers stealing from those they trained to protect after the hurricanes watchful eye had passed on by. We have Nazi’s protesting gay marriage amendments. We have the communist organization now known as the ACLU fighting against your right to pray in school or at work but vocally and financially fighting for your kids right to experiment with homosexuality while still in elementary school. The litmus test for Supreme Court nominee’s now includes that the candidate “must be Pro-Choice” and “cannot profess Christ” and, if we include Teddy Kennedy’s fear “that you might interpret the law too narrowly.” Terrorists who are dissatisfied with their lives think it their “god-given right” to kill innocent men, women and children for a cause that they could never define on paper. We have beautiful young girls and ladies trying desperately to escape the poverty of their former “cinder-block” eastern nations only to be tricked by pimps into a life of “indebted” gratitude from which they cannot escape. Gangs all over the world make sport of randomly killing someone to prove their “worth or manhood.” People are killed for a few dollars of packet change by strangers trying to finance their next fix. Junior High School students consider hooking up and oral sex as just something friends do for one another. Father’s ignite in fury and beat-up coaches at schooling events in which they should be proudly rooting for their children at play and promoting life-skills. Suicide has become all to common. So common in Japan that there are web-sites that you can use to sign up for suicide partners. It’s so nice when someone can share your pain. The rainforest is being deforested at an alarming rate to support industries like lumber and coca farming. Ethnic cleansing still routinely occurs in nations around the world while the U.N. and U.S. plays it politically safe through “engaging dialogue.” Millions of unborn are aborted each year for matters of personal convenience. Female infanticide occurs in many countries where limits have been placed on children and males are preferred. In the aftermath of so many natural disasters of unprecedented number and scale, talk-show pundits stepped up the microphone to complain and point fingers, Hillary passed the plate for her election hopes, and churches stepped up to the plate to feed, shelter and clothe. Even today, in 2005, in numerous Muslim nations, people are put to death for converting to Christianity or for sharing their beliefs with other Muslims. Liberal tenured professors can not only keep their jobs, but make millions writing books for stating the idea that those who perished in 9/11 were like little Heimans deserving of their fate. We have churches proselytizing that homosexuals are fags and that they deserve what comes to them. We have people who will be denied life-saving treatments because their HMO doesn’t cover it or they have been cut back to 38 hours. Children raised in homes of hate are spreading their "gospel" over the airwaves and at concerts. We have millions upon millions of people dying world-wide from preventable diseases, lack of water and hunger.

What to offer? by: Dean P. Remy

I see your sadness

Pain on your face

Pulse I feel through the walls

No words are offered

Random thought like rain they fall

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Wear your wardrobe

Walk your hallways

Concrete bed on which to lay

Freedom's fancy

Loving no one

Never here allowed to stay

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Hand outstretched,

Pretend to notice

I dare not meet eye to glare

An empty cup

I offer you

It's something that we both share

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Possess no answers

Can offer no joy

Cannot give you what I don't have

Smugly dressed

I pass on by

While you model your rags

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What have I

To offer you

Besides my empty life

You're better off

The way you are

Then I pretend to be like

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Feast on the fact

That you are content

With a pair of unmatched shoes

What have I

To offer you

When I am empty too

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What have I to offer you...?

What have I to offer...?

What have I too...?

What have I...?

Farewell Rosa

We lost a great person today. Ms. Rosa Parks, who acted as a catalyst for social and racial reform by refusing to yield her seat to a white passenger. I wish more people had the courage to stand against injustice even when it becomes "uncomfortable." God Bless Rosa Parks.

Live a thousand years? Not if nature has its' way

Hurricane Wilma pounded Mexico leaving lives and the tourism industry shattered in its' wake. It defiled the protectionary breakers designed to protect the seaports of Cuba flooding over half a mile inward. It is now striking Floridians still shell-shocked from over a dozen other storms this year alone.

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In August, a killer tornado (one of hundreds that touch down in the midwestern part of the United States) cleared a swath a half a mile wide extending for 17 miles. Everything in its' path destroyed.

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Earthquake ravaged Pakistan is still decimated by aftershocks that are almost unoticed by the weary area residents. Read here for a first hand account by a young college girl from that region. We're talking almost 80,000 dead.

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Typhoons in the Asia Pacific pummeled the Japanese coastal area killing and destroying like it was one of the Japanese developed video games.

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A Tsunami resulting from an earthquake in the Indian Ocean drowned entire cities, towns and villages. The aftermath, over 180,000 dead or missing. Entire families wiped off of the face of the earth.

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Severe rains caused flooding and landslides throughout central America and up into California. And similarly, rains swelled rivers in eastern and western Europe flooding ancient cities like never before.

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Mount Washington, our areas own high point known for the world worst weather hosted snow fall breaking previous records last weekend. They had 38 inches fall between Saturday and Monday morning. Check out these pictures here.

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Then, there is Aubrey de Grey, a 42-year-old English biogerontologist (that's a biological scientist who studies aging either from a physiological, biological or molecular biological position). Dr. de Grey argues that people today could easily be living 1000 years or longer if we could previent or even reverse the negative effects of the human condition. These "effects" have decimated the human cellular and molecular machinery such that we see death as normative at age 40-80 years. And, assuming that he is correct, we may once again attain the ages witnessed thousands of years ago of 300, 400 or even 900 year for the common man. That is, of course, if he is able to avoid the catastrophic events epiphanied in this past years headlines around the world. Avoiding a cold is one thing. Avoiding hurricanes, tornados, floods, earthquakes, mudslides, and tsunamis is quite another.

It's somewhat biblical though to consider that God once enabled a several hundred year old man named Noah to build an ark to escape the impending world-wide flood that He was going to send upon the face of the earth. What if.....?

Anne Rice finds Christ

Whodathunkit. Anne Rice, author of a lifetime of stories about vampires, witchcraft and S&M has returned to her roots and accepted the forgiveness that only a real God could offer. No doubt that she will face the wrath of her long-allegiant readership and her dependant publisher but she has made the decision that her novels from now on will come from the perspective of one who is now redeemed.

She plans on her next novel being written from the first-person narration of a 7-year old Jesus. As a child he is "aware" of His divine self and this supernatural progession will definitely be enhanced by Annes ability to render a "realistic" satan and his demonic convention. Their first meeting looks to be eye-opening and I look forward to the final product and the end of the first of what looks to be many fresh novels from Anne. I wish her well in her new life and I hope that God is able to use her gifting to reach a wider audience.

Ready, Set, Stop

It's been a wild ride this past week here in the Northeast. We had the sun overcoming a 9-day impass of wetness that helped us wash our basement floor. We were able to enjoy the company of 4 members of the international ballet troupe Ballet Magnificat who stayed with us for 5 days. My wife and son paticipated in a class trip to Phili. We were able to attend and enjoy a Quinceañera which is the Latina coming-of-age celebration on a girl's 15th birthday. And, I realized that we have people over every night for the past 8 days. Never mind the broken braces needing repair, a pending hernia operation for my son, 4 playing travel soccer, 1 playing volleyball, 2 playing basketball, 1 needing eye glasses, vet appointments, vehicle needing a new transmission, downed trees needing slicing-and-dicing, my Top-50 list of pending home repairs, birthday parties, my 3 planned business trips in the next 2 weeks, and more rain slated to start again tonight, life is indeed good.

As I sat this evening with a young man around my dining room table, I realized that in silence, I was enjoying a breather. Craziness and quality are independant of one another. As decidedly unstable and unnerving as life in the Remy household may be, I wouldn't trade it for anyone elses. It's not perfect, but it's all mine. The constant stop and go, like my truck, requires more gas and instills more wear-and-tear on the brakes. It is the fill ups and repair appointments (going to church, fellowship with others, playing a game, reading, prayer time) that remind us of how good we really do have it. O.K. Gotto go again...ciao!

Not As They Appear

They say that “Perception is Reality.” I argue that it isn’t. Largely, it’s that “we don’t see things as they are, but see things as WE are.” Our understanding of cultures, beliefs, politics, ideologies, values, morals, work, diets, love, sex, war, religion, education and many aspects of society are filtered through our personal combination of experiences, upbringing, and education. Why then are we quick to pass judgments on these societal factors that exist in other parts of our world?

We categorize everything as either “right” or “wrong;” “left” or “right;” “religious” or “secular;” and “good” or “evil.” This is especially true for those of us in the “western” world. For us who are exposed to so many different cultural belief systems and so many news sources, it enables us deal with this overwhelming deluge of information and process them according to our world view. Even our media sources attempt to pre-classify these things according to categories through the articles title and the words they use. They also do it through omission. Leaving out information or view-points that would normally be important to help us actually understand the context and truth about a given situation or event. The opposite, being born and raised in a small, enclosed, closely knit society, the minimum of varietals’ (events, cultural variants, moral dilemma’s, and issues that you would need to consider and work through would be small in comparison. You will find it true however, that since a community like this is small and close, that all information becomes known, brought into the light, helping avoid secrecy or bias. Then truth becomes revealed as things can be seen and understood in the light of truth and context. And, I’m sure that to some extent, we “open-minded” and “educationally superior” modern world people elevate ourselves as more culturally and diversely aware than those who do not face these same questions or volume of questions. This is self-delusion. Volume in no way constitutes a monopoly on truth or importance.

I propose that it may be that thoughts, things and actions may not necessarily need to always be classified according to our aforementioned categories. Maybe some things just are. They require not classification into a neat little box nor judgment of any kind. They merely are. To some of us, that may require a little mental gymnastics to coach ourselves into relaxing our judgments and biases. It may enable us to enjoy more aspects of this great big world than we could previously when wearing our “perception spectacles.” It may enable us to more easily love someone who eats bugs, wears nothing, appreciates body odor, lives modestly, pierces their lips and inserts discs, births 22 children, dedicates their life to ministry, chooses to live in the remoteness of a desolate desert, doesn’t shed tears at the loss of a loved one, or never went to school.

So are the above classifiable as “right” or “wrong?” No. 1 Corinthians 6:12 (NASV) tells us "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable (helpful)..." Is it helpful to me? Will this help me to become a better person, a better friend, a better brother or sister? And 1 Corinthians 8:7-13 gives the third guideline for knowing right form wrong. In this passage, the principle is not to do things that will cause someone else to stumble. The apostle Paul had a strong faith; he knew there was only one God. He knew God had given him freedom to eat certain meats, but if it made others fall, he would not eat the meat. This gives us leeway to do a lot of things. Fun things. Enjoyable things. Just not things that will cause others within our sphere of influence to stumble. What this requires is understanding of each others view-point. The circumstances that led up to each persons “being.” And, instead of quickly judging, we should remind ourselves that things are not always as they appear.

For a fictional burlesque through this type of moral tryst, I would highly recommend Amy Tan’s newest novel “Saving Fish From Drowning.” You can find out a little more about this book for yourself here or order it for yourself from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ABO’s or Penguin books. Enjoy. Live peaceably. Judge less. And love more.

Where Ability Ends, Faith Begins

It's often been misquoted "God helps those who help themselves" as a thermometer for gauging dedication or slotheness. And although the bible is full of indications that endeavor us to work hard, do good works, and to meet needs whenever presented to us, it is somewhat silent on how we are to approach these tasks.

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Unlike when we are considering our options for attending colleges and choosing majors, the job of ministry doesn't have to be something we forever thought of ourselves as doing or enabled. When talking to young adults about career paths (that which many of these folks have only begun to take seriously when being kicked out of their homes at 20 for lack of job or looking), I am usually offered the "well, what I like to do is..." Or, "I really enjoy blankety-blank." Then, when decisions must be made, it usually comes down to a skill set or a specific capability. Hence, we do our jobs relying almost entirely on what we are able to perform.

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What's missing from most peoples day-to-day business decisions is the "what if..."

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In ministry though, we find ourselves again relying on what we are able to do. Then, when faced with the occasions of ministry requiring more than what we can do, we become frustrated at our lack. We look to our own abilities first. Our decisions are based largely on what we perceive our limitations to be. We have ecome trained to look at things in this way.

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What's missing though is the "what if...." The "what can God do in this situation." The "how would God approach this task." The "what if God controlled the day-to-day decisionmaking and guided what this ministry becomes."

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Our greatest joys come when the miraculous happens, in spite of us. When we pull of the "impossible task" because we trusted God. When the money for support just "shows up" in the mailbox when that unexpected bill could wait no longer. When our bodies seem unable to "take another step" yet run the additional "champions mile" after the race has finished.

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A dancer in Ballet Magnificat shared with me the other night that he didn't start dancing until he was 23 years old. He was a successful, careered Mechanical Engineer when God told him that He was going to use him in dance. He laughed, probably in the way Noah did when God instructed him to build an ark in the desert. Or when Abraham was told he would father a son at close to a hundred. We laugh at these improbabilities because we view and interpret them according to our own understanding and abilities. I guess that's the problem we face in describing a star while sitting here on earth. Our vantage point is limited. But God's is not. And since it's not, shouldn't we ask Him what He sees, or how He see's it?

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It's going to require a retraining. We have to apply the breaks now and then as we run from task to task. It's going to demand that we hold to some sort of accountability to make sure that we have consulted God in the things we do. It's probably going to be hard.

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Here's the thing. If your doing ministry and it is stagnant or overly simple, then I suspect that you've been refraining from "thinking out side of your box." dependency on God is how He chooses to strengthen our faith. And Faith begins where your Abilities end. If you are depending soley on your abilities, then I am doubtful that you have any reliance on faith in your ministry. And it's there, in the realm of faith, that the miraculous will occur.

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Don't count on yourself for making miracles happen. God alone performs miracles when we rely on our faith in Him to become demonstrative in our ministry.

Gospel

Gospel looks to be another good movie. The prodigal son story in 2005 hints at a little of what lies within each of us. I hope to catch it in the next couple of weeks. I'll provide a write up summary for review following what I hope will be an enjoyable night at the movies.
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For those looking for what I think is the best musical rendition of the prodigal son story, I would highly suggest Keith Green's "Prodigal Son Suite." No one can play it and sing it like Keith could. Why? Because he was singling about himself. And to that, I can relate.
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However, you may be interested in a version of "The Prodigal" produced by CRISPIN. Some of these guys performed and played with the group I used to years back, "Up With People." Enjoy the clip: [http://www.crispinmusic.org/audio/were_you_there_clip-08b.wax]

"The Chronicles of Narnia"

For those that may be interested, as I most certainly am, the release of The Chronicles of Narnia; The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe is December 9, 2005. The trailer in QuickTime (high res) can be viewed here: [http://bvim-qref.sitestream.com/LionWitchWardrobe/Narnia_LWR_Trailer1_87d2_3000.mov]

BLAME GAME

I was considering the price paid by Christ the other day. If you've seen "The Paasion of the Christ" directed by Mel Gibson, you are forever acutely aware of the immense physical penalty paid by Jesus for our sins. As the "be-all-and-end-all" sacrificial lamb, His body was broken, but freely offered as an atonement for the bad things mankind has ever done or had yet to do.

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The dirty thought you had today? That was why He had to die. The angry clause you issued today towards one of your family members? That was why He had to die. The curse word you spat upong the guy slowing down the line of traffic and making you late for work? That was why He had to die. The unloving way we treated, thought about, or responded to the poor homeless guy looking for spare change today, ...that was why He had to die.

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I hear people say "I'm a good person. Why would God send me to hell?" Or, "if God is indeed a God of love, then why would He allow people to suffer eternally?" And even the commonplace "if God really loved us, He would make Himself clearly known." To these I say "have you never lied? Or thought someone was useless? Or thought of your own pleasures before someone elses well being? Or failed to show God's love through your example to even the most despicable? Or wanted to hurt somebody? Or said anything crude? Or enjoyed a moment of popularity at someone elses expense? Or thought of anything more important than God Himself? Or looked lustfully at another male or female that was not your spouse? Or hung out at inapproapriate websites that "use" and devalue people? Or failed to keep a promise? Or judged anyone unfairly or passed judgement without knowing all of the details? Or failed to do what you knew was right beacuse of a million reasons that popped into your head to justify your inaction?" To these I say "you are guilty." As am I.

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And yes, God did try to make it clear who He was. Even took our humiliating form and spoke our languages so that we might get it straight. Even gave us thousands of years of clues before His coming to ensure that we wouldn't miss identify Him. And yes, even told us up-front what the rules and penalties were for our disobeying of the rules. Rules meant not to limit our enjoyment of life but to protect one another; our posessions; our hearts; our relationships; and our value.

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So, I say "admit it." We are the reason that the world is the way it is. We are the reason why there is so much death and destruction. We are the reason that we consider invaluable the unborn child or aged, degenerated adult. We are the reason why people take their own lives out of loneliness or helplessness. Weare the reason millions upon millions go hungry day after day. We are the reason why so many children die from preventable diseases. We are the reason why stress is the causative agent for over half of the modern worlds illnesses. We are the reason why women suffer rape and abuse. We are the reason for the violent crimes that are committed daily oft for a few dollors of pocket change. We are the reason. We are the reason. We are the reason.

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If Jesus could accept the penalty, the very least you and I could do is to accept the blame.

Unforgettable

I am reminded of the N.K.Cole song "unforgettable." That's what God says about us each and every day. But we're not so inclined to be able to say the same about God. Our actions, and even our inactions oft prove that we have indeed forgotten about God repeatedly throughout the day.

Will we ever be so inclined to be otherwise 100% congnizent of his presence 24/7? I am not even aware of my own presence each and every moment. I am not 100% aware of the people around me or their needs. I am not aware of everything that is occurring around me or even to me many times. I forget to ask Him His opinions on important matters. I forget to ask Him for His strength to help me continue throughout the day. I forget to consider those around me more important than myself. I forget to ask for forgiveness when I have done wrong. I forget to check what I am listening to or viewing against the word of God. I forget to watch what I am saying in light of the damage that it may cause. I forget to always do what is right.

I forget to forgive. God, forgive my forgetfulness.

Rain, Reigns, Reining

Well, due to an overly packed schedule, I have been off for a couple of days and for that I apologize. I hope that things are well in your part of the world.
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I write you from the great Northeastern part of the United States. Where, as many of you have heard, we have enjoyed 3 months worth of rain in a period of a week. Most of have had the opportunity to observe Mother Nature cleaning out our basements in the last couple of days. I am thankful that it is as small and trite as that. With a reported 30 automobiles swept away in Worcester ( a city nearby to us) and the numerous homes, autos and people swept away just north of us in New Hampshire, I am indeed thankful.
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I guess it was fortuitous that I never got the chance to finish off my basement this past summer. Then it would have really been a mess.
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Today in Toledo, Ohio, an anti "Black Crime" protest by a neo-Nazi group was the catalyst for a mob scene resulting in a huge standoff between the Nazi's and area residents. Toledoites (if that's what they're called) were calling an army of relatives, friend and other neighbors to join in the protest against the neo-Nazi group.
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Police brought in over a hundred officers to help quell the outbreak and rained tear-gas down upon them to help tighten the reigns on the demonstration.
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And across this little ocean of ours in Denmark, the birth of a baby boy to Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik, the oldest son of Queen Margrethe, brings the small nation relief as he will be the heir to the throne. They follow lineage within Europe's oldest reigning monarchy, back to the Viking king Gorm the Old, who died in 958.

To celebrate, over 350 bonfires were lit one by one yesterday evening in a chain of light that illuminated the skies from Copenhagen to every corner of the small kingdom. This repeats a tradition dating back to the Bronze Age.
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It will however be some time before Denmark's little prince officially holds the reigns.

Good Bye Gerhard

Great news today from unified Germany. Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (Liberal Democrat) tendered his resignation earlier today after suffering a defeat to Angela Merkel of the conservative union. He then stated at a packed meeting in the trade fair center in his home town of Hannover that "I will not belong to the next government, definitely not." There's a winner for ya. That good ol' "I'm outa here" attitute. I guess it never really was about the country. Sad ending, but fitting, for a man who snubbed his nose at the world. Especially the country for which his owes much. If you remember, the wonderfully divided Germany became the greatest social experiment the world has ever seen. On one side, Democracy and Freedom and the other Communism. The results, the free Democratic side became a world power again and an economic powerhouse in under 50 years. The other, possessed nothing.
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I venture to say: "France is next!" Viva la difference.

Considering Miers

Cronyism. There's that word again following Bush like a shadow on a sunny day. Is he guilty of it? Probably. With so many positions to fill when a new President takes office, I would venture to guess that it would take the full 4 years just to fill them all should they use the goverments' typical service hiring methods.

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I would also venture that EVERY President sometimes looks to those who suround them for possible advancement. I try to advance myself in my current "company." And, I hope that my boss is looking at me as a candidate to fill roles of a greater responsibility in our company. So why would we expect the government to be that different? Probably because there is the "impression" that positions are granted to the least qualified as payoff for political support. This was surely the case with our removed FEMA head. Definitely unqualified. But how about Harriet Miers?

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Most feminist's would love the fact that she had broken many a glass ceiling in the legal world. Even headed the Texas Bar Association. Worked hard in positions in the private workplace, city government, State Government, and the Federal Government. She is not an Ivy League lineup candidate. Another mold broken. So why are the feminist's not fawning over Harriet? Could it be merely who she has supported? I think so. As many personal ties as the media can draw up that may exist between the President and Ms. Miers, they shall.

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The liberal communist Teddy Kennedy who could not bring himself to vote for probably the smartest and wisest choice for the recently appointed position, John Roberts, is again batting lefty and swinging wildly for the release of privileged materials protected under lawyer-client confidentiality. He has said that the lawyer-client privileged materials should be produced in the case of a public servant. Funny though, we have yet to see released these same communications and documents between Teddy and his lawyers the day after he drove Mary-Jo Kopechne off that little bridge at Chappaquiddick. I guess like the bridge, it's a one-way street.

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Has she demonstrated immense abilities in the arena of law? Yes. Has she remained out of the tabloidesque Globe and Times for inapproapriate behaviour? Yes. Does she possess the intelligence needed to not only comprehend the massively complex galaxy of constitutional law? Yes. Then this is not idilic cronyism so let's move forward with jurisprudence and expect a vote.

In The Nooze

You know, I love to mix my news sources. Allowing myself to enjoy some of the stupidity that is all around us like a comedy show where tickets are free is the best of all worlds. Well, this one anyway.

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I've got to ask you...If a man trips in the forest and no women are around, is he still a dork?

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Well, I'm not mentioning any names with that one. Here are a few recent headlines that I thought you would enjoy.

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Attention Defecit

Crime Stinks

Maybe he'll die

Good thing this theater isn't in my town

Funny thing, irony...

NO prediction made in 2001

No brains in Texas?

Might be worth a drive

100 years and still driving

I think the punishment is hangin'

Strange Fundraiser

Who's he kidding

Nothing better to fight

That's a lotta pie

.

Have to share this one with you...When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor homeparked on a Seattle street, he got much more than hebargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find anill man curled up next to a motor home trying to stealgasoline and plugged his hose into the motor home'ssewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicledeclined to press charges, saying that it was the bestlaugh he'd ever had.

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I hope that you enjoyed these as much as I did. ciao4now

Finding My Place In The World...

I've discovered that the Church is both the best and worst place to find a job. I don't mean a job in the literal sense of 9-5, two 15 minute breaks, IRA, and Health Coverage per se.

I am talking about the finding of one's place for ministry. I don't know if you have encountered the same visage as I but I find that people and politics get squarely in the way of trying to be successful in many a ministry.

I find myself today doing things within the church merely because there is a need and to stay involved. The difficulty in that is there is little joy left after years of doing this. Doing for the sake of doing. Looking for some way to fit in. I oft feel like an outsider within my own church family. Have you experienced that? Pretending to enjoy the church family for the opportunity to share in some wonderful worship in the form of music, praise, offerings and word. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy learning the word, giving of my finances to meet the needs of the church's many ministries, and praising God through song and expression. I wouldn't trade those moments for anything in the world. They are like a beautiful piece of art that, even though you yourself paid nothing for it since it was a gift, you couldn't even fathom the idea of selling it.

What I have found is that position and personality, akin to the corporate world, win out in ministry as well. If you have a somewhat rigid travel schedule for work, good luck. If you aren't as popular with a particular age group, good luck. If you are shy and cannot bring yourself to ask to play a part in a given ministry, good luck. If you're too loud or outspoken, even when your right, good luck. If you think the church should be moving or acting faster or slower than the leadership, good luck. If you're too politically minded, good luck.

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I look at it this way, if Jesus could use Peter...

What I've discovered in the last several years is a subculture within the church that doesn't want to make waves. They wear weights of condemnation about their waist that if you rock the church "boat" then you can't be spiritual or correct. So, they say nothing. They come to church. Enjoy the service. Try to maintain a comfortable relationship with everybody. Then they go home. They may involve themselves in supporting church needs at workdays, clean-up days, ect. They'll even show up for the non-confrontational events like church suppers and men's breakfast's so it looks like their plugged in. They put on the church like a fine smoking jacket and then take it off when it' becomes uncomfortable.

We wonder why our churches don't grow much on the norm. Yes, we have mega-churches. You've seen them. Fifteen-Thousand Members plus and it is so easy to hide there that I'm certain that that is where we'll find many of our church-wounded. But the churches on most street corners are stagnant or shrinking. It is of little wonder that you see the Emerging Church phenomenon where political correctness, legalism, and perfection are thrown out with a preference for in-your-face honesty, non-judgementalism, and an appreciation for "just doing it" even though it's not commercial grade. Do they have it all right? No. But there are apects of Christianity that I think that they have either rediscovered or brought into the light for the rest of us to oooh-and-ah at. Maybe even try on for ourselves.

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Can people only plug in when there is a new need that is suddenly thrust upon the church? Or must they create a ministry for something that the church leadership hasn't thought of or placed their family members into? Churches today have many CEO's (Church Executive Officers) where they really should present the church as CEO (Church of Equal Opportunity). I'm not talking a legalistic form of Christian Affirmative Action. No. Just a willingness to allow anyone to plug in doing what they are gifted to do. If God gave them a particular gift, who are we to say whether they should be allowed or enabled to use it or not.

I remember attending a very well endowed church of roughly 750 attending Sunday morning services. It had an incredible sports complex attached to serve as a fantastic tool for reaching the youth of the area. It had a small but thriving K-6 school. It once gave over $250,000 towards foreign and home missions during an annual missions convention. Everybody was involved and finding "their place."

Then, one year, a new pastor started as the Head Pastor. He let go of the 4 Associate Pastors. The Youth Staff was replaced. The office staff were let go and replaced with their own family members. The schools' Principal was replaced by his wife. Several teachers were replaced by his daughters. The worship team was replaced by his musical family. You get the drift. In a couple of years they had to sell off the buildings as attendance couldn't afford the current complex or salaries. It failed in its' purpose. Its' adherents no longer felt needed nor had "their place" any longer.

Where did all these displaced brothers and sisters go? Some left the church. Hurt. Spiteful. Marriages suffered. Their children hated church. Some moved on to find "their place" in other churches. That's what I did. I immediately got involved leading or singing worship. Within a year I was preaching in a newly established youth group and leading worship in a little "less traditional" way. Having been going on and organizing missions trips, my wife and I were asked to coordinate the missions department. It...was...busy. But life was good and I was so in love with seeing what God was doing in our church and youth group that doing less never entered my mind.

Funny though. I now find myself in the same exact situation that I did 14 years ago. No longer doing what my hearts desire is, singing and working with youth. Finding myself at odds with positions taken by others, I seek to work in the background, meeting needs, avoiding confrontation, invisible, keeping too busy to care any longer, thinking that I need to find "my place."

If Only...

Have you ever wondered how many small things in your childhood or teen years would have had to be different for you to have ended up significantly different than you are today?

Think about it? I'm not even considering the obvious life-altering and impacting things like like car accidents, family suicides, cancer or similar occurences. I'm talking about chance meetings with someone who speaks small small truth into your life. Maybe it was the kindness of a particular teacher that never seemed to happen. The last minute invitation to go do something that you ultimately enjoyed more than life itself. Maybe it was a phone call you missed because of that last red light you hit or one you got because you made it through the last several green ones. Maybe it was an article that caught your eye in a magazine at the Jiffy Lube appointment you were hoping you wouldn't need for another 6 months. Maybe it was a random "hello" said in an uncomfortable period of silence that resulted in a lifelong friendship.

You see what I'm saying? The numbers of variables that go into each of us, what we enjoy doing, what we decided to major-in in college, what colleges we decided to apply to, what jobs we applied for, what person we ultimately decided we would go after for ourselves to love.

So back to my question. How many of these variables, if outcomed differently would have resulted in a completely different us? It's kind of a scary thought when you really consider the implications.

If your life is good today, might you have ended up a junky? Depressed? Suicidal? Living homeless upon the streets? Maybe living like some 80's era movie ambivolent party animal?

Or, maybe you are struggling with a pandora-box of issues that may not have been your reality had a few things occured differently when you were younger.

Sure puts a new twist on judging your neighbor whether literally next door or on the other side of the planet. How then are we to judge one anothers situation? What we know for certain is that all of us are a hodgepodge mixture of our combined experiences. Good and bad, we all have both to some extent. Some more than others. Some things that happen to us are accidental. Life happens. If you are currently breathing and can detect a heartbeat when your hand is on your chest, then it will keep on happening. Some things occur because of choices we make. This is a "duh" statement. But must be said because many look squarely in the face of their addictions or "issues" and blindly state "it's not my fault." It's Hans Solo's famous line.

It's not unknown that some of us walking-wounded would not have been so had their mom said "no" to an invitation to attend a particular college party. A one-time decision to disobey a parents advice led to a lifestyle of compromise that never had to be. Hans Solo was constantly trying to keep himself alive from "collectors" for money he owed them from gambling losses.

But ultimately HOW we respond to the difficulties we face is the determining factor in what the outcome will be. How we will end up is OUR choice. I've met people who suffered from some abuse growing up and ended up as spiteful, hateful, abusive people themselves. Then I've met people who endured some of the most horrific beatings and abuse and decided to not end up like their "parent." Seeing this cause-effect relationship, I must decide that regardless of the sum of all of the negligence, accidents, abuse, schooling, and ignorance creating each individual, the decision will still be theirs upon maturation to decide how they will respond to all future incidents and "whom they will serve."

So guess what? None of us escapes the need to make the same decision. Regardless as to whether it might have been different if only...

My Life

So, I understand that some of you don't know me? That's o.k. as I like to drown myself in an everpresent anonymity, be invisibly everywhere. I am clearly destined for excellence in mediocrity, with a simple flamboyance, all the while being somewhat stupidly intelligent.

I used to be a performer. Pretty decent I suppose. Danced a little but mostly used my voice to get me around. I've visited 24 countries and 49 of the states. Hawaii awaits and baits me. I love to travel. But tire quickly of hotels. I would rather rent a place, stay in a hostel, or stay with families. I think I just enjoy the uncertainty that exists with foreign travel. The idea that I must rely more on myself as I am stepping outside of my comfort zone.

I found a link for a guy who used to sing for the same group as I a couple of years after I left the road. Check out his stuff here.

[http://ecards.wordrecords.com/mark_schultz/9_05_email/player.html]

One of my favorite bumper stickers is..."GOD MUST LOVE STUPID PEOPLE, HE MADE SO MANY OF THEM" I think that every single one of them was driving in front of me this a.m.

I LOVE COFFEE, and TEAS, and GOOD FOOD and WINE and CHEESES and SUSHI and MUSIC of ALL SORTS and the THEATER and DRIVING FAST and MY WIFE and KIDS and ALL NATURAL ICE CREAM and COOKING and did I mention COFFEE?

YOU KNOW YOU DRINK TOO MUCH COFFEE WHEN...
You answer the door before people knock.
Juan Valdez named his donkey after you.
You ski uphill.
You grind your coffee beans in your mouth.
You haven't blinked since the last lunar eclipse.
You lick your coffeepot clean.
You're the employee of the month at the local coffeehouse and you don't even work there.
You can take a picture of yourself from ten feet away without using the timer.
The nurse needs a scientific calculator to take your pulse.
Your eyes stay open when you sneeze.
You chew on other people's fingernails.
Your T-shirt says, "Decaffeinated coffee is the devil's blend."
You can type 60 words per minute ... with your feet.
You spend every vacation visiting "Maxwell House."
You get a speeding ticket even when you're parked.
You speed walk in your sleep.
You don't get mad, you get steamed.
You can jump-start your car without cables.
All your kids are named "Joe."
Cocaine is a downer.
You don't need a hammer to pound nails.
Your only source of nutrition comes from "Sweet & Low."
You don't sweat, you percolate.
You buy Half & Half by the barrel.
You've worn out the handle on your favorite mug.
You go to AA meetings just for the free coffee.
You walk twenty miles on your treadmill before you realize it's not plugged in.
You forget to unwrap candy bars before eating them.
You've built a miniature city out of little plastic stirrers.
Charles Manson thinks you need to calm down.
People get dizzy just watching you.
Your life's goal is to amount to a hill of beans.
You name your cats "Cream" and "Sugar."
You've worn the finish off your coffee table.
The Taster's Choice couple wants to adopt you.
You sleep with your eyes open.
You have to watch videos in fast-forward.
Starbucks owns the mortgage on your house.
Your taste buds are so numb you could drink your lava lamp.
Instant coffee takes too long.
When someone says "How are you?" you say, "Good to the last drop."
You want to be cremated just so you can spend the rest of eternity in a coffee can.
Your birthday is a national holiday in Brazil.
Your three favorite things in life are...coffee before, coffee during and coffee after.
Your lover uses soft lights, romantic music, and a glass of iced coffee to get you in the mood. You channel surf faster without a remote.
You're offended when people use the word "brew" to mean beer.
You're so wired, you pick up AM radio.
Your nervous twitch registers on the Richter scale.
You think being called a "drip" is a compliment.
You'd be willing to spend time in a Turkish prison.
You go to sleep just so you can wake up and smell the coffee.
People can test their batteries in your ears.
You have a picture of your coffee mug on your coffee mug.
You can thread a sewing machine, while it's running.
You can outlast the Energizer bunny.
You short out motion detectors.
You don't even wait for the water to boil anymore.
You don't tan, you roast.
You can't even remember your second cup.
You help your dog chase its tail.
You soak your dentures in coffee overnight.
Your coffee mug is insured by Lloyds of London.
You introduce your spouse as your coffeemate.
You get drunk just so you can sober up.
You speak perfect Arabic without ever taking a lesson.
Your Thermos is on wheels.
Your lips are permanently stuck in the sipping position.
You think CPR stands for "Coffee Provides Resuscitation."
Your first-aid kit contains two pints of coffee with an I.V. hookup.

I enjoy CLEAN humor. Bravo to Old Spice for their Clean Humor Campaign. I don't like to be embarrassed taking my children to things inappropriate for their ages. So again thanks OS.

I am racist, against racists. I cannot understand the hatred that some assign to particular people groups. [http://www.searchlightmagazine.com/index.php]

I am also a scientist by schooling. I worked in both a research and clinical capacity for roughly 11 years but now enjoy the freedom and finances possible with a life in Biotechnology Sales.

That's just a little glimpse of "me" and the things I enjoy. See you next time.

N.Y. on Alert Again

Mayor Bloomberg and Senator Schumer along with an assorted host of others representing the NY Transit Authority, OHS, and Emergency Response were holding a press conference several hours ago. The topic? A somewhat credible... but not so credible to be actually be considered credible unidentified or classified source.... who is reported to be an Iraqi insuregent... or would the Times call him a patriot... captured during a recent sweep by U.S. Forces. An entourage assembled to let us in on the latest news, although it was actually provided a couple of days ago to them... in order to show their upfrontedness and to help us be safe... yet they can't agree on what is safe to say and what is classified.
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Is it still considered classified once the press prints the details?
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What we have been informed is that 19 alQ terrorists, as I refer to them, have infiltrated N.Y.C. in order to plant and detonate bombs, like those used in Madrid and London within the N.Y.C. Subway system. They are reportedly Iraqi so I assume that the useless bag screening of 90 year old blind caucasian ladies and overweight, middle-aged businessmen will begin immediately.

Christians and the Environment

I am not really certain when it happened. I mean, I don't think it was any one event in particular or even one generation which started the trend. What I am refering to is the abdication by Christians of their role in protecting wildlife and the environment. After all, I believe that it was our first job. Overseers of all that God created. Trees, grasses, flowering things, animals, the seas, and the air we breath. Somehow, we walked off of the job.

...

I have always been disheartened when I observed someone discarding their cigarette butts or McDonald's bag out of their car window. I am disgusted by plumes of black, choking smoke billowing out of commercial stacks or from the behind of old, non-maintained trucks. I deplore the yellowish foam seen at the edges of our streams, brooks, rivers, lakes and oceans. The haphazard, and Illegal I might add, disposal of radioisotopes and toxic chemicals into the sinks of many of our famous research centers' laboratories. Although I must admit that they have improved a thousand-fold in the last several years. I cringe, having been raised in a country-ish small town, when I drink the tap water in neighboring Boston or Providence. My water had no taste or smell to it and I prefer it that way. It makes my tea or coffee taste like it was intended to taste when the Columbian, Jamacan, or Brazillian farmers were so kindly picking the beans for us. When I see pictures or have visited villages living next to a putrid body of water filled with the excrement of every neighbor and a few thousand toxins contributed by some major western industial plant, I want to say "wake up world and see the filth you've created."

...

Christians before any other people should be on the forefront of saying "this is NOT how we should treat the world given to us by God." But we cannot only talk it, we must lead by example. Here are a few steps that we can all take and must.

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We must never set bad precedence by improperly disposing of any of our own waste products. Link

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Recycle everything possible. It will also teach your children, or your frinds, or the neighbors the concept of stewardship.

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Create a compost area if possible. Use it to start your own garden. Plant some trees too.

[http://www.compostguide.com/]

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Create you own mulches or purchase rubber mulch. I use this stuff myself and love it.

[http://www.rubberific.com/]

[http://www.rubberificmulch.com/]

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Initiate cleanup days in your city or town or, find already existing ones.

#1

#2

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Purchase a hybrid [http://www.fueleconomy.gov/](if your family can fit in one) or use as a commuter car; rent a ZipCar [http://www.zipcar.com/]; ride your bike take a motorcycle to work; walk; use public transporatation when possible; take the stairs; carpool with colleagues; check out a RideShare Program [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=RideShare+Program][http://www.ridecheck.com/ridecheck/][http://www.erideshare.com/][http://www.uship.com/people/?r=2304][http://www.carpoolworld.com/]. Who knows, you may meet new friends, lose some weight and save loads of money.

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Begin conversion to solar and/or wind power. [http://www.altenergystore.com/]

[http://www.cat.org.uk/index.tmpl?refer=index&init=1]

[[http://www.knowledgehound.com/topics/altenerg.htm]

[http://alt-e.blogspot.com/]

[http://www.alt-energy.com/]

[http://www.topix.net/tech/alt-energy]

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Take shorter showers (consider installing a timer).

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Replace drafty windows, seal doors, and insulate attic spaces and turn off the heat when no one is home. [http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/]

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Perform proper maintenance on your vehicle. Consider the following:

1. Use the grade of motor oil recommended by your car's manufacturer. Using a different motor oil can lower your gasoline mileage by 1%-2%.
2. Keep tires properly inflated and aligned to improve your gasoline mileage by around 3.3%.
3. Get regular engine tune-ups and car maintenance checks to avoid fuel economy problems due to worn spark plugs, dragging brakes, low transmission fluid, or transmission problems.
4. Replace clogged air filters to improve gas mileage by as much as 10% and protect your engine.
5. Combine errands into one trip. Several short trips, each one taken from a cold start, can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.

Insist that your elected leaders act wisely in protecting the environment and in supporting renewable energy methods through tax incentives and legislation.

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Turn off lights as you leave a room.

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Get involved at EarthDay and similar events. Whoa!!! Did I just advise you to get involved with those stereotypically left-leaning, tree-hugging, earth-worshiping people who protest deforestation and industrial blood-letting around the world and refuse to wear deodorant because there may have been some animal injured some where during its' beta testing and clinical trials? Yes I am. We gave up our dominion over this issue and have left it to those who majorly do it without knowing who they are ultimately doing it for. Worshipping God includes loving His creation AND His created. That's what Christians need to be doing in the forefront, visibly, and knowingly that it is for Him that we do thse things. Not because we are in a love worship of the planet earth. But because we love the creation God made for us as part of His expression. It's His art work. And that's how we need to demonstrate our faith in a useful, practical way that the world understands.

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Some of my links on the right hand side are for Christian Environmental Groups. Consider starting your own in your area and be a light for Christ, albeit a green light.