Dory could be my favorite movie character of all time - the little bright blue fish with short term memory loss and the knack to remain so positive is definitely in the top five, and if I weighed the pros and cons, I could waste an hour and argue she is the best. However, that is not the point of this diatribe. I have learned so much this last year. I learned that 'failure' is not a noun, but a verb. Interestingly enough, so is 'success'. I learned that while I wallow in self-pity and despair from the inability to get my career moving, allowing petty things like no money and a failing grade in algebra to keep me from achieving my Bachelor's Degree up until now, not being able to re-enter the work force after twelve years of being a stay home dad, my body's steady decline of strength and resilience and inability to perform athletically all made me unhappy to the point of despair.
These things don't get me down today, even though they are all real and potentially depression creating. There is only one reason - love - as my high school choir teacher so eloquently would say, "Not the 'l*u*v' that country western singers describe, but the big 'L', the real thing." This one thing is my solace. Like Dory, I do enjoy adventure. Over the years I have become crippled by failure, but not so long ago I would plunge into any situation just to do it, to feel alive. The failure that had me sidelined has been evaporated by love. Love of a Creator who made me, knows me, and wants me to willingly become His follower. His love sent to earth a Savior, Jesus, who took all the crap and ugliness of my life and washed it away with His blood as He died for all my sins, even though He was sinless Himself. That kind of love is so worth getting off my pity poor caboose and trying again.
Love is not just a spiritual thing, because my wife proves every minute of every day how much love can do. She is a wife, mom, daughter, sister, aunt, neighbor, and friend. An amazingly dedicated and skilled nurse, she has been relegated to middle management supervisor and now is the whipping boy of her managers, who dump every unenviable task on her because they can. I often used to ask why she puts up with such behavior from her bosses, and she has told me time and time again - it finally soaked into this very thick melon atop my shoulders - she has to do this because without it we have no food, no house, nothing for the kids. She takes all the abuse and goes back day after day out of love for us, her family.
The love is not exclusive with God and my wife. I continue to receive love from two wonderful and generous parents, who have had their share of humiliation and disappointment having to raise a son like me. Yet they remain steadfast, and keep me and my family in their present thoughts and prayers. The same could be said for my in laws, who have graciously opened their lives to me and love me as if I was theirs.
I have some very good friends as well. I am truly blessed to have so much. Like Dory, I know that no matter what obstacle arises I meet it and "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming."
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Much Ado Becomes Much Doo-Doo
So much fuss ... Such a negative buzz ... One simple speech directed to the children of the United States from our President in order to inspire and motivate students created far more "ado" than it was worth. The pre-speech conversations, blogs, and articles stirred up so much negativity, and the post speech words were filled with vile and ugly sentiment. The speech was not the FDR "infamy" speech, or JFK's "Ask not what your country can do for you ...", and it was not as evil as Clinton's "I did not have sexual relations with that woman", or Nixon's "I am not a crook" that attempted to overlook moral certainties.
The nasty and ugly words that grew from the attitudes of prejudice against the President, his political party, or whatever caused them were the most disturbing parts of this story. Even yesterday, after the speech had been given, dissected, and spun, the pundits and the people continued to debate over it's value. Family and friends I dearly love and respect so passionately wrote and spoke in terms of hate and negativity. They have every right to speak their mind, but tainted words and phrases such as "lack of trust", or "brainwashing" in opposition to the speech create a very uncool vibe, even if it gets the best meaning. Obama is the President of the United States, not Svengali, or some cult leader like Jones or Koresh.
This anti - Obama vibe is very sad and upsetting. I tell you I am a Bible believing, active follower of Jesus Christ. I am a Christian. Politically, I am a liberal financially, and a moderate socially. I am registered as an independent because I can't be on either political team. I have more kids than the average American, with two still in public school. To top off this diatribe, I am an educator in training. So, my spiritual belief system, political views, familial situation, and my career path lead me to hope that instead of polarizing and dividing, that short-sighted and passionate people would think of the situation in terms of Jesus and not personal "ado".
The saddest part is the 'Christian' church takes a beating by those who are outside and need to excuse and justify there behaviors and attitudes because of short-sighted un Christ-like church people. I fail to classify either side as ignorant, but when either side of the argument has nothing to stand on except prejudice, then that is an ignorant behavior. President Barack Obama's speech on September 8, 2009 to students in the U.S.A. is a great example. When "Christians" err, then the agnostic or athiest don't hear the message, even when the message is Bible-based and from the words of Jesus or His apostles. Passionate vapor as opposed fundamental truth is not distinguished by those who need the message - which is all humanity.
More important than the debate, the rhetoric, and all the posturing is the loss of opportunity to demonstrate Christ's love and understanding. There is also the filtering of young minds by mom, dad, or the pastor against authority in general, the President specifically, where they don't listen, process, and use information because they have been modeled. "A mind is a terrible thing to waste," but a relationship with Jesus is far more important.
The nasty and ugly words that grew from the attitudes of prejudice against the President, his political party, or whatever caused them were the most disturbing parts of this story. Even yesterday, after the speech had been given, dissected, and spun, the pundits and the people continued to debate over it's value. Family and friends I dearly love and respect so passionately wrote and spoke in terms of hate and negativity. They have every right to speak their mind, but tainted words and phrases such as "lack of trust", or "brainwashing" in opposition to the speech create a very uncool vibe, even if it gets the best meaning. Obama is the President of the United States, not Svengali, or some cult leader like Jones or Koresh.
This anti - Obama vibe is very sad and upsetting. I tell you I am a Bible believing, active follower of Jesus Christ. I am a Christian. Politically, I am a liberal financially, and a moderate socially. I am registered as an independent because I can't be on either political team. I have more kids than the average American, with two still in public school. To top off this diatribe, I am an educator in training. So, my spiritual belief system, political views, familial situation, and my career path lead me to hope that instead of polarizing and dividing, that short-sighted and passionate people would think of the situation in terms of Jesus and not personal "ado".
The saddest part is the 'Christian' church takes a beating by those who are outside and need to excuse and justify there behaviors and attitudes because of short-sighted un Christ-like church people. I fail to classify either side as ignorant, but when either side of the argument has nothing to stand on except prejudice, then that is an ignorant behavior. President Barack Obama's speech on September 8, 2009 to students in the U.S.A. is a great example. When "Christians" err, then the agnostic or athiest don't hear the message, even when the message is Bible-based and from the words of Jesus or His apostles. Passionate vapor as opposed fundamental truth is not distinguished by those who need the message - which is all humanity.
More important than the debate, the rhetoric, and all the posturing is the loss of opportunity to demonstrate Christ's love and understanding. There is also the filtering of young minds by mom, dad, or the pastor against authority in general, the President specifically, where they don't listen, process, and use information because they have been modeled. "A mind is a terrible thing to waste," but a relationship with Jesus is far more important.
Inconsistent Coach, Inconsistent Defense
Please explain to me, because I don't understand why one spoiled child throws a tantrum and you send him packing, and another spoiled child gets suspended for his tantrum? Cutler is a baby, a spoiled, egocentric, coddled man-child and he is gone. Marshall is a rare talent, with ego to overshadow, ala T. O., Ocho Cinco, and Moss, and his antics just punish the team. Suspend him so his agent can continue to grind the press, so the offense struggles without him. What has history proven that the suspension will solve?
History of both Marshall and other prima donna wideouts is that they continue to divide locker rooms and pout until the cancer is so widespread the season becomes a joke for the players, coaches, but mostly the fans --- those who actually pay the team to play.
This article is newsworthy but the statement of kid coach is just a joke. My original prediction of 6 to 8 wins could be way too high - and preseason is still droning on.
History of both Marshall and other prima donna wideouts is that they continue to divide locker rooms and pout until the cancer is so widespread the season becomes a joke for the players, coaches, but mostly the fans --- those who actually pay the team to play.
This article is newsworthy but the statement of kid coach is just a joke. My original prediction of 6 to 8 wins could be way too high - and preseason is still droning on.
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