Camelot - Not

There are some days when the news is good and positive. These days seem few and far between the muck and yuck of our world today. So I woke this morning and worked on my homework for a couple of hours, attended my first Weight Watchers meeting with my beloved, and spent the afternoon helping my beloved and my two youngest with their homework. Everyday stuff - kind of boring, actually. I listened to my favorite Christian band, Third Day, coming home from school that night.

What could be better? As I await the school district's word on my substitute teaching, I am working diligently on my own school work, but never wanting to fail to be there for my children. Our debt is creeping around us like the weeds in my wife's flower garden. Things within my control, and things completely outside my control are working hard on my self esteem and my confidence, however I have a great feeling in my heart and in my head. What is the cause? Nothing tangible, nothing like the big win by the Rockies in Philadelphia versus the Philllies is at the nucleus of this euphoria. I am really understanding trust in God, I am truly in the zone of God's love, and His grace.

Stuff happens daily. I can be like Thoreau and talk myself up and all others down. I could be Socratic and pick everyone else's ideas apart until there was no answer. I choose to be a follower of Jesus Christ, and while my actions are far from perfection, with a clean and penitent heart I take one step at a time, one day at a time.

ROLE MODEL 7/07

White Ford Bronco on the highway –
The Heisman trophy sold away –
Ranting athletes to be excused -
From the label overused –
“Role model”

Ballplayers spitting on umpires –
Athletes ignore conduct required
Brawling like thugs on the court or stands –
Put a check in their hands –
“Role models” –

Treating women worse than property–
Disgraced and ignored by Disney -
Sports full of gunshots and stab wounds –
Lawyers and court costs boon –
“Role models”

Drugs for profit, for health, or fun –
To forget when competition is done –
Luring them into strong and faster –
Entitlement is the master
“Role model”

Where have they gone, men of my youth?
Humble men who showed No tooth –
Selfless stones of fiber moral –
Pillars all,
“Role models”

“Say Hey” – Hank - Clemente, we love –
Heroes putting others high above
Both on and off the diamond –
“Role Models” with a special bond -

Two men stand at the open door –
Giving of self rather than egos galore –
The Hall opens up to their deeds –
Role Models

What Does Love Have?

Love in any language is a most important word.

I have been remarried for 11 + years. The first one was supposed to be magic, mystical, and super - it was none of those. The second one is my last one. She is my soul mate. In addition, I have learned that marriage is a process of working things out, give and more give, and pure devotion and trust.

I am sad to see so many friends struggling with spouses. The Evil One rejoices when discord is any one's anthem from home. I am not preaching or giving advice, because that would make me the hypocrite of hypocrites. It is an observational muse, only an awful feeling of loss. When a man and woman vow before God and their family and friends to become one "'til death do us part," that vow means something. It does not mean that supernatural forces will fix every fight, that personal baggage will magically disappear and not be an issue with spouses. It means that a married couple will try their best to understand and work out problems.

Even if that working out is giving up self for the sake of the marriage, the bond between a man and a woman is sacred and must not be ignored, disgraced, or deceived. Cooperation, communication, and concentration on the other spouse above yourself is the best recipe for a successful marriage.

I love my wife more than human words can express. Unfortunately, I can't even show her a slight measure of my love by my actions. She shows me every day what real love is. Her ability to give and give, get beaten down by her kids, her work, or by me or my problems, and still continue to give and love unconditionally. She is amazing, and I am so lucky. I need to get myself together on a daily basis. This is why my kids, my nieces, and my friends problems all bring me down so far. I personally know how much work it takes, or conversely, how easy it is to destroy if regular maintenance is not administered.

Homesickness

I miss Denver!

Alleged Bomber Has Family Issues

Heavens to mergatroid! Logic at the college level is slowly eroding - case in point, this week's re-arrest of the alleged bomber at the UCR graduation. This link is the news story about the incident. The report today on the local news is that this young man went through all these troubles (allegedly) to make sure his parents didn't find out he had dropped out of school long ago.

Explain to me how threatening to blow up a commencement, planting bombs to insure said college graduation is postponed, being arrested and spending a great deal of time in jail would be better than having the folks find out you are a dropout, a liar, and chiseler?

Oh yeah, right, branded as a terrorist, having a prison record and being a national laughingstock is far better than college dropout! His lawyer is already negotiating with record companies for his prison rap cd! rimshot!!

Mother's Day Deserves to Be Special

My mom deserves a great mansion, servants at her beck-and-call, a climate of sunny days, balmy breezes, and her grand children and great-grand children coming to visit regularly, not staying too long but being ever ready to brighten her day. The reason my mother deserves such a life is because she raised me, the cause of all those gray hairs. As we come to the day set aside to honor our matriarchs, I can not begin to honor my mom enough. I love her so, and I know for a fact that if I could give her all she deserves, she wouldn't accept it anyway.

She is a giver, and most often when given an opportunity to receive, she sheepishly declines. In other words, mom has a hard time taking ANYTHING from others, but she would be the first or at the least second to give time, energy, supplies, or a loving ear or shoulder to someone in need. In my lifetime, I have rarely seen her need someone (other than dad)'s help, but I watch her almost on a daily basis help her church family (the lucky folks at the Disciples of Christ Church in Fort Morgan, Colorado), her immediate family (mother, two sisters and their families, one brother and his family, dad's family, and her son and daughter plus their families), and her extended family, neighbors, and friends past and present.

Mom, you inspire me. I love you so much, and I owe you more than I could ever give back. Thank you, and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

What Is The Fruit On Your Tree?

With some people there are pages and pages of evidence as to their moral character, regardless of what they profess to be "made of", or "about", or "how they roll". Then, there are others on this 3rd rock from the sun who have just glimpses into their lives, a few shining, or even startling moments that define their character. These actions, whether in abundance or ever so rare, are in religious terms known as "fruits".

It is a small quandary to many people, what kind of fruit their lives produce, because their "spirituality" or "faith" is personal and internal, what they believe is nobody else's business. These folks stand on an island where the terms "personal saviour", "separation of church and state", and "freedom to ..." are bandied about and venerated so as to cloak or exhume their actions, excuse their behavior because the words professed don't mix with the actions portrayed.

There are far less people on our planet that "walk their talk". Responsibility for errors in judgement, the ability to make a hard and unpopular choice even if it is a good or righteous choice. These folks are hard to find today, because the world is looking to beat down or dismiss the good as fraud for the pleasure of the now. Societal norms and mores outweigh Godly parameters set thousands of years ago by Jesus, the son of God, who came to us in a miracle, and left in another, yet humans fail to grasp His importance.

I am not judging everyone here, because I am not naive to the fact that many use their religious beliefs as an eternal and never ending "get out of jail free" card, neatly tucked away, only to be displayed in those moments when absolution from responsibility can be achieved. Not that a motivation for faith in God is fear of punishment, at least in part, but that a relationship with God is more important than the simple dread of eternal castigation.

Like I said earlier, examples of these behaviors are out there. So many examples of people living to their own or societies lack of standards, leading to erosion of character and most often public displays of outrageous behavior. In entertainment, so many are fooled by the popularity, only to fall victim to it. Over and over we read or hear how Anna Nicole Smith was just a trainwreck and yet even after her death more crap about her life continues to surface. Britany's behavior is not exemplary for a mother of two, unless that mother is utterly lost spiritually. Bill Clinton got caught in a stupid lie about an even more stupid situation where he broke sacred vows of marriage, and most folks excused him from those actions "Because everyone does it".

And then in sports we see evidence of the lack of morals and ethics in the BALCO scandal, the "who cares" attitude of baseball fans towards the biggest cheaters of all, while many scoff and exonerate Bonds, Sosa, and McGwire because they've NEVER been caught, while Rafael Palmiero is considered a liar, cheater, and an idiot because he got caught. Floyd Landis is now a footnote instead of Tour de France champion. Leonard Little killed someone with his car, but because he is an all pro NFL player with millions of dollars he is slapped on the wrist. Ron Artest is a punk who is in severe need of help, but his "ballin'" skills are so great he is allowed to be that way.

These are but a "tip of the iceberg" few and they represent millions of people not in the media spotlight everyday, who cheat on their taxes, break driving laws, have sex with people out of a marriage setting, or sit around a table with coffee or sodas and gossip about neighbors or friends to disparage their characters!

This article was originally motivated by the Drew/Coletti feud. As I sit and watch J. D. Drew year after year take millions of dollars from baseball, and miss 1/3 of every season from hangnails to knee pains, I have an opinion that he is not worth the money and aggravation he brings to a team, even though he is obviously a gifted talent on the baseball field. He is known as a Christian guy in the Major League. He isn't a big talker, not prone to interviews, but has a reputation for his spiritual lifestyle. This strong Christian man has the number two agent in the hierarchy of slimy creeps that one could employ. Only next to Drew Rosenhaus is Scott Boros second place in being a scum bag. Boros is Drew's agent.

That said, the Dodgers GM, Ned Coletti was quoted in the LA Times pertaining to Drew. Coletti, speaking about Drew, said of the whole "opting out" of his big contract last year for bigger money was not good for the Dodgers, and then took a shot at Drew saying that Drew is ""a spiritual guy and a man of his word," Colletti said at the time. "I guess he changed his word."" It is only my opinion, but I believe that Ned Coletti is not the great person he was touted to be. He may be a great talent evaluator, and good with the economics of a baseball team, but his communication skills leave much to be desired. Disparaging a man's spiritual nature because he legally voided his contract in which your employer, Mr. Coletti, signed and allowed J. D. to do, that is like saying stupid stuff like Biden and John Kerry have said.

Finally, J. D. is not lily white in this thing either. This would not be an issue if Mr. Drew was "walking his talk". I can't change Mr. Drew's behavior, but I look inside my own life and things are exposed. I don't want to be called a hypocrite, like J. D. I want to be thought of as a man who's fruit is from a Godly, upright, and happy tree.