Character

    Character counts! That was the title of a program the school district had going while my children were in elementary school. Each morning the Principal or Assistant Principal would lead the Pledge of Allegiance, give the announcements and end with a great idea for being honest, trustworthy, patient, or charitable - then the words, "Remember, character counts!" would conclude the announcements. Just a little soapbox to stand on, As a parent volunteer, I heard the announcements often, and was somewhat amused that they would speak (indirectly) of the fruits of the spirit found in Galatians 6, hoping to build good young people to make good choices, yet they were not allowed to speak of God, of Jesus, or the Bible. They aren't allowed to pray openly. Ironic, huh? I'm off the soapbox now.

    Character is everything. I used to be a wordsmith. I could say anything to anybody and truly have no desire to follow through. That is not my way the last 30 years or so. I had a life changing event that showed me vows and promises and words were not what makes a man - actions are most important. Actually that is not well said. It is the follow through, where words and actions meet that is most important. Solomon, the wise wrote, "Rich people always think they are wise, but a poor person who has insight into character knows better." Prov. 28.11 GNT - This is not a slam on the rich, but a factual statement that wisdom is character in practice.

    Where does character count? We have glaring examples in society today of men and women who show little or no character every day. Politicians, Media, and Advertisers are the biggest examples of poor character, good intentions, or just plain liars. Employers no longer are concerned with their workers needs, they cut benefits and take vacation days and threaten while still piling on more work. My parents taught me that actions speak louder than words. I eventually understood that and now live it.

    "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." This famous sentence was part of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have A Dream' speech in 1963. Fifty years later, we have Christopher Dorner, George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin, not to mention the plethora of racial digs about a President, other racial digs due to rioting over court judgments - and the border stuff --- come on people!

    I don't really care if you are blue, green, orange, red, yellow, brown, black, or pink - and what is most important God doesn't care - He told Samuel that the big and beautiful man who was king was being replaced by a little shepherd back in the early days of the Kingdom of Israel. Saul was a hunk, but he was a loser. God said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I Samuel 16.7 NIV - That is what MLK Jr. was saying.

     People who stand up for what is right, not beneficial or popular, those are people with character. It bothers me to hear people reject the church because they point to the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Dark Ages in total - all to prove the corruption and fallibility of the church and therefore they shouldn't join. These same folks hate on referees and umpires because they are not perfect, they don't get involved in their community because of corruption in politics. I am a flawed and failing human saved because I know there is One greater than I am, and I accept Jesus Christ as the perfect sacrificial lamb that covered my sins with His death and opened the gates of heaven to me by His resurrection.

    There is/has been only one flawless being since mankind first set foot on earth. I have no problem acknowledging that. He taught us character, and His closest followers wrote about His life and lessons so we can know today. Jesus is Lord of my life. Cliché's aside, I attempt every day to live as WWJD - what would Jesus do? My kids were taught this also. They have to answer for themselves, and just because I don't agree with them doesn't mean they are wrong. Abject rejection by friends and family of Christ does hurt my heart, though.

    So the next time your boss says one thing and does another, or we hear a media personality make excuses for a great athlete or icon of some kind for their behavior, remember that character counts, and we all have the option to do what is right over what is easy.

The Fluidity of Right and Wrong

    Isn't it interesting how our society moves, or changes on mores and morals, yet we are supposed to call it progress? History shows us that while not everything that is 'change' is bad, it isn't all good either! For instance, just to make a point, let's look at TV shows.  The comedy shows of the 1950's and 1960's were silly, not being able to say the word "pregnant" and having separate twin beds in the Ricardo's, Petrie's, and Cramden's houses for the married occupants, but the comedy is fun and friendly. Now contrast those "classic" shows with the 2013 line up - Two and a Half Men, and Modern Family, a hodge-podge mess of relationships that try in a thirty minute time slot to break as many of the Commandments as possible, and throw in shtick and a laugh track to push the comedy. The TV shows as a whole are raunchy, sexually over toned, or just plain crazy dumb. Reality shows, as they have been named, are probably the second worst idea in all of history, second only to the Roman Emperor's using Christians as torches for their parties.

   A small tangent - Reality TV is more contrived than the sitcom or drama genre. America is sucked into an idea, and even after the secret is revealed they are still hooked. I am now stepping off this soapbox.

    The technology today is incredible. All the advancements in tech have come in such a short time span. The latest and greatest Smart Phone, Computer, or Tablet are virtually obsolete as soon as they are put on the sales floor due to the next latest and greatest item being invented. While I choose not to argue, many argue that these advances are a determent to our freedoms, rights and privileges as Americans. Having nothing to hide may be the reason I have no argument. Still, some technology even effects how we perceive entertainment. The better the graphics and the image on the screen makes it a better show, whether TV or movie. I personally must disagree.

    America is a young and growing country. When held up to the countries in Europe and Asia, we are babies. We took from the best to form our Constitution, and the U.S.A. became a powerful and influential world power in a relatively short time. It was just a few generations back that books were the primary form of personal entertainment. We still have people living today that were around when Radio was the family entertainment hub. Imagination and intrigue were the cornerstones of the radio audience. Movies started as action with musical background, and important dialogue were cards read by the audience. This was known as the Silent Film age. When talkies were invented, then color film was introduced, the Motion picture industry was a skyrocket with no end in sight.

    Not that I want this to be about entertainment totally, just as an example. In the same way that entertainment has morphed, isn't it interesting how politicians have gone from being altruistic voices of the people to shills for the highest bidder. Right and wrong are fluid, waving in the breeze of public opinion and lobbyist dollars?

   

Why I Write - Apologies to George Orwell

From my earliest remembrance, I read “Sports Illustrated” magazine from cover to cover. Writers I remember and have since followed well into my adult life like Paul Zimmerman and Frank Deford heavily influenced my passion for competitive participating and spectating at sporting events. As an active young boy who generally could not sit still long enough to read more than a Bible chapter, a magazine article with photos, or the front and back covers of a book, I was very lucky to grow up in a city where many pro and college sports teams played, and my dad took me to far more than my share of games, but not as many as I wanted to attend. I also spent hours in my yard in suburban Denver with any ball, a homemade target, and an imagination of being at the pinnacle of success. These imaginary scenarios ALWAYS included my participation in the final game-winning play. Throwing the winning touchdown pass with time winding down, hitting the turn-around jumper at the buzzer, or making the diving catch to seal the World Series victory for my team were the most important parts of my childhood. The only books other than the Bible my parents could coerce me to read were biographies of Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas, Wilt Chamberlain and Pete Maravich, to name the most popular. Suffice it to say, sports consumed me. I was in fifth grade when I was given a subscription to this marvelous magazine called “Sports Illustrated” and I was introduced to the swimsuit edition, with Cheryl Tiegs on the cover. This discovery catapulted my voracious interest of sports in a remarkably different way, and I began a new path. Girls were not a distraction to my love of sports; they were simply an additional competitive outlet for me.

As I learned that girls liked attention, even from a scrawny, short boy with big ears and such a cruel cowlick in my hair that mom had cemented it into place with a concoction called “Wave Set”, I enjoyed the fringe benefits of that attention: I participated in holding of hands, hugging, and lots of tonsil hockey! It was in this time period my writing went from sports fantasy to poetic sexual fantasy with sports as the proverbial chaser.

Poems were easy for me to write. Very little of my poetry was good, but occasionally I would stumble on a phrase or adapt something I heard on a movie or TV program and turn it into verse. Rhymes were more important than substance of thought. I learned early in life how young girls, while acting far superior to boys their own age, could be easily swayed by a romantic metaphor or sexual simile from even a tiny nerd with the genuine gregariousness and growing comic wit.

In sixth grade I learned that writers named Mark Twain and O. Henry were the cleverest, comical, and real writers on this planet. It was specifically these two writers that taught me sarcasm and irony, and I still love them for it. The only negative qualities these authors had was their lack of concentration on sports as a theme. I sincerely believed the kind of genius exemplified in Mr. Twain and O. Henry was far beyond my capabilities. Nevertheless, I made up stories that I told my parents about the schoolyard, I told my teachers about my family, and general stuff I told to church folk and neighbors gave me a reputation as a liar and a loon. I received good grades in school, yet I struggled with character issues. I was just another human on this big planet. I had no idea what my purpose was, and I struggled to succeed at anything I was fond of.

Through High School, I was an artistic fool, simultaneously working feverishly to maintain my status as an athlete. I played several musical instruments, wrote songs and lyrics (hooray for that rhyming prowess), could draw and paint pictures, portraits, and loved to act on stage in plays and musicals. After several key sports injuries due to my still small stature, my role in sports participation became a supportive one, I began to star in the arts. It was during this time my parents, while not seeking to abolish my love of sports and the arts began a campaign of practicality and bare bones economics, attempting to persuade me that I needed to have a career that brings in steady income, like my father the engineer.

While I internally disagreed with their lack of approval of my innate abilities, I searched to find a career they would approve and yet would not lose my sanity being involved in. My life changed from high school kid to college adult and the expedience of a worthwhile occupation became more urgent. I chose a career path they approved of - full time Christian ministry. Now there is a money-maker! Writing lessons, sermons, and speeches was fun and quite rewarding internally, not monetarily. I worked 45-60 hours a week for my first associate ministry and received $25 per week, with a grocery offering for my wife and I the first of every month.

The writings of Rick Warren, Chuck Swindoll, C. S. Lewis, and James Dobson became a vital part of my personal canon, in addition to Mark Twain and O. Henry. In the last twenty years, Erma Bombeck, Steve Allen, Dave Barry, and Art Buchwald, along with Mitch Albom and Rick Reilly have been added to my own library. This library also includes the writings of John Wooden, Tony Dungy, and Tom Landry. I have been moved, challenged, and humored in any combination by these writers. These influences, along with certain actors and comedians have influenced my point of view on life.

I still attempt to write, even though I no longer work in that field of full-time Christian ministry. I must admit reluctantly that I am a big show off. With this blog address, my fantasy is that the world will read what I write and be moved somehow, either by a smile or a laugh to brighten their day, or even to question and disagree with me, to argue or debate, and spark intellectual stimulation. My style of writing is generally sarcastic, ironic, and off center. Whether or not I get my point across to the reading public, I don’t know. I love to delve into the popular topics, especially in the sports world, and find a twist or a teaching of Jesus that has been sacrificed on the altar of situation ethics, hedonism, and greed. As that old showoff and blowhard, I have so much to say regardless of its importance or relevance. I hope once-in-a-while that my words show wit, wisdom, and a worshipful heart in a mode that endeavors to educate, enlighten, and entertain any audience I can.

First Love

    Whistling, skipping, almost floating on air - love made me a giddy moron. She was a wisp of a girl, with long blond hair and dimples that, when she smiled made her cheeks simply disappear. She had beautiful white teeth and shining deep blue eyes that when I looked into them for more than a minute, mysteriously caused my mind to dissolve into a gel-like goo - completely void of any and all synapse ability. I was under her spell, Cupid's arrow hit me right in the heart, the embodiment of a lovesick boy.

    How come I never felt like this before now? In the twelve years I had been alive, the puppy who came to live with us and the goofy crush on my babysitter paled in comparison to this euphoric, warm, encounter. I couldn't think of anything else but her. School was excruciating, lingering on and on. At home every minute I had to do chores or homework, my mind was elsewhere. Although I couldn't see her whenever I wanted,  Holding hands, kissing, none of these actions were even on my radar - just being in her presence made me happy.

    Happy, that is, until she got angry at something insensitive or rude that I said or did, and she kicked me right in the private and delicate boy area. Needless to say, from the moment I lay crumpled in agony, unable to do anything but cry, our relationship changed. I contemplated my future with women, and did a compare/contrast with sports. From that moment on, I vowed to be a professional baseball player who is a bachelor and adopts ten children.

   

Pride

"Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor. Proverbs 29.23 NIV."

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty (arrogant) spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16.18 NIV"

God has repeatedly said that self-promotion is a road to ruin. Pride is a bad word. An evil word. So why does a parent feel pride when a child succeeds? Is it truly a selfish attitude of parental self importance, or can it be a genuine pleasure in their success - a reveling of altruistic enthusiasm? My children give me reason to swell up almost every day. If the former is the only type of pride, I am deeply disturbed and need serious counseling. I sincerely don't believe all parents are vicarious ego maniacs --- I don't believe I am for sure.

l to r - Andrew, Douglas, Bradley, Laura, Karyl, Charles Joseph

 

I could literally type for 10,000 words about the exploits and successes in the lives of each of these 6 individuals. Even two teenagers have accomplished so much and have grown up beautifully to this point in their lives, but the other four young adults are amazing and make me proud. The oldest three kids are Pam's from her first marriage. They have a great father and have become outstanding adults. My oldest boy is such a talented soul, and while he has grown up with the handicap of a broken home and still is making progress in his life.

Pam's oldest, Andy, is a professor at a University in Japan, teaching English. His beautiful and sweet-spirited wife, Chie, is also a teacher in the same Japanese city. Our other professional family is Pam's oldest daughter, Laura, and her man, Jamie. Laura is a Surgical Scrub-Tech for a hospital in Corona, California, and Jamie is a plumber. Their daughter, our grand daughter, Mallori, is such a blessing in our lives.

Brad is quite happy and enjoying his life - he works at Disneyland, but has become quite the DJ for parties and other engagements. C.J. works at promoting local Rock bands, and he is a general casting member for TV and movies.

This is a photo that makes me glow - these youngsters are excellent people and very good sons and daughters. Even though three different parental pairs make up this family, they truly care for each other and simply exemplify love.

Prejudice

   I admit to being prejudice toward people who choose to be stupid. There are so many people who fly their own personal flag of discrimination or entitlement, making this "Land of the Free" a diluted mess. A man or woman has the right to speak his/her mind, but if that speech ruffles rich or powerful feathers then it is convoluted into a wreckage of immense proportion. Who cares what the message is, it will be taken out of context, misquoted, and "spun" into words of hate.

   I know that as people read this, due to the subject matter, I am going to be placed in a certain category. Compartmentalization is the easiest way to dismiss opinions or ideas that don't hang with those who have power. However, it must be said. God wants us to stand for Him and sometimes silence is sitting. John 3.16 says God loves the world so much that He gave His only Son to be our sacrifice so that whoever follows Him will live in Heaven forever. God hates NO man. God HATES the sin they commit. The Bible, the book I believe is God's Word to us, never says even once that God Hates His creation, or mankind. It says repeatedly how much how He abhors the behaviors contrary to His principles.

   So, when Tim Tebow, Greg Laurie, or Chris Broussard, or anyone else speak the truth - that homosexuality is not within God's plan - they aren't speaking hatred. I have dear close friends who profess to be gay. I love them as much now as I did before I knew, or they did. Hiding under a rock does not solve the problem. Hating anyone who stands up with gay people is as wrong as hating those who stand against gay people.

   Delving into the situation would split hairs and raise a debate that society can't even handle, without the whole spiritual chapter. There is no degree of sin. In Galatians Paul tells us that there is a big difference between living in God's Spirit and living in the worldly life. "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like" Galatians 5.19-21 NIV. This partial list is far more extensive than just homosexuality. The old adage "People who live in glass houses ..." gives me pause. I am a sinner saved by the same Grace that is offered to everyone. I am not better or worse.

   The end of the fifth chapter of Galatians gives God's counterpoint to worldly sin - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" Galatians 5.22-23 NIV. Being gay is not the unforgivable sin. Being intolerant of Christians isn't either. God made me, a flawed human. He made us all - with our blemishes, our failings, and our opinions. To those who are gay, don't hate because we don't embrace your lifestyle. To those who are Christian, don't hate the people, love them like Christ loved.

Peace, Joy, and Responsibility

I sit and watch over and over the footage of tragedies aftermath. I hurt inside for those who lost loved ones and for families torn apart. In that same moment I thank God for protecting my family, for giving me so much to glory in - it doesn't seem fair. If I think long enough and choke back my tears I can even rejoice in the blessings God has entrusted to me --- but then I begin to feel selfish and I again hurt for those who are hurting.

My empathic mood is not all together based on reality - my personal tragedy experiences pale in comparison to the Columbine High School, The World Trade Center attacks, Oklahoma City, The Batman or Sandy Hook Elementary Shootings, or The Bombings at The Boston Marathon. However, I do know helplessness and have fallen at the feet of the Creator to plead, to yell, and to just thank God for seeing us through very tough times. The degree of pain and suffering aside, I get distracted and a lot put out by those who find the deepest pockets to blame in these ugly situations.

"God, why aren't you here, protecting us like Superman, Thor, or The Fantastic Four? God why did you allow those little children to be slaughtered? Why do You let these unstable people to live and take away fiance's, families, parents, and children from innocents?" The societal excuses to find God as the bad guy confuse and anger me. I have answers for these dilemmas - the answers are from God's word. This however creates another dilemma. I cannot talk to "Non-God" people, for the sake of clarification, using God's book, because they don't believe it's truths. My heart sings with the majesty and the greatness that My God lives in. I fully admit to not having answers to those questions. The answers I have are that He created us all and gives us free will to choose our path. God is not a dictatorial despot who wishes to have automatonic drones do His bidding. How great is the joy of a parent when their child makes his/her way in the world, succeeding on their own. Is it better to hold your child's bike forever, or let go and relish in the joy of the ride?

I selfishly pray for God to send Jesus soon. I also believe that He "is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" II Peter 3.9 NIV. The illustration of the birds in the winter and the man who chose not to go to church but couldn't communicate with the birds to show them shelter, thinking if only I could be a bird for a brief time to show them the barn ... God please be with our country, those who are hurting, and those who are healers. Thank You.