thoughts on the news of the day: 2012

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                  It’s a day of endings, on the cusp of new beginnings.  The obvious one is that it is the last day of 2011 and the day before New Year’s Day 2012.  But there are a few other endings of note in the world this week.  Perhaps you have heard about Ben Breedlove, a young 18 year old who died of heart failure on Christmas Day.  His funeral was yesterday in Austin, TX and there were 1500 people in attendance.  No, he wasn’t a rock star or famous athlete; he was just an ordinary teenager, except for the fact that he chronicled his experiences with death on you-tube. 

                  Breedlove said he wasn’t afraid of death and that his near-death experiences because of his heart condition brought him a sense of great peace.  He described many of the occurrences others have described --- the bright light, a feeling of peace and comfort and even seeing loved ones or other significant people.  For Breedlove, death was not a fearful prospect, but a peaceful one.

                  A great lady in our church passed away yesterday.  It was the end of life for her too.  She was ill for a long time, but carried on for many brave years.  I remember meeting her for the first time.  She was on oxygen, which she carried in a sling as she struggled to the fellowship hall after worship.  The first words she ever said to me were. “Nancy, I want to go home.”  And she wasn’t talking about her little house down the street.  She had made peace with her maker and was ready to go whenever the time came.  It has been two and a half years since that conversation and she is finally home. 

                  It’s an end and a beginning, just like today.  Goodbye, 2011.  Hello, 2012.      

                  hmmm…..

                  

thoughts on the news of the day: ice

hmmm…..

                  It is late December, but its shorts and t-shirts weather in Austin, TX where I am visiting my daughter.  I am loving the warm weather and the sunshine which is a delightful departure from the chilly temperatures we left in the Arkansas Ozarks. 

                  In spite of the cold outdoors, my home, and the homes of my friends in the Ozarks are cozy warm.  Heating units, fireplaces and potbellied stoves keep our abodes well above the freezing mark.  And since it isn’t sooo cold, and the gas prices aren’t sooo high, we can stay well within our comfort zone.

                  But what if you chose to vacation in frigid settings.  And I am not talking outside, I mean inside as well.  The Balea Lac Hotel of Ice northwest of Bucharest, Romania is entirely made of ice.  It offers ten rooms with king size beds at the price of about $50 per person.  The temperature at the hotel hovers around 36 degrees to keep the ice from melting.  You can dine there and relax.  I am not sure how they cook, doesn’t most food preparation require heat?  And how do you relax when you are shivering.  I am sure they have figured all of that out though …

                  There’s an old saying “cold hands, warm heart.”  It would probably really fit the tourists at the Balea Lac who are probably bundling up and snuggling up to a loved one.  And that can’t be all bad in any climate.

                  hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: samoa

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                  I have lost a few days of blogs.  Computer problems have plagued me; dismally slow speeds on my ancient computer; frantic efforts to prepare worship services for the Christmas season; and last minute shopping have made it pretty much impossible to stay on top of my blog writing.  Like I say, I lost a few days.

                  We all know what it is like to “lose a day”.  It happens when we are sick and can’t go to work.  We feel like we have lost a day of getting things done.  Traveling can feel that way; it might take a whole day to travel from one place to the next and so it seems like we didn’t have that day to work, play or just relax. 

                  Now Samoa is another story. They are literally losing a whole day at the end of this week.  This Pacific island is changing its time zone.  The country wants to be in sync with the Asian side of time zones instead of the United States side, since they feel they do more business there.  So, in order to change the zone, they have to lose a day and go from Thursday to Saturday which means no TGIF for them.

                  Wonder what will happen to all the people who get paychecks each week?  Will they be docked for a day’s pay?  Will Samoans be charged for a whole month’s rent?  How about utility bills?  Do they receive a discount of one day? 

                  I am not sure how all that will work, but I do know this: cherish today, don’t waste it, don’t lose it because you will never get it back again.

                  hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: i believe

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            It’s Santa tracking time.  NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) has been tracking Santa for 56 years with its sophisticated satellite system and this year the tradition will continue. 

            Probably we all have our stories about magically discovering that Santa is real.  My favorite is the one about my daughter when she was about three years old.  We had gone to my sister’s house for Christmas Eve dinner.  It was a simple, but traditional one for us, a meal of homemade chicken soup and peppermint pie.  The pie was my nephew’s favorite, and he assisted in the assembling of it that year.  Afterwards, we opened only a few gifts because Santa really came on Christmas morning at our house.

            All was well when we ventured out into the cool night air in our scarves and mittens.  But we looked up to discover a red light dancing in the sky.  Surely it was Rudolph, we exclaimed to the children.  My daughter bought it; and rushed to the car to head home. After all Santa didn’t come until everyone was snuggled in their beds.

            The grownups knew that coincidently my sister’s house was right in the flight pattern of the landing strip for the airport and so red lights were normal at all times of the year.  But the awe and wonder of that moment was magical. And I will never forget it.

            Who says that Santa isn’t real?  Santa exists in the bright eyes of a small child who still believes.  And I believe, too.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: re-gifting

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            Let’s talk about re-gifting.  Is it good or is it bad?  Some think that it is the cheapskates way out.  I mean, it a way to get out of paying actual money for a gift, isn’t it?  Teachers have done it for years.  They get little Avon gifts and Christmas knickknacks as well as all of the items that parents bought in the fund raiser sales and never wanted in the first place.  So they pass them along to family and friends who usually don’t want them either.  On a teacher’s salary, its not a bad way to save money.  My Dad used to buy used items at the Goodwill and tried to pass them on as new and we never bought into that one either.

            But then there is another way of looking at it.  There is a new ecology word going around these days.  It is “re-purpose-ing”.  And I think that is a good thing.  Sometimes we receive a present that is not so good for us, but perfect for someone else.  There is still thought put into the gift, its just that the giver took care and also moved toward sustainability.

            Back to my Dad, he used to take my daughter and her cousin to resale shops in town and they loved it!  All it took was a quarter or two and they had a week’s worth of gently used toys.  My daughter got tons of costume jewelry to play dress up with – it was grand!

            So the jury is still out on re-gifting.  I say, whatever you give, give it with thoughtfulness and love and it will be just fine.

            hmmm….

thoughts on the news of the day: doctor's devices

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            I have wondered for years why the medical profession didn’t make better use of technology in keeping patients records.  It seemed to me that logging a patient’s history on a laptop disk made lots more sense than keeping a room full of files crammed with papers.  As the years have gone by, doctors and nurses have more and more come to use electronic devices to keep track of patient’s status, medications, etc.

            But there is a troubling trend becoming the norm in medicine.  Apparently more and more doctors and nurses are using smart phones, iPads and other computers to surf the web; checking emails, texting and even shopping on ebay.  So, lets see, a doctor is performing surgery while making phone calls to his family and friends using a bluetooth audio device.  A nurse is checking airline reservations during a heart procedure.  And, while examining a patient, the physician also checks his twitter account. 

            It’s not good.  Medical personnel can easily be distracted by these devices and mistakes are made – costly mistakes.  In one instance, a patient was partially paralyzed because of just such behavior by a doctor.

            I know of a therapist who uses a laptop to keep notes on clients while they are talking about their problems.  H usually explains to his patients what he is doing.  But still, I think tapping away at a computer would be rather disconcerting, even though it actually is in the patients best interest.

            Maybe the best thing to do is to tell the medical professional when we think the behavior is inappropriate.  Of course that is a little difficult to do when you are under anesthetic, but in other cases, it is always OK to safeguard our health.  More and more today, the advice is being given to pay attention to our own medical care. Maybe this is a good place to start.

            hmmm…... 

thoughts on the news of the day: protesters

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            Interestingly enough, Time magazine’s person of the year for 2011 is The Protester.  When the  choice was announced,  I imagine several folks were disappointed that it wasn’t one name instead of many  – it wasn’t them.  Steve Jobs could have been named or Kate Middleton.  Then there’s Gabriel Giffords and Rep. Paul Ryan.

            But after a year of thought, Time chose ”the protester”.  This obviously includes lots of folks, folks who are unnamed, but nevertheless have had a huge impact on the events of 2011.  For the most part, the protesters have been righteous.  Take for example, those who protested the governments of Libya and Egypt, and Syria.  They won the freedom of many people in the middle east and will not be forgotten.  Then there are the protesters who Occupy Wall Street.  Some might say those who protested big business, big banks and their greed were misguided and well, wrong.  But, they persisted and a movement was born.

            Then, there are the individual protesters named.  People like Molly Katchpole who began the protest against debit card fees. She started her protest online and was able to collect over 306,000 signatures.  And also, Loukanikos, a stray dog, who followed along Athens protesters and made a name for himself.

            It is probably good that people stand up for themselves and fight for what is right.  After all, that is what our forefathers did to make our country, the United States, a place where all people can be free and have the right to assemble peacefully to plead their cause.  But I think that what happens after the protest is even more important than the protest itself.  If nothings changes, nothing changes. 

            Maybe Time is right about the protesters.  .  Maybe this time things will change and in the end we will find peace and harmony once again.  It could happen.

            hmmm..,.,.,.,

thoughts on the news of the day: dreidels and dragons

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            It’s Christmas School Pageants time.  I guess it is more politically correct to say Holiday programs.  Ambivalent parents all over the country have marked off an evening to proudly video their children and patiently endure the remainder of the program.  I have to say for myself, I showed up for many an elementary school program when my daughter was young and I suspect that grandchildren will take over that tradition someday. 

            Those programs aren’t all bad, though.  When we lived in Austin while I was in seminary, my daughter attended the best elementary school ever.  It was nestled in a neighborhood close to the University of Texas campus, so many of the professor’s and graduate student’s children attended there,  It was a mini United Nations.  Physically the campus was small.  It could hold only about 300 or so children, while the average population of an Austin school was about 600 students at the time.  But, the proud and loyal, not mention long-time school principal fiercely held on to the goal of maintaining the school despite objections by AISD school administration.

            At any rate, they also had the best Christmas program ever.  It commemorated  the holidays of Kwanza, Hanukah,  the Chinese New Year, and Christmas.  The spinning of the Jewish Dreidel was highlighted, as well as the parade of the Chinese dragon.  There was also an interesting twist on the Christmas story.  Being in central Texas, the children enacted the Mexican tradition of Posada which is the story of Joseph and Mary going from inn to inn looking for a place to stay.  No matter what religion, it is an endearing story of a poor family needing a place to lay their head one night.

            I think it is important to teach our kids that there are many ways to celebrate this time of year.  Let’s support our diversity but also honor the generosity and goodwill of the season.  We owe that to our children.

            hmmm…..    

thoughts on the news of the day: uncertainty

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            “I deal better with rejection than uncertainty.”  That’s a quote from a self-published author named Darcie Chan.  Her novel has sold more than 400,000 copies on line without ever being printed in hard copy.  She was referring to the possibility of her novel being picked up by a publisher and that it was easier to be turned down by them than to wait for their decision.

            Is rejection easier that uncertainty?  Maybe that’s a good question to ask.  And maybe it is.  Maybe that is why we sometimes seem to sabotage our best efforts – because it is easier to hear “no” than to sit in the dark wondering what will happen next.  There is no anxiety in rejection, only sadness.  Then, you get on with it.  But waiting day after day, sometimes year after year, can cause life-threatening anxiety and stress.

            Our denomination is famous for that.  We stew and stir about things that need immediate answers; or at least deserve immediate answers.  There are lives and careers that hang in the balance.  Anyone is allowed to bring up any just cause for thinking about it further and then a plan gets bogged down in the goo.  Leaders seem to be reluctant to make decisions because it is easier to just talk about it.

            And maybe to a degree that is what even our government has done.  The truth is that in most cases, we know what the right thing to do is.  But leaders would rather debate, and people continue to suffer.

            I am not saying there is anything wrong with carefully considering an issue.  I am saying that it is easier to talk about something than actually do something.  Let’s get off the bench.  Let’s make a move.  A friend used to say, “Sometimes you have to do something, even if it’s wrong.”   Maybe that time is now.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: youth

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            You are never too young.  You are never too young to live your dream.  Rachel Crow, a 13 year old contestant on X-Factor was eliminated last night in a tear jerker decision by the judges.  She was devastated but composed herself and said that she loved her family and her voters and commented, “I know this is not my ending.”

            Usually dreams are fulfilled after a lifetime, or at least a decade or so of struggle and effort.  “Over night” successes are usually achieved after long hours, long days and long waits for the dream to happen.  But in some cases, it seems almost magical.  And even though Rachel didn’t accomplish her ultimate dream, certainly performing in the national television spotlight before millions of fans has to be close.

            We think we might be too old to try for a goal; but sometimes we think we are too young, too inexperienced, too untrained.  We are never too young in our experience to try again to fulfill those wants that inspire us.  Many times, God calls us into a new challenge.  God calls us to take on something we had never dreamed possible.  In January I am beginning a Doctor of Ministry, usually referred to as the “D Min.”. Hopefully, I won’t come to call it the “de-mon” program before its completion.

            It’s a dream I have had for years, and never thought possible.  But because of encouragement from friends, relatives and the financial assistance of several supporters, I am embarking on this new challenge.  My maturity in things theological will be challenged and I will probably feel like a young pup all over again.  There is even a possibility that like Rachel, I will not achieve my ultimate goal. 

            But I am going to try; because, after all, you are never too young.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: colors

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            What’s THE color for 2012?  It’s called Tangerine Tango!  That’s a sort of orangey/red color that actually has been popular for a while.  I have a leather purse that my daughter bought me a couple of years ago that is pretty much that shade – I love it, but it’s not exactly new.

            Do colors matter?  Some say that your favorite color can tell a lot about you.  Does blue mean you are blue?  Does sunny yellow mean you are happy all the time?  What about if your favorite color is black?  I once knew a minister whose favorite color was beige.   Actually that was the color of his personality, too.

            My favorite color is green.  I like it because it reminds me of spring, my favorite time of the year.  I love the freshness and newness of it.  Some say “green is the color of money”  and that’s why it is their favorite color.

            Maybe all of this talk about color doesn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things.  But I think paying attention to little details does.  Like the tiny violet’s vibrant color.  Or the murky gray on a cloudy winter day.  And while we are talking about winter, what about a fresh fallen snow?  Have you ever looked up to see an endless blue sky and wondered how it got that way?

            God made all of the colors of the world.  I guess it is our job to stop and look at the roses.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: ice and snow

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            It’s December 7, for heaven’s sake and there is white stuff on the ground again this morning.  That’s supposed to be reserved for mid-January and February in our part of the world!  I know that there are lots of folks who are used to snow by mid-November – but not us – not usually.  We need clear roads for folks who are traveling over the holidays.  These mountainous roads are not conducive of moving along when there is snow on the ground.

            I remember getting caught in an ice storm north of Dallas one year at Christmas time.  We made it as far as Durant, OK and had to give up because the ice was just too slippery for travel.  Christmas Eve was spent in a lonely motel room and Christmas morning met with no breakfast because the café was closed – it was Christmas after all.  There was a Chinese restaurant in town that opened for an early lunch; then it was on to the highway again as we slowly made our way to Tulsa and family and friends.

            Just about everyone has their own story about being stuck somewhere during the holidays.  A few years ago, my daughter had to go to OKC the day after Christmas for her job and got stuck in the worst ice storm of their history.  I worried the whole time, but she did finally arrive safely at her destination.

            So I suggest you use common sense this season.  Stay home until the weather clears.  Take care on the highways.  And have a safe and blessed holiday.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: dog rescue

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            An airport baggage handler in Reno, Nevada refused to board a dog and in this case it was a good thing.  The dog, bound for Corpus Christi, TX was emaciated and covered with sores.  Lynn Jones, the employee, noticed the dog in its carrier and refused to load it on the plane.  She said that if the dog was put on the plane, it would die in transit. Bad news and good news:  Jones lost her job and the dog was rescued and recovered from his abuse.  Good news and bad news:  the company is reconsidering reinstated her and the dog is going back to its owner. 

            Dog rescue has become a prominent and necessary thing.  I know of two families who are engaged in this endeavor and it is time consuming and costly.  But it is also worthy and admirable.  One family has taken in so many dogs that they have had to build extra housing on their property.  The otherwise impeccably groomed yard has little grass left in the dog runs because of the wear and tear.  Their home has all but been destroyed by angry and hurt dogs who are just acting out their frustration on window sills and couches. 

            But I admire those who are committed to rescuing dogs from abuse and hardship. They make great sacrifices, spending their own money on food and shelter for the canines and often traveling far distances to keep dogs from abuse and in some cases euthanasia.   

            You may not own a dog.  You may not even like dogs.  But you have to admit, they have the right to a safe and healthy environment, just as all God’s creatures do. 

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: john boy

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            Remember “The Walton’s of television fame?  They recently came together and held their 40^th year anniversary of the show being broadcast in prime time.  The Waltons  were a mythical family who lived in the country in the early 1940's days and survived mostly off the land.  There was a passel of kids ranging from almost adult to little almost toddlers.  And a Mom and Dad who deeply loved them and wanted the best for them.

            We all wanted to be like the Waltons, didn’t we?  We wanted to have siblings who annoyed us but loved us and stood up for us too.  And we wanted a Mom and a Dad who were like the Walton parents, strict but kind, generous but thrifty, honest but forgiving. 

            I wanted a Walton family as much as the next guy.  When she was born, we even named my daughter Mary Ellen – a name she rebels against even to this day.   But instead I got a broken family as a single, divorced Mom raising one child by myself.  Life works that way sometimes; we think we know what we want but it turns out to be something completely different.  In spite of my disappointment, I learned to be a a strong and independent woman, a trait which I have passed on to my daughter.

            Every evening, at the close of the show, the family would snuggle under their covers.  A litany of siblings would say “good night” in the order of their birth.  It was a ritual that was a hallmark of the show.  And it was always comforting and reassuring to hear the concluding refrain. it's one that some of us still say today:  “Good night, John Boy.” 

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: santa claus

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            No Santa Claus?  Robin Robinson, a news anchor on Fox News, Chicago said in a broadcast recently that “There is no Santa Claus.” She was talking about the pressure that parents feel to purchase extravagant gifts because their children believe in unlimited luxury at Christmas time.  Her point was met with strenuous objection from parents all over the city.

            Robinson apologized the next day and said that “So many kids don’t get to be children, that for those who do get to live the wonder and magic of Christmas, I would never spoil it intentionally. So I sincerely apologize.”

            It’s a dilemma, isn’t it?  We want to tell the truth, to be honest and forthcoming when challenged by a statement we have made. I imagine that most of us do feel that Christmas has become more of a commercial money making enterprise than a time to celebrate steadfast love.  But what about the wonder and the magic of Christmas?  What about the idea of unlimited generosity?  I may not believe in a white haired man in a red suit who brings me what I want, but I do believe in generosity and kindness and love.

            When my daughter was little, she used to ask me if there was a Santa Claus, and I always said, “I believe in the magic of Christmas, and I believe that anything is possible.”  And I still believe that.  But we have to do our part.  Buying one more expensive toy is not the answer, but expressing our love and our joy for a relationship with someone is.  And I think that’s what Jesus wants for Christmas.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: routine

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            I’m back.  It has been a bittersweet Thanksgiving.  Sweet because I got to see my beautiful daughter.  I don’t get to see her enough and the time we spent together was filled with joy and laughter.  But the end of my vacation brought the end to a friendship with a very close, dear friend.  I had to say goodbye at a funeral held last Sunday.  It was an odd way to end a vacation; one that was not planned and won’t be forgotten.

            But there’s a lot to be said for coming back to a routine.  I am looking forward to sitting at my desk, going through mail and email and visiting with friends I haven’t seen for a while.  There will be plenty of coffee and maybe a cookie or two.  People will bug me about things that need to be done and things will seem to get back to normal; whatever normal is!

            Routines make our life make sense when all around us makes no sense at all.  I once read about a man who had lost his wife in a tragic accident.  The next day he showed up at his usual spot.  His friends asked him “What are you doing here when you should be grieving?”  And he responded that life goes on, his wife would have wanted him to carry on and that the routine of his day was a comfort.  Two young girls I pastored in Texas lost their mother after a long battle with cancer.  They played in their high school soccer game that night.  They wanted to be with their friends and to get back to a routine after so many months of uncertainty and unrest.

            It may seem to be insensitive and uncaring; but it is a way, maybe the best way, to recover.  I know my friend Katy would want me to get back to my routine … and so I will.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: parades

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            When I was a young girl, we lived near a then-small town named Broken Arrow, OK.  Every spring, the small city promoted their main street shops by having a celebration called “Rooster Day”.  Farmers would bring their prize poultry to town and there were midways and rides and lots of cotton candy.  They even had a “Miss Chick” beauty pageant.  But the most spectacular event of the weekend was the Saturday morning parade.  Loud high school bands with beautiful teenage girls dressed up as twirlers began the show. Then came some floats – churches and business decorated flat bed trailers with crepe paper streamers and balloons and sometimes bright lights.  And last of all, for obvious reasons, the horses brought up the rear.  The palominos were the best.  It was a grand time!

            In a couple of weeks, our town will hold its annual Christmas parade.  Our church has participated in this parade for several years and has even won first prize in the church float category.  Its fun to see all the floats lit up with Christmas lights and the children scrambling for the candy thrown from the floats.

            The Tournament of Roses parade held in Pasadena, California on New Year’s Day is probably the most spectacular parade of them all.   The rule is that floats in the parade have to be entirely decorated in flowers.  This parade has been well attended by commercial floats which advertise their companies in a grand way.

            Unfortunately, many companies are cutting back this year.  There will not be nearly as many folks vying for the top prizes.  Some companies feel that it is not profitable or advantageous to participate in the parade so they have opted out.  And because of that, float creating companies are going out of business.

            I personally love a parade.  Whether it is on television, or whether I stand on the sidewalk watching it pass by, the grandeur of it all thrills me.  And I hope for parade float makers everywhere, the tradition never ends.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: katy

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            Turkey Day is over.  The pumpkin pie is decimated; the leftovers are in the refrigerator.  The shoppers have cleaned off the shelves for needy and greedy storekeepers.  Thanksgiving is over.  Is it too late to say “Thank you”?  Is it ever too late to say thank you?

            One of my closest and dearest friends passed away yesterday.  Her funeral is today.  I am sure gonna miss her.  I wish she was still here and I could say thank you to her for all she meant to me.  If I could, I would tell her how grateful I was for her wisdom and her wit.  She always wanted to be cute and funny and most of the time she was.  She had my back and I could always count on her to be there for me.   

            We went through an impossible circumstance together.  It was almost us against the world; but we both survived and came back to ready to fight another day.  None of us probably ever gave her the respect she deserved.  All of the gifts she so generously lavished on us were never really appreciated for the thoughtfulness and love they conveyed.  She made us laugh, and that was fine; but we rarely acknowledged the truths behind what she said to us.

            She was a fine director and actress.  She knew the stage as well as anyone in the business. She would sometimes watch her actors without listening to the words just to figure out if their body language made sense.  And she was great at reading us and knowing when we were just acting in real life.

            Stories were her strong suite.  She had a million of them—stories of her adventures as an English and Drama teacher in tiny, rural public school systems.  She loved to tell about the funny antics of her beloved grandchildren and occasionally had a joke or two about a public official.

            I wish it wasn’t too late to say thank you to my dear friend.  Maybe it’s not.  Maybe I can honor her with my memories of her and try as hard as I can to learn from the many things she taught me.  Katy, thank you for your friendship; you will be missed.  And I promise never again to split my infinitives.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: thanksgiving

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            My daughter and I have a somewhat unusual way of celebrating Thanksgiving Day.  We don’t do all the ‘right” things – like go to relatives homes and stuff ourselves with turkey and dressing.  I wish I could say we go to homeless shelters and serve dinner to those who wouldn’t otherwise have one – but we have never gotten organized enough to do that.  And no, we aren’t a deer hunting family where the guys spend the day out in the  woods and the rest of the family stays home and pouts about it.

            For the longest time, we have not been able to be with relatives far away, so we celebrate with each other and friends who are away from family, too.  We have pumpkin pie, and dressing and mashed potatoes – and crescent rolls but we don’t have turkey.  We usually have roast or barbeque or something like that.  My daughter is not a turkey eater and I am not so great a fan, either – so turkey is out and beef is in.  But that’s just us. 

            To me the most important part of Thanksgiving is remembering that we have so many things to be thankful for.  And I could name a long list of things to be grateful for now.  But I encourage you today, to pause for a moment, between football games and shopping lists and thank someone for something.  It will make the day.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: telemarketers

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            Most of us want people to know who we are.  We usually take pride in the fact that so many people might know our name.  One of the beauties of small town living is that everyone knows your name.  But what if we didn’t want people to know who we were?  What if we were disguising our name and attempting to pretend we were someone else?

            Telemarketing companies are getting more and more clever.  They now have a way of identifying themselves on your caller id as being a different name than their actual one.  For example, they identify themselves as the I.R.S. or the F.B.I.  Now, I would be immediately suspicious of that identity on my caller ID, but I guess lots of folks aren’t, because it seems to be working.  People seem to be answering those calls.  The Federal Trade Commission has filed suit against one of the telemarketers that identifies itself as a fake company and more are soon to follow.

            How sad is it that a company or organization is so ashamed of their name and their product that they have to disguise it in order to sell it?  If you weren’t proud of the company you worked for, and had to deny your own personal integrity to continue to draw a paycheck, it would be a tragic day indeed.  I guess as it draws closer to Thanksgiving, a gratitude I can have is that I am proud to say the name of the organization I work for.  And I can pray for those who don’t have that privilege.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: boos

hmmm…..

            Not very classy, that’s what I think about the boos the First Lady and the Vice-First Lady received at the NASCAR event held yesterday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.  Supported elsewhere during the event, the boos came when they were introduced to say those famous words, “Start your engines”.  The women were at the track to promote a cause that should be dear to all of our hearts called “Joining Forces.”  The idea behind the promotion is to support military veterans and their families.  No matter what your political leanings, I think supporting our military is something we all can do.

            Class is a characteristic that you either have or you don’t.  And I don’t think it can be taught.  It is more than good taste.  Good taste has to do with things you acquire but class has nothing to do with possessions at all.  Class is opening the door for a lady.  Class is allowing a gentleman to do that.  Class is winning gracefully – or losing gracefully for that matter.  Class is about respect, graciousness and hospitality – none of which was shown by the boos at the speedway.

            I would rather have class than fame.  Fame can be taken away; class never can.  It has nothing to how wealthy you are.  For example, Mother Teresa had class and Howard Hughes did not.  Perhaps the best way we can nudge our children toward a little class is to model it for them every day.  And one way we can do that is by saying thank you to our veterans.

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thoughts on the news of the day: underdogs

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            Holy Cow!  Little bitty Baylor in Waco, Texas beat football powerhouse Oklahoma in a surprising upset last night.  The score was 38-45.  Don’t you know there is some wild celebrating going on in Waco?  I have Baylor and Oklahoma fans in my midst.  Personally, I have no great attachment to either team, but it is always interesting when the underdog prevails.

            We love sports and we love it when the David overtakes the Goliath.  The first underdog story ever is told in the Bible when young David, the shepherd, slings a shot at a huge giant named Goliath striking him dead.  Don’t you know the crowd cheered?

            I think the reason we love underdogs so much is that we identify with them.  Who hasn’t felt like someone or something was far greater a foe than we could ever win against?  We feel unprepared, unsuccessful and ineffective.  This is where God comes in.  The old Bible quote goes, “If God is with us, who can be against us?”  Now, this quote oftentimes is used as a proof text to get our own way.  But I don’t think that is what it means.  I think it means that if we are humble and put God first in a situation, then we might find a way to reach a compromise, which doesn’t happen unless the underdog has a powerhouse on their side. 

            One thing is true; God always wins.  And that’s a fact you can count on.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: cathedrals

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            Is the building the church or are the people the church?  The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, California is buying the Crystal Cathedral.  Robert Schuller built this remarkable edifice and has been identified with it for many years.  What will become of the people who worship there? 

            The Catholic Church plans to make it a Catholic Cathedral so I guess that the worshipers from before still have a place to attend services, they just won’t be during an “Hour of Power” where celebrities take the stage along with the clergy.  It very definitely won’t be the same.

            Several years ago, our Presbyterian governing body had a disagreement with a church in Tulsa about who owned the property.  The church wanted to leave our denomination and wanted to take their elaborate building with them.  But clearly, our rules establish all church buildings to belong to the larger governing body.  The local church lost, but not without the paying of enormous legal fees on both sides.  The obvious question is:  wouldn’t that money have been better spent on mission?

            Massive worship facilities are not new to the world.  Medieval cathedrals are spread throughout Europe.  And I am sure there was a question then about building vast cathedrals when the people were starving. 

            I guess it’s OK to have gigantic structures built within to worship. There is something to be said about honoring our Creator with a beautiful earthly home.  We just need to remember not to worship the building.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: hymns

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            Last night our church family had a Thanksgiving dinner in our fellowship hall.  But that wasn’t the main attraction.  A pastor from a nearby church came to present a program on Fanny Crosby.  Most people don’t know a whole lot about her except that she wrote one of the all time favorite hymns, “Blessed Assurance”. 

            Fanny (Frances Jane) was born in 1820.  She lost her sight as an infant when a doctor treated an infection in her eyes with a hot poultice. This cured the infection but left her sightless for life.  Fanny was schooled by her grandmother’s encouragement and as a teenager had the opportunity to go to a school for the blind.  She wrote her first poem when she was eight and over her lifetime wrote over 8,000 hymns.  Pretty amazing, huh?

            She said the following about her blindness: 

            "It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me."

            If I had a choice, I would still choose to remain blind...for when I die, the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Saviour."

            Next time I am inclined to make excuses for my inability to accomplish a goal, I think I will remember Fanny Crosby and her contribution to Christians all over the world.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: jobs

hmmm…..

            When I first graduated from college, I remember that I couldn’t wait to get out on my own.  With a good job and a bright future, I rented my first apartment, a furnished efficiency.  It had a huge walk in closet which I converted into a sewing room.  I was in heaven – on my own and making my own money and my own car payments.

            It’s not so great for graduating seniors these days.  Jobs are hard to find and many former students are moving in with Mom and Dad until they are financially stable.  Another result of the sluggish economy.  In my own circle of friends and family, I know of several young adults who are staying with their parents until they find employment. 

            I think it is wise in most cases to hunker down and wait for the good jobs and the financial system to recover, but it is hurting the economy further.  Moving into a new apartment means paying rent for a place to stay.  It means buying kitchen utensils, some furniture ( even if its second hand) and groceries for heavens sake!  All that means fueling the economy with an infusion of cash. 

            But until the jobs are available, students can’t afford to move out and the economy continues to stagnate, which means fewer jobs, and on and on and on.  I am not sure what the solution is.  Everyone seems to agree that we need more jobs, but can’t agree on how to go about that.  I wish they would figure it out … my niece needs a job!

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: bookstores

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            So, I don’t have a Kindle, an iPad or a Knook; not yet anyway.    I read books the old fashioned way.  They are still paper for me, and they still collect dust on my bookshelf.  I predicted long ago that some day books would be collectors items because most information and reading material would be digital.   And my prediction is close to true.

            In Nashville, TN, a popular author, Ann Patchett and her business partner have opened a new bookstore.  They did this because Nashville no longer had a real bookstore that was not the specialty or religious type.  Can you imagine that in a city the size of Nashville there was not one bookstore?  There are used book stores and stores that reach into the suburbs, but no real bookstores in the city proper.

            This doesn’t mean that people don’t read anymore, although that claim has been raised.  It means that more and more people do their reading from downloaded material displayed on their electronic tablets.  That may be a good thing or not. It is convenient, that’s for sure – to download a book anytime day or night.  But the delight of browsing and discovery is lost sitting at a computer.  Not every book written is electronic, so there is at times, a need to buy a real book. 

            We do still have our own bookstore in the small Ozarks town I live in, but it succeeds by renting and selling videos as well as books.  I hope it will survive.  It still has its own coffee bar and comfy chairs to rest and relax in. 

            I, myself, continue to collect children’s books – I figure that some day they might be a novelty for my future grandkids and great grand kids and that maybe … maybe they just might read them.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day

hmmm…..

            Today is my birthday.  It started out great … I got to sleep in and then after making coffee, I sat down to open the cards I had received over the past few days.  One was a beautiful poem from a friend and there was a small package from my daughter.  The box held a beautiful necklace that she had made herself.  It was dear to me.  I left it on the coffee table and went to my bathroom to get ready for work.  I was planning on wearing the necklace to work.  When I looked on the coffee table to put it on, it wasn’t there. 

            My dog has this habit of eating things.  I looked everywhere for the necklace, knowing that she had gotten it, but hoping she hadn’t completely destroyed it.  Looking outside in her pen, I found it.  Or rather the pieces of it.  I was mad, frustrated, sad and disappointed all at the same time.  I had been having such a great birthday and that discovery ruined it.  On top of everything else, it occurred to me that my dog might have even eaten some of the wire – and that would be disastrous. 

            Does that happen to you sometimes?  Things cave in on you at the most inopportune times.  They all flood together and we get overwhelmed.   I am not sure how I will deal with it, but I know life will go on …  In the meantime, all I can  do is just hang in there and hope for the best …. Grateful that I have made it another year and hoping for a bright future in the next year.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: coming home

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            I am not much of a hockey fan.  But this morning I watched a film clip from the opening of the Boston Bruins game that was held on Saturday night.  The drop of the puck tradition was held when Darren and Lori Jacobs walked out into the middle of the rink.  As a surprise to them, the Bruins had brought their son, Lt. Charles Jacobs home on leave from Afghanistan.  Imagine the Jacobs amazement and delight to see their son.  He had come home, even if only for a short while.

            Coming home can sometimes be a bittersweet moment.  I am sure that no matter how long he is there, for the Jacobs, it will seem like too short a time.

            We had another homecoming yesterday at out church.  The extended family of one of our long time members had come to visit.  But this wasn’t a joyous occasion; they were coming home to bury their elderly mother, grandmother, great-grandmother.  The funeral is this morning, so they decided to join together in celebrating worship at their Mom’s church for what will probably be their last time.  We welcomed them with open arms.

            Thanksgiving can be a coming home.  And it can be joyous or not so joyous.  For family who get along, it is a wonderful occasion for celebration.    I have one good friend who will be in the hospital over Thanksgiving and won’t get to come home – not very wonderful at all.  Cold turkey on a plastic tray is probably awaiting her.

            For all of us who will be with family and friends, let’s be grateful for our time together.  It will be so short.

            hmmm…..,

thoughts on the news of the day: on call

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            This weekend I am “on call”.  Several pastors and I serve as “on call” chaplains at the local hospital here in the Ozarks.  You never know how busy you will be.  Some weekends the calls seem never ending but some weekends are free.  Either way, there’s no going out of town; no late night gatherings, no walks deep into the woods near Lake Norfork.  This would mean being out of range of the pager – a no-no for those who are supposed to be ready at any moment’s notice to arrive at the emergency room ready to go to work. 

            Yesterday morning I was relaxing at my home, anticipating a long day planning for a funeral when the call came.  I raced to get dressed, throw some make-up on and comb my hair.  As I was walking out the door, I received another call.  False alarm.  I could go back to my reading.  But it was already too late.  I cleaned up the morning dishes and headed out the door for my appointment with the deceased’s family.

            So why do I mention this?  Because while I am feeling sorry for myself, it occurs to me that lots of folks are “on call”.  Firefighters, police officers, doctors and nurses all take their turns being on call and that names just a few of those affected by the demands of their jobs. 

            Take a moment today to tell someone “on call” that you appreciate them and the work that they do.  You never know when you will need them.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: abuse

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            It’s hard to ignore.  It’s about Herman Cain and Joe Paterno.  It’s made the news for days now: I am talking about sexual abuse.  Cain and Paterno have been accused, not convicted, so we have to be careful about condemning them. 

            Right about now, I could easily go into a righteous tirade about the harm sexual abuse does and the life long damage it incurs.  I could lament the lost innocence of youth and the devastation of careers.   I could talk about the harm done when accomplices let the crime go unnoticed.  I could write about all of that and I would be right, don’t you agree?

            But I usually don’t go there and I won’t today.  What I would like to write about is the respect we do or don’t have for those around us.  Respect involves all sorts of behavior and misbehavior.  It is a trait that our country is founded on; I believe we can all agree on that.

            Respect involves treating one another with dignity, kindness and acceptance.  It requires a somewhat open mind and the willingness to not always have it our way.  Some people call it “Christian”; as if we have a franchise on the virtue.  But that’s not really true, for Jews and Muslims and all sort of other faiths practice respect, too. 

            Abuse of any kind is not OK.  Respect is appropriate in any situation.  Let’s be respectful of one another.  Surely that will prevail.

            hmmm….,.

thoughts on the news of the day: promises, promises

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            The New Year’s Resolution to lose weight began simply enough.  Jay Wornick, a resident of New York State made a bet with his wife to lost weight.  The loser of the bet promised to have a tattoo of the other’s name inked on their stomach.  Jay thought he would maybe lose 20 or 30 pounds and then gain it all back.  But with diligent efforts, he was able to lose 200 pounds over this past year.  Needless to say, he won the bet.  His wife is trying to figure out where the tattoo will go.

            Promises can come back to haunt you.  In passing, we promise someone that we will do something.  We don’t think much more about it, but the receiver of the promise does.  The one “promised to” is counting on the “promiser” to fulfill the commitment, but the one who promises may not even remember it.  When my daughter was little I absentmindedly promised her that I would build her a tree house. Twenty years later, I still haven’t accomplished that goal and she has never forgotten it.

            Politicians make promises all the time, but we don’t believe them.  Why should we?  We know that they are not going to be able to keep them.  Even those promises that are likely and easy probably can’t be kept.  But we remember and we feel betrayed. 

            It’s easy to say, “I promise” but very hard to remember and keep that commitment we made.  Relationships get broken that way. 

            Promise to keep your promises today.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: local

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            Interestingly, there was no mention in the national news of the earthquake that hit central Oklahoma this past weekend.  It was a 5.6 magnitude, which is non-trivial in the world of earthquakes, but still there was no story about it.

            As far as I know, there was no major damage to large metropolitan areas, and no one severely injured or killed.  And admittedly, there have been many large and destructive earthquakes in the past years that have gained far more attention, nationally and globally. But to the people who experienced it, it was remarkable and very scary.

            I am always fascinated about what makes the news and what doesn’t.  We seem to always be kept well informed on where Lindsay Lohan is and what her latest antics are.  Sports scores are always on the forefront of national news as are the data regarding the stock market.

            But I believe that people are just as interested in local news.  Good reporting of high school football and weddings and other social events are important to those living in communities.  They may not be world events but to a family in need, the human interest story about their health challenges with a loved one is important news that needs to be conveyed.

            Perhaps that is what facebook has become – a local newspaper for circles of friends, for communities who are curious about special interest events.  Gosh, you can even provide photos with your story about the birth of your first child.

            I think local newspapers have missed the mark, but maybe facebook hasn’t.

            hmmm…..