thoughts on the news of the day: neckties

hmmm…..

            What gift could you give to a 90 year old man who has just about everything?  Prince Philip is the husband of the queen of England and I would guess he has just about anything a man could legally want.  So Queen Elizabeth had a dilemma for her husband’s birthday.  The gift doesn’t necessarily need to have monetary value and when you are 90, there’s not much you haven’t been given, seen or heard that would be a surprise.  The Queen came up with a good present, though.  She honored her long time husband with a new title.  Prince Philip is now the Lord High Admiral of the British Royal Navy.  This is an office until now held by the queen and was given to him partly in recognition of the Prince’s sacrifice of his promising seafaring career which he gave up to spend his life in a supporting role to her.

            What will you give your father for Father’s Day? It’s coming up next weekend, you know!  A friend of mine sidestepped the issue by buying himself 3 new bow ties yesterday, so the infamous ugly Father’s Day tie is not an option as a gift for him this year. 

            I think that the Queen is on to something, though.  The best gifts are not always material things.  I am guessing that my 90 year old Dad would probably prefer us spending the day with him to another polo shirt or box of handkerchiefs.    Dad may not get a necktie or a new title this year, but I think I will do my best to let him know he is loved.

            hmmm….

thoughts on the news of the day: fifth graders

hmmm…..

            It almost sounds like a scene from that television show, “What Would You Do?”  A man from the Chicago area was thirsty after work and didn’t have enough cash to buy a cold drink so he stopped by his local ATM machine.  Sitting there on the ground by the machine was a clear plastic bag containing some receipts, some checks and a whole lot of cash – $17,021 to be exact.  The man saw the word “Chase” on the bag, so he went into the bank to return it but the bank said it wasn’t theirs.  Next he took it to the police who eventually found the security service that had accidentally left the bag on the sidewalk.  It remains to be seen whether the armored truck company will give the man a reward or not.

            I remember when my daughter was in fifth grade and she and a friend found $100 near an ATM.  They immediately took it back inside and gave it to the bank teller. I was one proud Mom.

            What would you do if you found a large sum of money on the sidewalk?  Would you walk away with it?  I mean, $17,000 could pay a lot of bills.  Maybe you had been praying to God to help you get out of debt and this was your sign.   Maybe you desperately needed a new car.  Maybe that money was the ticket to walk away from an abusive marriage.  Surely God would understand, wouldn’t he?

            We all know the right answer to those questions and we don’t have to be smarter than a fifth grader to figure it out. 

            hmmm…..

            

thoughts on the news of the day: high stakes

hmmm…..

            Over the past few months a gambling casino in New Jersey has lost over 11 million dollars to high stakes bets.  Once in April, a blackjack gambler scored 5.8 million dollars.  Then last week, another gambler took home 5.3 million.  The owners of the casino still claim that they are ahead of the game because of all the high stakes betting that doesn’t succeed.

            Taking a risk with a few bucks is one thing, betting the grocery money is another.  In life, we weigh bets everyday.  With every decision comes the risk of making a wrong one.  Sometimes they are non-consequential: should I drink my regular decaf this morning – or be daring and go for caffeine?  Should I wear my brown t-shirt or go with the more radical hot pink?   Then there are times when the risks are great.  Is the lumpectomy sufficient, or is a mastectomy the better way to go?  Loan my kid the money one more time, or let them suffer the consequences of their bad choices?

            Prayer helps. Prayer helps a lot.  When making tough choices, when taking risks, it’s a good idea to invite God into the game.  Now, I am not saying that we should ask for a sign as to whether we should bet on red or black at the roulette table, although I have known of folks who do that.  What I am saying is that finding peace when taking risks is directly proportionate to asking God into the equation.  It may not always turn out the way we had hoped, but we know that God is always in it to win it --  and eventually we come to understand God’s plan for our lives. 

            Then, on the other hand, we can always spin the wheel and see what happens.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: pennies

hmmm…..

            That lowly coin, the penny, is in the news again.  While some protesters are paying bills with pennies, Florida farmers would be happy with just one red cent.   If Florida tomato pickers were paid just one penny more for each pound of tomatoes, it would make the difference between substandard living and an almost decent wage on which to raise their families.  Burger King has agreed to pay the penny but Trader Joe’s has not.

            It’s difficult to put ourselves in another’s place.  For Florida agricultural workers a penny makes all the difference in the world.  To most of us, that same penny is almost not worth picking up off the sidewalk.  It’s easy to say, “I don’t understand what all of the fuss is about” when we are not the ones who are suffering.  Not until we, ourselves have experienced the suffering of others do we truly understand their need.

            And its amazing how so little can sometimes mean so much.  I mean, would it be that much of a sacrifice for each of us to pay a penny more for a pound of tomatoes?  Probably not, in fact we probably wouldn’t even notice it. 

            Look around today.  There is bound to be some little something you can do that can make a huge difference is someone else’s world. It may not be miracle working but I bet it will be someone’s penny from heaven.

            hmmm…..

           

thoughts on the news of the day: mayhem

hmmm…..

            A disgruntled medical patient recently paid a clinic bill of $25 in pennies.  Jason West, 38, didn’t think he owed the clinic the payment and so in protest he dumped 2500 pennies on the counter and demanded that they be counted.  West was surprised when police arrested him saying that the protest was unwarranted. 

            Interestingly, on the same page of the internet report was an advertisement for Allstate which is running a campaign making “Mayhem” a person  and advising that their company is good insurance against “him.”

            Mayhem comes in many different packages.  Sometimes it is accidental but many times, we create it ourselves.  Jason West created mayhem for a clinic and then added to it by being arrested.  Oftentimes we blame others for messes we have created ourselves.  A great way to determine whether we are the partial creators is to ask ourselves, “What is my part in it?”  Usually, we can account for our own contribution to the chaos.   It may not be all our fault, but usually we have taken some action which creates at least part of the problem. 

            When we realize our part in the chaos, conflict or confusion, the cure is to make a change in our behavior and make amends if that is called for.  Of course, for Jason West, chaos, conflict and confusion were the point.  He was protesting a bill he didn’t think he owed.  But perhaps a better solution for him was to continue in conversation with the clinic to resolve the issue.  It might have saved everyone a lot of trouble.

            hmmm…..

           

thoughts on the news of the day: timing

hmmm…..

            The breaking news this morning is that former Pennsylvania Senator Rich Santorum says he is running for President of the United States.  The Republican contender is one of the first to declare his intentions to run.

            Timing is everything.  Early June may seem a little premature to announce a candidacy for an election that will not be held until November of 2012 but nevertheless, candidates seem to be getting out there earlier and earlier.

            The old saying goes, “The early bird gets the worm.”  Perhaps that is why shoppers line up hours ahead for sales on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  Perhaps that is why tickets are sold out minutes after they go on sale.  Perhaps that is why folks at our church arrive 15 minutes early for meetings and events.  They don’t want to miss out. 

            There is an anxiety that goes with earliness. It’s a fear that we will be denied our fair share.  It’s a fear we won’t be noticed, won’t be awarded what we deserve.  Of course, there is nothing wrong with being on time; in fact it is a virtue, something to be admired. 

            But there is something wrong with pushing things up before their time.  It causes an anxiety and distress that is unneeded and unwanted.  That’s why I like God’s timing – it’s always perfect.  Like I said, timing is Everything …..

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: twins

hmmm…..

            There is an incredible  story today on the internet about twin brothers who, at age 92 died within hours of one another.  Born in Buffalo, New York, they were also brothers in the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor.  St. Bonaventure University was their home for over 35 years and together they spent their time doing carpentry work, gardening and chauffeuring visitors around town.  They were deeply devoted to one another through their whole lives, even making the journey to eternity together. 

            Twins are amazing.  There were two identical twin brothers who attended a church I pastored in Oklahoma.  They too, had lived into a life beyond 80 and had shared their whole lives together. They added a wonderful flavor to the congregation and we were enriched because of their closeness and commitment to one another. 

             I wonder what it would be like to have someone so much like you to share your hopes and dreams, your good days and bad, your trials and tribulations.  The day would never be lonely, there would always be someone around to understand and to share the challenges of the day.  You would have someone to count on, someone who would always be there for you.

            Perhaps that is why we who are singlets are so much in need of a spiritual entity.  We all need that presence in our lives – someone who understands us and wants to share the day with us – someone who is just like us.  We are made in their likeness and we long to be with them, even throughout eternity.

            hmmm…..