thoughts on the news of the day: dad

hmmm…..

            It is becoming apparent that very shortly we are going to have to rip my 91-year-old Dad from the home he has lived in for close to 65 years. It’s a home we all grew up in; one that my Dad basically built with his bare hands.  Well, maybe I am exaggerating, but he didn’t have a nail gun or pre-fabs; only hammers, nails and an imagination.  Our family home has gotten old and is difficult to heat, cool, clean and keep in repair so it is kind of falling down around my Dad. But our home is probably his most priceless possession.  I would guess he loves it almost as much as he loves us.

 My brothers and sisters and I have avoided moving my Dad for years now.  We never thought that my Dad would go before my Mom.  And with Mom I don’t think it would have been so hard.  Mom loved adventure and I think she would have welcomed new surroundings in an assisted living center.  But Dad has lived longer and although he has done much better than we ever expected, it is now time to face the fact that living in his home is no longer a viable option for him.

I don’t think we ever thought it would be this hard.  We all told ourselves that we were keeping Dad in our family home because he would never agree to leave.  But now that the deed is eminent, I realize that for me and maybe all of us, that home is a symbol of security, stability and love.  I don’t want to have to go back in that home without life living there.  I don’t want to let it go.

As I write this the tears begin to flow.  Even more than losing my parents, saying good-by to what has past and to what will never be is like ripping a part of me away.  And I guess moving my Dad out of his beloved homestead rips us all apart in a way that can never be recaptured again. 

hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: memorial day

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            On this day in 2006, my Mom passed away.  I’ll probably never forget that day.  We knew my Mom was sick and that it was near the end.  My plan was to preach that Sunday in Durant, OK and then my daughter and I would drive up to Tulsa to be with my Mom and my family until she passed.  At the close of the service, we stood as a congregation and sang (coincidentally) my Mom’s favorite hymn.  I had this sense that my Mom was passing by … maybe even saying farewell. 

            After the service, we headed toward Tulsa, I called my brother to say we were on our way and he said, “Well … I didn’t want to tell you this while you were driving, but Mom has already passed away.”  Somehow I knew that it had happened.  Maybe it was just my imagination, but it has comforted me since that day to feel like Mom had said goodbye.

            Recently one of our politicians said that someday the memory of a loved one will bring a smile before it brings tears.  He was trying to console families who had lost someone who had been a casualty while serving in the military.  These were not casual remarks; he spoke from his own experience of losing some of his family members in a tragedy. 

            It is always hard to say goodbye to someone we love.  But Memorial Day marks a time when we can remember with joy those who have gone before us; those we will always hold closely in our hearts.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: heroes and angels

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            A few days ago, I posted a picture and a letter from my daughter (scroll down).  It was very dear to me and something I will always treasure.  But here’s (as Paul Harvey would say) “the rest of the story.”

            My daughter is a fan of a Texas Hill Country music artist, Granger Smith.  He wanted to produce a music video called “Heroes and Angels” and asked fans to send in photos of someone who fit that description for them.  He offered to include some of them in the video.  The link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc_u_dKT7gQ&list=UUYhfnFOdWfHv_OtE9KZA_JQ&index=1&feature=plcp  Towards the end you can see our picture!! How cool is that!!   My daughter and I are now media stars … well.. at least for our five minutes of fame!!!

            I hope you have someone in your life that you can call a hero or an angel … and I bet that you are a hero or an angel to someone, too.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: reviews

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            I am trying to decide this morning what I think about a woman who is being sued by a church in Beaverton, OR because she wrote a bad review of the church on Google.  There are so many questions that have popped into my mind.  Can just anyone at anytime say anything about any Google listing and get away with it?  Can you sue someone because they spoke their truth about a topic on a silly Google site?  What about freedom of speech?  What about freedom of religion?  What is the website’s responsibility in policing listings and reviews?

            Clearly in our country we have laws against slander and libel – but what if the review is solicited?  Can the receiver of the review ask for one and then sue when they don’t like the honesty of the reviewer?  Religion is a less clear field than politics.  We have pretty much hashed out what you can and can’t say about a politician but what about a church?

            Am I asking too many questions?  Didn’t Jesus say “Love one another?”  Why can’t we just all get along, especially in church?

            Oscar Wilde once said, “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.”  I wonder if attendance in that church is up since the Google review story hit the news.  In an inside out backwards kind of way, it would be interesting to know the real effect of the review and the publicity on the Pastor and the congregation.  At the end of the day, was the church really harmed or did it benefit from the seemingly bad publicity?

            I’m going to have to think about all of this.  But I guess it would be a good idea to check the Google listing and  reviews  of our church every so often, too....  Wonder what people are saying about us!

            hmmm….

thoughts on the news of the day: skateboards

hmmm…..

            There was an article on the web recently about the new explosion of skateboarding for over-40’s.  The new-old skateboarders seem to thrive on the idea of re-living their youth, and the thrill of basically taking their life in their hands.  I admire those kind of people – the ones who train and discipline their bodies to perform amazing feats.  I know of a man in Oklahoma who is training to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro next month.  He runs up and down the steps of a large football stadium to get in shape for the event.  That should get him ready for the climb ahead, at least I am sure he is hoping it will!

             It makes me wonder, what is worth taking a risk?  How is it that we are inspired to tackle amazing challenges and accomplish them?  Sometimes it’s for the money, sure.  And sometimes it is for the honor, glory or because its just the right thing to do.  But most of the time, at least part of the component is this question:  “Can I do it?” 

            Optimistically, I would like to say that we can do anything we put our minds up to do.  Determination is the probably the primary ingredient in accomplishing a goal.  Well.. there’s also courage, strength, patience, love and self-control.  Come to think of it, those ingredients are pretty much the fruits of the spirit. 

            It reminds me of the questions I was asked at my ordination.  “Can you ….?”  The appropriate response is always, “With God’s help. I can.”  That kind of works in all of life.

            hmmm…..

            

thoughts on the news of the day: daughters

  I know yesterday was Mother’s Day, but I thought this Facebook post from my daughter  was worth sharing, even if it is a day late:

“My favorite picture of you and I. That Easter we hardly had anything... But YOU made me the most beautiful Easter dress and basket and I never knew. A couple years later when we were snowed in and the one furnace we had in our small "house" in grandma's backyard barely worked, YOU took me out to build snowmen and made me think it was cool to heat my mittens up in the microwave. When our car got stolen and all my dolls were taken YOU got us that little for escort from Aunt Bev with no ac or radio and created my love for driving with the windows down and music blaring. Of course we used a boom box but I didn't care because YOU put the seat down in the back and made me a "room" in the car. Which I was positive no one else had. YOU taught me that great fashion can be found anywhere. I loved goodwill because I knew my $5 could get me a whole outfit but will never forget the, "we don't buy underwear here speech." My point is... Mom you raised me on nothing and I never knew. It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized most of my childhood you made less than I did right out of college. I have no idea how you did it with such grace, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. These sacrifices were made so that together we could go to seminary and then soon share our talents with the world. I am resourceful because of you. I am a survivor because of you. I know I can do anything because of you and I know love because of you. This was not meant to be sad. It was meant to be a testament to where we came from and where we are now. We did it together, just you and me against the world. Best friends forever. I wouldn't change a thing. I love you momma!

thoughts on the news of the day: teachers

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            I was talking to a member of our church the other day who had been a teacher before he retired 20 or so years ago.  He mentioned the fact that when he still lived in the town where he taught, grown men and women would come up to him and introduce themselves as someone he had taught over his career.  The students always seemed surprised that he didn’t remember their names.  No telling how many kids had come to his classroom over the years, but while he didn’t remember their names, they always remembered his. 

            Isn’t that the way it is?  I remember several of my teachers in school.  One was the bane of our existence.  Her name was Sister Amata (really, I’m not kidding).  She was a little bit smart, a little bit senile, and a little bit mean.  We gave her fits, but we remembered her.  Then there was a teacher named Sister Victima (not kidding again.)  She was the nice Sister.  She loved us and we knew it.  One day she gave me a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary because I was the best behaved kid that afternoon.  I cherished it for a long, long time.  If they are still alive, I am sure they wouldn’t remember my name, but I will always remember theirs.

            Teachers have a huge impact on our lives.  There is probably not a person in our country today who doesn’t remember at least one teacher who had a positive impact on their life.  We seem to take them for granted.  Wonder why?

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: prom

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            There’s an article today on the internet about a teenage girl who made a prom dress out of Starburst candy wrappers.  In the photo, the young lady looked fabulous and the young man with her looked very happy and even proud.  Other photos of unusual prom attire were included in the article: dresses made out of duct tape, monkey sock dolls, newspapers and even plastic, clear bubble wrap.  What fun to be inventive and creative on a special night when most prom attenders are dolled up in sparkly dresses that cost hundreds of dollars!  Although, I have to admit that a dress made out of 1800 candy wrappers would not be cheap either.

            I remember my first prom dress from  a long time ago. Since I was a budding fashion designer at the time, I thought my original white linen, black polka-dotted ball gown was quite creative.  The photo of me in my dress with the red carnation corsage and my date in his black tuxedo, red carnation boutonniere,  and carrot orange hair (natural) is probably still in an old scrapbook somewhere in my garage.

            Anything goes these days.  The queen of the unusual attire is probably Lady Gaga.  I mean anyone who would wear a dress made out of meat has to be a little on the creative and inventive side—or else maybe just a little bit crazy.

            I am glad that kids are stepping out today to make a statement that prom dresses or any dresses for that matter, don’t have to be in a certain mold or a certain style.   Creativity can be fun -- unless the dress you are wearing belongs in a freezer. 

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: where the wild things are

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            We have lost some significant children’s book authors this year.  First, Dr. Seuss and now, Maurice Sendack, a prolific writer who is most well-known for his best selling book, “Where the Wild Things Are”.  Sendack passed away yesterday in Connecticut at the age of 83. 

            To me, the most amazing thing about both of these authors is their ability as artists to visually entice us.  They were able to picture the characters in the stories and then create a message for both children and adults in their works. These are the books parents don’t mind reading to their children because they are so inventive.

            I wonder what will happen to the children’s book industry as digital reading becomes more and more popular.  It has been an easy adjustment for me to go from paper to my kindle; easier than I thought it would be.  Most folks think they will miss holding a book in their hand and I did, too.  But I found that holding a kindle is about the same; plus the screen is illuminated, so there is no problem reading in dim light.

            But what about those classic children’s picture books?  Tasha Tudor’s soft watercolors could never be reproduced on plastic.  Probably, “Cat in the Hat” and “Where the Wild Things Grow” are out in electronic versions … but is the quality and the texture well-reproduced on the lighted screen?

            Myself, I have a collection of children’s books.  I have gotten rid of a lot of my fiction and non-fiction paperbacks but the children’s books will remain. I want my grandchildren to know what The Little Prince really looked like in Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s classic.  On a lighted screen, it just wouldn’t be the same.

            hmmm…..

hmmm.....: thoughts on the news of the day: employment

hmmm.....: thoughts on the news of the day: employment: hmmm…..             A friend of mine recently went back to work for a call center.  For those of you who don’t know what a “call cente...

thoughts on the news of the day: employment

hmmm…..

            A friend of mine recently went back to work for a call center.  For those of you who don’t know what a “call center” is, it is the place where the live person works that you eventually get to when you call a large company with a problem or question. Its not really that great a job.  You sit in a cubicle for most of the day and deal with the problems of folks who aren’t really in that great a mood.  My friend  is over 50, had been downsized at his old company, and had looked for work for a year and a half while his unemployment pay was in effect.  Hoping for a better job, he kept looking in spite of the fact that in this economy, there are few jobs to be found.

            I think he is glad to be working again.  Being around people, feeling productive and having a paycheck are all nice things to have after a long time of hiatus.  There is a lot to be said about honest work done on a regular basis.  It’s easy to take our jobs for granted.  It is easy to think that the pay is too low or the boss is unreasonable or the hours are too long. But really, in this economy, we are lucky to have jobs at all.  It is one of the gratitudes we can count. 

            If you are feeling grumpy this morning because you have to go to work, try gratitude for work to do and a place to go.  

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: blog

hmmm…..

            I haven’t written my blog very consistently for a while.  Maybe you have noticed … maybe not.  It’s funny how something that has become such a habit falls by the wayside so easily.  I miss writing it every morning and was not even sure why I had stopped.  Was it just laziness?  Was the thrill of seeing my writing in print and available for others to read gone?  Was I just out of the habit? 

            It was probably a combination of all three of these things, plus a little more thrown in.  But if I look closer, there is usually an underlying cause for a change in my habits.  It takes some self examination, but if I am intentional about it, I can eventually find the culprit for the new variation to my routine.

            In this case, it didn’t take all that long.  It began with an awareness that my outlook was becoming more cynical and negative.  My point of view was deteriorating toward what was wrong with a person, place or thing.  It spilled over into my writing.  My blog was no longer hopeful, creative, imaginative or winsome.  For me, at times, it almost felt sinister.  Really.

            But I got over it.  Well … not completely, but I am working on it.  All it takes is catching myself in the act of being negative and changing it as quickly as possible.  Wish all my bad habits were that easily broken!  I hope to get back on board with my daily blog.   I miss the creative energy that comes in crafting thoughts into words.  Writing is a great way to start the day; and a positive attitude never hurts.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: tell me a story

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            You may not think this is true, but we want to hear your story.  You say you don’t have a story?  I seriously doubt it.  Everyone has a story.  It could be argued that the story is not worth telling, but that is debatable.  And it is also up to the listener and not the teller to determine whether the story is valuable or not.

            Can you tell your story?  It’s a little intimidating, isn’t it?  You have to think about what it is you want to say in the first place.  How much would you want to disclose?  Would it hurt someone else’s feelings if you spoke your truth?   Recently I began to collect the stories of my congregation.  My folks are at the late dates of their lives.  If the stories are to be collected, now is the time.  We have fascinating stories in our congregation.  Fighter pilots flew the skies during World War II.  One woman gazed from the top floor of a building as Japanese planes flew over her head on their way to bomb Pearl Harbor.  Not everyone’s stories are so dramatic but they are worth the telling all the same.

            So what about you?  What are you willing to share with us?  Tell us about the birth of your first child … your wedding day… or the time that you first knew that your friend was your “best”.  Is there a first real accomplishment?  A first failure?

            You may not think you have a story; but you do.  You were born, you grew up, things happened.  And we want to hear about them ... really…. We do.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: the good ole days

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            Simulacra …. It’s a word you can wrap your tongue around.  Simulacra … not exactly Similac, that word that names the nasty formula babies are fed.  Simulacra is not exactly Lycra.  That’s the stuff that makes us well…. less fluffy.

            Simulacrum, the word, was first used in the 16^th century. It meant likeness or representation – like the likeness of a god in statuary or other medium.  Philosophically it has come to mean a distortion to intentionally make a copy appear correct to viewers.  So, the idea from there is that in remembering “the good old days” we distort how they really were.  We perform simulacra. We do this a lot, especially as we get older. 

            We long for something that probably is more legend or myth.  We have this idea that people used to sit on their front porches every evening; when in reality, most folks were still doing dishes or folding laundry or taking their evening bath so they could get up at the crack of dawn the next day, bone tired, to go to the work they did to make a living for their family. 

            We do that with technology.  We long for the good old days when families used to gather around the dinner table and have conversation together.  Really?  Is that what really happened? Or was it more like adults sparing in debate over their close minded opinions and children being “seen but not heard.”

            OK, so I know I am being a little harsh here.  There are many good things to remember about days gone by. And there are things we wish we had now that we don’t.  But next time you say “I remember when,” think about it.  Is it the way it really was, or is it the way you wish it always was; the way you wish it is now …

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: the sanctity of life

hmmm…..      

I love my dog, I really do … she is precious to me.  I take her to doggie day care so that she can socialize with other dogs her size and so she can get some exercise.  She eats premium dog food, and gets her shots whenever they are needed.  I even took her for observation at the vets one time when she had eaten some plastic and threw up.

            But where do we draw the line? I believe in the sanctity of life, but life saving measures for pets are getting weirder and weirder.  I read an article about a man who paid over $25,000 for his dog to have cancer treatments and surgery.  The dog was 10 years old and this was supposed to put the cancer in remission.  It did, but 9 months later the dog died of liver cancer.

            When I was in seminary, one of my classmates was there on scholarship with very little extra income to make her way through.  We helped her by feeding her, letting her borrow our washing machines to do laundry and stuff like that.  Actually, she was a little strange.  One day she found this cat in the street that had been run over by a car.  She asked me to take her and the cat to the vet.  We waited while the vet looked at the cat and then told her that the cat had major injuries that would require surgery and it was best to just put it to sleep.  But my classmate opted to pay $700 of her scholarship money for the cat’s care.

            I’m not saying it was not compassionate of her to take care of the cat, but to me, the decision was not the most prudent.  I love animals, I really do.  I can’t stand to see them abused and I believe that if you own an animal it is imperative that you take care of it properly.  But what does “properly” mean? 

            I wish I could sit at Jesus’ feet and ask him that question.  I know Jesus loves animals, but he loves us, too.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: lottery

hmmm…..

            Three people, one from Kansas, one from Maryland and one from Illinois will share in the winnings from the Mega Millions lottery.  The jackpot reached $640 million, with each ticket earning about $213 million before taxes.

            Lots of folks claim that they will give some of their winnings to charity.  They pick churches, non-profit agencies and sometimes their alma mater.  Sometimes they give, sometimes they don’t.  I bet that you were saying that same thing:  “If I won the lottery, I would give some of the winnings to (fill in the blank).   We would all like to think that we are generous, especially when it doesn’t really cost us anything; especially when we weren’t expecting a huge windfall; especially when everyone is watching.

            Sure, we could wait until the unlikely day when we come into a huge parcel of income, maybe it’s the lottery, or a company bonus, or an inheritance.  But I say, why wait?  Why wait until that undetermined, unlikely day when you are suddenly enormously rich?  We can give now.  It doesn’t have to be big to count.  Scripture says, “God loves a cheerful giver” not “God loves a big giver.”

            A friend once told me about how she grew up in a financially challenged family … they were poor.  When she was young, she once told her Mom, “I wish we were rich.”  And her Mom replied, “We are rich, we just don’t have a lot of money.”  Their family shared what they had, and were blessed tenfold for it.  And my friend came to know that is what “rich” really means.

            hmmm…..

           

thoughts on the news of the day: me, myself and I

hmmm…..

“Healthy at 100” is the name of a book by John Robbins.  Featured in an article in the New York Times yesterday, the book was actually written in 2006.  It cites research done in 1983 by a psychologist at Baylor University named Larry Scherwitz.  He taped conversations by approximately 600 men, with a third of them having heart disease.  In an interesting research twist, Dr. Scherwitz documented how often the men used first person pronouns like I, me, and mine.  The research revealed that those who spoke in the “I” mode were generally the most likely to have heart disease, and even more interesting, when these same men were followed for several years, they were the most likely to suffer heart attacks.

The conclusion would be that thinking of others before thinking about yourself will keep you healthier and help you to live longer.  This is a sermon that doesn’t need to be preached in my congregation.  We have a 90+ year old who regularly volunteers at our local hospital; she was at the hospital five days last week assisting staff who needed her.  Oh, and that’s in addition to volunteering at the Chamber of Commerce. 

So, for the rest of us, if you want to live longer, by all means, eat right, exercise and get regular check-ups.  But don’t forget to think about someone else, at least for a little while each day.  Add that to your regular routine.  Mr. Robbins and Dr. Scherwitz say it won’t hurt; in fact, it might keep you healthy a lot longer.

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thoughts on the news of the day: ahhhh

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Ahhhh….. remember the good old days?  Those days when you could open up your internet server and read without being bombarded by ads.  Seems like now whenever I log on, I am invited to a picture that encourages me to go to a news article.  Turns out that now when I try to do just that, the page offers me a video to watch which invariably has an advertisement that I am forced to view before the video begins.  First of all, I wanted to casually peruse the article, I didn’t want to be forced to receive the information in the order that the videographer insists.  Second, I really don’t want to have to wait for inane advertising prior to obtaining the information.  After all, that’s why I go to the internet for my news anyway; online, it used to be that I wasn’t forced to wait through advertising of products I didn’t need or care about. 

I wonder if we will eventually have a PBS of web sites.  Places you could go to where there wasn’t any advertising.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind ads on the side of my email box, especially because I get my email for free, so it seems only right.  Television viewers have somewhat solved the commercial advertising problem.  Recording and fast forwarding take care of that dilemma.  

My opinion is that commercial websites are missing the boat … and that it will backfire soon.  Guess we’ll see.  You know, I had been considering adding advertising to this blog …. But I think I will resist just a little bit longer …. wow, does that mean I’m out of touch?

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thoughts on the news of the day: angels

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When I was growing up, the common belief in my faith community was that everyone had an individual guardian angel assigned to them.  I was so enamored with this idea that I named my guardian angel …. kind of like you would name a doll or a puppy dog.  The angel was responsible for keeping us safe and out of harm’s way.  This was especially comforting to us as we were learning how to crawl under our desks when the sirens might blare informing us of a nuclear attack by the Russians.  They never did.

As I matured in my faith, I began to question that particular stance.  I had some questions.  Do I worship the angel or do I pledge my faith to Jesus?  How is it possible that there would be enough angels to go around?  What about when you died, did you become a guardian angel?  Was your angel reassigned?  I heard people say, when they lost a loved one, “Another angel has earned her wings.”  How did all that work?

Don’t get me wrong, its not that I don’t believe in angels … I do.  They are clearly present in the Bible. I have heard far more angel stories from friends, acquaintances and church members than to doubt their existence.  I am just not sure how the whole angel thing works.   Besides, I like the idea of angels being messengers sent from above to pass along truths that we have forgotten.  Things like God loves us, God watches over us and God protects us. 

Like most faithful believers, I am not sure what that means when bad things happen.  Painful events make us doubt.  But that is when we need God most … to comfort us and strengthen us and help us through the hard times.  I like to think that what’s important is that God knows my name;  and that all of heaven rejoices when I call God’s name.

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thoughts on the news of the day: jim's blog

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Check out my friend, Jim Freeman's blog for March 17th (tomorrow)!  I enjoyed being his "guest blogger"....
you can find him at:
       http://dailylectionaryreadings.blogspot.com/

PS Happy St. Patrick's Day!
        hmmm.....

thoughts on the news of the day: THE

hmmm…..

            We have a church in our community who has named itself “THE CHURCH”.  I am not sure whether to laugh, cry, be insulted or be angry! 

            Our little community is filled with churches.  Someone told me that there are 128 churches in our town of 12,000.  I am not sure if that is an accurate count; but if it is, that’s a lot of churches!  To me that means that there are many different ways that people want and need to worship, to fellowship and to serve.  In our church we try to be open to the idea that even if we are in different locations on Sunday mornings, all of us who practice the Christian faith are striving as best we can to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, our Servant Savior. 

            Maybe at times we don’t do so well.  Maybe at times we compare ourselves to the “bigger” church down the street.  Maybe sometimes we even try to compete.  Yes, we do those things.  But our churches also serve together at the Christian Clinic, the Food Basket and the Center of Hope.  We don’t claim to be the one and only, we just claim to try and love our community and Jesus Christ.

            There is too much divisiveness in our country right now to carry it over to irresponsible claims to be THE one and only of just about anything.  Well… maybe Coca Cola can claim that, but it is just full of fizz and not much else anyway!  Hopefully, THE CHURCH will fizzle, at least in name, and we can all get back to serving God’s church together.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: here we go ....

March 10, 2012

hmmm…..

            So, Ladies, is “Fifty Shades of Grey” on your nightstand?  You will probably not be surprised to know that it is not on mine.  The book is an up and coming best seller that has been called “mommy porn.”  Apparently it is filled with all sorts of deviant behavior and violence.  In addition to that, it is said to contain extremely disrespectful behavior toward women.  Yuck!  A major bookseller recently acquired rights to the book, whose popularity apparently had spread by reader reviews on the internet. 

            While I happen to disdain these kinds of books, I, on the other hand, think that GCB – the new network series on ABC is hilarious!  Yes, it does have a few suggestive (and funny) moments and the actresses do sometimes wear rather bawdy outfits.  But, if you have ever lived in a place like Highland Park, a Dallas, TX township, you would understand that the show nails that big-hair, gossipy kind of semi-uniqueness in a parody that never implies that all female Dallasites behave that way …. well … not all of them, all the time.  Some of my guy friends think the show is demeaning to women but I disagree … it’s supposed to be funny—and it is.

            Rush Limbaugh has made some really crude remarks about women lately.  Most people, including a few advertisers of the show seem to think that the statements were way over the top.  Interestingly, there are a few (mostly men) supporters who think that Rush is right.

            I am not sure where it all ends.  But I am sure of one thing.  Who knows how or why it happened, but women do have a power today that never before in history have we had.  We can wield it respectfully and thoughtfully and therefore improve and change the world. Or not … it’s our choice …

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: dog days

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            Age seems to be the topic of articles on the web today.  I noticed one on the ages of dogs and cats.  We usually think that you can determine a dog’s age by multiplying the animal’s chronological age by seven.  So, if your doggie is three by human years, then it is twenty-one by dog years.  There is a new theory that suggests that using the traditional formula is not really accurate.  For example, a puppy quickly matures the first two years of life – after one year, it’s usually twelve dog years and by age two, the age increases to twenty-four years old.  The new premise is that dogs are likely to have babies even at one year old and on up to as old as age ten.  So, the math doesn’t really add up.  If the traditional formula is used that would mean that dogs could have babies from seven years old to as old as seventy.  Not a likely scenario with humans.

            On to cats …. A really cool “cat” is Dick Van Dyke.   You might remember him as the dancing chimney sweep in “Mary Poppins”.  Well, he just got married at eighty-six; that’s in human years, not dog years.  His bride is a blushing forty years old.    It gets better.  They got married on February 29.  Does that mean that in four years they will only be celebrating their one year anniversary?

            I like Satchel Pages comments on age: “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?”  And even better: “Age is a case of mind over matter, if you don’t mind, it don’t matter.”  Most dogs and most aging chimney sweeps would probably agree with that.

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thoughts on the news of the day: march forth

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            Several good friends have birthdays today, so I thought it might be fun to see if there were any significant holidays on March 5.  Significant?  I am not sure about this one … but just so you know, today is “Multiple Personality Day”.  I think the web site announcing this might be pulling our leg …. Ya think?

            Some clever holidays are celebrated this month.  Days like: Dentist Day, (tomorrow); National Popcorn Lovers Day (March 8) and March 13, National Ear Muff Day.  There are actually some real holidays in March.  St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) comes to mind; then there is the Jewish holiday of Purim which will be celebrated on March 8 this year.  The Ides of March is on the 15^th and a favorite of my childhood days was Girl Scout Day which occurs on March 12.

            One of my best buddies of my childhood has her birthday today.  It always began what would usually prove to be a great month.  We were selling Girl Scout cookies and then celebrated our accomplishments at a party held close to our Girl Scout’s birthday.  Right around the corner was the day of green.  We always wore it on March 17 … lest we get pinched to death!  The best part of the month would be when Easter came early and crowned the end of March.  I’m talking Easter dresses and Easter hats and Easter baskets --  a virtual second Christmas for my best friend and both our families. 

            And by the way, don’t forget to celebrate March 30 –Take A Walk in the Park Day – you can MARCH onward and into April Fools Day … ha!

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thoughts on the news of the day: dr seuss

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                I am a pretty big fan of Theodor Seuss  Geisel.  You probably know him as Dr. Seuss.  Today, March 2, is his birthday, or was his birthday.  He was born in 1904 but died in 1991.  Over his life, he wrote 60 different books, many of which you are no doubt familiar.  Books like, “A Cat in the Hat” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” 

                When I was pastoring a church in south Texas, we had a mission project which involved providing school clothes for kids whose parents didn’t have money to buy them.  In conjunction with this project, a young Girl Scout decided to try and provide a book for each child that visited our church for clothing.  She brought boxes and boxes of books she had collected for her project.  When we had completed the distribution of clothing and books, several boxes of books remained.  We debated what to do with them.  Should we put them in our church library?  Or give them to the local library?  We seriously doubted that anyone would want them; they were tattered and torn and didn’t look particularly appealing to most kids.  But I opened up one of the remaining boxes and delighted in a carefully stacked assortment of Dr. Seuss books in near perfect condition.  We were stunned that anyone would so carelessly toss such a fine collection.             

                After making a reasonable donation to the kids clothing project for the books, I carefully carted the Dr. Seuss classics back to my pastor’s study.  I loved sharing them with kids who visited my office.   Most of the popular ones are gone now, given to young readers.  But I don’t regret that they are not in my bookcase anymore.  After all, it was Dr. Seuss who wrote, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

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thoughts on the news of the day: sign up

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            Yes, it’s a picky detail, but you have to sign up.  Scott Downward found that out the hard way.  He won the Cowtown Marathon this past weekend.  Or, maybe not.  Scott ran the fastest finish of the 9,000 competitors in the race; but he had failed to register for the event .  He ran on a friend’s bib who had signed up for the race but was unable to run in it.  Unfortunately the judges caught the error and took away Scott’s victory. 

            Yes, for many things in life, you have to sign up.  Our parents had to sign us up for kindergarten.  We had to sign up to play on the baseball or softball team.  The Department of Public Safety  requires us to sign up for our driver’s license.  And then there is that detail with a marriage license.  To vote requires a sign up.  Our own children need a sign-up for their social  security numbers shortly after they are born.

            Some people say that all you have to do is “suit up and show up” for life.  You just arrive and life happens.  That might be true.  But there is lots to be said for mentally signing in each morning.  That would be something like waking up and saying, “Good Morning God! What do you have for me to do today?”  Signing up with God when you arise has its merits.  It says that you are willing to let God be in control of your words and deeds.  It says that for today, whatever happens, God will be there to protect, guide and guard you.  And when you sign up for God’s daily marathon, you win, no matter what.

            hmmm…..

            

thoughts on the news of the day: leap year

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            What “would ya, could ya, should ya” do if you had an extra day in your life?  Would you take the day off and go for a picnic or a bike ride?  Would you finish up that project at work?  Would you play with your kids?  Visit your grandma?  Clean out the closet?

            Well, guess what?  This year you do.  We have one more day this February in  a year commonly called Leap Year.  It happens every four years in order to syncronize our calendar with the astronomical or seasonal year.   This keeps the calendar from drifting through the seasons too rapidly.  In the Hebrew calendar, a month is added seven times every 19 years. Wow! a whole month would really be nice – think of the vacations you could take!!

            When I was growing up, the big question was how old would you be if your birthday only came every four years?  When everyone else was 16, would you only be 4?  And …. Would you still get birthday presents, even though, technically, you didn’t have a birthday?  I have personally never know anyone born on February 29.  One of my friends came close – she was born on February 28 in a leap year.  She was always kind of grateful that she didn’t have strange birthdays to deal with. 

            I guess I should say here that we should all do something special, something we wouldn’t ordinarily do on this special extra day.  I could … but I won’t.  That is way too obvious.  Instead, let’s just be grateful for every day … every day when we can enjoy our family, be grateful for employment, food and shelter … not just one day every four years … but every day.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: connect

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            There are several stories today on the internet about people who have used facebook to deal with issues in their life.  One young Taylor Swift fan is battling leukemia so his sister got on facebook and was able to connect with Taylor  (or Taylor’s staff).  Taylor invited him to be her date for an award show early next month.  Another man, grieving the loss of his mother decided to post a facebook memorial page.  This page featured photos of his mother from throughout her life and has garnered numerous reaponses from friends all over the country.  We have heard of several facebook protest petitions against large corporations who try to add surcharges to client’s  bills.  They have been sucessful in preventing big business from taking advantage of customers. 

It is interesting to me how much facebook has become the opportunity to connect in healing, positive ways.  Oh sure, its easy to bemoan it as superficial, and an escape from real communication.  But in so many ways, it connects us.  I got in touch with a friend in the Houston area that I hadn’t heard from in years.  It was great to be in communication with her and it was good to be able to hear on a day to day basis about the recovery of her daughter from a life threatening seizure.  The best part was being able to pray with and for her. 

Yes, there are other ways to be in touch.  There is email, telephone, and even face to face conversation.   Why debate which is best?  Can it ever be bad to just say hello?  Today, I am grateful for all the ways my global family connects.  And …. I hope …. you stay connected with me ….

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thoughts on the news of the day: academy awards

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            The Academy Awards are this Sunday and I, along with millions of others, plan to watch them.  I like to see what the stars are wearing and my second favorite thing about them are the acceptance speeches.  Usually it is a laundry list of people they owe – agents, managers, producers, directors and so on.  Ocassionally they thank God and/or their parents but not necessarily in that order.

            There are a few memorable acceptance speeches in Oscar history.  Most of the speeches are forgotten, many times along with the actor, the role, and the movie.  But there is one that sticks in my mind.  It is Sally Fields’ acceptance speech for the best actress role in “Places of the Heart”.  You probably remember her saying, “You like me, you really like me!”.  If you didn’t see it the first time, you have probably seen it mocked by comedians, late night talk show hosts and even Academy Award presenters. 

            We all need to be recognized for our hard work and our talents.  We want to be found out.  We want to be liked …. really liked.  We want people to know that we are good or even the best at something we do.  I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.  Affirmation is good.  Accepting others acceptance of your talents and abilites feels good and, well, is good.

            So next time you see someone do or say something really good, tell them so.  Let them know that someone in this big ole world noticed them.  It might make their day.  It might make yours.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: control

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            I’m trying to think about what I think about the news today.  A 9-year old girl in Alabama was forced to run for three hours and tragically sucumbed from the punishment her grandmother and stepmother meted upon her.  In another news item, eleven children were confined to a 10 by 10 darkened bedroom in Texas and three of those children were tethered to their beds.  Moms out of control.

            Presidential candidate Rick Santorum has made all sort of claims on the rights of women.  He seems to be promoting all sorts of restrictions on a women’s freedom to control her body and therefore affect the birth (or non-birth) of babies.  The state of Virginia is debating the plausability of forcing women to have an ultra sound examination prior to aborting their babies.

            It’s a tangled mess.  Some mothers probably don’t need to have children; they sometimes abuse them and cause them great pain and even death.  On the other hand, I wonder if women are ever coerced to believe that the best choice for all concerned is to abort their baby.  Probably. 

            In all of the examples mentioned above, it is a case of someone trying to control the life of another.   Who has that right and when?  I choose not to have the power to control another person; I try to leave that up to God.  Let’s face it, in the end, God has the power to control anyway.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: blossoms

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            You might have seen the news about a seed that Russian scientists found in the Artic tundra. This seed had been buried for around 32,000 years and was recently germinated and grown to become a lovely plant with delicate white blossoms.  It is the oldest plant by far to ever have been grown from an ancient seed and it is beautiful.

            I wonder what I would look like in 32,000 years.  When I look at pictures of myself from my childhood, I see a resemblance; but I wonder if other people do.   How different would I look in 100 years? 320 years?  32,000 years?

            In our church, we have an aging congregation.  There are many members who are over 90 years old.  They are lovely, graceful and still full of playful life.  Occasionally (mostly at their funerals) I get to see photographs of them in their youth.  There are wedding photos, pictures of men in their military uniforms and sometimes, early family photos of them with their young siblings.  I rarely recognized them as their former selves.

            What is so charming about seeing old phtographs, though, is the story that is told by the features that remain.  Often it is bright eyes.  There are several women in our congregation who still have their sparkling, stunning blue eyes.  It is no surprize to me why their husbands fell for them.  Most men had much more hair in their younger years and this changes their appearance greatly.  But often the way they carry themselves or hold their head at a certain angle identifies them clearly.

            I wonder how we look in God’s eyes.  Does God see the wrinkles, the bald heads, the gray hair? Probably not; I mean after all, we will always be his children.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: avalanche

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            I have been buried under an avalanche of work lately.  It seems like sermons and funerals, Bible studies and hospital visits, presbytery meetings, not to mention a Doctor of Ministry project have nearly buried me alive.  I bet you have been there.  Like a huge snow pack roaring down a mountainside, the pressure to catch up and stay on top of things is almost life threatening.

            This winter, experienced skiers, trained to survive avalanches, have been buried under by them.  In the United States something like 17 skiers have been killed this season when avalanches overtook them.  Four died last weekend in two separate avalanches and many more barely made it out with their lives intact.  These are not amateurs accidently caught up in an unpredicted force of nature.  These are highly trained professional skiers who are tempted by the thrill of trying to beat the mighty snow masses down the mountain side. 

            I am not sure how to avoid these avalanches.  We all run into them from time to time.  An avalanche of work, or laundry or bills pilling up.  Sometimes we can control the enormity of the mass, but sometimes not.  Probably the skiers caught in the icy landslide said a lot of prayers as they tumbled down the slope.  They rightly feared for their life.  Maybe we can pray, too, as we try to survive the avalanches in our lives.  We can ask for help to stay on top of the onslaught and pray for guidance to navigate out of it.  And hopefully we will survive.

            hmmm…..

            

thoughts on the news of the day: love songs

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            A good question to ask on Valentine’s Day is:  What is your favorite love song?  I’m not talking about break-up love songs like “Someone Like You”  by Adele.  I am thinking more of classic songs – the ones you think of as “old school” but somehow have endured the test of time.

            What are the ones you still hear … in jewelry commercials and when you are hanging out in the dentist’s office?  Stevie Wonder’s got a couple:  “I Just Called to Say I Love You” and “You are the Sunshine of My Life”.  Then there is one that especially comes to mind as we remember Whitney Houston’s musical career:  “I Will Always Love You”.  That song was actually written by Dolly Parton, who does a not half bad rendition of the song herself.

            Willie Nelson’s ‘You Were Always on my Mind” qualifies as a love song, although, given the lyrics, I wouldn’t want to be loved by someone who just thought about me, but took no action.  There’s two classics that are hard to forget:  "Are You Lonely Tonight” and “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley. 

            “You Are So Beautiful”  was first sung by Joe Cocker but my favorite version is by a Texas Hill country artist: Stoney Larue.  You can find it on you-tube or probably iTunes.

            I am guessing that you have your own favorites, just depending on the generation you come from … but no matter what you favorite, share it with your sweetie today – guaranteed they will love it!

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thoughts on the news of the day: whitney houston

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            “So good-bye …” Whitney Houston sang those words in the song, “I Will Always Love You” at the Grammy’s in 1993.  She waved her hand as she sang it as if it was a premonition of things to come.  It was a stunning performance and crowned her as Top Diva, if she wasn’t that already.  And now Whitney Houston is gone.  Early reports say drugs and alcohol took her away from us.  When you watch her sing on the videos recorded when she was at the top of her game, she seems so full life; she looks as if nothing could ever bring her down.  But it did. 

            I don’t know about you, but I have missed Whitney.  I missed her a long time before her death.  Tragically, while claiming on an interview that “crack is whack”; she found out that crack as well as many other illegal drugs are powerful and menacing even to those who seem to be bigger than life itself.  Whitney tried many times to make a come back.  I believe that she truly wanted to kick her habit; I have to believe that, otherwise drugs and the evil they bring wins.

            But Whitney lives on.  Her music will always inspire us.  We can always watch her sing her stunning version of “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl.  Her Grammy performance of “I Will Always Love You” is available on video any time we want to see it. 

And, Whitney, we will always love you!

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thoughts on the news of the day: mardi gras

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            Mardi Gras would probably not be nearly as popular – or as much fun if it was called “Fat Tuesday” which is what it means in French.  You probably don’t need this mini church history lesson, but long ago, on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday all of the sugar, butter and spices were taken out of kitchens and used to make cakes, pancakes and other goodies.  The idea was that all of the things that could not be eaten during Lent were finished up the day before Lent, so as not to waste them.  “Fat Tuesday” came the day before “Ash Wednesday”.

            Today, Mardi Gras is all about parties, parades and celebration; plus a few things we won’t go into right now.  It occurred to me that it is interesting that two of the main locations of Mardi Gras, New Orleans, Louisiana and Galveston, Texas have been hit by massive hurricanes in the fairly recent years.  I guess if you were wont to say so, there might be a case for the Almighty to be punishing the celebrators for their misbehavior in much the same way that he punished many Old Testament tribes and peoples.

            I actually do not hold to that theory.  To me, it is just too simple.  I don’t think the Divine Creator works that way.  If that were the case, then we would all be washed away into the salty brink.  None of us escapes sin.  We are all guilty of some misdemeanor or shortcoming and to single out one group or location just doesn’t work. 

            Celebration is good; it only goes south when we get carried away … so to speak ….

            hmmm…..

             

thoughts on the news of the day: purity

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            Dogs drink out of toilet bowls, right?  But it would be unheard of for a human being to drink out of one, agreed?    Well, southern California has completely destroyed that particular concept.  Through a series of purification and reclaiming processes, wastewater is now being used for other things besides well, wastewater.

            Actually, this is not a new concept; it is just new to be accepted by American consumers.  When you think about it, the dry and arid areas of California and Nevada would never have been developed without some kind of irrigation.  Sure, wastewater was used for this, but for drinking water? No way.  The thing is though; California is running out of water.  More and more, water is becoming scarce, especially clean drinking water.  Something had to be done.  So, scientists have developed ways to make wastewater safe to drink again.

            Purity; we all want it.  We want it in our water, and we want it in a myriad of other places, too.   One of our favored expressions in the Presbyterian Church is that we protect the peace, unity and purity of our faith.   But we have a hard time making it crystal clear what we actually mean by purity.

            Seems to me, if we think about what we want in terms of purity for our drinking water, we can easily determine what it is that purity means in our lives.  First of all, pure water means water that is free of undesirable elements.  Pure water is clean and clear, without the cloudiness of dirt or scum.  Pure water is tasteful, cleansing and refreshing.

 Clean, clear, tasteful, cleansing and refreshing -- if we want to have purity in our lives, wouldn’t these things come first?

            hmmm…..

             

thoughts on the news of the day: soup

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            As I write this the Super Bowl is on national television. The Giants and the Patriots are pretty busy right now, but most of us who are watching the game are probably lying around, eating snacks and enjoying a warm cozy living room.  In a few short hours, there will be a winner and a loser and life will go on for all of us viewing the show.  I am guessing that for most of us, the game will not be more than a passing memory in a day or two. In a year when the next game is presented, we will probably not even remember this one.

            But something that is actually much more important happens on this day also.  Many years ago a tradition began to celebrate Super Bowl with a collection of money and/or soup cans for those who are hungry – those who might not even have a bowl of soup to eat today.  The tradition has grown and now expands to many days before and after the big event.  There is a national group that coordinates the “Souper Bowl” but it is very loosely organized.  They get the word out, but encourage those who contribute to give their money and soup to local organizations and agencies who can then distribute them to folks who are in need.

            I think it’s safe to say that for most of us, we have not much more than an emotional stake in the outcome of the game.  But for those who are hungry, a can of soup could mean a whole lot more.  Tomorrow won’t be too late to write a check to a food bank.  It won’t be too late to take a case of soup there.  You might not be on national television, but you will be a hero.

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thoughts on the news of the day: ground hog day revisitied

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            I wrote this email yesterday, but didn’t post it. What a difference a day makes.   

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            Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow.  That means six more weeks of winter ….maybe…… Phil, the infamous ground hog, is watched every year on February 2.  Legend has it that if the ground hog sees his shadow, then the cold will linger for six more weeks.  That’s the legend; however, Phil hardly ever gets it right.  He has seen his shadow way more times than not.  But sometimes it warms up early anyway.

            Isn’t it funny how we get things stuck in our head?  Things like, a ground hog actually knows something about the weather.  Or, that the Susan Komen Foundation will always put women first in its decisions.  There is a pretty big flurry right now about the fact that a foundation and organization that all of us have heard about and have supported in one way or another has arbitrarily decided to cut out funding for an agency that provides mammograms for women who are in most need of the assistance.  It makes me want to never buy anything pink ever again.

            Surely the Foundation will rethink this decision.  Surely they will see the error of their logic. The Susan Komen foundation does a lot of good for a lot of women – and even a few men.  But its demise could come quickly without some serious damage control.  Maybe the Board of the Susan Komen Foundation could get a clue from Punxsutawney Phil – take its head out of the sand and look around. 

            hmmm…..