But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
Joshua 24:15
Thanks be to God the election is over!
I have a confession to make. I hate politics. The Lord wired me as a policy wonk and though I try to pretend to care about politics, it is really only a means to policy implementation for me. Some people in this realm crave the crowds and enthusiasm of a political campaign and are bored by the legislation and policy discussions. Give me a stack of legislation to read and access to the legislative reference library and I am as happy as a basset hound chewing on a pig’s ear.
Having been the candidate in two campaigns myself, my response to the election this past Tuesday was the same as to my own – Thank God that’s over! In one of those elections I won the seat I was running for. Circumstances eventually made me regret the win on some days. In the other election I lost the seat I was running for. Circumstances soon made me rejoice the loss on most days.
So, how do I respond to the election of a candidate with whom I disagree on just about every level of every fundamental policy near and dear to my heart? After giving thanks that the process is over, the answer for Christians is easy. We are to pray for our leaders so that we may live a peaceable life (1Tim: 2:2).
My prayer before the election was that the Lord would have mercy on us as a nation. God always answers prayers. There is the “yes” answer where I see exactly what I asked for. The “no” answer where I see my will was not lined up with God’s will. And then, there is the “bet you didn’t know that what you asked for would look like this” answer.
I have the distinct impression I have received the last type of response. But it did not come as a complete surprise. Two weeks before the election the Lord prompted me to read Micah. As I wrote in my journal that day, “As I read through the book there was much on judgment and destruction and little on hope and mercy. It is the prophecy of a nation getting EXACTLY what it deserves for its sins.” But then the lord showed me a scripture to meditate over:
“But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my call and executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I shall behold deliverance.”
Our nation is suffering the consequences of its actions. Our core issues continue to be spiritual, not political. We should be on our faces before the Lord, regardless of who sits in the Oval Office.
So, suck it up. If you are grieving, get over it. If you are rejoicing, enjoy it in moderation. Either way, begin fervently to pray for our nation. Pray for godly wisdom and protection for our president-elect and his new administration. Pray about what you can do to help to heal the division in our nation between political parties and races. Pray the Lord will have mercy on us and deliver us.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
"The Call"
Do not be afraid of sudden panic, or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes; for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.
Proverbs 3:25-26
I’m back! Did you miss me? I realized this morning that since I last wrote the price of a gallon of gas has gone down at least a dollar, the weather has changed from summer to fall, and the headlines were dealing with the economic bailout, not the upcoming election. Wow! A lot can happen in a month.
Our family is dealing with the illness of my father-in-law. He has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung disease that progressively worsens over time. He was a heavy smoker for forty years and worked in a steel mill – both factors contributing to the severity of his condition. In addition to dealing with the disease, we are dealing with the complications of the treatments he has been given over time to lessen the symptoms. Heavy doses of steroids reduce inflammation in the airways. They also leech calcium out of the bones, resulting in extremely painful stress fractures in the spine. In the past six weeks, we have had calls notifying us of three trips to the emergency room, the last one a life flight call.
Each time he has rallied. Each time we have rejoiced that this was not “the call.” My mother-in-law entertains the idea that if we can move him to a better climate, if they can clear up the infections in his lungs, if they can adjust his medications, if they can . . . then he will get better. But, apart from a miracle from God, COPD is what it is. The outcome is determined; the timing is all we are waiting on.
And, so it is with our nation. We have fallen into the quagmire of socialism – with the consent of both political parties. As conservatives waged the war to prevent the spread of socialized medicine, they were unprepared to prevent the socialization of our banking system and auto manufacturing industries. In an attempt to not lose what we have, we have passed policies that will end in our losing our freedoms. Like steroid treatment for COPD, government intrusions into the markets leech economic freedom from our foundation. It is a temporary fix that will kill you.
Socialism is what it is. The outcome of socialism has been determined. It results in higher taxes, fewer choices and creates a disincentive to productivity. Allowing the philosophy to take its natural course will result in the end of those freedoms which make our country great. The timing is all we are waiting on. Will it happen on our watch?
Scripture promises that, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Notice it doesn’t specify whether the Lord needs a Republican or a Democrat in office to achieve His purpose - only His people on their knees.
Tomorrow is Election Day. The results matters. But, regardless of the outcome, do not assume that this is “the call.”
Lord, forgive us for engaging in politics when we should be on our faces in prayer. May our hope only be in You.
Proverbs 3:25-26
I’m back! Did you miss me? I realized this morning that since I last wrote the price of a gallon of gas has gone down at least a dollar, the weather has changed from summer to fall, and the headlines were dealing with the economic bailout, not the upcoming election. Wow! A lot can happen in a month.
Our family is dealing with the illness of my father-in-law. He has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung disease that progressively worsens over time. He was a heavy smoker for forty years and worked in a steel mill – both factors contributing to the severity of his condition. In addition to dealing with the disease, we are dealing with the complications of the treatments he has been given over time to lessen the symptoms. Heavy doses of steroids reduce inflammation in the airways. They also leech calcium out of the bones, resulting in extremely painful stress fractures in the spine. In the past six weeks, we have had calls notifying us of three trips to the emergency room, the last one a life flight call.
Each time he has rallied. Each time we have rejoiced that this was not “the call.” My mother-in-law entertains the idea that if we can move him to a better climate, if they can clear up the infections in his lungs, if they can adjust his medications, if they can . . . then he will get better. But, apart from a miracle from God, COPD is what it is. The outcome is determined; the timing is all we are waiting on.
And, so it is with our nation. We have fallen into the quagmire of socialism – with the consent of both political parties. As conservatives waged the war to prevent the spread of socialized medicine, they were unprepared to prevent the socialization of our banking system and auto manufacturing industries. In an attempt to not lose what we have, we have passed policies that will end in our losing our freedoms. Like steroid treatment for COPD, government intrusions into the markets leech economic freedom from our foundation. It is a temporary fix that will kill you.
Socialism is what it is. The outcome of socialism has been determined. It results in higher taxes, fewer choices and creates a disincentive to productivity. Allowing the philosophy to take its natural course will result in the end of those freedoms which make our country great. The timing is all we are waiting on. Will it happen on our watch?
Scripture promises that, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Notice it doesn’t specify whether the Lord needs a Republican or a Democrat in office to achieve His purpose - only His people on their knees.
Tomorrow is Election Day. The results matters. But, regardless of the outcome, do not assume that this is “the call.”
Lord, forgive us for engaging in politics when we should be on our faces in prayer. May our hope only be in You.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.
Proverbs 24:10
Continuing to read about the history of the banking crisis in 1933 . . .
Everyday the crisis was allowed to run meant the closing of more banks, the flight of more gold, the loss of more tens of millions and hundreds of millions in savings, in values, in business losses. But Hoover was powerless to do anything effective without the concurrence of the new President because he lacked powers to act alone and he would nave to get the powers from Congress, or at least an assurance that Congress would validate his assumption of powers. Roosevelt had no wish to stem the panic. The onrushing tide of disaster was sweeping the slate clean for him – at the cost of billions to investors and depositors. The greater the catastrophe in which Hoover went out of power the greater would be the acclaim when Roosevelt assumed power.[1]
It is rather sobering to watch the current events unfolding around us and to see the similarities to the crisis our nation faced in the 1930s. As a freedom-loving, anti-socialism preaching policy analyst, I have often pointed to that period as an historic turning point where the claws of socialism crept out of the swamp and got its first grip on our nation. I have never truly understood how a free people could stand by and allow such a thing to happen.
Now, watching current events and with a better understanding of people, policies and politics, I see history better in light of those circumstances and the future better in light of history. And honestly, I don’t think I like what I see.
Our markets are in a crisis brought on by politicians who wanted to give all things to all people; by consumers with a buy now / pay later mentality; and by a market that overlooked fraud and poor management in its willingness to pocket a profit off the foolishness of the first two groups. The result is ( as any cat owner can picture), we have coughed up one big, fat, slimy fur ball.
I could focus on the solutions. Do we bail out, do we not? Who benefits if we bail out? Who loses? Is it a political ploy to shift the election? If so, by whom? What are the consequences if government fails to act? But, truth be told, I am lacking in mercy and inclined to believe that government gets what it subsidizes. I cannot see any path to solve the problem that does not lead more into socialism and loss of freedom for Americans.
BUT, it is safe and easy to say that sitting in my office where all I have to offer is an opinion. I thank God I am not in the position of offering an opinion on the record as to what action an elected official should take. Interestingly enough, the most important thing that we need at this time is a perception of security at the national level. We need to feel secure in our homes, our economy, and our health. But, security is just that – a perception. In reality we are secure only in our relationship with our Lord and Savior. Everything else is up for grabs.
Our leaders understand that in a way we cannot. One of the primary roles of a president (or elected officials) is to remain calm and champion a solution to such situations. Failure to do so will result in the public losing all faith in our nation’s economy and leadership, resulting in a stampede of fickle followers to the safety of the first person who will promise them prosperity. That’s how you get socialism and communism and dictators – when people perceive that anything would be better than what we currently have.
Today, I pray for our leaders - for our President and his advisors; for the leaders of both parties; and for the leaders in the business realm that they will not faint during this time of adversity. I pray that they will come together for the good of the country and craft a solution for our current economic troubles that will serve the nation and the world well. And, I pray for the people of this country, that they will recognize that the government we have is the one we have chosen. That these situations will continue as long as they believe that government “owes” them something they should be responsible for getting on their own. Finally, I pray for justice for those who have manipulated the politics or the economics of this situation at the expense of the security of their neighbors and the nation. May God have mercy on them.
[1] The Roosevelt Myth, Flynn, John T., Revised edition 1956, pgs. 20-21.
Proverbs 24:10
Continuing to read about the history of the banking crisis in 1933 . . .
Everyday the crisis was allowed to run meant the closing of more banks, the flight of more gold, the loss of more tens of millions and hundreds of millions in savings, in values, in business losses. But Hoover was powerless to do anything effective without the concurrence of the new President because he lacked powers to act alone and he would nave to get the powers from Congress, or at least an assurance that Congress would validate his assumption of powers. Roosevelt had no wish to stem the panic. The onrushing tide of disaster was sweeping the slate clean for him – at the cost of billions to investors and depositors. The greater the catastrophe in which Hoover went out of power the greater would be the acclaim when Roosevelt assumed power.[1]
It is rather sobering to watch the current events unfolding around us and to see the similarities to the crisis our nation faced in the 1930s. As a freedom-loving, anti-socialism preaching policy analyst, I have often pointed to that period as an historic turning point where the claws of socialism crept out of the swamp and got its first grip on our nation. I have never truly understood how a free people could stand by and allow such a thing to happen.
Now, watching current events and with a better understanding of people, policies and politics, I see history better in light of those circumstances and the future better in light of history. And honestly, I don’t think I like what I see.
Our markets are in a crisis brought on by politicians who wanted to give all things to all people; by consumers with a buy now / pay later mentality; and by a market that overlooked fraud and poor management in its willingness to pocket a profit off the foolishness of the first two groups. The result is ( as any cat owner can picture), we have coughed up one big, fat, slimy fur ball.
I could focus on the solutions. Do we bail out, do we not? Who benefits if we bail out? Who loses? Is it a political ploy to shift the election? If so, by whom? What are the consequences if government fails to act? But, truth be told, I am lacking in mercy and inclined to believe that government gets what it subsidizes. I cannot see any path to solve the problem that does not lead more into socialism and loss of freedom for Americans.
BUT, it is safe and easy to say that sitting in my office where all I have to offer is an opinion. I thank God I am not in the position of offering an opinion on the record as to what action an elected official should take. Interestingly enough, the most important thing that we need at this time is a perception of security at the national level. We need to feel secure in our homes, our economy, and our health. But, security is just that – a perception. In reality we are secure only in our relationship with our Lord and Savior. Everything else is up for grabs.
Our leaders understand that in a way we cannot. One of the primary roles of a president (or elected officials) is to remain calm and champion a solution to such situations. Failure to do so will result in the public losing all faith in our nation’s economy and leadership, resulting in a stampede of fickle followers to the safety of the first person who will promise them prosperity. That’s how you get socialism and communism and dictators – when people perceive that anything would be better than what we currently have.
Today, I pray for our leaders - for our President and his advisors; for the leaders of both parties; and for the leaders in the business realm that they will not faint during this time of adversity. I pray that they will come together for the good of the country and craft a solution for our current economic troubles that will serve the nation and the world well. And, I pray for the people of this country, that they will recognize that the government we have is the one we have chosen. That these situations will continue as long as they believe that government “owes” them something they should be responsible for getting on their own. Finally, I pray for justice for those who have manipulated the politics or the economics of this situation at the expense of the security of their neighbors and the nation. May God have mercy on them.
[1] The Roosevelt Myth, Flynn, John T., Revised edition 1956, pgs. 20-21.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Nothing New
Disclaimer: This is a very short discussion of the economy. It would take a lot more time and paper to fully discuss the issue of bailouts, foreclosures, etc. More than one party is at fault and, yes, I think the heads of some of the mortgage companies and banks should lose everything but their shirts if they entered into shaky loans. They have a fiduciary responsibility to their investors regardless of what the politicians were urging them to do. And, if warranted, criminal sanctions should be considered. On the other hand, people who entered into mortgages which they could not afford do not have my sympathy. The question is, will the solution be worse than the natural consequences for our country?
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sum.
Ecclesiastes1:9
Current events or historical facts?
Still the reforms, the projects, the adventures in social reconstruction followed “treading on each others heels, so fast they came” – bills to supervise the traffic in investment securities, to prevent the foreclosure of farm mortgages, with one to save the owners of city homes from the mortgage incubus, bills to regulate the railroads, bills for federal action in the oil industry.
Meantime committees were in session investigating the crimes of the past – the sins of big business, of the bankers, the railroads, of Wall Street and of the power barons. Washington had become a headline-writer’s paradise.[1]
I love the bumper sticker that says, “If you aren’t worried about what is going on around you, then you haven’t been paying attention.” While I generally discount worry as a non-productive activity, recent trends in the financial markets have gotten my attention. So, I began to research the most historic banking crisis in our history and found the quote above in a book about Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The economy is an interesting thing. Left to itself without too much interference, it can hum along nicely and serve us all well. There are a lot of technical aspects of economics, but let’s keep it simple. The most important thing necessary to make a sound economy is consumer confidence. When citizens are secure in the knowledge that they will have money tomorrow to buy the goods and services they will desire or need, they tend to freely spend or invest their income. When they are convinced that the “sky is falling” they tend to hold more tightly to their money.
So, the question is, “If enough gloom and doom is preached, can we talk ourselves into a crisis?”
The answer is a resounding “yes.”
When I worked in retail sales, there was a story shared at one of our meetings about the owner of a hot dog stand. The gist of the story was the self-fulfilling prophecy of the owner who was told that business was down. In response to the news, he reduced his orders of hot dogs and buns. He turned away customers because he ran out of food. The more customers he turned away, the fewer repeat customers he had. So, he ordered fewer and fewer hot dogs until, one day, he closed his stand altogether.
We are in an election cycle where one party benefits from the failure of the other. In order to convince voters that a change is needed, voters must “feel the pain” of the poor economy. In all honesty, times may be slower than the booms to which we have become accustomed, but if people were more responsible in their use of credit and the politicians would quit requiring and rewarding bad behavior, the markets might actually make a natural correction.
However, if the politicians succeed in convincing the voters that we are in crisis, that is the one sure way to ensure that individuals will stop spending disposable income, make a run on the banks and hoard their cash. Prices will increase, products will become scarce and pessimism will rule. In other words, we will close the hot dog stand.
Keep things in perspective. The poor in our nation have a higher standard of living than the wealthiest in most nations. We do not have universal health care, but no one is turned away at an emergency room for medical care. Eating out, computers, televisions and cell phones are luxuries, not necessities.
Most of us have everything we need and most of what we want. If you have neighbors who are hungry, feed them. If they need a place to stay, take them in. If they are cold, buy them a coat. If you wait for the government to do it, none of us will be able to afford it.
Lord, give our leaders wisdom through this economic crisis to do the right thing, rather than the politically correct thing.
[1] The Roosevelt Myth, Flynn, John T., Revised edition 1956, pg 12-13.
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sum.
Ecclesiastes1:9
Current events or historical facts?
Still the reforms, the projects, the adventures in social reconstruction followed “treading on each others heels, so fast they came” – bills to supervise the traffic in investment securities, to prevent the foreclosure of farm mortgages, with one to save the owners of city homes from the mortgage incubus, bills to regulate the railroads, bills for federal action in the oil industry.
Meantime committees were in session investigating the crimes of the past – the sins of big business, of the bankers, the railroads, of Wall Street and of the power barons. Washington had become a headline-writer’s paradise.[1]
I love the bumper sticker that says, “If you aren’t worried about what is going on around you, then you haven’t been paying attention.” While I generally discount worry as a non-productive activity, recent trends in the financial markets have gotten my attention. So, I began to research the most historic banking crisis in our history and found the quote above in a book about Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The economy is an interesting thing. Left to itself without too much interference, it can hum along nicely and serve us all well. There are a lot of technical aspects of economics, but let’s keep it simple. The most important thing necessary to make a sound economy is consumer confidence. When citizens are secure in the knowledge that they will have money tomorrow to buy the goods and services they will desire or need, they tend to freely spend or invest their income. When they are convinced that the “sky is falling” they tend to hold more tightly to their money.
So, the question is, “If enough gloom and doom is preached, can we talk ourselves into a crisis?”
The answer is a resounding “yes.”
When I worked in retail sales, there was a story shared at one of our meetings about the owner of a hot dog stand. The gist of the story was the self-fulfilling prophecy of the owner who was told that business was down. In response to the news, he reduced his orders of hot dogs and buns. He turned away customers because he ran out of food. The more customers he turned away, the fewer repeat customers he had. So, he ordered fewer and fewer hot dogs until, one day, he closed his stand altogether.
We are in an election cycle where one party benefits from the failure of the other. In order to convince voters that a change is needed, voters must “feel the pain” of the poor economy. In all honesty, times may be slower than the booms to which we have become accustomed, but if people were more responsible in their use of credit and the politicians would quit requiring and rewarding bad behavior, the markets might actually make a natural correction.
However, if the politicians succeed in convincing the voters that we are in crisis, that is the one sure way to ensure that individuals will stop spending disposable income, make a run on the banks and hoard their cash. Prices will increase, products will become scarce and pessimism will rule. In other words, we will close the hot dog stand.
Keep things in perspective. The poor in our nation have a higher standard of living than the wealthiest in most nations. We do not have universal health care, but no one is turned away at an emergency room for medical care. Eating out, computers, televisions and cell phones are luxuries, not necessities.
Most of us have everything we need and most of what we want. If you have neighbors who are hungry, feed them. If they need a place to stay, take them in. If they are cold, buy them a coat. If you wait for the government to do it, none of us will be able to afford it.
Lord, give our leaders wisdom through this economic crisis to do the right thing, rather than the politically correct thing.
[1] The Roosevelt Myth, Flynn, John T., Revised edition 1956, pg 12-13.
Monday, September 22, 2008
How's your driving?
A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.
Proverbs 19:11
Let’s talk about your driving. Better yet, let’s talk about your reaction to other people’s driving.
I have the distinct pleasure of living in a small town north of Austin which is well known as a retirement community. Sun City, a neighborhood for residents over 55 is just down the road from us, so we have learned to practice defensive driving on a regular basis. It is not uncommon to see an elderly driver ma a right turn out of a left-hand lane or a left turn out of the right-hand lane. Some of the elderly drivers in the area have slower reflexes and drive more cautiously, causing great frustration on the part of some of their younger counterparts.
On the other hand, I work at the Capitol in Austin, just adjacent to the University of Texas, so I get to commute with many young students on the freeway. Unlike the more mature members of my home community, many of these young people drive faster, change lanes more unexpectedly, and take risks I would not consider taking. Rather than being oblivious to their surroundings, they tend to have words and gestures to share with anyone who does not drive like they think they should.
What both groups have in common is that they do not drive like I think they should. There was a time in my life when that would have really irritated me. In all honesty, there was a time when I was more like those younger drivers with rude comments about everybody’s driving around me.
Then, one day, I was challenged to control my anger and frustration. It was suggested that instead of spewing suggestions about what the drivers should be doing, I should try blessing them instead. Finally, I grasped the fact that people were not getting up in the morning with the express intention of finding a way to frustrate me. My blood pressure was shooting through the roof while they continued to sing along with the radio, drink their coffee or talk on their phones oblivious to my increasing wrath. I was allowing them to steal my peace while chances were; they didn’t even know they had upset me.
The first “Bless you, you Idiot for, cutting in front of me” was a little sarcastic and difficult to deliver. However, as I developed the habit of saying, “Bless you” each time I was offended I found that I was actually beginning to feel slightly more charitable and a lot less offended. Like most things, repeated often enough, blessing other drivers has become a habit.
Certainly no one reading this would be considered an annoying driver nor a person who responds poorly to others who are perceived to be annoying. But remember, you are young and inexperienced or have been. Or, you are older with slower reflexes or will be. Either way, you have a choice on how to respond to those around you. Proverbs tells us it is our discretion to be slow to anger and it is our glory to overlook a transgression.
So, quit reading this on your Blackberry while driving so the guy behind you can stop complaining about you!
Lord, help us to be slow to anger, patient in all circumstances.
Proverbs 19:11
Let’s talk about your driving. Better yet, let’s talk about your reaction to other people’s driving.
I have the distinct pleasure of living in a small town north of Austin which is well known as a retirement community. Sun City, a neighborhood for residents over 55 is just down the road from us, so we have learned to practice defensive driving on a regular basis. It is not uncommon to see an elderly driver ma a right turn out of a left-hand lane or a left turn out of the right-hand lane. Some of the elderly drivers in the area have slower reflexes and drive more cautiously, causing great frustration on the part of some of their younger counterparts.
On the other hand, I work at the Capitol in Austin, just adjacent to the University of Texas, so I get to commute with many young students on the freeway. Unlike the more mature members of my home community, many of these young people drive faster, change lanes more unexpectedly, and take risks I would not consider taking. Rather than being oblivious to their surroundings, they tend to have words and gestures to share with anyone who does not drive like they think they should.
What both groups have in common is that they do not drive like I think they should. There was a time in my life when that would have really irritated me. In all honesty, there was a time when I was more like those younger drivers with rude comments about everybody’s driving around me.
Then, one day, I was challenged to control my anger and frustration. It was suggested that instead of spewing suggestions about what the drivers should be doing, I should try blessing them instead. Finally, I grasped the fact that people were not getting up in the morning with the express intention of finding a way to frustrate me. My blood pressure was shooting through the roof while they continued to sing along with the radio, drink their coffee or talk on their phones oblivious to my increasing wrath. I was allowing them to steal my peace while chances were; they didn’t even know they had upset me.
The first “Bless you, you Idiot for, cutting in front of me” was a little sarcastic and difficult to deliver. However, as I developed the habit of saying, “Bless you” each time I was offended I found that I was actually beginning to feel slightly more charitable and a lot less offended. Like most things, repeated often enough, blessing other drivers has become a habit.
Certainly no one reading this would be considered an annoying driver nor a person who responds poorly to others who are perceived to be annoying. But remember, you are young and inexperienced or have been. Or, you are older with slower reflexes or will be. Either way, you have a choice on how to respond to those around you. Proverbs tells us it is our discretion to be slow to anger and it is our glory to overlook a transgression.
So, quit reading this on your Blackberry while driving so the guy behind you can stop complaining about you!
Lord, help us to be slow to anger, patient in all circumstances.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
If you can't say something nice . . .
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
Proverbs 18:21
The Lord gifted me with a quick wit and a sharp tongue. I generally have a ready response for most situations. When I get angry, rather than getting flustered or loud, logic sets in with the capability to slice and dice an opponent to shreds. It isn’t pretty. Nor is it godly.
At about the age of 16 I believed I had the response for any situation. At 19, I began to understand that delivering the response did not always mean I won the battle. As a wife, I learned that volume could not be substituted for logic. When I became a parent I realized that sarcasm and wit was wasted on a three-year-old. Not to mention the fact that delivering the perfect line did nothing to improve a toddler’s behavior and it often got thrown back at me later.
After the age of 35 I began to work in public policy and came to understand the power of words when delivered to and twisted by the media. It was at this point that I began to realize that most people who believe the media misquoted them actually said exactly what was printed; it just wasn’t what the speaker meant. I learned to measure my words more carefully to ensure that when reading a quote of something I said, everyone would understand exactly what I meant.
Now, in my fifties (old, advanced in years) I more fully understand the concept that death and life are in the power of the tongue. I also know that, because our words do have so much power, we have a responsibility to curb what it is we say. I cringe when I hear a child belittled for spilling a drink in a restaurant. When I hear a wife disparaging her husband, it is all I can do to not warn her (ok, sometimes I do chime in) of the damage she is doing to her marriage and the self esteem of the husband she loves.
This message has come home to roost so strongly that I find I cannot even find joy in sneering at or ridiculing liberals. Don’t get me wrong, I still find socialists, liberals and ill-advised individuals annoying. And, in all honesty, I don’t mind speaking ill of socialism, liberalism or stupidity, but I now try to confine my rantings to policies, rather than to people.
Next time you are watching the news, discussing politics, driving in traffic or playing with a child, remember that the words you speak have the power of life and death in your life, the life of the person to whom you are speaking, and the life of the person about whom you are speaking.
That’s a lot of power.
Think about it.
And, that would be the reason why your mother always said, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”
Lord, help us to guard our tongues and to speak life to those around us.
Proverbs 18:21
The Lord gifted me with a quick wit and a sharp tongue. I generally have a ready response for most situations. When I get angry, rather than getting flustered or loud, logic sets in with the capability to slice and dice an opponent to shreds. It isn’t pretty. Nor is it godly.
At about the age of 16 I believed I had the response for any situation. At 19, I began to understand that delivering the response did not always mean I won the battle. As a wife, I learned that volume could not be substituted for logic. When I became a parent I realized that sarcasm and wit was wasted on a three-year-old. Not to mention the fact that delivering the perfect line did nothing to improve a toddler’s behavior and it often got thrown back at me later.
After the age of 35 I began to work in public policy and came to understand the power of words when delivered to and twisted by the media. It was at this point that I began to realize that most people who believe the media misquoted them actually said exactly what was printed; it just wasn’t what the speaker meant. I learned to measure my words more carefully to ensure that when reading a quote of something I said, everyone would understand exactly what I meant.
Now, in my fifties (old, advanced in years) I more fully understand the concept that death and life are in the power of the tongue. I also know that, because our words do have so much power, we have a responsibility to curb what it is we say. I cringe when I hear a child belittled for spilling a drink in a restaurant. When I hear a wife disparaging her husband, it is all I can do to not warn her (ok, sometimes I do chime in) of the damage she is doing to her marriage and the self esteem of the husband she loves.
This message has come home to roost so strongly that I find I cannot even find joy in sneering at or ridiculing liberals. Don’t get me wrong, I still find socialists, liberals and ill-advised individuals annoying. And, in all honesty, I don’t mind speaking ill of socialism, liberalism or stupidity, but I now try to confine my rantings to policies, rather than to people.
Next time you are watching the news, discussing politics, driving in traffic or playing with a child, remember that the words you speak have the power of life and death in your life, the life of the person to whom you are speaking, and the life of the person about whom you are speaking.
That’s a lot of power.
Think about it.
And, that would be the reason why your mother always said, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”
Lord, help us to guard our tongues and to speak life to those around us.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Yellow Dog
Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Proverbs 17:28
It is a difficult time in the State of Texas. Hurricane Ike, a storm of historic magnitude slammed into the coast last week leaving mayhem and destruction in its path. Galveston Island was heavily damaged, cities were literally wiped off the map, and Houston suffered extreme water and wind damage. To the credit of those in authority, mandatory evacuations prevented the loss of life seen in similar storms in the past. But still, lack of electricity, shortages of gasoline and problems with the water supply are making life difficult for those who have weathered the storm.
In our family, one of the consequences of the storm is that my husband’s parents are staying with us for an undetermined amount of time. Initial estimates were that electricity would not be restored at their home for five weeks. That estimate has since been reduced to a more realistic three to four weeks. Jerry and I have been married for 35 years. I am richly blessed with in-laws who truly consider me to be their daughter. There is no question that I am loved. Likewise, I love and respect my in-laws as if they were my own parents.
So, you ask, “What’s the big deal?”
Well, I am a rather ardent conservative and my father-in-law is a yellow dog democrat. For those who don’t know, a yellow dog democrat is one who would vote for a yellow dog on the ballot before they would vote for a republican. I did not understand the concept myself until shortly after my husband and I were married. It was then that I made the mistake of announcing, in my father-in-law’s house, that I intended to vote for a republican in the upcoming election. I was young, it was the first election in which I could vote, and I did not realize that there were some things that should not be shared in mixed company. Imagine my surprise when I was invited to leave my in-laws’ home for my announcement.
OK, technically, he kicked me out. Back then, I was too hard-headed to apologize for offending my father-in-law. But, I was also too sensitive to take the news without crying. Jerry followed me out of the house, telling his dad, “I don’t sleep with you” when asked where he was going. I cried all the way home as Jerry tried to explain to me that there were some things his dad was just set in his ways about.
Now, 35 years later, our differences continue. We are in the middle of one of the most contentious political races I have ever seen. But, we are not at my father-in-law’s house. We are at MY house. Instead of watching FOX News, I have compromised and turn on MSNBC where we are bombarded with political coverage of the candidates. My father-in-law would still vote for a yellow dog. I’m still going to vote republican.
What’s the difference? I love my in-laws too much to make politics an issue. I know that to discuss politics would be foolish and recognize the proverb to be true. If I will just keep silent I will be considered wise. Sometimes the rule applies in other situations, too.
Lord, give grace and mercy to those who are dealing with the consequences of this hurricane. Conform us to Your image as we work through the day to day issues of those who are displaced from their homes.
Proverbs 17:28
It is a difficult time in the State of Texas. Hurricane Ike, a storm of historic magnitude slammed into the coast last week leaving mayhem and destruction in its path. Galveston Island was heavily damaged, cities were literally wiped off the map, and Houston suffered extreme water and wind damage. To the credit of those in authority, mandatory evacuations prevented the loss of life seen in similar storms in the past. But still, lack of electricity, shortages of gasoline and problems with the water supply are making life difficult for those who have weathered the storm.
In our family, one of the consequences of the storm is that my husband’s parents are staying with us for an undetermined amount of time. Initial estimates were that electricity would not be restored at their home for five weeks. That estimate has since been reduced to a more realistic three to four weeks. Jerry and I have been married for 35 years. I am richly blessed with in-laws who truly consider me to be their daughter. There is no question that I am loved. Likewise, I love and respect my in-laws as if they were my own parents.
So, you ask, “What’s the big deal?”
Well, I am a rather ardent conservative and my father-in-law is a yellow dog democrat. For those who don’t know, a yellow dog democrat is one who would vote for a yellow dog on the ballot before they would vote for a republican. I did not understand the concept myself until shortly after my husband and I were married. It was then that I made the mistake of announcing, in my father-in-law’s house, that I intended to vote for a republican in the upcoming election. I was young, it was the first election in which I could vote, and I did not realize that there were some things that should not be shared in mixed company. Imagine my surprise when I was invited to leave my in-laws’ home for my announcement.
OK, technically, he kicked me out. Back then, I was too hard-headed to apologize for offending my father-in-law. But, I was also too sensitive to take the news without crying. Jerry followed me out of the house, telling his dad, “I don’t sleep with you” when asked where he was going. I cried all the way home as Jerry tried to explain to me that there were some things his dad was just set in his ways about.
Now, 35 years later, our differences continue. We are in the middle of one of the most contentious political races I have ever seen. But, we are not at my father-in-law’s house. We are at MY house. Instead of watching FOX News, I have compromised and turn on MSNBC where we are bombarded with political coverage of the candidates. My father-in-law would still vote for a yellow dog. I’m still going to vote republican.
What’s the difference? I love my in-laws too much to make politics an issue. I know that to discuss politics would be foolish and recognize the proverb to be true. If I will just keep silent I will be considered wise. Sometimes the rule applies in other situations, too.
Lord, give grace and mercy to those who are dealing with the consequences of this hurricane. Conform us to Your image as we work through the day to day issues of those who are displaced from their homes.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Walking in wisdon
He who trusts in his own mind is a fool; but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
Proverbs 28:26
Time and experience have taught me that I am horrible at keeping tack of details unless I make a concerted effort to do so. Though the years I have come to understand it has a lot to do with the way my brain is wired. (That’s an explanation – not an excuse.)
For example, I can tell you I have read a paper on health care, what issues it covers, where it was from and what the picture on the front page looked like. But, chances are, if I filed the paper away I will not be able to tell you where I put it. I don’t call it filing. I call it playing hide and seek with myself. The solution is to hire a really good administrative assistant and bribe them with whatever it takes to keep them happy. They may not know what the content of the paper was or why you want it back, but they can always retrieve it for you.
When I went to work in the Capitol after 14 years as a stay at home mom, time management became a big issue for me. Juggling parenting, service as a school board member, working a legislative session and being a wife proved to be a formidable task.
I had to train both myself and my three children that my brain was not a sticky note and if they expected me to take action on an issue or be at a particular place at a specific time, they needed to make sure the issue was entered into my Day-timer. I explained to them that they might go to school for 12 years and have a graduation coming up, but if the date of the ceremony was not on my Day-timer there was no promise of my attendance. In fact, my children were the only ones given the authority to write a date in ink on my calendar.
Now, I also walked as wisdom as a parent. Those appointments that required my attendance that my children may not have had an incentive to place on the calendar – meetings with teachers, PTA meetings, doctors’ appointments – were entered by me.
My Day-timer, since augmented by a computer and Blackberry, catches all my appointments, notes on phone conversations, lists of things to do and any other pertinent information I may need to retrieve at some time in the future. My adult children (or husband) may still call my administrative assistant to make sure she puts an event of importance on my calendar. Or, they may send me a reminder on my Blackberry. Time and experience have expanded that proverb so that they understand the truth of “He who trusts in mom’s memory is a fool.”
The take away message for today is that it is folly to limit yourself to what your mind can handle. Walking in wisdom includes things as simple as finding and using the tools that enable you to amplify your effectiveness and as complex as trusting the Lord for the next answer you may be asked to give.
Just as learning to trust a Day-timer system to get you where you are supposed to be at the right time must become a habit, walking in wisdom must become habitual. Study Proverbs, spend time in prayer, and apply what you learn. Then, make it a habit to do it all again daily.
Eventually, you look around and find out that somewhere along the way began walking in wisdom.
Lord, thank you that your wisdom is available for those who seek it.
Proverbs 28:26
Time and experience have taught me that I am horrible at keeping tack of details unless I make a concerted effort to do so. Though the years I have come to understand it has a lot to do with the way my brain is wired. (That’s an explanation – not an excuse.)
For example, I can tell you I have read a paper on health care, what issues it covers, where it was from and what the picture on the front page looked like. But, chances are, if I filed the paper away I will not be able to tell you where I put it. I don’t call it filing. I call it playing hide and seek with myself. The solution is to hire a really good administrative assistant and bribe them with whatever it takes to keep them happy. They may not know what the content of the paper was or why you want it back, but they can always retrieve it for you.
When I went to work in the Capitol after 14 years as a stay at home mom, time management became a big issue for me. Juggling parenting, service as a school board member, working a legislative session and being a wife proved to be a formidable task.
I had to train both myself and my three children that my brain was not a sticky note and if they expected me to take action on an issue or be at a particular place at a specific time, they needed to make sure the issue was entered into my Day-timer. I explained to them that they might go to school for 12 years and have a graduation coming up, but if the date of the ceremony was not on my Day-timer there was no promise of my attendance. In fact, my children were the only ones given the authority to write a date in ink on my calendar.
Now, I also walked as wisdom as a parent. Those appointments that required my attendance that my children may not have had an incentive to place on the calendar – meetings with teachers, PTA meetings, doctors’ appointments – were entered by me.
My Day-timer, since augmented by a computer and Blackberry, catches all my appointments, notes on phone conversations, lists of things to do and any other pertinent information I may need to retrieve at some time in the future. My adult children (or husband) may still call my administrative assistant to make sure she puts an event of importance on my calendar. Or, they may send me a reminder on my Blackberry. Time and experience have expanded that proverb so that they understand the truth of “He who trusts in mom’s memory is a fool.”
The take away message for today is that it is folly to limit yourself to what your mind can handle. Walking in wisdom includes things as simple as finding and using the tools that enable you to amplify your effectiveness and as complex as trusting the Lord for the next answer you may be asked to give.
Just as learning to trust a Day-timer system to get you where you are supposed to be at the right time must become a habit, walking in wisdom must become habitual. Study Proverbs, spend time in prayer, and apply what you learn. Then, make it a habit to do it all again daily.
Eventually, you look around and find out that somewhere along the way began walking in wisdom.
Lord, thank you that your wisdom is available for those who seek it.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Iron Sharpens Iron
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17
It is a joke in my office (sort of) that I am not paid to agree with my boss. It is true that the representative I work for has specifically told me he is not paying me to agree with him. The joke is the thought that anyone could pay me to agree to anything.
But, it is a common error that people in power (or who want to be in power) surround themselves with likeminded people and do not entertain ideas which are not already their own. My boss has taught me the lesson that he already knows what he thinks. What he needs is to hear from people who will challenge him to think more deeply or differently about a circumstance to determine whether he should stay the course or change direction.
And so, my job is to analyze policy from a conservative perspective. I am paid to tell my boss what I know about a policy issue and how that issue will promote or violate conservative philosophy. Once I have done that, and not until I have done that, do I get to tell him what I think about a policy issue. The fact that I have worked with this particular legislator off and on for 15 years generally means we can reduce our conversations to shorthand or facial expressions because he pretty well knows what I think.
But, I do try to expand my horizons beyond those who agree with me in both my professional and personal life. In policy it is always good to know what lies ahead by understanding beliefs, motives and intentions of those in the arena. In the personal arena of my life I find I have learned the most about myself when I am put in circumstances that make me feel like a fish out of water.
Several years ago I went on a missions trip with a group of like-minded individuals to work in an orphanage in Turkey. Going into the trip, my greatest concerns were whether I would find anything I would be willing to eat (I’m picky) while I was there and how I would be able to communicate. I am so language illiterate that I can’t even speak Pig Latin.
Those concerns were quickly overshadowed when I entered the orphanage. In Turkey it is illegal to proselytize. So, Christian groups are only allowed to work with severely disabled children. Language is not a barrier when the children you work with are non-verbal. A hug and a smile convey the message. What I would eat or drink was not a consideration when I was told that children in that facility die every year from dehydration because there is no one to hold a cup to give them a drink of water.
The entire week was a series of what I know conflicting with what I was seeing. Sharing cups spreads germs. But a shared cup beats no cup. Unsafe playground equipment is a risk. But when a child may get outside only once every six months because there is no one there, you play around the risks. When I walked into a room with 20 disabled children on the floor it could be a depressing sight, except for the great joy that would light up on their faces just seeing us enter.
The moral of the story: Take the challenge to determine whether what you believe stands up to scrutiny. Don’t ever be afraid to sharpen the iron. The very best time to change direction is immediately after you determine you are headed the wrong way.
Lord, help us to see beyond our preconceptions and biases and see your perspective in all things.
Proverbs 27:17
It is a joke in my office (sort of) that I am not paid to agree with my boss. It is true that the representative I work for has specifically told me he is not paying me to agree with him. The joke is the thought that anyone could pay me to agree to anything.
But, it is a common error that people in power (or who want to be in power) surround themselves with likeminded people and do not entertain ideas which are not already their own. My boss has taught me the lesson that he already knows what he thinks. What he needs is to hear from people who will challenge him to think more deeply or differently about a circumstance to determine whether he should stay the course or change direction.
And so, my job is to analyze policy from a conservative perspective. I am paid to tell my boss what I know about a policy issue and how that issue will promote or violate conservative philosophy. Once I have done that, and not until I have done that, do I get to tell him what I think about a policy issue. The fact that I have worked with this particular legislator off and on for 15 years generally means we can reduce our conversations to shorthand or facial expressions because he pretty well knows what I think.
But, I do try to expand my horizons beyond those who agree with me in both my professional and personal life. In policy it is always good to know what lies ahead by understanding beliefs, motives and intentions of those in the arena. In the personal arena of my life I find I have learned the most about myself when I am put in circumstances that make me feel like a fish out of water.
Several years ago I went on a missions trip with a group of like-minded individuals to work in an orphanage in Turkey. Going into the trip, my greatest concerns were whether I would find anything I would be willing to eat (I’m picky) while I was there and how I would be able to communicate. I am so language illiterate that I can’t even speak Pig Latin.
Those concerns were quickly overshadowed when I entered the orphanage. In Turkey it is illegal to proselytize. So, Christian groups are only allowed to work with severely disabled children. Language is not a barrier when the children you work with are non-verbal. A hug and a smile convey the message. What I would eat or drink was not a consideration when I was told that children in that facility die every year from dehydration because there is no one to hold a cup to give them a drink of water.
The entire week was a series of what I know conflicting with what I was seeing. Sharing cups spreads germs. But a shared cup beats no cup. Unsafe playground equipment is a risk. But when a child may get outside only once every six months because there is no one there, you play around the risks. When I walked into a room with 20 disabled children on the floor it could be a depressing sight, except for the great joy that would light up on their faces just seeing us enter.
The moral of the story: Take the challenge to determine whether what you believe stands up to scrutiny. Don’t ever be afraid to sharpen the iron. The very best time to change direction is immediately after you determine you are headed the wrong way.
Lord, help us to see beyond our preconceptions and biases and see your perspective in all things.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Grab that dog by the ears!
He who meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
Proverbs 26:17
With basset hounds as the dogs of choice around our house, this verse looses some of it’s “umph.” A basset not only doesn’t care if you grab them by the ears, I think they may actually enjoy it. Our oldest basset, Samuel, has ears almost long enough to vie for the world record. Each ear is about a foot long. Of course, they are mostly designed to drag along the ground and funnel smell into his nose and not to enhance his hearing or listening abilities.
But, I digress. For purposes of today’s scripture, we will assume the dog in question is not a basset and that taking one by his ears will result in the loss of your hand or other significant injury. Perhaps the writer of this proverb was speaking from experience.
So it is when you intervene in an argument where you have no business. For example, as a grandmother, I never intervene when my daughter and granddaughter are engaging. (One reason is not my great wisdom so much as the fact that having raised the daughter, watching her with her daughter is a great spectator sport.) Likewise, disagreements between couples when your advice has not been requested are a “don’t go there” situation. That dog will always come back to bite you. If you sincerely care about someone, do not allow them to dump on someone they care about to you. Generally, God will give them the grace to overcome the circumstances, but you may yourself holding a grudge because that grace has not extended to you.
But, the flip side of this issue is not that people are meddling in quarrels not their own as much as people are failing to engage in the battles they should be in. There are quarrels going on in our society today about key core values that many are failing to engage in. What is the definition of marriage? Does it matter if that definition changes? Who is responsible for the education and upbringing of children? Is it parents? Is it the “village?” If it is the village, who is responsible to pick up the pieces when the village idiots fail? Why is killing unborn babies ever acceptable or legal? How much is too much on the tax rate?
I will never forget the first time I “grabbed the dog by the ears” on a public policy issue. I was not involved in politics or policy at the time. I was just a mom and I took exception to the school district refusing to let me see a copy of a test my children were taken. Once I got a hold of that dog, I refused to turn loose. It resulted in my serving on a local school board, working on the re-write of the Texas Education Code and being launched on the path where I walk today.
Along the way that dog chewed on me quite a bit. But, it is always better to be bitten for something you are supposed to do than for something you weren’t supposed to do. And, I would far rather sport the scars of those battles than suffer the consequences of refusing to battle.
So, go get caught up on your shots and grab some dogs by the ears!
Lord, give us wisdom in choosing our battles. Give us the courage of our convictions.
Proverbs 26:17
With basset hounds as the dogs of choice around our house, this verse looses some of it’s “umph.” A basset not only doesn’t care if you grab them by the ears, I think they may actually enjoy it. Our oldest basset, Samuel, has ears almost long enough to vie for the world record. Each ear is about a foot long. Of course, they are mostly designed to drag along the ground and funnel smell into his nose and not to enhance his hearing or listening abilities.
But, I digress. For purposes of today’s scripture, we will assume the dog in question is not a basset and that taking one by his ears will result in the loss of your hand or other significant injury. Perhaps the writer of this proverb was speaking from experience.
So it is when you intervene in an argument where you have no business. For example, as a grandmother, I never intervene when my daughter and granddaughter are engaging. (One reason is not my great wisdom so much as the fact that having raised the daughter, watching her with her daughter is a great spectator sport.) Likewise, disagreements between couples when your advice has not been requested are a “don’t go there” situation. That dog will always come back to bite you. If you sincerely care about someone, do not allow them to dump on someone they care about to you. Generally, God will give them the grace to overcome the circumstances, but you may yourself holding a grudge because that grace has not extended to you.
But, the flip side of this issue is not that people are meddling in quarrels not their own as much as people are failing to engage in the battles they should be in. There are quarrels going on in our society today about key core values that many are failing to engage in. What is the definition of marriage? Does it matter if that definition changes? Who is responsible for the education and upbringing of children? Is it parents? Is it the “village?” If it is the village, who is responsible to pick up the pieces when the village idiots fail? Why is killing unborn babies ever acceptable or legal? How much is too much on the tax rate?
I will never forget the first time I “grabbed the dog by the ears” on a public policy issue. I was not involved in politics or policy at the time. I was just a mom and I took exception to the school district refusing to let me see a copy of a test my children were taken. Once I got a hold of that dog, I refused to turn loose. It resulted in my serving on a local school board, working on the re-write of the Texas Education Code and being launched on the path where I walk today.
Along the way that dog chewed on me quite a bit. But, it is always better to be bitten for something you are supposed to do than for something you weren’t supposed to do. And, I would far rather sport the scars of those battles than suffer the consequences of refusing to battle.
So, go get caught up on your shots and grab some dogs by the ears!
Lord, give us wisdom in choosing our battles. Give us the courage of our convictions.
Monday, August 25, 2008
The American Dream
Disclosure: My devotionals for the next few days may consider material that is political in nature. My goal is to apply scripture to the governing process. I will vote Republican in the upcoming election. The Republican candidate was neither my first nor my second choice for who I would like to see in the White House. My choice is based on the application of the Word of God to the circumstances at hand. The single thing that would make me change my vote would be a conviction by the Holy Spirit that I am wrong in that application.
It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.
Proverbs 25:2
Yesterday we finished the media coverage of “all Olympics all the time” and today we have begun the “all Democrat Convention all the time” coverage. Truthfully, I probably won’t record much of it to review at a later date. (Same goes for the Republican Convention, by the way.) In fact, my personal choice would be to ignore the entire thing if I could.
However, when the Lord made me and decided I would be a policy analyst, He created within me an inquiring spirit that prevents me from taking anything for granted, makes me question even what I know, and requires me to strive to understand what makes people both agree or disagree with me.
So the internet engine was revved up this morning after I heard a reporter refer to Democrat candidate Barack Obama as the “embodiment of the American Dream.” I’m confused. I have read The Blueprint for Change, Obama’s plan for America. I couldn’t imagine how those policies could equate to the embodiment of what I consider to be the American Dream. Then I began to wonder, what exactly is meant when they (then media, politicians, etc.) use the term “The American Dream?” What is the history of that term? Has it changed with time?
The American Dream was a phrase first used in 1931 in the book The Epic of America written by James Truslow Adams. He said:
The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.
The light bulb came on for me. Obama has achieved the American Dream. Against great odds, he came from a difficult childhood to be a candidate to run to be president of the United States. The problem is, his policies indicate that he doesn’t trust in other people’s ability to do the same. While hard work and personal initiative might have worked for him and his family, his policies indicate that other people cannot achieve the same results without government assistance.
At least, I hope that is what he believes. The alternative is that he understands that political power is increased when you make a constituency enslaved to the government dole.
Lord, show us how to search out the things You would have us know about the candidates who want to lead us. Give us wisdom during this election cycle.
It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.
Proverbs 25:2
Yesterday we finished the media coverage of “all Olympics all the time” and today we have begun the “all Democrat Convention all the time” coverage. Truthfully, I probably won’t record much of it to review at a later date. (Same goes for the Republican Convention, by the way.) In fact, my personal choice would be to ignore the entire thing if I could.
However, when the Lord made me and decided I would be a policy analyst, He created within me an inquiring spirit that prevents me from taking anything for granted, makes me question even what I know, and requires me to strive to understand what makes people both agree or disagree with me.
So the internet engine was revved up this morning after I heard a reporter refer to Democrat candidate Barack Obama as the “embodiment of the American Dream.” I’m confused. I have read The Blueprint for Change, Obama’s plan for America. I couldn’t imagine how those policies could equate to the embodiment of what I consider to be the American Dream. Then I began to wonder, what exactly is meant when they (then media, politicians, etc.) use the term “The American Dream?” What is the history of that term? Has it changed with time?
The American Dream was a phrase first used in 1931 in the book The Epic of America written by James Truslow Adams. He said:
The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.
The light bulb came on for me. Obama has achieved the American Dream. Against great odds, he came from a difficult childhood to be a candidate to run to be president of the United States. The problem is, his policies indicate that he doesn’t trust in other people’s ability to do the same. While hard work and personal initiative might have worked for him and his family, his policies indicate that other people cannot achieve the same results without government assistance.
At least, I hope that is what he believes. The alternative is that he understands that political power is increased when you make a constituency enslaved to the government dole.
Lord, show us how to search out the things You would have us know about the candidates who want to lead us. Give us wisdom during this election cycle.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Fools
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
Proverbs 18:2
If you have known me or read anything I have written for very long, you have probably heard me say, “I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.” I wish I could take credit for coming up with that, but the first time I heard it was when Rep. Warren Chisum used it on the House floor in response to a question he was answering for the third or fourth time. When I told him how much I enjoyed it, he shared that it was not original with him, but a line that the late Lt. Governor Bob Bullock used on a regular basis. So, now that I have appropriately credited it, I get to use it at will.
And, it is an appropriate thought in light of today’s verse. Unlike many chapters in Proverb which focus on wisdom, Chapter 19 speaks to being a fool. Of course, foolishness is the flip side of wisdom and it serves us well to have examples of actions that depict a fool. Sometimes it is a matter of judgment when we classify someone as a fool. Other times, it is just a matter of applying the facts to the situation and stating the obvious. At that point, it is not judgment, and if the truth hurts, maybe it shouldn’t be the truth.
The political realm does not have a monopoly on fools who only want to express their own opinion. However, it is difficult during campaign season to prove that. Political campaigns are the time for drawing lines and saying “this is where I am on this issue and this is where I will not go on the issue.” So, it takes some research on the part of the voter to determine whether the candidate he is about to vote for is a fool.
And, here is the point where the voter may prove to be a fool. If a candidate does not agree with me on an issue, there is a mutual responsibility to attempt to understand the other person’s point of view.
Do I agree with the political position that women should have the freedom to choose to abort a pregnancy?
No.
Do I understand that some people truly believe that abortion prevents unintended consequences from an unexpected pregnancy?
Yes.
Understanding my opposition’s point of view does not mean that I have to agree with them or change my mind. It doesn’t even mean I have to compromise to reach an agreement. It doesn’t mean I should vote for them. But, it does generally show me where I can give information to counter their position and it always opens my eyes to how to pray over the situation.
A person who is misled on issues near to God’s heart (myself included) has a lot bigger problems than wining or losing an election or policy position.
Lord, please give me an understanding heart and guard my tongue
Proverbs 18:2
If you have known me or read anything I have written for very long, you have probably heard me say, “I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.” I wish I could take credit for coming up with that, but the first time I heard it was when Rep. Warren Chisum used it on the House floor in response to a question he was answering for the third or fourth time. When I told him how much I enjoyed it, he shared that it was not original with him, but a line that the late Lt. Governor Bob Bullock used on a regular basis. So, now that I have appropriately credited it, I get to use it at will.
And, it is an appropriate thought in light of today’s verse. Unlike many chapters in Proverb which focus on wisdom, Chapter 19 speaks to being a fool. Of course, foolishness is the flip side of wisdom and it serves us well to have examples of actions that depict a fool. Sometimes it is a matter of judgment when we classify someone as a fool. Other times, it is just a matter of applying the facts to the situation and stating the obvious. At that point, it is not judgment, and if the truth hurts, maybe it shouldn’t be the truth.
The political realm does not have a monopoly on fools who only want to express their own opinion. However, it is difficult during campaign season to prove that. Political campaigns are the time for drawing lines and saying “this is where I am on this issue and this is where I will not go on the issue.” So, it takes some research on the part of the voter to determine whether the candidate he is about to vote for is a fool.
And, here is the point where the voter may prove to be a fool. If a candidate does not agree with me on an issue, there is a mutual responsibility to attempt to understand the other person’s point of view.
Do I agree with the political position that women should have the freedom to choose to abort a pregnancy?
No.
Do I understand that some people truly believe that abortion prevents unintended consequences from an unexpected pregnancy?
Yes.
Understanding my opposition’s point of view does not mean that I have to agree with them or change my mind. It doesn’t even mean I have to compromise to reach an agreement. It doesn’t mean I should vote for them. But, it does generally show me where I can give information to counter their position and it always opens my eyes to how to pray over the situation.
A person who is misled on issues near to God’s heart (myself included) has a lot bigger problems than wining or losing an election or policy position.
Lord, please give me an understanding heart and guard my tongue
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
No Crying!
Hope deferred makes the heart sick. But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12
Watching the American Olympics team last night as one of the gymnast failed to successfully mount the balance beam in a finals round of team competition I was reminded of one of my favorite movie quotes. It was the response of Tom Hanks as a reluctant coach of a woman’s baseball team in the movie A League of Their Own responding to a female player who burst into tears at his harsh criticism. “Crying? There’s no crying in baseball!”
This young woman, who had trained her entire life for a time such as this, had the pressure of going out and scoring big for Team USA. It was the event for which she was most qualified, a world leader in the balance beam. The plan was for her to perform a complex mount and go immediately into an acrobatic skill. Everything went as planned except that one small problem that she missed her footing on the mount and fell off the beam.
Personally, knowing that billions of people across the world had just witnessed my failure to achieve what I had flawlessly accomplished in training countless times, my response might have been to run off stage and hide as quickly as I could. She didn’t. She mounted the balance beam and proceeded to complete her performance, knowing that her mistake had probably just cost the team the gold medal. And, she didn’t cry. But you could see that she wanted to.
Then, as if that wouldn’t make your day bad enough, on the next round in the floor exercises she fell again. Then, she stepped out of bounds. And, it wasn’t like she was able to make all those mistakes in privacy. The entire world watched, winced, and wondered how an athlete at that level of competition could make such mistakes. (As if any of us could actually get near a balance beam ourselves without falling.)
She wasn’t alone in her mistakes. Several other members on the team made mistakes themselves. The hope of yet another Team USA gold medal at this Olympics was deferred. And, the demeanor on the faces of they young women made it apparent that they were heart sick.
One of the most interesting things to me about the Olympics is that the competitions are so incredibly close. There are world records being knocked down right and left. Swimmers are breaking world records and still losing the races. The time difference between a winner and a loser is measured in fractions of seconds or fractions of points.
In life, the difference between being perceived as a winner or a loser may not be as close as it is in the Olympics. However, perceptions can be dangerous. Some of the most highly trained athletes in the world leave the Olympics as “failures” in the eyes of the world because of their performance. Forgotten is the time and effort spent training and preparing for these events. Forgotten is the self-discipline and dedication it requires to reach this level of competition. Forgotten is the truth that God may teach us far more in failure than in success.
Never, never, never let your feelings of success or failure be dictated by the opinions of other people. How you feel about your performance should always be determined by how your performance lined up with what God called you to do.
Duty is ours, results are God’s.
Proverbs 13:12
Watching the American Olympics team last night as one of the gymnast failed to successfully mount the balance beam in a finals round of team competition I was reminded of one of my favorite movie quotes. It was the response of Tom Hanks as a reluctant coach of a woman’s baseball team in the movie A League of Their Own responding to a female player who burst into tears at his harsh criticism. “Crying? There’s no crying in baseball!”
This young woman, who had trained her entire life for a time such as this, had the pressure of going out and scoring big for Team USA. It was the event for which she was most qualified, a world leader in the balance beam. The plan was for her to perform a complex mount and go immediately into an acrobatic skill. Everything went as planned except that one small problem that she missed her footing on the mount and fell off the beam.
Personally, knowing that billions of people across the world had just witnessed my failure to achieve what I had flawlessly accomplished in training countless times, my response might have been to run off stage and hide as quickly as I could. She didn’t. She mounted the balance beam and proceeded to complete her performance, knowing that her mistake had probably just cost the team the gold medal. And, she didn’t cry. But you could see that she wanted to.
Then, as if that wouldn’t make your day bad enough, on the next round in the floor exercises she fell again. Then, she stepped out of bounds. And, it wasn’t like she was able to make all those mistakes in privacy. The entire world watched, winced, and wondered how an athlete at that level of competition could make such mistakes. (As if any of us could actually get near a balance beam ourselves without falling.)
She wasn’t alone in her mistakes. Several other members on the team made mistakes themselves. The hope of yet another Team USA gold medal at this Olympics was deferred. And, the demeanor on the faces of they young women made it apparent that they were heart sick.
One of the most interesting things to me about the Olympics is that the competitions are so incredibly close. There are world records being knocked down right and left. Swimmers are breaking world records and still losing the races. The time difference between a winner and a loser is measured in fractions of seconds or fractions of points.
In life, the difference between being perceived as a winner or a loser may not be as close as it is in the Olympics. However, perceptions can be dangerous. Some of the most highly trained athletes in the world leave the Olympics as “failures” in the eyes of the world because of their performance. Forgotten is the time and effort spent training and preparing for these events. Forgotten is the self-discipline and dedication it requires to reach this level of competition. Forgotten is the truth that God may teach us far more in failure than in success.
Never, never, never let your feelings of success or failure be dictated by the opinions of other people. How you feel about your performance should always be determined by how your performance lined up with what God called you to do.
Duty is ours, results are God’s.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Who are you calling stupid?
Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
Proverbs 12:1
Generally I recommend using a thesaurus word substitute for the word “stupid.” My personal favorite is “ill-advised.” Like many things I have learned, the prudent use of a better word to express my opinion was obtained the hard way.
As a policy advisor, one facet of my job is to give the legislator I work for a brief description of the legislation that will heard on the House floor on any particular day. We have developed a report format with several columns of information. For example, there is a column with the bill number and the name of the author of the legislations. There is a column with a brief explanation of what the bill does. Then, there is a column for whether the bill promotes or violates conservative principles. Finally, (and my personal favorite) there is column for me to make comments about what I think about the bill.
Years ago my boss explained to me that he did not pay me to agree with him. He pays me for my analysis of policy. While I appreciate that, I do not take it for granted. That is why I try to separate what I know about a particular piece of legislation from what I think about it. (Hence, the separate columns for what a bill does and what I think about it.)
On the day I learned my lesson about the value of thesaurus words, I had written in the report that a piece of legislation was “just about the stupidest thing I had ever seen.” What I was unaware of at the time was the fact that the report I thought was prepared for only my boss to read was actually also used by a number of legislators seated around him on the floor.
Imagine the position I had placed my boss in when a legislator read the report and said, “Your staffer just called me stupid.”
Being a Marine colonel, Eagle Scout, and all around great guy, my boss quickly came to my defense and truthfully replied, “No, she just said your bill was stupid.”
When he returned to the office and shared the experience we had a good laugh, but I was horrified to realize the position in which I had put him. It was at that point that I determined there must be a better word. So, “ill-advised” has become our code word for stupid.
However, in the context of today’s proverb, “stupid” works for me. To hate correction means that when you are wrong you do not care and you like being wrong.
That’s just plain stupid.
Lord, help me to seek correction in the areas of my life where I need it.
Proverbs 12:1
Generally I recommend using a thesaurus word substitute for the word “stupid.” My personal favorite is “ill-advised.” Like many things I have learned, the prudent use of a better word to express my opinion was obtained the hard way.
As a policy advisor, one facet of my job is to give the legislator I work for a brief description of the legislation that will heard on the House floor on any particular day. We have developed a report format with several columns of information. For example, there is a column with the bill number and the name of the author of the legislations. There is a column with a brief explanation of what the bill does. Then, there is a column for whether the bill promotes or violates conservative principles. Finally, (and my personal favorite) there is column for me to make comments about what I think about the bill.
Years ago my boss explained to me that he did not pay me to agree with him. He pays me for my analysis of policy. While I appreciate that, I do not take it for granted. That is why I try to separate what I know about a particular piece of legislation from what I think about it. (Hence, the separate columns for what a bill does and what I think about it.)
On the day I learned my lesson about the value of thesaurus words, I had written in the report that a piece of legislation was “just about the stupidest thing I had ever seen.” What I was unaware of at the time was the fact that the report I thought was prepared for only my boss to read was actually also used by a number of legislators seated around him on the floor.
Imagine the position I had placed my boss in when a legislator read the report and said, “Your staffer just called me stupid.”
Being a Marine colonel, Eagle Scout, and all around great guy, my boss quickly came to my defense and truthfully replied, “No, she just said your bill was stupid.”
When he returned to the office and shared the experience we had a good laugh, but I was horrified to realize the position in which I had put him. It was at that point that I determined there must be a better word. So, “ill-advised” has become our code word for stupid.
However, in the context of today’s proverb, “stupid” works for me. To hate correction means that when you are wrong you do not care and you like being wrong.
That’s just plain stupid.
Lord, help me to seek correction in the areas of my life where I need it.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Olympic Golf Balls
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
Proverbs 11:3
The Olympics are here! I don’t know about you, but around our house we are engaged in Olympic mania. From the extravagance of the opening ceremonies to the awarding of gold medals and all the commercials in between, we seem to be glued to the TV. There are not enough hours in the day to absorb all the events, so we are recording those we want to come back to later.
What is it that so completely pulls us into watching the Olympics? Why would billions (billions, with a B) of people watch a basketball game? Do we want to share in the glory of the American gymnastics team taking home a gold medal? Or, are we secretly hoping to see the gymnasts fall off the uneven bars, stumble in a routine or take a tiny step on a landing? If you are not the one competing, does it really matter who wins in the swim meets? And, how is it that badminton is a sport that is internationally televised?
The answer is, I do not have a clue why the Olympics mesmerize us. But, as I was watching this weekend I was very conscience of the fact that this is a group of people who have their “golf balls” in the spotlight.
There is great pride on the American team that they are committed to competing “clean.” Not only are Olympians required to submit to blood and urine testing, but some of the major athletes on the American team have agreed to a more intensive regimen of testing to prove they are not using any form of performance enhancing products. Their blood samples will be stored for up to eight years in the event that more sophisticated testing becomes available to expose the use of prohibited products.
Imagine – not only is the world watching to see if you drop your golf ball. But, in the event that you drop your golf ball and nobody sees it, in eight years someone can pull out the proof that you did, indeed, drop the ball and drop it big. They can strip you of your medals and the integrity of everything you have ever done will be in question.
It would seem like those consequences would be sufficient to deter athletes from using the performance enhancers. Yet, estimates are that over 40 participants will be disqualified for just that reason before the games are over. That’s a lot of dropped golf balls.
God will not be mocked. It is a spiritual truth that if you will not deal in private with the issues in your life that the Lord wants resolved, He will bring them into the public arena for action. Your character and integrity flaws cannot be hidden from the Lord. If you do not protect them from blemish, if you do not repent when you know you have sinned, the Lord will bring up in public the issues He wants you to address. Deal with it now, or deal with it later. Just know, you will deal with it.
Lord, show me the areas of my character that need attention and give me the gift of repentance.
Proverbs 11:3
The Olympics are here! I don’t know about you, but around our house we are engaged in Olympic mania. From the extravagance of the opening ceremonies to the awarding of gold medals and all the commercials in between, we seem to be glued to the TV. There are not enough hours in the day to absorb all the events, so we are recording those we want to come back to later.
What is it that so completely pulls us into watching the Olympics? Why would billions (billions, with a B) of people watch a basketball game? Do we want to share in the glory of the American gymnastics team taking home a gold medal? Or, are we secretly hoping to see the gymnasts fall off the uneven bars, stumble in a routine or take a tiny step on a landing? If you are not the one competing, does it really matter who wins in the swim meets? And, how is it that badminton is a sport that is internationally televised?
The answer is, I do not have a clue why the Olympics mesmerize us. But, as I was watching this weekend I was very conscience of the fact that this is a group of people who have their “golf balls” in the spotlight.
There is great pride on the American team that they are committed to competing “clean.” Not only are Olympians required to submit to blood and urine testing, but some of the major athletes on the American team have agreed to a more intensive regimen of testing to prove they are not using any form of performance enhancing products. Their blood samples will be stored for up to eight years in the event that more sophisticated testing becomes available to expose the use of prohibited products.
Imagine – not only is the world watching to see if you drop your golf ball. But, in the event that you drop your golf ball and nobody sees it, in eight years someone can pull out the proof that you did, indeed, drop the ball and drop it big. They can strip you of your medals and the integrity of everything you have ever done will be in question.
It would seem like those consequences would be sufficient to deter athletes from using the performance enhancers. Yet, estimates are that over 40 participants will be disqualified for just that reason before the games are over. That’s a lot of dropped golf balls.
God will not be mocked. It is a spiritual truth that if you will not deal in private with the issues in your life that the Lord wants resolved, He will bring them into the public arena for action. Your character and integrity flaws cannot be hidden from the Lord. If you do not protect them from blemish, if you do not repent when you know you have sinned, the Lord will bring up in public the issues He wants you to address. Deal with it now, or deal with it later. Just know, you will deal with it.
Lord, show me the areas of my character that need attention and give me the gift of repentance.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Wisdom
I love those who love me (wisdom), and those who seek me diligently will find me.
Proverbs 8:17
One of my favorite parts of being on the other side of 50 (old, advanced in years) is that I really am a lot wiser than I was at half my age. Most parents of teenagers have at one time or another wished that their child could have known them as a teenager, because back then they knew everything, too.
I probably peaked in knowing everything somewhere around 16 or 17 and have steadily been learning how much I do not know since that time. And, the older I get, the more I know I don’t know. But, I have increased in wisdom. And, wisdom is what the entire book of Proverbs is all about.
For 31 chapters, the writers of Proverbs go on contrasting wisdom and folly. There may be no more practical book to follow for everyday living than Proverbs for direction in things to do (or not to do) for a successful life. Advice on alcohol use, prostitutes, peer pressure, anger management, work ethics, marriage, relationships – all the things that we deal with in our lives on a daily basis - is covered in the book. In fact, almost all the answers available in any self-help book available today was probably first covered in Proverbs.
Wisdom is a character trait near and dear to God’s heart. Scripture tells us that wisdom was with God during the time of creation. When Solomon was made king, he recognized his inadequacy to rule over the people. His cry to the Lord was that he be given wisdom in his leadership. “So give Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people to discern between good and evil.” (1 Kings 3:9). And, it goes on to say that God was pleased that Solomon had asked this thing.
There is no reason to wait until you are my age to begin the habit of seeking wisdom. Begin today to study the Book of Proverbs and make it a lifelong habit. You are never too young to seek wisdom and you will never be too old to seek it. But, you will always be at just the right age to suffer the consequences if you don’t.
Lord, give us understanding hearts of your ways. Increase our wisdom daily.
Proverbs 8:17
One of my favorite parts of being on the other side of 50 (old, advanced in years) is that I really am a lot wiser than I was at half my age. Most parents of teenagers have at one time or another wished that their child could have known them as a teenager, because back then they knew everything, too.
I probably peaked in knowing everything somewhere around 16 or 17 and have steadily been learning how much I do not know since that time. And, the older I get, the more I know I don’t know. But, I have increased in wisdom. And, wisdom is what the entire book of Proverbs is all about.
For 31 chapters, the writers of Proverbs go on contrasting wisdom and folly. There may be no more practical book to follow for everyday living than Proverbs for direction in things to do (or not to do) for a successful life. Advice on alcohol use, prostitutes, peer pressure, anger management, work ethics, marriage, relationships – all the things that we deal with in our lives on a daily basis - is covered in the book. In fact, almost all the answers available in any self-help book available today was probably first covered in Proverbs.
Wisdom is a character trait near and dear to God’s heart. Scripture tells us that wisdom was with God during the time of creation. When Solomon was made king, he recognized his inadequacy to rule over the people. His cry to the Lord was that he be given wisdom in his leadership. “So give Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people to discern between good and evil.” (1 Kings 3:9). And, it goes on to say that God was pleased that Solomon had asked this thing.
There is no reason to wait until you are my age to begin the habit of seeking wisdom. Begin today to study the Book of Proverbs and make it a lifelong habit. You are never too young to seek wisdom and you will never be too old to seek it. But, you will always be at just the right age to suffer the consequences if you don’t.
Lord, give us understanding hearts of your ways. Increase our wisdom daily.
What Needs to Change?
For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He watches all his paths.
Proverbs 5:21
It is funny how the things that ought to motivate you are not necessarily the things that get your attention in the first place. The knowledge that the eyes of the Lord are watching all my paths fills me with fear and trembling now that I am “old, advanced in years.” But, I was not nearly as aware of that in my youth.
Most toddlers (and teenagers) know that the eyes of their mother are watching all of their paths. Around middle school the concern becomes that the eyes of their peers are watching all that they wear. That is when the desire to look like and be like everybody else seems to be at its height. During middle school and high school the fads in hairstyles and clothing create the photo opportunities that will delight your future offspring. Nothing makes a daughter quite so glad not to be her mother as seeing the ridiculous clothes or hairstyles that she wore at that age.
But around the time that you become a parent you realize that there are another set of eyes on you. Every word out of your mouth, every gesture is seen by your offspring. If you wonder how you look when you are angry, becoming a parent will quickly reveal that to you in the behavior of your child. Does what your child say when they stub their toe surprise you? It shouldn’t. It is probably what they heard you say the day before. Do you expect your children to be ethical? What do you tell them to say when they answer the phone and it is someone you do not wish to speak to?
So far my favorite stage of life has been watching my granddaughter hold my daughter accountable for what she says and does. Some of the behaviors I unsuccessfully tried to change as a parent have miraculously been abandoned when viewed through the mirror of her daughter’s eyes. Like her mother before her, my daughter is getting a new understanding of integrity, honesty, self-control, patience, and love through her daughter as Hannah watches “all her paths.”
While there are various stages of life where the lesson comes home to each of us, the vital thing to remember is that the Lord is watching all that you say and do. It is like the golf ball. He is always there as a witness (even when you drop the golf ball). He knows what your eyes see and where your thoughts wander. He knows which websites you choose to explore, how you treated your date last night, and what you said about that person who offended you.
If you are ever feeling particularly self-righteous and thinking you might have “arrived” at your peak of spirituality, try this. Ask the Lord to show you all the things about yourself that are not pleasing to Him. Then, get out the pen and journal, because I assure you that there is going to be an extensive “to do” list to work on. Several days later, after you have cried, “Uncle,” repented, and begged for mercy He will give you a break and let you work on those things without more piling on.
But, always remember that He is watching all your paths. And He will always tell you the things you need to change when you have the courage and the faith to ask.
Lord, give me the courage to see the things in my life that need to change.
Proverbs 5:21
It is funny how the things that ought to motivate you are not necessarily the things that get your attention in the first place. The knowledge that the eyes of the Lord are watching all my paths fills me with fear and trembling now that I am “old, advanced in years.” But, I was not nearly as aware of that in my youth.
Most toddlers (and teenagers) know that the eyes of their mother are watching all of their paths. Around middle school the concern becomes that the eyes of their peers are watching all that they wear. That is when the desire to look like and be like everybody else seems to be at its height. During middle school and high school the fads in hairstyles and clothing create the photo opportunities that will delight your future offspring. Nothing makes a daughter quite so glad not to be her mother as seeing the ridiculous clothes or hairstyles that she wore at that age.
But around the time that you become a parent you realize that there are another set of eyes on you. Every word out of your mouth, every gesture is seen by your offspring. If you wonder how you look when you are angry, becoming a parent will quickly reveal that to you in the behavior of your child. Does what your child say when they stub their toe surprise you? It shouldn’t. It is probably what they heard you say the day before. Do you expect your children to be ethical? What do you tell them to say when they answer the phone and it is someone you do not wish to speak to?
So far my favorite stage of life has been watching my granddaughter hold my daughter accountable for what she says and does. Some of the behaviors I unsuccessfully tried to change as a parent have miraculously been abandoned when viewed through the mirror of her daughter’s eyes. Like her mother before her, my daughter is getting a new understanding of integrity, honesty, self-control, patience, and love through her daughter as Hannah watches “all her paths.”
While there are various stages of life where the lesson comes home to each of us, the vital thing to remember is that the Lord is watching all that you say and do. It is like the golf ball. He is always there as a witness (even when you drop the golf ball). He knows what your eyes see and where your thoughts wander. He knows which websites you choose to explore, how you treated your date last night, and what you said about that person who offended you.
If you are ever feeling particularly self-righteous and thinking you might have “arrived” at your peak of spirituality, try this. Ask the Lord to show you all the things about yourself that are not pleasing to Him. Then, get out the pen and journal, because I assure you that there is going to be an extensive “to do” list to work on. Several days later, after you have cried, “Uncle,” repented, and begged for mercy He will give you a break and let you work on those things without more piling on.
But, always remember that He is watching all your paths. And He will always tell you the things you need to change when you have the courage and the faith to ask.
Lord, give me the courage to see the things in my life that need to change.
Basset Rules
Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established.
Proverbs 4:26
Psalms 81:11-12 scripture says, “But My people did not listen to My voice, and Israel did not obey Me. So I gave hem over to the stubbornness of their heart, to walk in their own devices.”
The older I get there are two things that become more and more clear to me. The first is there is a Satan and he can wreak havoc in our world. The second is that Satan gets blamed for an awful lot that we do to ourselves just because of where we choose to walk.
Let me explain in “basset” terms. Being worshiped by a basset hound is about as close to being a god as I ever want to get. They love me. They always greet me at the door with a joyful noise. And, they follow me everywhere I go. They give me great joy.
But, unlike God who gives us free choice to make decisions about where we walk, the bassets around our house are not trusted with free will. After six years of basset rearing, I know that given an opportunity to make a bad choice, a basset will take it.
A skein of yarn left unattended is an open invitation to run out the dog door and unravel a half-knitted sweater. A cell phone left unattended around a basset pup is considered to be a chew toy. And, being disciplined about chewing the first phone does not prevent chewing a second one. (Don’t ask how I know this.) Likewise, they consider anything on the dining room table or the edge of the kitchen counter to be fair game.
So, in the interest of keeping both peace and bassets around the Seay household, there are two very specific rules that are in place in our home regarding where a basset can (or cannot) walk:
Rule 1: Bassets are not allowed in rooms with carpet.
Bassets drool, shed and smell. Tile cleans up easily. Therefore, bassets should only be allowed where cleanup is easy. However, telling a basset that they cannot go in a room with carpet does not keep them out of it. Closing the door and keeping it closed does. Just wanting to stay out of trouble isn’t enough – you have to close some doors.
Rule 2: Bassets sleep in crates at night.
Bassets left outside bark and howl at night. Bassets sleeping in a crate do not. Being a good neighbor and getting a good night’s sleep both require that bassets sleep at night. However, given a choice, they would choose to howl at the moon. I have never had a poor night’s sleep because the bassets were asleep in their crates. You do not generally get into trouble for being where you are supposed to be.
Summary: Close the doors that lead to places you shouldn’t be – just don’t go there. And, if you like to howl at the moon, get yourself a crate! Your mother will sleep much better for it.
Lord, do not allow us to turn to either the right or the left, but to stay on your path.
Proverbs 4:26
Psalms 81:11-12 scripture says, “But My people did not listen to My voice, and Israel did not obey Me. So I gave hem over to the stubbornness of their heart, to walk in their own devices.”
The older I get there are two things that become more and more clear to me. The first is there is a Satan and he can wreak havoc in our world. The second is that Satan gets blamed for an awful lot that we do to ourselves just because of where we choose to walk.
Let me explain in “basset” terms. Being worshiped by a basset hound is about as close to being a god as I ever want to get. They love me. They always greet me at the door with a joyful noise. And, they follow me everywhere I go. They give me great joy.
But, unlike God who gives us free choice to make decisions about where we walk, the bassets around our house are not trusted with free will. After six years of basset rearing, I know that given an opportunity to make a bad choice, a basset will take it.
A skein of yarn left unattended is an open invitation to run out the dog door and unravel a half-knitted sweater. A cell phone left unattended around a basset pup is considered to be a chew toy. And, being disciplined about chewing the first phone does not prevent chewing a second one. (Don’t ask how I know this.) Likewise, they consider anything on the dining room table or the edge of the kitchen counter to be fair game.
So, in the interest of keeping both peace and bassets around the Seay household, there are two very specific rules that are in place in our home regarding where a basset can (or cannot) walk:
Rule 1: Bassets are not allowed in rooms with carpet.
Bassets drool, shed and smell. Tile cleans up easily. Therefore, bassets should only be allowed where cleanup is easy. However, telling a basset that they cannot go in a room with carpet does not keep them out of it. Closing the door and keeping it closed does. Just wanting to stay out of trouble isn’t enough – you have to close some doors.
Rule 2: Bassets sleep in crates at night.
Bassets left outside bark and howl at night. Bassets sleeping in a crate do not. Being a good neighbor and getting a good night’s sleep both require that bassets sleep at night. However, given a choice, they would choose to howl at the moon. I have never had a poor night’s sleep because the bassets were asleep in their crates. You do not generally get into trouble for being where you are supposed to be.
Summary: Close the doors that lead to places you shouldn’t be – just don’t go there. And, if you like to howl at the moon, get yourself a crate! Your mother will sleep much better for it.
Lord, do not allow us to turn to either the right or the left, but to stay on your path.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Parenting
My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
Proverbs 1:10
Have you ever wondered why parents worry so much about their children succumbing to peer pressure? One reason is because giving in to peer pressure was the original sin - remember Eve and the serpent.
Parents know that God created His children (Adam and Eve) and placed them in the ideal environment – The Garden of Eden. He walked with them and talked with them daily. They were well versed in His ways. They did not come from a broken home. They had no drugs or alcohol temptations. There was no television, no Hollywood, no computer pornography. There were no other young people around them who had been raised with a different set of values and expectations. They had not been educated in the public schools.
And even though God’s kids grew up in the right neighborhood, had dinner at home every evening, and had a great relationship with their dad, Satan was able to tempt them by twisting the truth and challenging what they had been taught. “You surely shall not die!”
One look at the story of Adam and Eve is sufficient to make any parent recognize their total human inadequacy to protect their children from the dangers of the world. If God, as the perfect parent had discipline issues, how much more can I expect to deal with as a parent? And so, parents are left with the responsibility to protect their children while they can, to inform them of the dangers they know they will be facing and to instruct them in the ways to avoid the dangers of the world.
Look both ways before you cross the street. If a car hits you, it will hurt. Do not touch the hot stove. It will burn you. If sinners entice you, DO NO CONSENT.
Parents know they can explain it to you, but they cannot understand it for you.
Lord, lead me not into temptation.
Proverbs 1:10
Have you ever wondered why parents worry so much about their children succumbing to peer pressure? One reason is because giving in to peer pressure was the original sin - remember Eve and the serpent.
Parents know that God created His children (Adam and Eve) and placed them in the ideal environment – The Garden of Eden. He walked with them and talked with them daily. They were well versed in His ways. They did not come from a broken home. They had no drugs or alcohol temptations. There was no television, no Hollywood, no computer pornography. There were no other young people around them who had been raised with a different set of values and expectations. They had not been educated in the public schools.
And even though God’s kids grew up in the right neighborhood, had dinner at home every evening, and had a great relationship with their dad, Satan was able to tempt them by twisting the truth and challenging what they had been taught. “You surely shall not die!”
One look at the story of Adam and Eve is sufficient to make any parent recognize their total human inadequacy to protect their children from the dangers of the world. If God, as the perfect parent had discipline issues, how much more can I expect to deal with as a parent? And so, parents are left with the responsibility to protect their children while they can, to inform them of the dangers they know they will be facing and to instruct them in the ways to avoid the dangers of the world.
Look both ways before you cross the street. If a car hits you, it will hurt. Do not touch the hot stove. It will burn you. If sinners entice you, DO NO CONSENT.
Parents know they can explain it to you, but they cannot understand it for you.
Lord, lead me not into temptation.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Basset Hounds Don't Climb Trees
Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Proverbs 30:5
Over the years the scriptures that refer to God as a refuge have become very dear to me. There have been so many times when I, like the psalmists and other characters of the Bible, have found myself running to the Lord as fast as I could to hide myself in His love, protection and peace. It is not because I think that I deserve it that I run to Him. It is because I know He will never fail me.
One day last week I got a great visual of the concept of taking refuge in the Lord when I heard our basset hounds whining at the back door to get out into the yard. Unlike their predecessor, the two bassets currently in residence with us have not declared our yard a cat free / squirrel free zone. As a result, the squirrels have become quite a nuisance, eating all the feed left out for the birds and making nests in my husband’s woodworking shop.
On this particular day, there was a squirrel on one of the bird feeders hanging from a tree. What made this day different was that the dogs noticed the squirrel. Now, obviously the squirrel has been hanging around our back yard for a while, because when I first opened the door and the dogs rushed out, the squirrel did not even look up from his task of consuming all the bird seed. But within seconds, Matilda’s genetic code kicked in and she was on the scent of the prey. She flew off of the deck, sounding the call that she was leading the hunt. Samuel, (who probably has never figured out that Lord made him to be a hunting dog) joined in the baying because that is what bassets do.
It only took a matter of seconds for the dogs to clear the deck and cover the 50 feet or so to the base of the large oak tree. Somewhere between my opening the door and the dogs’ arrival the squirrel realized that this was not a regular day in the neighborhood. He quickly scampered away to take refuge in the upper branches of the tree.
But, knowing that he was safely out of reach of his adversaries, the squirrel did not hide. He merely sat up on the branch mocking the frustration of the dogs as they jumped up howling and hurling themselves at the base of the tree, doing their level best to reach their prey.
When we take refuge in the Lord, it is wise to remember what that squirrel knew all along. There may be big, hairy beasts howling at our heels, but when we take refuge with the Lord we are safe.
Basset hounds don’t climb trees.
Lord, thank you that you are our refuge in times of trouble. Amen.
Proverbs 30:5
Over the years the scriptures that refer to God as a refuge have become very dear to me. There have been so many times when I, like the psalmists and other characters of the Bible, have found myself running to the Lord as fast as I could to hide myself in His love, protection and peace. It is not because I think that I deserve it that I run to Him. It is because I know He will never fail me.
One day last week I got a great visual of the concept of taking refuge in the Lord when I heard our basset hounds whining at the back door to get out into the yard. Unlike their predecessor, the two bassets currently in residence with us have not declared our yard a cat free / squirrel free zone. As a result, the squirrels have become quite a nuisance, eating all the feed left out for the birds and making nests in my husband’s woodworking shop.
On this particular day, there was a squirrel on one of the bird feeders hanging from a tree. What made this day different was that the dogs noticed the squirrel. Now, obviously the squirrel has been hanging around our back yard for a while, because when I first opened the door and the dogs rushed out, the squirrel did not even look up from his task of consuming all the bird seed. But within seconds, Matilda’s genetic code kicked in and she was on the scent of the prey. She flew off of the deck, sounding the call that she was leading the hunt. Samuel, (who probably has never figured out that Lord made him to be a hunting dog) joined in the baying because that is what bassets do.
It only took a matter of seconds for the dogs to clear the deck and cover the 50 feet or so to the base of the large oak tree. Somewhere between my opening the door and the dogs’ arrival the squirrel realized that this was not a regular day in the neighborhood. He quickly scampered away to take refuge in the upper branches of the tree.
But, knowing that he was safely out of reach of his adversaries, the squirrel did not hide. He merely sat up on the branch mocking the frustration of the dogs as they jumped up howling and hurling themselves at the base of the tree, doing their level best to reach their prey.
When we take refuge in the Lord, it is wise to remember what that squirrel knew all along. There may be big, hairy beasts howling at our heels, but when we take refuge with the Lord we are safe.
Basset hounds don’t climb trees.
Lord, thank you that you are our refuge in times of trouble. Amen.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Fear - Proverbs 29
The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.
Proverbs 29:25
What do you fear most? Is it heights? Is it crowds? Maybe you are afraid of roller coasters. Or, is it what other people say about you? For me, I have always had a horrible fear of public speaking. When I was young I was terribly shy. In sixth grade, I remember crying when my parents dropped me off for the first day of school. It was excruciatingly painful for me to get up in front of a class and make a presentation. It did not matter if it was a book report, an oral report, or a a debate, I always felt like I was going to either pass out or throw up when it came time for me to get up and speak. To make matters worse, at the time I was not a Christian, so I did not even have God to fall back on for support.
Chances are, most people who knew me back then had no idea that I was that scared. They assumed I volunteered to go first because I was comfortable with public speaking. How were they to know it was so I would not throw up in class? I was never particularly good at speaking, but when survival is your standard, every thing above not barfing looks like success.
Fast forward about 20 years. A woman at the church I attended wanted to start a pregnancy help center for women who needed an alternative to abortion. It sounded like a plan to me. So, we established a board of directors and got the ball rolling. Somehow (this part remains rather foggy to me) I agreed that if I would help with getting speakers out in the community to talk about our center. It seemed like a scheduling and coordination job to me. You know, I would find a need for a speaker and then I would find a speaker to fill that need. No problem.
Somehow, my idea of what I volunteered for and the actual job description were a little different. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I had signed up to teach sexual abstinence to teenagers. Yes, that is right. The only person more mortified at the thought of my getting up and talking about sex to a group of teenagers than me was my 14 year-old daughter. And, to tell you the truth, I don’t think she was worried about me throwing up or passing out.
And that, my friends, was the beginning of my training in the life lesson that the Lord will never lead you to where He cannot keep you. If God has called you to do something, do not let any fear of man prevent you from accomplishing His purpose. I discovered that if (as Mark Cole shared at PA 2008) I could get the butterflies in my stomach to fly in formation just long enough to get me out in front of the crowd, then the Holy Spirit would take over and I was home free.
It has been years since I learned that lesson. I wish I could tell you that I no longer fear public speaking. The truth is, I still get that queasy feeling each and every time I speak in public – even when I am addressing Patriot Academy. But, I no longer try to overcome my fear. I just rejoice in the glory of God that He can use us even when we are afraid. Then, I take that first step out, open my mouth, and trust God to do the rest.
Lord, thank you for your power to do all that you have called us to accomplish.
Proverbs 29:25
What do you fear most? Is it heights? Is it crowds? Maybe you are afraid of roller coasters. Or, is it what other people say about you? For me, I have always had a horrible fear of public speaking. When I was young I was terribly shy. In sixth grade, I remember crying when my parents dropped me off for the first day of school. It was excruciatingly painful for me to get up in front of a class and make a presentation. It did not matter if it was a book report, an oral report, or a a debate, I always felt like I was going to either pass out or throw up when it came time for me to get up and speak. To make matters worse, at the time I was not a Christian, so I did not even have God to fall back on for support.
Chances are, most people who knew me back then had no idea that I was that scared. They assumed I volunteered to go first because I was comfortable with public speaking. How were they to know it was so I would not throw up in class? I was never particularly good at speaking, but when survival is your standard, every thing above not barfing looks like success.
Fast forward about 20 years. A woman at the church I attended wanted to start a pregnancy help center for women who needed an alternative to abortion. It sounded like a plan to me. So, we established a board of directors and got the ball rolling. Somehow (this part remains rather foggy to me) I agreed that if I would help with getting speakers out in the community to talk about our center. It seemed like a scheduling and coordination job to me. You know, I would find a need for a speaker and then I would find a speaker to fill that need. No problem.
Somehow, my idea of what I volunteered for and the actual job description were a little different. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I had signed up to teach sexual abstinence to teenagers. Yes, that is right. The only person more mortified at the thought of my getting up and talking about sex to a group of teenagers than me was my 14 year-old daughter. And, to tell you the truth, I don’t think she was worried about me throwing up or passing out.
And that, my friends, was the beginning of my training in the life lesson that the Lord will never lead you to where He cannot keep you. If God has called you to do something, do not let any fear of man prevent you from accomplishing His purpose. I discovered that if (as Mark Cole shared at PA 2008) I could get the butterflies in my stomach to fly in formation just long enough to get me out in front of the crowd, then the Holy Spirit would take over and I was home free.
It has been years since I learned that lesson. I wish I could tell you that I no longer fear public speaking. The truth is, I still get that queasy feeling each and every time I speak in public – even when I am addressing Patriot Academy. But, I no longer try to overcome my fear. I just rejoice in the glory of God that He can use us even when we are afraid. Then, I take that first step out, open my mouth, and trust God to do the rest.
Lord, thank you for your power to do all that you have called us to accomplish.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Mercy - Proverbs 28
He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
Proverbs 28:13
Having raised three children of my own, I learned that the most effective prayer for parenting was to pray, “Lord, if the actions of my children are not pleasing in your sight, deliver them into my hands.” When it came to my son, God was so faithful to answer that prayer that he could not spit on the sidewalk without someone calling me to tell me about it.
A mother’s prayers are a great tool for accountability during one’s youth. However, there comes a time when it is no longer mom’s job to hold a child accountable. And then mom can only pray that she has laid the groundwork for the child to step up to the plate and accept his responsibility for accountability before the Lord.
It is not a fault reserved for the young to attempt to conceal our sins from the Lord. Since the time of Adam and Eve, God’s people have acted as if they could hide their sins and the Lord would not notice them. The plan doesn’t work any better now than it did in the Garden of Eden. But, how often do you see a situation where a sin is buried, hidden, lied about, or justified.
Think about it. The Lord holds you in the palm of His hand. Where are you going to hide something? Maybe you can tuck it down between the pinky finger and His ring finger. Or, take it all the way out to the tip of His thumb. Maybe He won’t see it there.
Does it sound ridiculous to consider that you could hide something from God when you are safely in the palm of His hand?
It is.
But, that doesn’t stop us from trying. Learn the lesson early. God already knows your faults. Do not be afraid to ask him how to cope with them. Proverbs tells us that to cover your sin will prevent you from prospering. However, if you confess them and forsake them you will have mercy.
My experience has been that no matter how hard I try to do what is right, I cannot seem to make it through life without sinning. The next best thing to living a sinless life is living the life of a forgiven child of God. Experience has taught me that when I sin, rather than trying to justify my mistakes, the best action is to run toward God just as fast as I can. His mercy has always been greater than my ability to mess things up.
... And, that’s not because I am lacking in capacity to make mistakes.
Lord, may your mercy and grace follow us all the days of our lives.
Proverbs 28:13
Having raised three children of my own, I learned that the most effective prayer for parenting was to pray, “Lord, if the actions of my children are not pleasing in your sight, deliver them into my hands.” When it came to my son, God was so faithful to answer that prayer that he could not spit on the sidewalk without someone calling me to tell me about it.
A mother’s prayers are a great tool for accountability during one’s youth. However, there comes a time when it is no longer mom’s job to hold a child accountable. And then mom can only pray that she has laid the groundwork for the child to step up to the plate and accept his responsibility for accountability before the Lord.
It is not a fault reserved for the young to attempt to conceal our sins from the Lord. Since the time of Adam and Eve, God’s people have acted as if they could hide their sins and the Lord would not notice them. The plan doesn’t work any better now than it did in the Garden of Eden. But, how often do you see a situation where a sin is buried, hidden, lied about, or justified.
Think about it. The Lord holds you in the palm of His hand. Where are you going to hide something? Maybe you can tuck it down between the pinky finger and His ring finger. Or, take it all the way out to the tip of His thumb. Maybe He won’t see it there.
Does it sound ridiculous to consider that you could hide something from God when you are safely in the palm of His hand?
It is.
But, that doesn’t stop us from trying. Learn the lesson early. God already knows your faults. Do not be afraid to ask him how to cope with them. Proverbs tells us that to cover your sin will prevent you from prospering. However, if you confess them and forsake them you will have mercy.
My experience has been that no matter how hard I try to do what is right, I cannot seem to make it through life without sinning. The next best thing to living a sinless life is living the life of a forgiven child of God. Experience has taught me that when I sin, rather than trying to justify my mistakes, the best action is to run toward God just as fast as I can. His mercy has always been greater than my ability to mess things up.
... And, that’s not because I am lacking in capacity to make mistakes.
Lord, may your mercy and grace follow us all the days of our lives.
Pray for your Enemies - Proverbs 25
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
Proverbs 25:21-22
In the legislative arena, pro-life issues are one of those topics where it is difficult to know exactly who your friends and enemies might be. Depending upon the wording of your legislation, someone who agrees with you in principle may be as deadly to your legislation as some one who supports abortion at any stage of pregnancy.
It was the summer of 2003. During the legislative session the spring before, the legislator for whom I work, against all odds, passed the Woman’s Right to Know Act (WRTK) concerning informed consent for women about to undergo an abortion. The bill had not been designated as one of the bills to watch by pro-lifers, because it had been carried for at least three sessions in the past with no action.
But, WRTK had passed and we were left with the task of shepherding the implementation of the process through the Texas Department of Health. I say “we” but the truth of the matter is, immediately after the legislative session the representative I work for (who is also a colonel in the U.S. Marine Reserves) was called to active duty in Korea for several months. He assured me we would keep in touch by phone and email and all I had to do was attend the meetings, represent his position, monitor the situation and let him know what he needed to communicate to the stakeholders.
The way the Texas Department of Health implemented the bill was by getting all the people who were in favor of it and all the people who were opposed to it together to hash out the details of the wording of the brochure that would be printed to inform women of the risks of and alternatives to abortions. The majority of the people in the room would not agree with each other about the time of day, much less the wording on an abortion issue.
One day as I was lamenting to the Lord (as I am prone to do) about the mess He had gotten me into, He asked me if I loved my enemies.
“Love ’em? Are you kidding me, God? I don’t even like most of them.”
He asked me if I was praying for them.
“Lord, you know my idea of mercy is to ask you to smite them lightly. What would I pray for these people who I would really rather just see get out of my way so we can get this job done?”
I figured out that the Lord would not have asked me if I was praying if He did not intend for me to do so. And, while He left me to figure out what to pray on my own, I found that praying scripture over the people involved in a controversy never hurts. At the end of the process, not only did we end up with one of the most effective laws on informed consent in the nation, but I ended up with several friends in the Department of Health who continue to be available to discuss issues when the need arises.
I have been greatly rewarded.
Lord, help us to remember to pray for our enemies. Show us how to provide for their needs.
Proverbs 25:21-22
In the legislative arena, pro-life issues are one of those topics where it is difficult to know exactly who your friends and enemies might be. Depending upon the wording of your legislation, someone who agrees with you in principle may be as deadly to your legislation as some one who supports abortion at any stage of pregnancy.
It was the summer of 2003. During the legislative session the spring before, the legislator for whom I work, against all odds, passed the Woman’s Right to Know Act (WRTK) concerning informed consent for women about to undergo an abortion. The bill had not been designated as one of the bills to watch by pro-lifers, because it had been carried for at least three sessions in the past with no action.
But, WRTK had passed and we were left with the task of shepherding the implementation of the process through the Texas Department of Health. I say “we” but the truth of the matter is, immediately after the legislative session the representative I work for (who is also a colonel in the U.S. Marine Reserves) was called to active duty in Korea for several months. He assured me we would keep in touch by phone and email and all I had to do was attend the meetings, represent his position, monitor the situation and let him know what he needed to communicate to the stakeholders.
The way the Texas Department of Health implemented the bill was by getting all the people who were in favor of it and all the people who were opposed to it together to hash out the details of the wording of the brochure that would be printed to inform women of the risks of and alternatives to abortions. The majority of the people in the room would not agree with each other about the time of day, much less the wording on an abortion issue.
One day as I was lamenting to the Lord (as I am prone to do) about the mess He had gotten me into, He asked me if I loved my enemies.
“Love ’em? Are you kidding me, God? I don’t even like most of them.”
He asked me if I was praying for them.
“Lord, you know my idea of mercy is to ask you to smite them lightly. What would I pray for these people who I would really rather just see get out of my way so we can get this job done?”
I figured out that the Lord would not have asked me if I was praying if He did not intend for me to do so. And, while He left me to figure out what to pray on my own, I found that praying scripture over the people involved in a controversy never hurts. At the end of the process, not only did we end up with one of the most effective laws on informed consent in the nation, but I ended up with several friends in the Department of Health who continue to be available to discuss issues when the need arises.
I have been greatly rewarded.
Lord, help us to remember to pray for our enemies. Show us how to provide for their needs.
Pray for your Enemies - Proverbs 24
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and it displeases Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.
Proverbs 24:17-18
Have you ever watched the news as someone got their comeuppance and thought, “Ah ha! It serves them right!” Have you chuckled as you watch someone squirm as a result of their ill-advised behavior and delighted that, “It is about time… .”
If you have, REPENT. Now, just as a reminder, “repent” means to: 1) recognize that what you are doing is wrong, and 2) turn away from that behavior and head back in the direction of God. Let me give you a visual.
I am the very proud owner of two basset hounds. Basset hounds were made by God to hunt by scent. Their ears are long so that when they are on a scent, the ears brush along the ground, stirring up the scent and literally funneling it into their nose. Likewise, they are hardwired by God to stay on a scent once they start, so they are not easily distracted visually or by sound once they are on a trail.
All of those traits are good and wonderful if you happen to have your basset hound to hunt. Mine hunt for nothing but their next meal and they only look in the food bowl for that. So, all those wonderful traits can have drawbacks. One of them is that they are slow to recognize when they are off on the wrong track (i.e. they need to repent). Generally, when they are off on the wrong track, they are not just moseying along, they are “hooked up and outbound” (that is an old phrase from my dad who worked on a tug book meaning full throttle and headed out of port).
Oftentimes when the bassets are in need of repenting, I am running along behind them yelling their names, telling them to stop, and demanding they “repent” – as if they actually listened. (The oldest basset actually thought “no” was part of his name I used it so much when he was a puppy.)
But, unlike basset hounds, God created you to hear His voice. You just have to learn to listen. When you have learned to listen, the Lord will give you a warning when you begin to “rejoice when your enemy falls.” Heed that warning, because the rest of the scripture explains that your rejoicing can actually displease the Lord so much that He will turn His wrath from your enemy.
What is the appropriate response when your enemy falls? Forgive them. Pray for God’s mercy on them. If they have raised their hand against the Lord’s anointed (you are the Lord’s anointed) then the Lord will vindicate you. You don’t have to worry about how that is going to happen, just trust that it will.
So, when President Clinton faced impeachment, when Hillary Clinton lost the primary, when the media goes after Obama, what is has been response? Are you running across the field so fast that you cannot hear the Lord yelling your name and telling you to stop? Or, do you rejoice in their downfall? You better practice your repentance.
Lord, remind me to pray for those who are my enemies. Open my eyes and ears to see and hear You in every area of my life.
Proverbs 24:17-18
Have you ever watched the news as someone got their comeuppance and thought, “Ah ha! It serves them right!” Have you chuckled as you watch someone squirm as a result of their ill-advised behavior and delighted that, “It is about time… .”
If you have, REPENT. Now, just as a reminder, “repent” means to: 1) recognize that what you are doing is wrong, and 2) turn away from that behavior and head back in the direction of God. Let me give you a visual.
I am the very proud owner of two basset hounds. Basset hounds were made by God to hunt by scent. Their ears are long so that when they are on a scent, the ears brush along the ground, stirring up the scent and literally funneling it into their nose. Likewise, they are hardwired by God to stay on a scent once they start, so they are not easily distracted visually or by sound once they are on a trail.
All of those traits are good and wonderful if you happen to have your basset hound to hunt. Mine hunt for nothing but their next meal and they only look in the food bowl for that. So, all those wonderful traits can have drawbacks. One of them is that they are slow to recognize when they are off on the wrong track (i.e. they need to repent). Generally, when they are off on the wrong track, they are not just moseying along, they are “hooked up and outbound” (that is an old phrase from my dad who worked on a tug book meaning full throttle and headed out of port).
Oftentimes when the bassets are in need of repenting, I am running along behind them yelling their names, telling them to stop, and demanding they “repent” – as if they actually listened. (The oldest basset actually thought “no” was part of his name I used it so much when he was a puppy.)
But, unlike basset hounds, God created you to hear His voice. You just have to learn to listen. When you have learned to listen, the Lord will give you a warning when you begin to “rejoice when your enemy falls.” Heed that warning, because the rest of the scripture explains that your rejoicing can actually displease the Lord so much that He will turn His wrath from your enemy.
What is the appropriate response when your enemy falls? Forgive them. Pray for God’s mercy on them. If they have raised their hand against the Lord’s anointed (you are the Lord’s anointed) then the Lord will vindicate you. You don’t have to worry about how that is going to happen, just trust that it will.
So, when President Clinton faced impeachment, when Hillary Clinton lost the primary, when the media goes after Obama, what is has been response? Are you running across the field so fast that you cannot hear the Lord yelling your name and telling you to stop? Or, do you rejoice in their downfall? You better practice your repentance.
Lord, remind me to pray for those who are my enemies. Open my eyes and ears to see and hear You in every area of my life.
Buy Truth - Proverbs 23
Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
Proverbs 23:23
This is a great scripture to use for a variety of purposes. It instructs us to buy truth and wisdom, instruction and understanding. I understand the buying of instruction. That could be the whole idea behind a college degree. “Buy the instruction” could be referring to tuition and we all know that is something that is increasing year after year.
One of my all time favorite quotes heard on the House floor during a legislative session was when Chairman Chisum, in response to an inquiry to please explain something to another representative for about the fourth or fifth time, replied, “I can explain it to you, but I cannot understand it for you.” So, how do you buy understanding?
What is truth? And, what is it worth to you? How do you buy the truth?
In a day when to the world, truth has become relevant to the circumstances and every man does what is right in his own eyes, the concept of truth being a priceless commodity is unknown. But, the believer knows that truth is not a circumstance or a set of facts. In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
An encounter with the truth is not an encounter with facts. It is an encounter with Jesus. Think about that when you are in the heat of an argument and discussing whether a set of facts are “true” or not. Personally, I think of facts as “accurate” rather than “true” because a fact may be accurate, but not reflect biblical truth. (This comes under the heading of Words Have Meaning – know that and use them correctly.)
So, what is Truth worth to you and how do you buy it? Truth must be purchased without the commodities that are of value in a secular sense. You can have all the money in the world and not be able to buy truth. You have to purchase it through your prayer life, relationships, and commitment to giving all of you for all of Him. It means sacrificing your time with computer or TV to spend time in the Word. It means that your life is not about what you want to do; it is about what He wants to do through you.
If there is ANYTHING in your life that is more important to you than your relationship with Christ, you are not buying the truth. Jesus told the ruler who asked him how to inherit eternal life that though he had followed all the commandments that was not enough. In his words, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me.” But scripture tells us that when the ruler heard this he became sad because he was very rich. And, there is never another mention of him. He traded his eternal life –truth - for his current riches.
You Patriots are at a wonderful place in history. Your entire lives are playing out before you and many of you will be incredibly successful in the eyes of the world. But, if you get all the riches of the world and miss the truth, you will be a failure.
Lord, teach us to love truth and hate deception. Show us how to recognize You in all areas of our lives. Amen
Proverbs 23:23
This is a great scripture to use for a variety of purposes. It instructs us to buy truth and wisdom, instruction and understanding. I understand the buying of instruction. That could be the whole idea behind a college degree. “Buy the instruction” could be referring to tuition and we all know that is something that is increasing year after year.
One of my all time favorite quotes heard on the House floor during a legislative session was when Chairman Chisum, in response to an inquiry to please explain something to another representative for about the fourth or fifth time, replied, “I can explain it to you, but I cannot understand it for you.” So, how do you buy understanding?
What is truth? And, what is it worth to you? How do you buy the truth?
In a day when to the world, truth has become relevant to the circumstances and every man does what is right in his own eyes, the concept of truth being a priceless commodity is unknown. But, the believer knows that truth is not a circumstance or a set of facts. In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
An encounter with the truth is not an encounter with facts. It is an encounter with Jesus. Think about that when you are in the heat of an argument and discussing whether a set of facts are “true” or not. Personally, I think of facts as “accurate” rather than “true” because a fact may be accurate, but not reflect biblical truth. (This comes under the heading of Words Have Meaning – know that and use them correctly.)
So, what is Truth worth to you and how do you buy it? Truth must be purchased without the commodities that are of value in a secular sense. You can have all the money in the world and not be able to buy truth. You have to purchase it through your prayer life, relationships, and commitment to giving all of you for all of Him. It means sacrificing your time with computer or TV to spend time in the Word. It means that your life is not about what you want to do; it is about what He wants to do through you.
If there is ANYTHING in your life that is more important to you than your relationship with Christ, you are not buying the truth. Jesus told the ruler who asked him how to inherit eternal life that though he had followed all the commandments that was not enough. In his words, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me.” But scripture tells us that when the ruler heard this he became sad because he was very rich. And, there is never another mention of him. He traded his eternal life –truth - for his current riches.
You Patriots are at a wonderful place in history. Your entire lives are playing out before you and many of you will be incredibly successful in the eyes of the world. But, if you get all the riches of the world and miss the truth, you will be a failure.
Lord, teach us to love truth and hate deception. Show us how to recognize You in all areas of our lives. Amen
Humility - Proverbs 22
The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.
Proverbs 22:4
Patriot Academy has provided an awesome opportunity for the Lord to bring together an extraordinary group of young people. He has chosen each participant over the years to keep a divine appointment with their destiny by bringing them to the seat of government in Texas and letting them “try on” the mantle of governance.
Humility is not the first thought that comes to mind when considering modern day politicians. However, God’s word says that there is a reward for humility and for the fear of the Lord. So, what does the word actually mean?
According to Webster’s, humility is the act of being humble. Humble is “not proud or haughty, not arrogant or assertive; reflecting , expressing or offered in a spirit of deference or submission.”
Part of my fear of the Lord is the knowledge that He loves me enough to bring me to a humble state if I choose not to do so myself. Now, (don’t ask me how I know this) in my lifetime I have found that if I choose not to humble myself, the Lord will find someone to do it for me through a word that sounds similar, but has a far different meaning – humiliation. Humiliation means “to reduce to a lower position in one’s own eyes or another’s eyes; i.e mortify.” For example, the approach Mama Seay takes when a Patriot sleeps in rather than participate in early morning sessions.
The public arena gives a great many opportunities for people to think more of themselves than they should. If your motivation is to be someone, rather than to do something, there is a great danger that brushing shoulders with powerful people or elected officials will cause you to take your eyes off the ball (golf ball, that is).
If you find yourself impressed when you are in the presence of a particular individual and it is not because of their godliness, BEWARE! Warning bells should be going off in your head that you are in danger of putting someone in the position that the Lord should have in your life.
I have found that if I begin my day with a few minutes with the Creator of the Universe each morning that meeting the governor in the elevator is not a really big deal. Likewise, when I am communicating with the Lord, it is much easier for me to communicate His vision in policy and relationships.
And, as the Word promises, humility and fear of the Lord brings the reward of honor and riches and life.
Lord, impart to these Patriots the awe and wonder that comes with an intimate knowledge of You. Do not allow them be led astray by the power or wealth of this world. Amen.
Proverbs 22:4
Patriot Academy has provided an awesome opportunity for the Lord to bring together an extraordinary group of young people. He has chosen each participant over the years to keep a divine appointment with their destiny by bringing them to the seat of government in Texas and letting them “try on” the mantle of governance.
Humility is not the first thought that comes to mind when considering modern day politicians. However, God’s word says that there is a reward for humility and for the fear of the Lord. So, what does the word actually mean?
According to Webster’s, humility is the act of being humble. Humble is “not proud or haughty, not arrogant or assertive; reflecting , expressing or offered in a spirit of deference or submission.”
Part of my fear of the Lord is the knowledge that He loves me enough to bring me to a humble state if I choose not to do so myself. Now, (don’t ask me how I know this) in my lifetime I have found that if I choose not to humble myself, the Lord will find someone to do it for me through a word that sounds similar, but has a far different meaning – humiliation. Humiliation means “to reduce to a lower position in one’s own eyes or another’s eyes; i.e mortify.” For example, the approach Mama Seay takes when a Patriot sleeps in rather than participate in early morning sessions.
The public arena gives a great many opportunities for people to think more of themselves than they should. If your motivation is to be someone, rather than to do something, there is a great danger that brushing shoulders with powerful people or elected officials will cause you to take your eyes off the ball (golf ball, that is).
If you find yourself impressed when you are in the presence of a particular individual and it is not because of their godliness, BEWARE! Warning bells should be going off in your head that you are in danger of putting someone in the position that the Lord should have in your life.
I have found that if I begin my day with a few minutes with the Creator of the Universe each morning that meeting the governor in the elevator is not a really big deal. Likewise, when I am communicating with the Lord, it is much easier for me to communicate His vision in policy and relationships.
And, as the Word promises, humility and fear of the Lord brings the reward of honor and riches and life.
Lord, impart to these Patriots the awe and wonder that comes with an intimate knowledge of You. Do not allow them be led astray by the power or wealth of this world. Amen.
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