Boring Post- Don't Bother

Well, if you ever wondered what it might be like to fall from a large truck and land face first on concrete, let me just tell you it is not as fun as you might think. Long story short, Thursday I ended up with a chipped tooth, bruised ribs, sore and swollen chin, bruised knee and a sprained left hand (at least I hope it's just sprained). Remember I am a little accident prone.

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It bugs me a little when people make mountains out of mole hills simply because they have an axe to grind and not when they are actually offended. I won't start listing examples. That would just take way too long. Besides I don't want to make a mountain out of... well, you get the idea.

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I am beginning to think that Power Point was designed soley to make me look foolish and only me. NEWS FLASH: I don't need any help with that!

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I love old TV shows. I love that my girls are fans of "I Love Lucy." I remember watching old episodes of "My Favorite Martian" and "Hogan's Heroes" and "Green Acres" and "Get Smart" and "The Munsters" when I stayed with my Grandma Edie when I was just a pup. But without question, my absolute favorite television show of all time is "The Andy Griffith Show." (Although to be honest, I don't watch the color episodes.) The personalities depicted were enjoyable and the humor was pure and entertaining. Andy (Sheriff Taylor) and Don Knotts (Barney Fife) were pros at improvising scenes. Themes were encouraging and funny all at the same time as this situation of a father raising his motherless son was presented in the backdrop of fictional but idealisric Mayberry, NC. I still get tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat every time I watch the Mr. McBeevey episode. I just bring it up today in light of the news of Don Knotts' death. He was a comedic genius (Three's Company notwithstanding) who in his role as Barney Fife showed it was possible to be funny without being crude. I miss that.

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Two wrongs don't make a right. But three lefts will.

Home

Home free, eventually
At the ultimate healing we will be home free
Home Free- Oh, I've got a feeling
At the ultimate healing we will be home...



Home.

Another Hit and Run

I had an event to sing at this weekend for which I had to wear a period costume chosen by someone else. As a result I was met with a laugh from my son, a "Daddy! You're not going out like that in public are you?" from one daughter and a "You look pretty girly" from the other. (It's a good thing they never saw the hat.) I have already returned the costume, but in retrospect perhaps I should have kept it and threatened to wear it when I pick them up at school if they ever misbehave. Then again, there will probably come a time in the not-too-distant future when they will consider me sufficiently embarassing no matter how I am dressed.
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I missed Sing Song this year but got the residual benefit of increased traffic and long restaurant lines. Just kidding. I did get to see some old friends, though. Having Nino and Ali and their kids over today was a great but too-short treat. Would someone figure out a way to get them to Abilene, please?
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The other day I was driving along and thinking about classic rock song titles that could very well have been the titles of hymns. (I really do wonder as I wander). And I'm not talking about the obvious ones like "Jesus is Just All Right" or "To Everything Turn, Turn, Turn." No, I am talking about some of the more obscure ones. As I started thinking about it, I came up with several, but I don't want to give them away. I would be more interested in hearing any that some chance reader might think of. I understand that the lack of regular posting lately or simply hating to read my blog after that last post may make for slim pickings, but if anyone is out there, throw something out.
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I was blessed today by Clint and Alana Logue. Something in me is telling me this guy has a lot more to say that people need to hear. I hope we get the opportunity.
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Also, another money topic came up in conversation the other day. Is there a dichotomy between trusting God and saving for retirement or other future concerns? Hmmm. This one could be tricky.
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Finally, I leave you with one thought.

Honor Your Parents?

I wish I could claim credit for this idea, but I cannot. It was actually birthed in the twisted mind of a member of my accountability group. We were discussing how popular it is to hate America recently. I'm not talking about how people from abroad feel about the United States. I am talking about the domestic loathing and belittling of patriotism or any nationalism we see. Even from both our vantage points (he leans left and I lean right) we see it all the time. He pointed out that a popular excuse or perhaps reason given for this is that as Christians we should see value in all people and not just in America and that any display of nationalism or patriotism is sinful.

Apparently I did not get the memo about this being a zero-sum game. I was unaware that patriotism and loving people in other countries were mutually exclusive.

Anyway, my friend explained this theory as the foundation of starting a new movement wherein we are all called to stop loving our parents. Despite the opportunities they might have tried to give us or the ways they sought to nurture us, they are just flawed people in a world filled with flawed people. To love them more than any other people- no matter the intentions of others- would just be plain wrong. So, I am calling everyone to merely stop loving their parents. But don't stop there. Criticize them at every opportunity instead of helping to hold them accountable. (There is a difference, you know.) Desire bad things for them. Remove any evidence that you might wish them well or admire them- no pictures in or around your home, no more usage of the family name. This is apparently the only way to show our true allegience. A literal translation of Matthew 8:22 only supports this, right?

Oh, and by the way. No more rooting for the home team, sports fans. No favorite team of any kind. There are lots of other teams out there, too. And even the Evil Empire (NYY) must be held in the same high regard or total lack thereof.

And don't forget to take down any pictures of elders or ministry leaders in your churches. It's a shame to think they deserve any special esteem. Frankly, the very idea is shocking. Get your act together, people. I'm sorry. I mean, do whatever you want, people. It's all good.

Hit and Run

This is one of those posts where I only hit briefly on a subject and then go on to something else. Blogger and my computer really do not seem to get along very well so my posts are not as frequent as they might otherwise be. As a result I must strike while the iron is hot and get in as much as I can.
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Pursuant to previous discussions of finance, a good question came up in conversation the other day. What should one do if their occupation calls for a certain air of success or confidence. For instance, should a realtor spend a significant sum on a nice vehicle since he or she is going to to be using it to carry clients? Is luxury in this case justifiable since it could be considered an integral part of their business- a tool of the trade, if you will? So much of this goes back to motive. We have talked about the pitfalls of trying to impress others, but is there a difference in making a good impression on clients to enhance one's opportunity and merely impressing others? I think there is a difference but it is one that would be very hard to identify. A healthy dose of soul-searching would be required as well as an analytical approach of whether or not there truly would be a difference in the quantifiable aspects of the business. Good tough question.
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I have heard many argue over the officiating of the Super Bowl, but one play that seems to have gone unchallenged was on the touchdown pass in the first half wherein the Seattle receiver's right foot came down inbounds but the left landed out of bounds brushing the pylon on the way. If indeed the pylon is part of the field of play (it is), it seems both feet contacted the field of play and the ball was in control as it crossed the plane of the end zone. I think this was a touchdown. Am I missing something here?
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I was promised a full-sized SUV from Hertz while my truck is in the shop. Instead I have one that I wear instead of ride in. Get well soon, James.
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For about 2 months now I have been hitting the treadmill for about 40-50 a day about five days per week on average. I do a run and a brisk walk for roughly equal distances until the cool-down. I see very little difference. I am trying to convince myself that the cardio benefit makes it all worthwhile, but I wouldn't mind dropping a couple pounds or inches in the process. (Whine) On the other hand, perhaps I drive too fast to worry that much about my heart.
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I know I mentioned this at church Sunday, but sometimes the length of the prayer list just seems overwhelming. So many people are hurting- health issues, marriages in crisis, families in turmoil over matters like finances, illness and teen angst, churches under attack from outside and within, war, poverty, confusion and on and on. Knowing that God has won the victory in spite of our daily skirmishes makes us want only to pray "Lord, come quickly." But I must pause and remember to pray, too, for God's will to be done here; for His love to break in and for the "already, but not yet" to come to fruition. So now, let me just trust...
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Sorry, I just got lost in thought. It just isn't very familiar territory.