You Can Always Tell a Rechabite

If the title to this post strikes you as odd and confusing, then we may have just pinpointed one of the reasons people find it difficult to read the Bible - particularly the Old Testament.

This story is found there -specifically in the account of Jeremiah the prophet in the 35th chapter. It is interesting that before technology - without the aid of videos, even before the advent of flannel graph - God used illustrations to stress His point.

In this case, God used a particular family to convey His thoughts to the nation of Israel. He wanted to point out their rebellious nature by showing them a people of consistent obedience. The family was known as the Rechabites because they were descendants of a man named Rechab.

Why did God choose the Rechabites? What was it about them that caught His eye?

The prophet Jeremiah was instructed to invite them over...

...and I brought them into the house of the LORD . . . Then I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine.” But they said, “We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall drink no wine, you nor your sons, forever. You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, nor have any of these; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, that you may live many days in the land where you are sojourners.’ Jeremiah 35:4-7 NKJV

I think it was their consistency of character that qualified them to be a play a role in what God was saying.

Just imagine the talk around town -

"there goes one of those Rechabites ... you know, Bill told me they all live together in an RV..."

"...do tell? - I heard they won't touch any liquor - something about a 'family curse'..."

" I know one thing - forget about trying to sell them any property! They may work hard but they won't do any farming - not a single one of them!"

These folks were probably a little quirky - but you always knew what to expect from them. That's appealing to me - and it was appealing to God.

Consistency of character is not a trait we emphasize these days: politicians bank on the fact that Americans have short memories - and contradict themselves, athletes declare that they are not role models and proceed to prove it with inconsistent lifestyles, even people of strong moral reputation will disappoint us at times.

In fact, in Christian circles we will advise against expecting a lot out of others, "people will let you down" -we say. But that wasn't the case with the Apostle Paul, one could follow him as he followed Christ...

For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of the Lord ... 1 Thessalonians 1:5-6a NKJV (emphasis mine)

Paul lived his life consistent with the character of Christ; the Rechabites - an entire family - lived their lives in consistent obedience; and so can we. Our children need for us to do that. I understand that consistency is the trick to discipline. If we clearly communicate the expectations and the consequences and then respond consistently - it yields a calm security in our children.

But it is difficult.

There are a couple of things the Rechabites did to maintain their constant obedience:

1. They kept each other accountable. When Jeremiah honored the Rechabites and presented wine, it might have been tempting for them to partake- just to avoid offending their host. But these guys felt a greater allegiance to each other and the commands of their ancestors.
2. They kept it simple. Rechab passed along a few simple guiding principles to his family - drink no wine; live your lives as sojourners or nomads. Dave Ramsey of Total Money Makeover fame, calls this "keeping your life in big chunks" so it can be easily managed. Remember the movie, City Sickers? Curlee's secret was to find the "one thing" in life that was important and pursue it.

Sometimes, we may equate consistency with "dull"; our lives may even appear to be in a "rut"; it doesn't seem to be very rewarding. But there are rewards, we are quiet examples for others to follow.

Other people notice when they become jaded with all the flip-flops around them.

Our children notice.

God notices.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

I'm Okay Now

Lester Maddox is the answer.

I recently purchased a book from a former History professor by the name of James F. Cook. The book is called "The Governors of Georgia" (Third edition, revised and expanded. Mercer University Press, Macon Georgia. 2005) and from what I have read so far, it is quite interesting.

The account of each governor is broken down into easily digested vignettes. Last Sunday I just turned to the one on Lester Maddox. He was Governor from 1967 to 1971 and I remember him. I can still remember black and white images of him on television, riding a bicycle backwards - that was his trademark.

I don't think my Dad particularly liked Maddox. Dad, being a staunch Republican, probably voted for "Bo" Callaway. I don't remember "Bo" Callaway - he probably couldn't even ride a bicycle.

Lester Maddox was something of a martyr. After the Civil Rights Act of 1964, he closed his very successful fried chicken restaurant - the Pickrick - rather than abide by court orders to desegregate. He was something of a champion of state's rights and private property rights.

Maddox 's segregationist views were something of an embarrassment to the Democratic establishment when he ran for Governor in 1966. It was a large field of six contenders and Maddox somehow found himself in a run-off with Ellis Arnall, who did not take him seriously.

Lester Maddox campaigned hard and pulled off an upset. He would face the Republican, Howard "Bo" Callaway.

"Bo" Callaway, it seemed, would quite possibly be the first Republican Governor of Georgia since Reconstruction. But it was not to be (that honor was reserved for Sonny Purdue in 2004) . . . there was a write-in campaign for Ellis Arnall and so neither Maddox nor Callaway earned the majority vote. Finally, the Democratic General Assembly appointed Maddox as Governor.

Cook says, "Until Maddox became governor, neither the news media nor the other candidates had taken him seriously." He goes on to point out that despite his lack of education and political experience, he tried to be a good governor. He surrounded himself with people of good judgement; ironically, he appointed more blacks to advisory boards and into white-collar jobs than any previous governor; he even instituted "People's Day"- a specific time set aside each month when anyone who wished to see the governor personally could do so.

At the end of his term, many of his political enemies had to concede that he had served the state well.

So what's the point? - Why is Lester Maddox the answer?

Well, a few days ago I submitted yet another political post ("Thou Shalt Not Comment"); in it I expressed my frustration over the political dilemma in which we find ourselves in this country. At one point, I expressed angst over what the "system" had handed us. But I misspoke. The great system of government that our founding fathers derived with all its checks and balances, is not flawed. Just the fellas running it right now.

And while the elections holds out no great hope for me. I have learned in Lester Maddox that sometimes even a severely flawed official can end up doing some good things.

This system of government (which I believe was inspired by God) is so resilient that it is very difficult to set it back - even when there is incompetence at its helm!

I saw Lester Maddox up close just a few years before he died, he visited a class I was taking at Kennesaw State University. He was still sticking to his guns, referring to the Atlanta Journal -Constitution as "the fish-wrapper" and declaring that he was not and never had been a racist - he just believed in private property rights.

Cook provides an epilogue to the Lester Maddox story that I find quite satisfying. Following his term, he was the first Georgia governor to seek the office of Lt. Governor. He won handily and proved a constant thorn-in-the-side to the rising governor - a peanut farmer from Plains, by the name of Jimmy Carter.

Since reading that chapter, I have found myself less anxious about the plight of our country as a result of this upcoming election. I am hopeful that the dream of this nation as a "shining city on a hill" will survive - not because of the next president - but because of the people that make up this nation. . . and the God Who governs in the affairs of men.

Joint Projects

Before children, before unplugging cable tv, in what seems like a totally different world - there lived my wife and I.

And it was a time of great struggle.

Infatuation and the like had proven too weak an adhesive to hold our marriage together ... and it was a time of struggle.

We did not do things together very well. So we did not do things together very much.

Joint projects could fizzle into bitter silence in a very short time. I felt that I could be quite cooperative and teachable if I was asked - never told! My wife often forgot to put her demands in the form of a request. My defense to being "told what to do" was to use harsh sarcasm; a rapier wit is not healthy for a tense relationship.

So our joint projects often degenerated into a single project.

I remember stubbornly setting out some sort of shrubs in our front yard one Saturday - in the middle of a downpour because I was too stubborn to abandon the "joint-project" that had now become a single-project. I stayed on the job in spite of her.

But God had a plan for us. He had a better path for us to find, and in that time of great struggle we were not so very far from it. Our misery forced us to set about looking for solutions and I am so thankful that both of us still had a seed of love for one another and I am so glad that we went to God for help.

People prayed for us - I know because sometimes guys would stop me and say "I've had you on my heart" (that means "I'm praying for you, man"); some couples with hearts bent toward struggling people like us, took us under their wings and taught us; we read books.

Pointed in the right direction, and guarded with the proper support - we struggled still ... but we began to struggle together; not against one another.

We rode a roller coaster for about a year, sometimes we were really reaching some cool heights; then the bottom would fall out and disaster seemed imminent.

And then God brought us out. He literally changed us.

Being a guy, I needed some sort of track or formula. If I had steps to follow, I could be a more effective husband. So I read a book entitled "Love Life For Every Married Couple" by Ed Wheat. In it he recommended treating your wife BEST ... that is Blessing my wife daily; Edifying - or building her up; Sharing thoughts, joint projects, plans; and Touching often.

The Sharing part of that formula, that's what I am thinking of these days. Shortly after coming through such a dark time, this former team of two individuals became a "one-flesh" team of one synergistic power pack! We began to take on projects together.

Our first project (besides the retooling of our marriage) was to build a retaining wall in our back yard. During that time, I joked to one of my co-workers that I had to hurry home - my wife and I were building walls in our marriage! She quipped "aren't you supposed to be tearing those down?". Well we were tearing down some walls. And we could really see a difference in the things we could accomplish working together.

We completed the wall successfully - together. And we have taken on a multitude of joint-projects since then.

Together we decided to give life a try without cable television, partly because we were aggravated with the rising cost of cable and the diminishing returns of entertainment; and partly because it just seemed that it might be the right thing for us to do. We decided that if we just couldn't take it - we would try a satellite dish.

Now over ten years later, we still don't have cable television and we don't have a satellite dish - but we do have two children (there may be a correlation).

But most of our joint projects tend to be like that retaining wall. They are outside, some landscaping project or small building task. My wife brings tenacity, a strong sense of order, and that "measure twice/cut once-mentality" (like her Dad) to every project; I tend to bring some creativity, some stubbornness of my own, and comedy relief. But together we can work like a well-oiled machine!

With the draught in our area last year, our yard sort of went to pot. We had little drive to jump into any joint projects; but this year the race is on. And I would rather have no one else on my team than her.

Now before I leave you with the impression that all is rosy in our household - let me say that we still struggle. We do not do everything right; sometimes we do not do anything right. We struggle to communicate - and sometimes do not even try.

But God is gracious, and He is merciful. And when we dream a little project together and then get all sweaty and dirty working on it alongside each other, we get an idea of what living as one before Him is really like.

Not too long ago, we rode past the house we used to live in. Out front stands those shrubs that I set out in the rain, alone; a testament to length my stubbornness can go. And in back of the house, there still stands a neat little retaining wall - a testament to love under God's care.

I am so glad to be on this team!

Arlington Cemetery, Changing of the Guards, Precision

To remember....

The Call of Duty

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13 NKJV

Very soon I hope to begin a recurring series on "Great America" in which I want to explore some of the one or two-word characteristics that mark this great nation. Words like: self-reliance, responsibility, discovery, melting-pot, capitalism, and know-how. I am afraid that many or most of these characteristics have come to be looked upon as terms of disdain rather than honor and pride. I think these standards need a resurrection! We need to hold them up before our own eyes and the eyes of our children and say - "There! - that's a worthy goal!"

One such word is "duty".

And it comes to mind this Memorial Day because it is a word whose proper use is waining. In William J. Bennett's "The Book of Virtues", the story is told of Cincinnatus. He was a former Roman statesman but had returned to faithful duty on his farm. When Rome was threatened in 458 B.C. and much of the army had been lost to the enemy, they called on Cincinnatus - a man of wisdom.

The messengers that were sent to him found him plowing in his field; they asked him to don his toga as they conferred the message from the Senate asking him to lead the city and the few remaining soldiers into battle. Cincinnatus, left his plow and went to war.

In a short time, he returned to the city having led the troops to victory. In appreciation they offered him the role of Dictator - he promptly declined and returned to his plow.

Cincinnatus was a role-model for our own "Cincinnatus of America" - George Washington. During the French and Indian War, duty called and he answered only to return to his farm afterward. Again, duty called him to service to lead the troops in the American Revolution. At the end of which, he returned to his farm. At the Constitutional Convention and later as President for two terms - Washington fulfilled the command of moral obligation - and served. Then in every instance, he returned to his farm.

On this Memorial Day, we remember with gratitude those that have fallen in the defense of our freedoms. We recall that it was a sense of duty that drew them to serve.

We are truly thankful for their service.

But today I am remembering some other folks. People that are serving now - they are still among the living and yet in following the call of duty - they lay down their lives daily.

I am ashamed to say that sometimes I forget those that are in foreign lands today. I forget that they are defending our freedoms no less than their counterparts of past wars. It was that same sense of duty that drove many of them to enlist after evil struck home in 2001.

Many of them were in the Reserves, they had other jobs and yet they set them aside for a time.

They know that the results of their success "over there" often means that Americans soon become distracted and complacent... and forget. Yet they follow their duty - they serve.

Many will return to follow in the footsteps of Cincinnatus, Washington and countless others... to return to their farms, their schools, their businesses, their families - to yet another call of duty.

I don't know that any military personnel will read this - but if so - please know:

We are grateful.

As we honor those that have fallen; we remember those who serve.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

"The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories" edited with commentary by William J. Bennett. Simon & Schuster, New York,NY 1993.

What the ImagiNation is?

The imagination can take you places! This is a classic scene from "Miracle on 34th Street".

See below for some thoughts on this subject.

On Imagination and Creativity

It's the last day of school and since I have taken a couple of vacation days, I had the rare privilege of taking the children to school.

We have a fairly long driveway and yesterday evening in a fit of spontaneous creativity I had composed on its surface, a progressive "no more school" message in chalk. It was something like the old Burma-Shave ads that once graced the countryside along major thoroughfares. Anyway, my hope was that they would notice the message with no prompting - they would be enthralled with the mystery of how the message would end, they'd laugh and say "aw, Dad - did you do that?" and I'd grin and chuckle...

They didn't notice the message.

So I prompted them.

AB -who sits in the front seat and had a better perspective than AA-then noticed something... "oh, chalk' ... I stopped; backed up a little and started again down the driveway allowing the message to roll by- "oh, it's writing-".

We backed up again, all the way back, far enough so they could see the beginning of the message.

Mom - having been awarded the rare prize of not taking the kids to school - was also on the driveway feeding our dog. She proceeded toward the car to ask what I was doing? (being such a novice at delivering the children to their appointed academic destinations in a timely fashion - it was obvious that I need assistance!).
Like a good joke, a clever surprise is ruined when it has to be explained, so I answered vaguely and again prompted the kids to look at the message. AA in the back seat made the physical effort of hunching forward slightly to see.

I gave up on the first couple of words ever registering with them and just proceed down the driveway.

"Oh, there's the word 'on' " AB reported and returned her attention to her NintendoDS.

And therein lies the focus of my rant for today: electronic gaming devices.

I have probably just lost a majority of the two or three people actually reading this blog, but I will take that risk.

Some time back, I reluctantly consented to the kids' getting their own Nintendo DS handheld device. I have begrudged those devices ever since.

The devices are entertaining and are excellent "pacifiers" for long trips or any other activity that requires a child to sit and wait. But I believe that too much reliance on these and other similar activities can rob of children of innumerable experiences.

Take this morning for instance, my kids had to pause their games so we could pray over them before leaving the house. Then they found it extremely difficult to pry their collective attentions away from the little animated activities going on in that little plastic world, long enough to view a hokey message on the driveway.

The Wii technologies have taken this mode of entertainment to amazing levels. Players can now participate in a physical way in major virtual events: professional sports, musical extravaganzas, military exploits. They can swing their virtual bats just right and hear the roar of the crowd as they shuffle their feet to run the bases -- all in the comfort of their living room.

Not too many generations ago, kids did the same things only without the aid of electronics; and not in some world with silicone boundaries inside a carpeted living room. They used a universal muscle - given by the Creator and reflecting His own ability to create; it's a muscle that has been allowed by too many to dissipate into mush; it is the imagination.

Given its proper place, one's imagination can lead to realistic dreams and it can provide creative paths toward achieving those dreams. In short, imagination can take you places!

How many boys have stood on some desolate sandlot or on a vacant lot behind their house, donning an imaginary jersey bearing the number of some iconoclastic hero of the big leagues. They can hear the imaginary crowd hum with anticipation as they step to the plate. They swing a very real bat at a real ball and connect! The fans go wild! - you know this because the player is also providing commentary on the game as he rounds the bases made of slightly used paper plates. There is a play at home plate but thanks to tremendous speed and a tricky slide, he beats the throw and scores the go-ahead run. Being so caught up in the magic and the adoration of the fans - he provides his own "replay" of the event, adding nuances to his slide with each re-enactment.

Kids in that world were outside, they got dirty and they got bumped and bruised, and their games sometimes led to conflict. But at the end of the day they were tired - wonderfully tired!

Unfortunately there are few athletic heroes for kids to attach their dreams to these days. Professional athletes in general relinquished that role years ago when they did not want to be tied to someones standards. The "heroes" of old weren't perfect, they were human and flawed but they saw their position as a means to instruct others; and saw achievement as a way to promote a greater good.

So what is my point? Am I suggesting we hold "device-burning" ceremonies (although we could do that and call it "recycling" - who knows, we might even get Al Gore to award us some carbon trading points)?

No, but I am reminding myself (and anyone else that will listen) that despite the virtues of these techno-babysitters, there must be balance. And there is an untapped resource inside the heart and head of every child that is just yearning to be released: again, its called the imagination.

It is, however, an uphill battle that we face. But resurrecting the imagination is a worthy goal, so we must become the loyal opposition!

In the early 80's, I went to work as a case-packer in a yarn mill. My job was to pack big spools of carpet yarn into boxes for shipping. The first few weeks of that physical work were difficult. My knuckles swelled beyond recognition, my arms ached and I bore numerous nicks, scratches, and fiber burns on my body. But eventually, through constant use, my muscles and coordination developed properly such that I could perform at a decent level.

Finding and developing more fully the imagination muscle in our children will be no less difficult or painful. There will be resistance, and you and I will have to call upon the dormant resources of our own imaginations at times. We will have to respond properly to the cries of "I'm bored!" and "please let me play my Nintendo DS - PLEASE!". And we may have to leave some housework or yard work undone for a while so we can participate in a little backyard kickball.
If we maintain our diligence and constantly remind ourselves and our children of the virtues of creativity and imagination, in time we might just see a change.

Who knows - someday I may find myself driving down my driveway with kids in tow and perhaps they will notice and point out the wonders in the world around them - the birds, the trees, the squirrels ..... and maybe even those mysterious chalk writings on the driveway...

Secret Agent - American TV Series Theme Song (1965)

In the latter part of His sermon on the mount, Jesus encouraged his followers to live secret lives....

The Secret Life

Secret lives...

That thought usually bears a negative connotation. We don't like to learn that people we have come to revere have "secret lives". A leader, politician or minister gets caught in some compromising position and we turn on them fairly quickly.

Oddly enough, in the latter part of His sermon on the mount, Jesus recommended that His followers live secret lives - in a sense.

Secrets are not always bad - surprise birthday parties, secret strengths (like Popeye's spinach).

In the the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, Jesus recommended that Christians should avoid the spotlight in certain areas and live something of a secret life:

• In their horizontal relationships (specifically, giving to others)
• In their vertical relationship (when they pray to God)
• In their inner relationship (how they should approach fasting as a means of keeping the keeping their own nature under God's control)

In each of these areas - dealing with others, dealing with God and dealing with our own sin natures - He said to do things secretly so as to keep our motivation pure.

Focusing on the prayer issue:

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:6 NKJV*

Our relationship with God should lead us from time to time- into a secret place; He said our Father is in the secret place.

In Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men", George and his slow-witted sidekick - Lenny, were camping just outside a ranch where they would began a new job the next day. Lenny had always seemed to get the pair into trouble resulting in them having to flee for their lives on some occasions. So George hatched a plan: he told Lenny to remember the place - to remember all about that campsite; then if he got into trouble, Lenny should run to that place and hide and wait for George to come.

That is a picture of our Father who is always available in the secret place. When we get into trouble, we can run there to hide and He will come to us.

In ancient times, it is said that when kings of Persia discovered a fountain or well, they would build over it, an edifice with a secret entrance. In some cases, no one but the king - or possibly his son or some official bearing the king's signet ring - could ever access the fountain. In other words, for anyone to receive the refreshment offered by that secret place - they must be granted access by the king.

Followers of Christ have a secret place that they can run to as a refuge when they are in trouble and like those wells in Eastern desserts, the secret place can also be a place in which they can find refreshment and healing.

In fact it was Jesus, and His death and resurrection that provided access for us into the secret place (see Romans 5:2). Having access, we can run to that secret place where the Father dwells most any time... or we can live there! Listen to this Psalm:

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”Psalm 91:1-2 NKJV*

Finally, in that secret place there is fellowship. In fact the word that is translated as "secret" in some places in the Bible, is also translated as "assembly" or "council" in others. So the secret place can be a place where we find direction, advice or counsel. In fact, the Amplified translation of another verse in Psalms paints the fellowship in intimate colors:

The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning. Psalm 25:14 AMP**

Sweet, satisfying companionship -God explaining better His relationship with us; a Father who waits for us so He can provide refuge, refreshment and healing; and even an opportunity to live - every moment - in that fellowship with Him...

...all this is just a part of the secret life of those who follow Christ.

*Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

**“Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified Bible."

Thou Shalt Not Comment

It was Sunday afternoon, on the way home from church we had stopped off to pick up a few groceries (odds and ends to fend off starvation throughout the remainder of the weekend). Mom had gone inside the store, I was posted in the car with the kids. I was trying to back track from an off-hand statement I had made earlier: we had stopped on our way out of the parking lot to speak with Grandmother and Papa (my wife's parents), as we were pulling up beside them I had joked that maybe they would like to have us over for lunch.

Our kids latch on to anything that bears a remote resemblance to "GO!" and they will tenaciously hang on to the possibility of "GO-ing" until it has been determined beyond the shadow of any doubt that "GO-ing" is completely out of the question. They had heard my comment and were going through the tedious process of determining if, in fact there was any possibility of us going to Grandmother and Papa's house.

So as we sat in the parking lot, I answered the question for the third time - "no, we are not going to Grandmother and Papa's house for lunch and they are not coming to our house - I was only making a comment!"

AA, my six-year-old said, "oooh Dad, your not s'pose to do that - it 's in the Bible!"

My siblings and I have a sort of running gag in which we jokingly attribute ridiculous things to the Bible: "You shouldn't put ketchup on that - it's in the Bible, I think!" or "Isn't there something in the Bible about 'thou shalt eat dinner at your Mama's on Sundays'?" It's a gentle jab at people who - in ignorance- attribute some rules and regulations to the Bible that really never existed there.

Anyway, I assumed AA's statement was along those lines so I responded that the Bible doesn't say anything about that.

"it does" he shot back defiantly - "you told us the Bible says, 'thou shalt not comment-'".

Now because my son is a lot like me (sometimes to the chagrin of his mother), I understood right away that someone had miscommunicated. "Thou shalt not comment" was actually, "Thou shalt not commit..." and something had followed (as in "thou shalt not commit murder").

In these days in which our nation is experiencing - what I believe to be - an unprecedented dearth of leadership, people seem to be living under something of a self-imposed commandment - "though shalt not comment".

Perhaps it is not because they fear that to comment would be inappropriate, but rather they just feel that it would do no good. Who would listen?

It's true that there are countless avenues for one's voice to be heard these days. People rant on television talk shows, they pour forth in blogs, one can participate in a plethora of polls on a daily basis. But the people with the power to do something - are they listening?

In America there has historically been one comment that counted for something - our vote. An opportunity every couple years to "vote the bums out" if they were not behaving properly. It helped keep politicians honest (to some degree); but this year, in the presidential race Americans are in the unique position of having three candidates (at this point), all from the Senate and none that shows any real leadership ability. Unfortunately, they really agree on a lot of things.

So I find myself - without comment; without a candidate. I will not vote for a liberal. And barring some unforeseen event, I do not believe I can vote for the Republican candidate. He has sought for too long to do too many things counter to conservatism. The assumption that conservatives will fall in line and do anything to keep Obama or Clinton out of office is appalling and arrogant.

There are no strong voices in favor of fiscal conservatism...
no one attacking- or even questioning the global warming hoax or why its target is always freedom and free enterprise...
no one touting the common sense reasoning that went on in our decision to go to war in Iraq...
no one standing up for achievement and sponsoring a system that rewards those who work hard...
no one mentioning a return to personal responsibility and morals...
no one saying that this idea of a government by the people, of the people and for the people, works...
no one talking about limiting government...
no one espousing the ideals of life and family.

It is like Henry Ford offering Model T's painted any color as long as its black; our political process has really offered us no choice this year.

In essence they have said - "thou shalt not comment".

The Lesson of the Tassel

There is an odd verse in Deuteronomy 22:12 in which God tells the Israelites to sew tassels on the four corners of their garment. I understand that it was a common practice to wear a rectangular outer garment in that day.

I think most people are familiar with the fact that the Israelites were delivered from centuries of slavery in Egypt and then wandered around in the wilderness for forty years before moving in to conquer the "Promised Land" - some of which is the land now occupied by the nation Israel.

During this time Moses, their humble leader, passed God's laws and precepts for societal structure along to them. The book of Deuteronomy is something of a review of those concepts. So the command to install tassels on their garment is actually a restatement of something said earlier.

In the book of Numbers, chapter 15, you can find the original outlay of that concept:

...Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD your God.' " Numbers 15:38b-41 NIV

So the tassels were to serve as reminders... the slender blue thread would catch the eye - blue: the color of heaven or the heavens.

The tassel would cause them to Look, to Remember, to Do the things God had said and to Not Do the things that come from their own nature. Every morning as the outer garment was put on and the tassels passed before their eyes they would look, remember, remember to do what God had said and not to do the desires of their own hearts. Again, in the evening as they disrobed to retire, they would see the tassels and remember.
Throughout the day as they moved about the camp, perhaps their eyes would fall upon the tassel on someone else's garment and it reminded them of heaven.

Time passed, the tradition continued -Jesus probably wore these tassels on His garment.

Perhaps it was one of the tassels on His robe that held captive the attention of a desperate woman whose life had been ruined by sickness. She had determined in her heart - maybe it was a prayer - but she said "if I can just touch the hem of His garment..." - the fringe, the tassel.

Can you become that woman for a moment?
- short, rapid breaths because of the discomfort of the disease and the exertion of trying to fight through that crowd.
-despair! The noise of the throng seems to indicate He has moved out of reach! Oh - if only you could see Him!
-suddenly there is a momentary break in the mass of bodies and you catch sight of it - the tassel... the objective!

She finally made it and the reminder of heaven with the cord of blue, became the point at which she found restoration and healing.

What about the woman thrust into the middle of one of Jesus' teaching sessions. She was dragged there - barely clothed- by a group of pious old men. They did not really do it to shame her. They were unconcerned about how she felt. They merely wanted to use her as a pawn in their game of religious oneupmanship. Her situation would allow them to present a convoluted conundrum to this young upstart of a Teacher.

She just looked down as this disrupted classroom now became a court room and the Judge before whom she stood was stooping ... writing on the ground. She did not dare lift her eyes above His feet, maybe she just watched that tassel sway above those feet, in the morning breeze.

The elders that accused her . . . she had seen tassels on their robes as they drug her through the gravel of the street. But their tassels were large and drew one's attention- not to heaven - but to the wearer.
This Teacher - His tassel now served as a point of focus, something to look at in order to shut out everything else.

Suddenly she was shaken back to reality by the dull thud of stones dropping to the ground behind her.
Had it begun?

"Woman, where are your accusers?"

And she cut her eyes to each side and became aware that they were gone.

"Neither do I condemn you ... go and sin no more..."

She returned to the tassel and the tiny thread and raised her eyes to meet His! From a small reminder of heaven to Heaven come to earth!

Six days before He would be crucified, Jesus was enjoying a meal with his friends. It was a banquet - a celebration of sorts; at the table sat Lazarus, a man that had recently died and Jesus had raised back to life. It was his sisters, Mary and Martha that were preparing the meal. As was her custom, Mary left the kitchen work with Martha and went back to the table to be near Jesus. She brought with her, an expensive aromatic ointment and began to anoint His feet with it. She wiped away the excess with the long flowing locks of her hair.

It was a moment of pure, uninhibited - unquestioning worship.

And there was the tassel - I believe it likely brushed across Mary's face as she wiped those feet she held dear.
And that moment - of unfettered obedience coupled with the overwhelming aroma and the caress of that tassel across her cheek - was probably etched into her memory for eternity. What a scene!

Look.
Remember.
Do as God has said.
Do not do as your nature dictates.

All this at the sight of a tassel with a single strand bearing the color of heaven.

Today - I believe that Jesus fulfilled the laws of the Old Testament; so I do not have to do anything to earn His salvation. But I further believe that there are many things I should do because of that salvation.

What does the color of heaven compel me to do?

To look to Him and remember the Lord God that has delivered me from bondage.
To do the things He has told me: to love my neighbor as myself and to love God with all my heart.
In so doing, to avoid the things that my own selfish nature would cry out for.

How do I see the color of heaven today? In the western society I live in, I see very few tassels.

I can see the color of heaven in the morning sky...perhaps in the eyes of a person in need of God's compassion... maybe in the songs of the birds and the scent of the honeysuckles.

Every encounter, every word, every breath, and gentle nudge from God's Word... these can all color my thinking and they are opportunities to view each day through heaven's prism.

A Mom

Today children of various ages and from diverse locations will be "rising up and calling 'Blessed'" that woman of great virtue - mother. (This refers to an interesting Biblical account of the character of a hard-working mother in Proverbs 31).

I am fortunate to have both my own mother and my mother-in-law still alive today and they are both worthy of double honor but in this venue, I want to focus on the mother of my children - my wife.

As a girl, she didn't play with dolls much. She liked sports, bicycles and games instead. So she had doubts about her "motherly" instincts.

I, on the other hand, had a bundle of nieces and nephews and was rather comfortable around children.

So when we married - she was not prone to want to move very quickly into the "family - thing".

It was ten years before we had our first child. Now this was due to several good and not-so-good reasons but we believe that God had a number of things that He needed to teach us before we would be prepared to be entrusted with any children. I am convinced His timing was accurate!

My wife just took to motherhood. And she bears all the classic characteristics: she's protective of those kids; she nurtures them; teaches them and gets up with them in the middle of the night (even if Dad got up too).

So I am truly proud of this mother of my children. I am even more proud when I see her character rubbing off on them (or bubbling up to the surface).

We have a daughter that has her strong sense of diligence, a bull-dog tenacity and a firm sense of justice. Our son, on the other hand acts a little more like his dad in the area of "organizational skills" and attention to detail... but he's smart like his mom and he has the ability to occupy his mind without a constant need for attention from others - that's like her, too.

I think we have a grand home. And she is the hub around which everything turns. She makes sure that clothes are picked up and washed and ironed, noses are wiped, lunches are prepared, field trip money is in on time, kids make it to piano practice, and on and on... (just thinking of it makes me tired and reminds me how utterly helpless I am without her!) But she is the catalyst - ultimately if our home is peaceful - it is because mom is peaceful; she is the trend-setter for our home. That is a huge responsibility!

The other day, I was talking with our 9 year old daughter - who also doesn't play with dolls - she shared something with me that she said was embarrassing to her.

So, like a typical father, I am going to share it with all of you.

She said something to the effect that she couldn't wait to be a mom. Now, if she had been fifteen this would have scared me to death! But at the age of nine, I know that this means that her mother is fulfilling her role as "mom" in such a great manner that our daughter is just enthusiastic about the prospect of being like her.

I think that's a pretty strong endorsement!

R. - Your children are calling you"Blessed!"
I love you!
Happy Mother's Day!

Parker Brothers

Friday Night Around the Board

I will share this for two reasons:

1) It makes me look noble
2) I am trying to occasionally enter shorter blogs

Because I was the youngest of three children and my siblings were out of the house by the time I was eleven, I felt that I might have missed some of those family experiences; you know the kind presented on old situation comedies: family meetings like on "My Three Sons" and "The Brady Bunch", age old traditions like those enjoyed by "The Waltons".
Perhaps because I may have felt deprived of those life long memories - I like holding traditions with our kids. For example, the kids and I try to manage a Waffle House Breakfast on at least two solemn occasions: The last day before school starts back (or on a day near that) and on the day after Thanksgiving Day. This year, we began "Family Pizza-Event Night" and I love it. Every Friday night we try to do something special and takeout pizza is usually involved. Often we watch a movie (or a portion of one) together (on the nights I get to pick, I try and encourage the kids to acquire a taste for old, black & white movies), sometimes we play a board game, at other times we go somewhere.

Well, tonight we didn't really have a plan. My wife - who is the essence of practicality - vetoed "pizza" since the kids have that for school lunch one day early next week... moderation, you know!

We finally arrived at the game idea... tonight it would be "The Game of Life".

We played a few weeks back and I think everyone enjoyed it.

Just as everyone was working their way upstairs to play - Mom gave me a reprieve: If I wanted to stay downstairs and work on the blog post, it would be okay - she would play the game with the kids.

I dwelt on that thought for a moment. It was a tempting offer. I could use some quiet time.

"n-a-a-a-a-h, I'll just play. "

What kind of guy would pass up a chance to sit down in the floor with his wife and kids and laugh around a game board for awhile.

You know, I'm glad I chose to play and I'm glad we have "Family Pizza-Event-Night". I hope that I will always choose family over every other distraction that seeks to nab my attention.
I realize that these days will slip away too quickly and all we will have of them will be the warm memories and the echoes of laughter.

I realize that I am vulnerable - I don't always choose right when it comes to leading my family. So I must look to Christ to lead me as I lead them and as a motivation, I must remember the rewards of choosing right.

Besides... I won!

My Big Sister

Tomorrow is my big sister's birthday.

Seven years my senior and the middle child of our sibling trio, she is one of the most influential people in my life. I have always held her opinion in high regard.

My children have in their possession now (I'm not sure who actually has it right now) a little red plastic wallet that my sister bought for me when I was very small. It has a tiger on the front and his eyes wink -dependent upon the angle at which you turn him. If memory serves me correctly, she bought it for me at some point when she went to town and I couldn't go. She was always doing for me - reading me stories, buying me little things, playing with me when I didn't have friends around.

Though she and our older brother antagonized me at times (after all I was the baby), she most often took a compassionate view of my plight. I seem to remember that she and I were at odds a great deal until the shared struggle of a family tragedy drew us together. The "tragedy" was our move in 1971 to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. We had lived in our town for about seven years (most all my life) and she -being a teenager- was in love. In the middle of a school year we moved about three hours away. Our brother was married and away from home, so we just had each other. It was a sad time.

I think we have been close ever since; too close - I'm sure - at times. For I sometimes was allowed to accompany her on her dates. I can't imagine the patience it must have required to have your ten year old little brother tagging along on a Saturday night. But that's the thing about my sister, she always made me feel as if she really liked me being around. She still does - and not just me; my kids feel the same way. If she is coming over for a visit they will plan on all the things they want to show her. They know their aunt will think every little detail is important!

She has always been approachable; to this day, I know of hardly anything that I cannot talk to my sister about - her husband too! Why they have listened closely as I have talked at length about things that really mattered to me: who I was dating or wanted to date as a teenager, where I worked or wanted to work, or even things I dreamed about.

There home was always open to me and I have always felt welcomed there. In fact next to Mom and Dad's house - her house was home.

I guess to sum it up - my sister is kind.

She has always chosen to be one of those people that gets things done in the background, without a lot of fanfare. She's always willing to let someone else have the spotlight.

She is very tenderhearted - cries very easily. But inside she is tough as nails.

My sister and her husband have successfully reared two children and now have two grandchildren in there flock. For quite a number of years she worked for a small bookkeeping firm and eventually moved into a partnership there. Recently, she and her partner sold the business and she went back to college when she was in her fifties.

That is amazing.

With that obstacle behind her, she is now completing her first year of teaching and I am very proud of her for going after her dream. Generations will rise up and call her blessed.

Sis, I love you. Thank you for listening to and loving your little brother (even when I kicked you in the shin with my pointy-toed cowboy boots!) and after you listened, thanks for speaking the truth back to me.

You are an example to me (and my family) in your attitude, your perserverance, and your faith in God.

Happy Birthday!

On the Door Mat at the Cave

For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time he fled from Saul and went into the cave. . . . Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. Psalm 57:1 NLT

The cave of Adullam - I don't know very much about it beyond the scope of my imagination. I understand that it was in the land of Israel, perhaps not too far from Bethlehem. It may have been a cave with a hidden entrance or winding passages for it was something of a "safe-house".

For David, it was the last place on earth.

Just how David came to be in this cave is a very interesting story and you should investigate that for yourself; it's the people that showed up on the front steps of that cave that I want to discuss.

How word traveled so fast and so efficient in that land of antiquity, we don't know, but somehow David's family soon learned he was there and they were first to show up at the cave.

On first reading, one would think this was a beautiful scene: David all ragged and worn having been on the run for some time and his family coming to his aid with comfort, perhaps a change of clothes, some bedding and maybe even some of those "cheeses" for which his father was famous.

But a little later we learn that David used his influence with a neighboring king to provide sanctuary for this family. The people pursuing David were also after his family. So his family sought out David for the protection he could provide.

Later, the son of one of the priests showed up - scratching on the door of that old limestone cave. How timely! We need a man of the cloth when we find ourselves at life's lowest ebb. But the young man had not come to help - he had come to be helped. That young man's father had given David some food and a weapon. When the wicked king learned of it, he had his armies, destroy that priest and his whole city. The young man alone had escaped.

Finally, when perhaps the cave was becoming a little crowded they heard a noise. The noise grew into something of a collective growl. There on the door mat of the cave Adullam slouched a moping militia of malcontents!

It was an army - 400 of them! And they were all discontent or in great distress or in debt. What a disgruntled mob they had formed. And - you guessed it - like the others, they were there to feed off David.

I just know it must have been raining fiercely as they stood outside that cave door - chilled and soaked to the bone - waiting to see if David would take them in.

A fearful family, a single survivor of a tragic attack, and a mob of people all at the end of their collective ropes.

Why would they go to David? What was it about this bedraggled fugitive that drew them to him?

First of all, I believe they came to him because he understood their trouble - he was in trouble himself. He knew what they were going through.

Secondly, though it seems odd that they would expect inspiration or help from someone that was equally bogged down with distress, David carried with him a sense of destiny. They just knew he was going somewhere. Surely, his God would bring him out.

People who follow Christ will -at times- find themselves at very low points. Invariably that will be the time that other people will show up at the door asking them to give more than they think they have.

At that point, people who follow Christ should follow the example of David - who "followed hard after God".

David took them in.

All of them: his family, the terrorized son of a priest, and the bewildered bunch of grumblers.

And what happened as a result?

Later we find that some of David's brothers joined his army and waxed valiant. The son of the priest would travel with David as something of a chaplain and spiritual advisor. The four hundred?Well they would be David's army! Later their numbers would swell to six hundred and they would become an army so great that it could take on one of the greatest military powerhouses of that day - the army of Israel.

And some of those very men became men of legendary heroics, accomplishing military feats that would live in renown for ages to come; they would become David's Mighty Men of Valour!

This story can be found in the Bible - 1 Samuel 22.

The Grapes Of Wrath

"Who do we shoot?" This scene has crossed my mind numerous times over this latest political season.

The Grapes Of Wrath

"Who do we shoot?" This scene from the classic, "The Grapes of Wrath" movie has crossed my mind numerous times over this latest political season.

My wife and I love old movies - I am more of a devotee to black & white than she: I am of the opinion that if a movie was created after the early 1950's it's probably not worth much. She, on the other hand, has more toleration to movies put out on up to the 1970's. Perhaps I will spend more time on this subject later, for now let me just point out that I think the old movies said more about human nature than the new ones and they often provide invaluable illustrations for current thoughts and emotions.

The "who DO we shoot?" scene reflected my frustration with the Republican party of late.
I have wondered - just who is making decisions and recruiting candidates for the Republican party? And where do I go to complain.

For that matter, where WILL conservatives go? I am proud to have cast my first vote for U.S. President for Ronald Reagan and I have voted consistently conservative since. This is due - for the most part - to the fact that the tenets of the movement have reflected the things that are valuable to me. This is true to an even greater extent since my wife and I have children.

Living in the southeastern United States meant that when I began voting in the early 1980's there were very few strong Republicans (if any) in local and state elections. But there were conservative Democrats; they were pro-life, fiscally conservative, strong defense, espoused low taxes, etc. In those instances, I did not mind voting for Democratic candidates, but those days are gone; that party left us "values-voters" behind.

Now, the Republicans are poised to do the same thing. There were no strong conservative candidates in the primaries. And the current candidate has the appearance of only offering lip-service to conservatives.

At this time, I am enjoying the disarray and upheaval among Democrats and have not fully decided how I will vote. It is quite possible that I will opt out of the presidential vote altogether. I know that that action is a default vote for the Democratic candidate but I just don't think I can endorse the present direction of this party.

In the future, I will try and limit my political posts, simply because I tend to trail off on tangents. I also seem to just get irritated - and "getting irritated" was not one of my reasons for beginning this blog. Enjoy the movie.

Reflections on Turning 47

I have often thought of the age of forty as the "last click" at the precipice of the biggest hill on a roller coaster. For a breathless moment, you sit there in suspended animation; the view can be breathtaking, the anticipation both awe-inspiring and ominous at the same time.
Then from that brief perspective you plunge forward -headlong and at lightning speed!

...and it's downhill all the way after that...

Well, maybe forty for me wasn't such a dark age; but the plunge - true to the roller coaster scenario - has had its ups and downs. I can testify to the fact that since my moment at that pinnacle, life has tended to move at quite a pace. I find myself looking for ways to gain traction - for some way to dig in my fingernails and stop the free fall - but to little avail.

Today I am well beyond that 40 mark. In fact, I am crouching at the door of 50 having attained my 47th birthday. You know, it's not a bad place to be.

Our breakneck pace is due in part to the fact that we have two kids (9 and 6) who keep things moving along but also keep things very interesting! I think because my wife and I started the family at a later point in life than many of our cohorts, we take a slightly different view of child-rearing.

We have something of a "grand-parent-like" view. I believe (and hope) at the very least, that we understand the importance of cherishing every moment and each memory.

For me, age seems to have given me just a little more confidence (something I have lacked in much of my life).

And I still feel like a kid. In my work as a Human Resources Recruiter, I often interview a number of people - some I assume are probably my seniors - often I am surprised to later learn they are much younger than I. A critical and realistic view in the mirror would probably reveal that I am not so young myself. But I just feel young. . . not necessarily energetic - just young.

Finally, having attained this age and not having really accomplished a great deal of note worthy achievements allows me to anticipate... to believe there is more out there to do. I like that.

Moses, the great icon of the Hebrews, began his life's work at age 80. He lived another 40 years and spent that time leading a fledgling nation through the desert, serving as God's liaison, implementing a new culture and basically preparing a people to take over and rule a new land.

I suspect he grew tired.

The fact is that God spent the first two-thirds of his life just preparing him for that last trimester. In those days when Moses was reduced from a warrior prince of Egypt to a lowly fugitive shepherd - those lonely days in desert solitude - he probably felt as if his life was fairly spent. But there was a huge challenge that still lay ahead just beyond that burning bush.

In his farewell talk to the White house staff, late President, Richard Nixon, reminded them of something Theodore Roosevelt had written in his early 20's*. His first wife had died, and in his grief he wrote: "And when my heart's dearest died, the light went from my life forever."

For Theodore Roosevelt, it appeared to be the end - but there was much more awaiting him. He would go on to establish a colorful political career, to write books, lead organizations, rear children and become President of the United States. Apparently, the light had not gone from his life.

That's the neat thing about getting older - some things you learn just by sticking around long enough. That must be why the writer of Proverbs said "Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life" (Prov. 16:31 NLT)

*"In the Arena" Richard Nixon. 1990 Simon & Schuster, New York, NY. p 18

The Inaugural Blog

I seem to remember a story from the book, "Craddock Stories" by Fred B. Craddock, about a young preacher that was all ready to give his first sermon. At the last minute - he bailed out - ran away and hid. His reasoning was that the office was too great and he was too small; it scared him to death. Craddock surmised that the young man just held too high a view of the office.

I think that is the approach I have taken to this blog. I want it to be worth reading - inspiring, insightful - fresh.

I want that so much so that it's frankly hard to put down the first words.

Further, I visited several blogs in an effort to arrive at a unique title. In so doing, I was amazed at the number of blogs that began, five - six - even seven years ago and had only a few posts (unfortunately some of those forgotten projects used up some very neat titles!). At any rate, I don't want to begin and then fizzle.

So, here is my vision for this endeavour (I don't like to begin anything without knowing WHY I am doing it) - these are what I hope will be the guiding principles for this blog:

1. To Create - I think we most resemble the Creator when we are being creative. When people create - poetry, carpentry, painting, writing, landscaping -they can reflect God's creative beauty.


2. To Craft - I will confess here that I long to write. I have wrestled with that longing for a number of years. Wondering what to do with it; praying for opportunities and searching within to determine if my motivation was the right kind. For over ten years now I have kept a journal, and in reading over last year's journal a few days ago I learned that one year ago I was dealing with some of the same questions, issues and struggles that I am dealing with right now (I didn't dare go back to earlier journals for fear that the struggles may not have changed in several years!). I think that is the definition of a rut. My hope is to hone my craft (if my writing skills can be referred to as a "craft") through this project.


3. To Communicate - I want to record things that will be worth reading. In my perusing of other blogs mentioned earlier, I discovered that there are quite a few of these things out there! So I am not living under the delusion that many will read my thoughts. But perhaps from time to time, some weary traveler will happen upon a post here that will uplift or encourage; that is my hope.


4. To Learn - I like life-long learners. My mother-in-law has taken up the ukulele and the guitar in her seventies. There is something vibrant about someone that can still wonder - someone that has a hunger to know! I want to be constantly amazed and in wonder. I hope that I will be consistently teachable. I will welcome feedback if I can learn from it and grow by it.

I heard today that when George Washington was sworn in as the first president of the United States, he added a phrase extemporaneously at the end of his oath: "...so help me God."

I think I understand why he added that; I think - in his humility - he recognized the weight and foreboding nature of the task before him and his own frailty in the face of that task. Only God's help could fill in for his own weaknesses.

So I enter this small endeavor - just a learning exercise - an experiment of sorts; but with the same knowledge of human frailties. . . and so - help me, God... please.