Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Muriel

You know how people in your life will stand out for various reasons and when they die, you think about them???

I have been experiencing that this week. There was an older lady from my church that had a reputation as a moody legalist. Odd description no? She could be quite loving when she was trying, but if you disagreed with her, she would go off like a cherry bomb. She had a number of medical issues. Among them was a heart condition of some sort and finally Alzheimer's. As that last one worsened, her extended family finally took charge of her and she ended up in a memory care facility in Indiana. Muriel died recently. I think it was on the 16th. Her family brought her remains back to Des Moines for burial. The graveside service is on Thursday - tomorrow.

As I considered how her life bumped up against mine, her effect was, shall we say, memorable. She would come to my Sunday school class from time to time. The first time was an event. After sitting through it in a scowling, angry silence, she took the time afterward to tell me that I was the worst teacher she had ever seen and that any man in the class could have done a better job. Some time later, she attended again and apologized after for her first showing telling me how good I was. Such was life with Muriel.

Though I never experienced it, I am told she was generous with her material possessions, giving heavily to missions that the church supported. She was also on the missions committee. As she slid into Alzheimer's, she became more agreeable and loving, or at least that was my experience. Others may have other stories and I have no clue how she behaved when she arrived in Indiana.

Muriel and I had some things in common in that neither of us ever married and we were both caretakers of aging parents. She took care of her mother for over 50 years. I cannot imagine 50 years with my Dad, even though it already feels that way some times. She also did customer service for the phone company. Given her personality, it's hard to see her doing that, but back in the Day, there was only one phone company, so I guess it did not matter if the customers were pissed off. Where else could they go? I also do customer service in the air freight business and competition is fierce. Customer perception matters. Muriel would never have made it in my business.

I also find myself wondering how she would have taken the news that I laid on the church back in November. I'm thinking she would have had a fit of some sort, but I do not know that.

Muriel was a piece of work. I told someone yesterday that I thought people would show up at her funeral just to make sure she was dead. I know a certain preacher that referred to her as the Dragon Lady but he seemed to appreciate her despite her mood changes.

Yesterday I tried to imagine her approaching the gates of Paradise. Peter summons John to answer the door just this once knowing that words of criticism would be forthcoming if he let her in. Once inside, she sees people there that she was sure were going to Hell. In utter shock, she asks them what they are doing there. Funny. Good times. I don't think Paradise will be boring, especially now that Muriel is there finally knowing what true grace is. I think she must be awestruck, thinking she and Jesus would have the place to themselves!

Let me close by saying that how we live our lives here effects the lives of others in ways we do not now consider. People will remember us when we are gone. Those memories will be a mixed bag. Keep that in mind as you journey to your final destination.           

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Coincidence???

This morning Brussels airport lies in rubble. Meanwhile, in the US, primary elections loom in several states? Coincidence? Maybe. I'm thinking the Donald will get some votes he would not otherwise have received. Hidden powers are moving in his favor it seems. Do not be happy about this. These things are evil in their origin and they generally radiate from Langley, Virginia.

In the late 60's and early 70's, the CIA ran the Red Brigade in Italy. They were billed as a communist terror group that went around blowing up a lot of stuff. They shaped a more moderate body politic in Italy that opposed Marxism  because of those activities. It's the way the Empire controls societies. We are seeing it in Europe now. Muslim immigrants are being used to create a resurgence of nationalism on the continent. It just may work. 

Monday, March 21, 2016

Adult Diapers Are About to Outsell Baby Diapers

Yes, it's true. Adult diapers will soon outsell baby diapers in most of the west and Japan. Why is this? Well, it has nothing to do with a bladder infection epidemic or some kind of kinky fetish. It has everything to do with plummeting birth rates. Melissa Dykes at Truthstreamedia has the scoop in this short video. Take a few minutes and watch.

For the record, I have not had to buy a box full yet. I suppose it's just a matter of living long enough. We will see what develops...or leaks as the case may be. I'm thinking clothes pin and cork. I will leave the rest to your imagination. Is there a Depends in your future?

Let's Skip the Election and Make Him King

Donald Trump walked out on a very risky limb today and advocated a non-interventionist foreign policy. The Washington Post reports from the AIPAC (American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee) meeting on Donald's plans:

Donald Trump outlined an unabashadly noninterventionist approach to world affairs Monday, telling The Washington Post's editorial board that he questions the need for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which has formed the backbone of Western security policies since the Cold War.
The meeting at The Post covered a range of issues, including media libel laws, violence at his rallies, climate change, the NATO and the U.S. presence in Asia.

Speaking ahead of a major address on foreign policy later Monday in front of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Trump said he advocates an aggressive U.S. posture in the world with a light footprint. In spite of unrest abroad, especially in the Middle East, Trump said the United States must look inward and steer its resources toward rebuilding domestic infrastructure.

"I do think it’s a different world today, and I don’t think we should be nation-building anymore," Trump said. "I think it’s proven not to work, and we have a different country than we did then. We have $19 trillion in debt. We’re sitting, probably, on a bubble. And it’s a bubble that if it breaks, it’s going to be very nasty. I just think we have to rebuild our country."

He added: "I watched as we built schools in Iraq and they’re blown up. We build another one, we get blown up. We rebuild it three times and yet we can’t build a school in Brooklyn. We have no money for education because we can’t build in our own country. At what point do you say, 'Hey, we have to take care of ourselves?' So, I know the outer world exists and I’ll be very cognizant of that. But at the same time, our country is disintegrating, large sections of it, especially the inner cities."


Trump is my new hero. This is a Libertarian wet dream (if I might be so bold and offensive). It is time to bring 'em home. Our soldiers can come home and help round up the illegal immigrants for return to their homeland. It's perfect! Now if he will just outline an economic plan that involves dissolution of the Federal Reserve System and a break up of the world banking cartel, my joy will be complete! Down with the neocons and liberals. Let there be a black boot in their faces for eternity.

Let the people rule again lead by good King Donald!

Uh-Oh !!!!

Bubba should probably not be messing with the Community Organizer from Chicago, but he did just that today. Kyle Olson at The American Mirror is reporting that Bill took a big ole dump on Barrack in Spokane, Washington. Here's the quote from Clinton's speech.

"Literally from the time I met her till we talked yesterday, she is the best change maker I have ever known.
“She always finds a way to make something good happen, to make people feel empowered, to buy people into the process, to make democracy work the way the framer intended for it to work,” Clinton said.
“Now, if you don’t believe that we can all grow together again, if you don’t believe that we’re ever going to grow again, if you believe it’s more important to relitigate the past, there may be many reasons that you don’t want to support her.
“But if you believe we can all rise together, if you believe we’ve finally come to the point where we can put the awful legacy of the last eight years behind us and the 7 years before that when we were practicing trickle-down economics and no regulation in Washington, which is what caused the crash, then you should vote for her,” Clinton said."

The awful legacy of the last eight years! Wow. Bill, I have new respect for you, but you know what; you just might need BO before the first Tuesday in November.

The Republicans have issues right now, but this thing with Bill and Barry could get nasty and Hillie is just stuck in the middle. Poor thing.

Some are wondering about Bill's health, thinking he might be slipping. He has Parkinson's symptoms but claims it's something else....ya, like too much bourbon the night before. Whatever.

I don't know what it is, but none of the political class seems able to lay down their animus and unite this year.

I just love it. I hope they all self destruct.

Go Donald!

Things on the Mind

You would think that such a small place would not have room for so many things, but it's amazing what you can get layered and wedged in the mind when you have to. Sometimes there are things in there that one wishes were not in there, nonetheless they are there and must be dealt with.

I was thinking about the Palm Sunday service at the fairgrounds yesterday. I saw some folks I had not seen in awhile; a cousin and someone from my old church youth group in the 70's. That was good. The band was good and would have been much better if the acoustics of the building had been more amenable. It may have been where we were sitting, but it was difficult to understand the words to the music and also the speakers that followed. The band was Vineyard from Manhattan, KS. Even with the poor acoustics, I liked their sound. I will have to see what recordings they have available.

The speaker seemed to be both gifted and talented but I do not remember his name. Sorry. He talked about fear, using examples from the Old Testament and the New. His point was that if you actually start doing what it is you are supposed to be doing, the fear subsides and everything becomes an adventure. That's what I got from what he said. Some may disagree.

The service was billed by some as ecumenical since we had 6 area churches involved in the service. Let me say that it was NOT ecumenical. It was more like a family reunion. We all sprang from the same church roots. Had we invited churches of a different stripe than our own, I might concede ecumenicism, but such was not the case. We also had to leave right after communion because my roommate was getting antsy. He was unable to take it all in for a number of reasons, i.e. hearing and Alzheimer's.

Speaking of my roommate, Dad was up and about when I rose from my slumber this morning. He had already taken his remote controls out to the Toyota along with his clock. I found his shoe horn and the lawnmower key in the computer room. The cable box was nested in a decorative bowl beneath some pine cones...yes, he disconnected the cable box to his TV. He is so weird these days. Saturday afternoon he told me he was going home. We were both home so I'm not sure where he was going.

I think it all has to do with Mom. He mentioned how she disappeared and how he has felt lost since that time. This may also be why he hides all his coffee table items. Mom used to get on him about how he kept the table next to his lazyboy. There is an odd selection of things there, but he does use most of them. Mom used to refer to his area in the sunroom as the "sty" or the "boar's nest". I'm sure all this is in the back of his mind somewhere amongst the clutter of 80 years.

Speaking of that, Dad will be 80 years old on April 18. My uncle texted me and said we should have a birthday party of sorts...a celebration, a open house. He thought, though, that I should be the one to do it. He was going to help in some yet unprescribed way, but there should be a party.

He seemed to be saying, "here's something I want to do for my brother, but I need you to do it". He has not talked to me since Christmas and when he texts, this is what he talks about. He has not seen his brother since then either.

There is blood relation and there is family. Sometimes there is a difference.

I am still giving consideration to the idea, but issuing demands is not a good way to motivate me.  I am inclined not to do this because I do not believe Dad will either appreciate or remember it. I am also not sure who would show up. Many friends from the dairy are passed. The family is spread out. Also, I do not think anyone in the family fully appreciates Dad's current state of mind. The people that are regularly in his life know these things, but those that see him 3 times a year do not.

Since I did not have to teach Sunday, I got some other stuff done that has been eating away at my mind. The taxes are done for both of us. I put on a new shower head which resulted in multiple complaints from the father. Please keep in mind that I replaced it because of multiple complaints. My life is an unappreciated wonder. 

I am hoping to get out in the yard soon. I would have done so yesterday, but it was too cold for me. I am not as tough as I used to be. Maybe this weekend. It's Easter weekend and again, I will not be teaching. Study takes some time and when you don't have to do it, it adds time. I suppose it will snow or something though. We will see. Today is nice and it is supposed to be 70 degrees tomorrow.

Off to work now. Thanks for listening. I wonder what my life would be like if I had real problems (;^))...later             

Friday, March 18, 2016

Spring is in The Air

It still gets cold at here in central Iowa, but Spring is definitely on the way. Last night was about as cold as it has been for the past two weeks. I think it may have gotten down to 30 degrees. Right now it's about 36.

All the signs are present. The snowdrops and crocus are blooming. There is color among the dead patches of garden at my house. The lilacs and even some of the trees are starting to bud. 


I love this time of year. It's resurrection. It is rebirth of life from death. Life rules and death dies. What a glorious thing that God has done. I long for the day when it is always Spring. It is always May and everything is always new.

This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday if you are keeping track. It's the anniversary of the day when Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time. I would encourage you to pop open a gospel and read about it. The Sunday after is Resurrection Sunday marking the anniversary of Satan's defeat and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior; the last hope of humanity.

Now you know why I love Spring.

My church will join six other area churches on Palm Sunday at the Iowa State Fair Grounds in the Paul Knapp Center. We are all going to worship together. I expect I will see people that I have not seen since my days at Central Iowa Bible Camp. I'm kind of looking forward to it.

I have two Sundays off from teaching. That should give me some time to get ahead in lesson planning. I also want to get out in the yard and uncover some of the Spring that's trying to poke through.

Happy Spring. Happy Life.     

Thursday, March 17, 2016

They Deserve It

On Sunday in class we were discussing graceless people in the Bible or at least people that failed to extend grace when there was an opportunity. In doing this, we discovered that we were not so good at receiving or giving grace ourselves, even though, like David and Jonah and James and John, we have received much grace from our Lord.

In Psalm 109, David has composed an imprecatory prayer to the Lord against one of his enemies. We are not made aware of who it is, but David is relentless in requests for the Lord's wrath on this individual.

 Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
    let an accuser stand at his right hand.
When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
    and may his prayers condemn him.
May his days be few;
    may another take his place of leadership.
May his children be fatherless
    and his wife a widow.
10 May his children be wandering beggars;
    may they be driven[a] from their ruined homes.
11 May a creditor seize all he has;
    may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
12 May no one extend kindness to him
    or take pity on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be cut off,
    their names blotted out from the next generation.


David's enemy may well have deserved what was requested, but David was also a man that required much in the way of God's grace himself. As is often the case, we seldom think about the forgiveness and kindnesses we have been granted when we angry for being wronged.

Have you ever prayed against someone that was in your life? I have, or at least it started out that way. When I lived in Cedar Rapids, I had a boss that was impossible to live with. He would drive me crazy with the nitpicky way he treated me and the hourly employees. He would actually drive them to quit. It seemed purposeful and hate driven. I do not know what drove him to beat down people in this way, but it was not productive for our enterprise.

I took my case to the Lord. In my anger, I prayed that God would treat my boss as he was treating others. I prayed that he would get fired or that something awful would happen to him.

These prayers were, of course, counterproductive so I switched my tactics. I prayed that my boss would find another job. In a matter of weeks it happened.

I guess what I am saying is that sometimes even righteous anger fails to be graceful in it's approach. David's enemy was not going to change so he prayed that God would smite him. Initially, I knew that my boss was not going to change, so I prayed that God would take him out.

What really needed to happen was a change of venue. I think my boss was miserable in his job and so he wanted everyone to feel his pain. He needed something else to do. I'm not sure how it worked out for David's enemy, but I hope God moved him on to something more productive.

We need to approach these situations with the same grace that God shows us and accept what God does with the situation. The people in our lives are who they are - broken sinners in need of grace just like us. Accepting them where they are at and moving with grace from that point with them is what we are called to do. It is what God did for us.

Romans 5:6-11 says,
    
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

For no good reason, we have been blessed with forgiveness, justification and reconciliation with God. He did this for us because, despite being jerks, He loved us anyway.

And that's the hard part isn't it? Loving someone that needs to be crushed, that needs a dose of justice; that's hard. But, God does this for you and me everyday and He did it for us even before we knew we had a need. Wow. 

As the old hymn says, "love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."

That's the challenge. We got to show, love grace and mercy to bring people in line with God's truth.

Are we up to it? I hope so.   

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Condiment Intolerance

In my top ten list of most disgusting things (that are not human), condiments are many of them. The most disgusting item here is mustard.

1 Mustard
2 Catsup
3 Mayonnaise
4 Pickle Mustard (very diabolical)
5 Tartar Sauce
6 Sandwich Spread (very deceptive name)
7 Pickled Herring
8 Pekingese Dogs
9 Carp
10 Sitar Music
11 The Bee Gees (they are not really human and I think they are all dead)
12 Blue Cheese (rotten milk so rotten it has turned blue green)
13 Persian Cats
14 Teletubbies
15 Soap Operas 

I know, that's more than ten. I am grossed out by many things.

I was telling a friend (who is a floss miser) that opening a jar of mustard is like opening a baby diaper. It's simple. Mustard is disgusting. It smells bad and tastes bad. I'd sooner eat a lard sandwich. It should be illegal. Everyone that ate mustard in the 19th century is dead. See what I mean? It's a killer. It should at least come with a government warning label. Even the word, "mustard" is gross. How can you put something that smells like that in your mouth? Seriously, just give it up now.   

Why do people use condiments anyway? It covers up the taste of what you are eating. Few people ever enjoy the flavor of a good steak or hamburger because they cover it with fowl smelling sauces and vegetables. My thought is that if you don't like the taste of beef, you shouldn't eat it.  And leave the fries as they are. Why do you have to slather them in what appears some sort of catsup hemorrhage? It's just bloody awful.

Are you convinced yet? Ya, I thought not.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Fishing Season is Open If You're A Groundhog

My first bass of 2016. I think the time is upon us when all good men must go fishing. By next Sunday, I'm thinking the big ones will be hungry. I went to my usual spot. It looked like the pond had "turned over" some time last week. There was activity all over the pond, but hits were kind of slow and lethargic. It will only get better from here on out. I teased out this babybass with a small swim bait.


Saturday, March 12, 2016

Powder Blue Circa 1979

This is the powder blue suit (with me in it) to which my mother said, "what were you thinking?" It's not a great photo, but is does give you a full view. The 70's were strange. You can't see them, but the shoes I have on are platforms. The heels were two inches high.

I thought I looked hot. Mom thought that all I needed was was a hat and I could pass for a pimp. The men of the family were strangely silent. It was like, "does this mean something?".

I never really understood the reaction to it. It did make me stick out among all the navy and brown suits at graduation, but that was sort of the idea. Looking back, maybe it was gay and a gay thing, but I did not see it that way. It's a damn sight better than a white tux with pink piped ruffles :^)

It was 1979. Who knew you could not get away with that? Apparently not me.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Condescending, Self Righteous Ted Cruz

In an interview with David Brody of CBN News, Republican Ted Cruz said this.

“Donald does well with voters who have relatively low information, who are not that engaged and who are angry and they see him as an angry voice."

Geez. What an idiot. He is telling potential voters that they are too stupid and uniformed to make a proper decision about voting and that any one that supports Trump is experiencing an emotional brain fart of anger.

Mental dispepsia not withstanding, it is this elitist attitude that is gradually bringing down every candidate in opposition to Donald Trump. How blind can a politician be? He is so caught up in the current paradigm that he does not see it. He is completely insulated from the reality the people in the US have to deal with daily.

It's time for a new paradigm, a new plan, a new model. Or better yet, let's dust off the old one. We know it works when it's allowed to.

Ted, give it up. Glib commentary in debates seems to be your venue. Perhaps you should go back to trial lawyering. Or maybe...maybe you would make a good ambassador to say Libya. Ya. that's it. Time to pack Ted.   

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

The Whole Trump Thing

In reference to Joseph Stalin and the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Winston Churchill famously stated, "If Hitler invaded hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons."

Churchill was siding with Stalin, the most ruthless dictator in history. Had Stalin been bombing the hell out of London, I'm sure Winston would have spoken favorably of Hitler's work. Such is the politics of our world. One man's dictator is another man's ally. It all depends on who is burning down your house.

Donald Trump is not burning down my house, but he knows who is and he speaks their names and points regularly to the guys with the torches. They are the western bankers, industrialist and politicians that seek to destroy our power by controlling the elements of the game. They have been trying to box us in with low wages, high taxes and fear for 30 years. The Donald is tired of it. Someone said he is one of them, but I don't think so. He has made and lost a lot of money because of them. He is not one of them. He has not paid his dues and joined their little club. He has rather, taken up the cause of the common man and invigorated us. His appeal crosses racial barriers. His words bring hope and a nationalist fervor not felt since VE Day. Unity of purpose may be at hand.

If he means what he says, things are gonna change.

Herein lies the debacle. The fear is now on them. For the first time since the 1960's, the established powers that be are scared shitless. They are running every possible gambit to find ways to deny the will of the people, castrate the power of the vote and install another president that will bend to their will. The moneyed power brokers of the GOP are working every possible scenario to bring Donald Trump down prior to the convention and general election. They are enlisting the help of the Democrats and established media. It's my belief that they will resort to the vilest chicanery to nullify the will of the American people.

For this reason alone, I support Donald Trump. He may turn out to be an awful president, a terrible politician that makes us all look bad and feel bad in the end, but right now in this hour, this one shining moment he is bringing fear to the empowered and entitled of the West.  Let them sweat if they can.

If he wins, I hope he arrests them all, confiscates their wealth and sends them to Gitmo for their crimes of terror against the American people.

I don't know if I will get my dream of abolition of the Federal Reserve or my dream of closing all our foreign military bases or my dream of high import tariffs and re-industrialization of the United States, but I would like to see an end to the dismantling and balkanization of my country. I would like to see an end to the endless wars. I would like to see the real perpetrators of 9/11 exposed. I am so tired of this pursuit of empire. We are Americans. We should oppose empires, not build them.

The world is a mess and it's because of US foreign policy, driven by Zionist money.

Christians, my own people, are completely deluded by all this. They believe Ted Cruz is the One, an evangelical, born again boy wonder.

Really friends? He's an Ivy Leaguer. He served in the Bush administration at the FDA. He met his wife Heidi there. She now works for Goldman Sachs and he is a US Senator supported heavily by the oil industry and some help from Heidi's bosses. Jeb Bushes brother Neil is now supporting him. He's as establishment as it gets. He will sell you down the river just like all the other establishment Republicans have done. Don't be stupid.

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is insane. Who says a good Christian would make a good president anyway? I'm not sure I believe that.

"Ya, well who says Donald Trump would be a good president?"

Not me. But I do believe he can be the one to take this hereditary monarchy and put it back in the hands of us real folks. The gravy train administrators in Congress need to go to. Donald, you need to be campaigning against them too. Shut down the government. No one ever notices anyway accept the bureaucrats.

Let's send them all home.

Friends in Florida and Ohio, we need you to be strong and do the right thing on the 15th. Say 'no more' to them all. Vote Trump OK? Sunshine and buckeyes for everyone next Tuesday. Let's wrap this thing up.            

An Interesting Organism

The church is an interesting bunch. I speak in the nebulous sense of those that claim to be part of the body of Christ across all the denominational, theological and political lines. More specifically, I mean those that believe Jesus Christ rose from the dead and rules His Kingdom from His Father's side.

We are from all walks of life, from every culture, every nation and every tribe on the planet. We have one thing in common. We are all sinners saved by His grace.

Many of us live on the knife's edge. We constantly push to the very limits of what is acceptable behavior for one of Christ's subjects. Sometimes our motivations for this are good. We want to seem like an attractive bunch to those in the world that need Jesus. On other occasions, we are believers that, out of fear of eternal condemnation, attend services and perform functions in our local congregation, but behave as though we never knew Him through the week. There are still others among us that are so wrapped up in our own sense of righteousness that we cannot bear being with actual sinners that do not know Jesus.

These are only some of the "types" that exist in a "believing church". Of the three mentioned here, I think the first group is the most interesting and has the greatest potential for kingdom success.

It's true that we are not to be of the world though we live in the world. It's true that we must fear God and serve Him, but that holy fear and faith should generate sanctification that translates into consistent behavior. Finally, we should not be so wrapped up in our pursuit of righteousness, that we shun those outside our faith communities and fear contamination. We are clean because Jesus made us clean from the inside out and not because we scrubbed ourselves clean with study and prayer.

What I am trying to say is that if we want to be successful for the Kingdom, we need to push the limits of grace while maintaining the truth in love. Condemning the outward acts of sinners will not win them for Jesus. Joining them in contradiction to our calling will not do this. But joining them as friends with a conviction about mercy, truth and justice might just win a few. Showing them the peace that comes with knowing Him and the stability that comes even in dark times can make them thirsty. Showing them that you are not opposed to a little fun also goes a long way.

Jesus liked a good party. I think of the wedding feast at Cana where He made the wine. I think of Him going to the houses of Zacchaeus and Matthew without fear and in good conscience, enjoying the party and delivering the truth. I also think about what He said when some wanted to condemn His participation.

To Zacchaeus He said, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

At Matthew's house He told the Pharisees,  “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

We need to be out there among 'em. We need to ask them to join our party. We need to push the limits of traditional "Christian" behavior to bring people in. That might create some messiness in the local congregation. So be it.   

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

The Only Time I Ever "Looked Gay"

I am not what you would call obvious. You would probably not know I am same sex attracted just by talking to me for a few minutes. Maybe after we got to know each other you would figure it out, but I'm thinking you'd say, "naw, that can't be".

I think the only time I ever looked kind of gay was when I was in a friend's wedding. The bride was my friend who knew of my SSA status and ask me to stand up with her and her hubby in the ceremony. I obviously could not be a bride's maid. Too much equipment. But the groom was kind enough to let me stand with the guys. We all had these white tuxes on. I was the only guy that looked gay. I was the sore thumb.

I'm all ruffly pink and white. Geeze. I think there was only one other time that came close. I bought a powder blue suit for my college graduation and it made me seem a bit...pretty. Anyway, I have been more careful since then.  

It's Not The Same

This will not sit well with some, particularly among my Christian friends whom I love and am very glad to have in my life, but I need to say it, and you need to know it or at least consider that it might well be the truth.

Homosexuality is not like substance abuse, alcoholism, gambling addiction, greed, avarice, covetousness, malice, hate or whatever other sin that you want to name. It is hard wired into those of us that have to deal with it. We know the desire long before we ever participate in the behavior. It seems as natural as your desire is for the opposite sex. Further to the point, it is not all about the sex anymore than your marriage is. There is friendship, camaraderie and solidarity in these communities that goes beyond the mere search for a sex partner. It is a sexual desire and behavior common to many throughout the world, through history and across all cultures.

Alfred Kinsey, whatever you may think of him, had a scale of zero to six for Human sexuality.

0. Exclusively heterosexual with no homosexual
1. Predominantly heterosexual, only incidental homosexual
2. Predominantly heterosexual, but more than incidentally homosexual
3. Equally heterosexual and homosexual
4. Predominantly homosexual but more than incidentally heterosexual
5. Predominantly homosexual, but incidentally heterosexual
6. Exclusively homosexual.
The percentages for each category, 0 to 6, are broken out below under my last paragraph. You can choose to believe his research or not.

The source is here.

The overwhelming majority of humans are straight. There are about 4% of us that are 6's. This would be me if you are wondering. I have zero heterosexual desire. I like women. The best relationships I have had in my life have been with women. I just never wanted to have sex with one.

I guess my point here is that I never felt like I was given choice. Yes, I know behavior is a choice, but the desire that I have seems quite natural and at the risk of setting your teeth on edge, quite normal.

Back in 1977 and 1978 I had some fairly intense counseling that was designed to create a passion for the opposite sex. It involved hypnosis and something called 'visual imagery'. During hypnosis sessions I would rest the ring and middle fingers of my left hand on a biofeedback device that measured galvanic skin response  (GSR). I would be asked to concentrate on the buzzing sound the device made and reduce it through relaxation. I was very good at this. I could get very relaxed very quickly. During these periods I would would be asked to visualize heterosexual coitus while the counselor described it. I have to say that even though I was about as relaxed as a man could get without being asleep, I do not think I was ever in a hypnotic state. There was also the fact that the entire process kind of put me off. I did not trust my counselor (he was weird) and he was talking about things that, frankly, were kind of gross to me. Suffice it to say, it did not work.

I quit counseling in 1978. It was also in 1978 that I met Robert. We lasted about a year and a half. In 1979 I graduated and Robert and I went our separate ways. I should tell you all about Robert some time I suppose. Or maybe not. Some of you could not deal with it. Whatever. He was my first and my last. Ya, I know. I'm not dead yet, but I am just too tired so there will be no man but Jesus in my future. I really want to see Him.      

Kinsey summarized his findings (Kinsey et al., 1948:650-51) on the incidence of homosexual behavior among white males in the U.S. population in these words:


"37 per cent of the total male population has at least some overt homosexual experience to the point of orgasm between adolescence and old age. This accounts for nearly 2 males out of every 5 that one may meet.

"50 per cent of the males who remain single until age 35 have had overt homosexual experience to the point of orgasm, since the onset of adolescence.

"58 per cent of the males who belong to the group that goes into high school but not beyond, 50 per cent of the grade school level, and 47 per cent of the college level have had homosexual experience to the point of orgasm if they remain single to the age of 35.

"63 per cent of all males never have overt homosexual experience to the point of orgasm after the onset of adolescence.

"50 per cent of all males (approximately) have neither overt nor psychic experience in the homosexual after the onset of adolescence.

"13 per cent of the males (approximately) react erotically to other males without having overt homosexual contacts after the onset of adolescence.

"30 per cent of all males have at least incidental homosexual experience or reactions (i.e., rate 1-6) over at least a three-year period between the ages of 16 and 55. This accounts for one male out of every three in the population who is past the early years of adolescence.

"25 per cent of the male population has more than incidental homosexual experience or reaction (i.e., rates 2-6) for at least three years between the ages of 16 and 55. In terms of averages, one male out of approximately every four has had or will have such distinct and continued homosexual experience.

"18 per cent of the males have at least as much of the homosexual as the heterosexual in their histories (i.e. rate 3-6) for at least three years between the ages of 16 and 55. This is more than one in six of the white male population.

"13 per cent of the population has more of the homosexual than the heterosexual (i.e., rates 4-6) for at least three years between the ages of 16 and 55. This is one in eight of the white male population.

"10 per cent of the males are more or less exclusively homosexual (i.e., rate 5 or 6) for at least three years between the ages of 16 and 55. This is one male in ten in the white population.

"8 per cent of the males are exclusively homosexual (i.e. rate a 6) for at least three years between the ages of 16 and 55. This is one male in every 13.

"4 per cent of the white males are exclusively homosexual throughout their lives, after the onset of adolescence."

Monday, March 7, 2016

God's Grace and His Truth

Yesterday in Sunday school we were talking about what I believed was the inevitable tension that exists between God's grace and His truth and how, if we allow that tension to become love, then the whole process is considerably less 'tense'.

Someone pointed out that grace and truth are not mutually exclusive in that God's grace is an integral part of His truth. This is brilliant as far as it goes, but when we allow one to define the other, we run the risk of moving toward total grace or total truth. Total grace allows all things, even things that fly in the face of virtue or compassion. Total truth is rigid, strictly defining what must be and excluding and condemning all things that oppose it.

So do we allow graciousness to over ride important truths about what God requires of us, what He expects from those that love Him? Are there in fact limits to God's Grace and compassion? If truth exists, then are we not compelled to say yes to that question?

This is a puzzlement. It is the tension. You can gloss it all over with love, but it is still very tense.

What then shall we say?

We have to find balance. Instead of searching for the limits of God's grace and how far out of the way we can push the limits of His truth, maybe we should just obey and bask in His glory.

There may well be limits to God's grace, but only He can define that and if these limits exist He never tells us about it in scripture. We are instead told about how much He loves us and what can happen to those that fail to observe the precepts of His truth. Those that persist in living in certain ways will not inherit eternal life. Jesus said this. Paul and Peter wrote about it. At the same time they all also spoke of God's preference for mercy and compassion and repentance.

At the root of this matter is God's sovereignty. He will do what He wants. He is God. He knows the hearts and minds of humanity and those that claim to be His possessions. He will take into account all things as He pursues us and we pursue Him.     

We cannot sin all the more that grace may abound and we cannot go "full pharisee" with His Word.

Children will test the limitations their parents place on them and their parents will apply the appropriate amounts of grace and truth as they see fit. So it is with our heavenly Father. Life's lessons can be difficult or easy. It all depends on our degree of submission to His will.

When Jesus was in conversation with Nicodemus as recorded in John 3, Jesus makes clear how God's grace, truth and love work together to save us who are willing.

1For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

So what are you saying Ghog? All I have to do is believe and I will enjoy God's grace and salvation and live in His truth? 

Well yes, but that belief, that faith has to translate to walking in the light and avoiding the evil deeds of the darkness. If your belief is the real deal, this will happen. Grace will cover the learning process.


Sunday, March 6, 2016

Marco Is Done...Stick a Fork In Him

Well, someone has dropped a dime on Marco Rubio. I thought sure he was going to be the next establishment darling in the race for the GOP nomination for president, but apparently he was someone else's darling...at least twice. Marco we hardly knew ye.

GotNews is saying they have ID'd a couple of mistresses that Marco has mounted despite his marriage and family man image.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has carried on at least two extramarital affairs since he entered politics.
GotNews.com can confirm through lobbyist sources in DC and Tallahassee that at least one DC-based lobbyist has had an extra marital affair with the first term U.S. Senator. Still another Florida-based lobbyist has been IDed as carrying on an affair.
The first woman was Amber Stoner, a 36-year-old woman who worked for Rubio when he was head of the Florida Republican Party....

The second woman is Dana Hudson, a blonde lobbyist based in the Beltway.
According to two lobbyists in DC in the national security space Hudson has been bragging about having had sex with the senator to other lobbyists.
Hudson lobbies on Homeland Security issues and is personal friends with the very same corrupt David Rivera who once partied with Rubio....

Rubio’s wife reportedly knows about Marco Rubio’s extra marital affairs and doesn’t mind them — so long as she and her children are provided for.
One high placed GOP establishment source from Florida who actually backs Rubio over Trump and Cruz expressed shock that Rubio was still carrying on with women while he was running for president. “It smacks of Jon Edwards,” he texted.

Wow. I guess my only surprise is that they were both women. I kind of thought Marco was in the closet, but it turns out he's in there with at least two women that are not his wife. I'm thinking Marco's political career may be over. He's not as slick as William Jefferson. He will not get away with it.

As to who dropped the dime, it could be anyone. The party may have asked him to step aside to give Cruz a chance at Trump and he refused. Trump's operatives may have done it out of revenge. Or some sore loser like Christie may have done it out of spite. Cruz may have done it to increase his odds in Florida. Whoever did it, it's better that everyone find out now.

I'm sure damage control will begin in earnest tomorrow, but it will probably be short lived. If these allegations are true, he will be done by the end of the week.

Marco, just zip it OK?   

It's That time of Year...

We started the spring quarter in Sunday school today at church. I had to work a double shift and it looks like this will continue until June. I am finally teaching Messy Grace by Caleb Kaltenbach. It seemed to go well. Between my two classes I had 38 people. I know this will change. People seem to test drive teachers and their subject matter. A subtle shift will occur in the coming weeks. 38 this week may translate to 45 next week or twelve. Actually, I doubt that last number will happen. There are Groundhog loyalists in my 0800 class that amount to more than that. I had 5 elders in my 1030 class with their wives. I would like to say thanks for your support. The subject matter can be touchy and I appreciate all the participation. I would also like to add a special thanks to Mandy for coming. You seem to be a wise woman. I hope you will continue to occupy a place in the front row.

It got up to 70 degrees here today. It was enough push me to the service desk at Hy Vee to get my 2016 fishing license. I immediately broke it in. I put on my new hat hook and went fishing. I didn't catch anything, but the water looked promising even though it was still very cold. As the spring rains begin to warm the water, I'm sure I will find a bass with my name on it. I hope to be going again soon. Sunday afternoons are perfect for me and this activity. It gives me occasion to sort out the events from the day's worship and also look to the week ahead.

I have to do two things this week. I am supposed to do them every week. You have to do them too if you are a person of faith.

1) Love the Lord God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength.

And...

2) Love our neighbor as ourselves.

Surprisingly, these things are not as easy as you think. What we have to remember is our over all purpose. We were created to bring glory to God. If we can do that, then we can knock out these two commands. Piece of cake right? Ya right.

Lord I do love you even though it may not seem like it sometimes and I know you love me, even though I may not think so sometimes. Now that I think about it, it's kind of like we are married. I seem to be the weaker partner. So be it. I will try to follow your lead, hoping all the time you are listening to me. I'm not sure at this point why you should listen to me, but I kind of think you do. I will continue to work on our relationship. You're laughing at me aren't you? OK. I can deal with that. I'm a human being that gets laughed at frequently. The preachers said something this morning about You having a sense of humor. I know that's true. Look at all the different kinds of humans you made. You do seem to like variety. Glad I could help with that.

Steve also shared with me an interesting question brought to him by a young nephew. The kid wanted to know if God, who is invisible in our world, is visible in heaven. You might think this sounds like a 'kid' type question, but really it's very deep. I would submit to the young one that God is NOT invisible here. If pressed to prove this, I would try to point out all the people that are doing God's work by glorifying Him and loving their neighbors. As Christians, when we do this, we become the face of Jesus to people and as John tells us, if we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father.

Now this could be a stretch for some, but is it also the point of the two greatest commandments. We, as believers, are the hands and feet of our heavenly Father. We help to make Him known. That is pretty heavy.

The boy seems to genuinely be seeking God. I'm kind of hoping God reaches out to him and locks him into the faith early. The Lord loves the young ones. We should all be so unjaded, forthright and innocent in our inquiries.

Spring is coming. Soon life will spring from death, beauty will replace corruption and a bass will be on my lure. Bring it Lord. I am ready. Thanks for the Day!        

Friday, March 4, 2016

Makin Shit Happen

There are people whose natural habit it is to make things happen. If they are dissatisfied, they make a change for themselves and sometimes without regard to the people around them, like family, wife or husband. Some will drag everyone in their circles into what they are doing even if it means a trip to the other side of the planet. Others are just naturally changing things up out of curiosity or attention seeking or boredom. It is who they are. They are the ones that show up at work with green hair. You know the ones I'm talking about.

When I was much younger, my Mom worked part time in a grocery store in addition to her full time job. She really liked working at Dahl's because of the wide variety of people she would meet as they checked out. There was one individual that would ride up to the grocery store on his bicycle. He would play a harmonica as he rode his bike and then he would come into the store. To say he was "differently enabled" would be a politically correct assessment. He would come into the store, playing his harmonica and flirt with the women at the service counter. He would also chat up the cashiers, my Mom included. I don't know that his intention was to pick up anyone; he just wanted to spread his particular brand of joy with as many people as possible. Sometimes his intrusions into the store would upset buying customers and they would have to ask him to leave. It seemed unkind, but necessary even though he had really done nothing to actually hurt anyone. His presence, however, provoked discomfort for some. He was a distraction and he enjoyed it. He wore a baseball cap like the one below.
Have you ever been the one that makes shit happen? It's odd to have the urge at my age, but I think I want to be that guy. Why now? You would think that I would be long past that and just want to coast off to heaven. Nope. For some reason, I think life is just beginning to get good...interesting. I want to make it that way for everyone. I want to shock old ladies and make young people get red faced and laugh. I want to upset those in authority. I want them to worry that they are losing control. I want to be the one that they wish they were free enough to be.

How odd.

So buckle your seat belts and get ready or better yet...I will turn off the seat belt sign so you will feel free to move about the cabin. Let's make some shit happen.