The President, Race Relations and Beer

Well the president had his much anticipated gathering with the professor, the cop and the beer. What I find interesting is that the media covered how the beer was served as much as what was said at the summit. It was as if the event could not take place unless they were all enjoying (as my sociology professor used to say a little Colorado Cool-Aid). Now before I go any further, let me say that I am not opposed to people making the choice to drink. But what bothers me is the message this event sent to our youth. That message being: in order to ensure a successful event, you must serve alcoholic beverages. As I read the hop by hop description of the beer, I was reminded of an event that I went to as a college student. I had signed up to take the state department test for possible employment. When my name was called, I was taken into a room where I sat with a very nice young man who asked me questions about my knowledge of the world. He then began to ask some personal questions. After answering those, he looked me straight in the eye and asked me what I like to drink? "Coke" I answered. "No" he said "I mean what do you like to drink?" I looked at him, saying "oh you mean alcohol?" I confessed to him that I was not really a drinker. "I am sorry" he said, "but since you do not drink, the state department can not use you". He went on to explain that drinking is so prevalent in almost all cultures through out the world, that it was important that state department employees drink as not to cause incidents. From that point on when ever I read an article or see footage of an important national or international event, I always look for the bottle or glass being used to celebrate that event. Guess what? Eight out of ten times: I see or read about the glass or bottle included in that event. I challenge you to join me in my little game. The next time you read or hear about an important event here or abroad, look for the glass or bottle. And we wonder why our kids are confused by the mixed messages we send them when it comes to alcohol.

Sometimes What You Do Not Know Is A Blessing

About a month ago I was rear ended. The details don't really matter. The impact from the accident had me going to get message therapy. The therapy was not doing what it should have normally done: help me feel better. So they referred to a Chiropractor. On my first visit to him, he took X-rays of my back and shoulder. Yesterday I went back to talk about the X-rays and treatment. I won't bore you with all the results; but what really caught my attention; he asked me when I broke my neck. "I never broke my neck", I replied. He went on to show me the X-ray which showed a fracture line in my neck. After I left, I got to thinking, how would I have lived my life differently, if I had known that I had broken my neck. Would I have babied myself? How many Roller Coasters would I have not ridden on if I had known that I had once broken my neck? The point is, I believe that I have lived a happier life because I did not know that I had once broken my neck. We live in a age where we as people want to know everything about everyone, including our selves. We cry, "I have a right to know"! But do we? Sometimes I wonder if we would be a little happier as people, if we did not know everything about everyone. Sometimes God limits our knowledge like a loving parent. protecting us from ourselves. Because He wants us to live the best life possible. And you know what, after yesterday, I'm okay with that.

Summer Cleaning

Someone once wrote that life gets in the way of all the things that you want to do. When it comes to this blog, that is how I feel. Everyday for the last couple of weeks, okay for the last couple of months I have thought I should write a blog entry. Then comes life! I go do life and the blog becomes like my hairline a memory. You know when it comes to our relationship with Christ, I am so thankful that life does not get in the way of Him looking out for us. He is always there for us when ever we need Him. So my promise to you gentle readers is that I will blog a least once a week, maybe twice. But let us settle for my musings to you guaranteed once a week

Lent Not Just A Catholic Thing

Right now we are in the 40 day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. Lent as it is commonly called is a time when people of the Catholic faith do without something in their lives that is important to them. Tradition says that when you want to do that thing you have given up you are to think on what Christ gave up for you. Far too many protestants don't give up anything for Lent: when you ask why: they reply why should they; after all Lent is a "Catholic thing". It is as if being a "Catholic thing" makes it bad to those of us who are protestants. Should not any faith practice that helps us reflect on the meaning of Easter be attempted by those of us who call ourselves Christians? Maybe its time that we put away our prejudices, trying something new and spritually stimulating this Easter season - Lent!

If You Can't Trust Your Teacher, Who Can You Trust

Some of the best times I had growing up as a kid was spending time with my teachers outside of the classroom. I learned how to scout opposing Basketball teams because on some Friday nights, I would go with my sophmore basketball coach and classroom teacher to watch teams the Puyallup Vikings would play in future. We would show our league pass, buy some popcorn and sit up in the top bleacher of the gym at mid court and chart plays. As the evening wore on, not only did he teach me what to watch for, but we would also discuss life in general. When my father passed away in June of 07, one of the people I wanted to talk with was my high school debate teacher. Somehow a little part of me believed that if I just talked to "B" it would all make some sense. Never did get to, wish I had.
Where all this is leading is that thanks to a three judge Washington State appeals court ruling alot of todays kids may never get to have those memories. This afternoon the court ruled that it is not againist the law for a teacher to have sex with an 18 year old student. I will leave it to you to google the facts of the case, but the point is how many parents are going to become suspicious if their kids want to spend any quality alone time with any teacher with out red flags being raised in the back of their minds. What teacher is going to risk his or her career by offering to help a student with some quality one on one time after school. Or take them off school grounds to experience something unique like an opera or musical. How many kids will never get a chance to share, grow or learn something totally unique that only that teacher could have taught them.
Once again Christ called it, the foolish will be called wise in the eyes of humanity.

From Snow to Floods - Maintaining Order for the Rest of Us

Last time we got together we discussed how snow impacted the Seattle area. Yes we did have a white Christmas, which thrilled my wife. But now the snow is gone and we are dealing with flooding in our region.
In my last post I spoke of how the media would or would not cover the return of Christ. I want to take that same idea and go in a different direction.
Yesterday my wife and I had to travel detours becase one of the two main roads into our town was under water. It took us almost three hours to travel about 20 miles. So as I sat in traffic (the key word here is sat), I begain to look around and see how my fellow cars were dealing with the situation. Some were on cell phones, others by the movement of there heads were listening to music and one person took the law into his own hands, driving on the sholder of the road to not let cars pass and crowd in latter on down the road. Normally that kind of action is against the law and caries with it a fine of serveal hundred dollars. But last night, no one cared, because that man was our hero. Keeping order on a night when all anyone of us wanted to do was get home and out of this mess. He could have gone on ahead and crowded in, but instead he did the thing that was needed the most, keeping order for the rest of us.
Sometimes Christ calls us to ignore man's laws and strike out on our own for the betterment of society. I wonder when the time comes will we have the courage to do just that?

Snomageddon

For the last couple of days the area where I live has been inundated with cold and snow. Now if you are reading this from a cold part of the planet, you are not doubt laughing at our lack of snow ability. But for us in the Seattle area this is a BIG deal. Schools close, traffic snarls and television stations act like this is the end of civilization as we know it. These last couple of days have got me to wonder, what is it going to be like when Christ returns? Okay, here we are a couple of days from Christmas and I am wondering about the return of our Lord. But think about it, if snow does all of this, what are things going to be like when Jesus returns. Will traffic snarl? Will schools be canceled (it might damage the idea of so called separation of church and state to do that)? Will television stations act like this is the end of civilization as we know it? Or will it be as it was a little over 2000 years ago when Christ came, just business as usual? As the old song goes, I can only imagine.