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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Sock It To Me

A church in a small town near here discovered a family that had one pair of socks for their three children. The children took turns wearing the socks to school. The church immediately remedied the situation with a plentiful supply of new socks and then began a program to insure that all school children in their town also have adequate socks.


This will not make the front page, nor should it. Jesus said, "When you do your good works, do not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. Your Father, who sees in secret will reward you openly."


Like most of Jesus' teaching this is contrary to human nature. We want the acclaim of others. Even if we should do some good work in secret, don't we secretly hope we will be found out? But Jesus knew that our pride in being recognized by our fellows cannot begin to compare to the joy of God's reward. Man's recognition brings ego inflation but like some drugs the effects are short-lived whereas God's commendation brings lasting and satisfying joy.

If you have plenty of socks, give thanks to God. And be reminded that there are those of our brothers and sisters who lack most of the things we take for granted. In our community more than 75% of children are on the school lunch plan. For some this is the only decent daily meal they get.

Isn't there something askew in the scheme of things? Hundreds of billions of tax payer dollars have been used to bail out the financial industry while also allowing a small segment of our population to continue to enjoy their lavish life style. In the meantime, children are going hungry and families are going without the basic necessities. I know: I know. The bail-out was necessary to keep the economy from going into the tank. It was necessary even if all of the money can't be accounted for due to lax oversight, waste, fraud and corruption.

The poor are trundled out onstage when they serve a political purpose and quickly abandoned
until the next time they can be useful. Unfortunately we cannot depend on government 'one size fits all' programs to completely solve the poverty situation, no matter how well intended. It's not a matter of cynicism to point out that Congress and bureaucrats are disconnected from the street-level realities of life.

So; what? Do I just moan and complain? Do I only point out the obvious difficulties, go on about my business and tell the poor to suck it up and do the best they can? Not if I claim to be a follower of Christ. His concern for the poor is obvious in what he said and in his ministry to them. I believe Jesus has called on us to live modestly and to share out of what has been given to us.

Think about it when you pull your socks on in the morning.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

84 and Still Learning

Another birthday has rolled around and I am now 84. If you would like to know how it feels to be old----you'll have to ask some one else. Of course I realize I'm not 18 anymore. I don't pretend to be nor would I like to be. If I were, I wouldn't make the same mistakes but I'm sure I'd make all new ones. Once around is enough.


I am not in denial about my age, I just don't concentrate on it. I take the days as they come and decide what is ,and is not, important. We all have just so much energy and it shouldn't be wasted on things like anger and regrets, envy and worry. All of these are useful to Satan to mess up our lives. Jesus spoke about how we can overcome these negative emotions and reactions by completely relying on Him.

Anger consumes huge amounts of energy and adversely affects our health. There are few things in life worth our anger. There is a difference between anger and irritation. I aadmit there are people whose habits grate on my nerves. I try not to be one of them. But when I am with a person who I find irritating I try to remember how irritating I must be to God because of my many faults. It makes it much easier to abide the other person's company.
When confronted with the temptation of becoming angry, think: Is this worth what it is going to cost me in terms of my health? Will I escalate danger to myself or others? Will I alienate some person or group?

Actually, these and myriad other questions should already have been answered long before situations arise so we only have to ask ourselves, "Is it worth it?" The answer is usually a resounding NO. Yes, Jesus got angry on ocassion but study the situations and see what brought on his righteous anger

The aftermath of anger is mostly taken up with regrets about our actions. Regrets are useful only if we learn from them, repent of our mistakes and then move on. If we set up camp among regrets we will find they are distasteful companions and it will turn out to be a miserable existence. Unfortunately, too many hold onto and mourn over regrets for a lifetime

Worry is a killer. It kills joy, wastes time and inhibits positive production in our lives. Worry conjures up worst case scenarios. The more we worry the worse become the scenarios until it seems screenwriters for Hokeywood horror films must worry a lot. When I am tempted to worry, I think, "Is there something I can do to remedy this situation right now?" If the answer is Yes, I do what needs to be done. If the answer is No, I put it out of my mind. If it later turns out to be something I can still do nothing about, I give it to God. If someone tells me they are worrying about something I ask, "If it helps, please tell me." It never has because worrying has never changed any situation.

Our first defense is faith in Christ; faith that says, "No matter what happens, Christ will be with us." We put our faith in action with prayer. Very useful is a positive attitude which includes a sense of humor. It keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously.

Although Christ has laid out all of this in his Word, it has taken me many years to realize its practicality and to absorb what I've written above. I would like to say I've followed and enjoyed the benefits of these principles 100%. I have not because of my own faults (stupidity). However, I can say when I have followed these principles I find they work 100% of the time and usually in unexpected ways.

Try them for a day and really put them in practice. Then a few more days. Then a week, then: always. Don't wait til you're 84, although that's not too late to start.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Futurama

One of the current rumors circulating about the Health Care Bill centers around a supposed provision of so-called "death panels," made up of medical and (maybe) ethical experts who would decide if a person who they deem too old, ill or injured should continue to receive health services. Such a provision does not exist.

Among aborgines this practice, in some form, has existed for centuries as practical and necessary. When members of a tribe could no longer provide for themselves they were sent off into the jungle, desert or into the frozen wasteland to die. There was simply no back-up plan.
Will we someday come full circle?

In my opinion our country is still 25 to 50 years away from from government-paid voluntary euthanasia followed in a few years by mandatory euthanasia. It may happen sooner. Far-fetched?
In countries like England, Canada, Sweden, etc. where some health care is rationed, people die waiting for the treatment they need. It's not called euthanasia but the effect is the same.

The U.S. has a chronic shortage of general practice doctors and nurses. Med school grads are opting for high-paying specialties. Those who do enter GP shun rural areas for monetary reasons. In order to get more GPs in rural areas the govt. will have to supplement their income.

We have before us a health bill put together by a sausage-making Congress, the AMA, pharma companies, medical equipt. manufacturers, unions and who knows who else, none of whom wants their ox to be gored. A bill was introduced that would would have required all members of the House to sign a statement that they had read the entire health bill. Are you surprised to learn that this bill was soundly defeated ?

Another bill would have required all members of Congress to sign up for their health insurance under the new health bill. Again, soundly defeated. Not good enough for Congress but O.K. for Mr. And Mrs. Tax Payer! Is this not the epitome of arrogance and disregard for their constituents?

I correctly predicted the implosion of the Republicans in the last election. I'm not ready to count the Democrats out but they are hell-bent on the same path. They seem to have no regard for the people they are sworn to represent. They have their agenda and bygod nobody is going to change it. This is not the "change" the electorate so passionately yearned for.

Are you listening, Mr. President?

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Be Prepared

Long ago I read of a land where the inhabitants made pancakes so thin they only had one side. That's skinny. It would be like a picture of a pancake projected on a cloud with the appearance of a pancake but without the substance. When a strong wind came along it would be revealed for what it is.


So it is with life. To some degree, all of us are hiding behind a facade. Maybe, when things are going well, we project an image of strength; of "having it all together." Regardless of our image, crises will ultimately reveal who we really are. What has been, or will be, our reaction to bad news; to emergency situations; to temptation; to our doctor's determination that our death is imminent? Will our relationship to Christ prove to be real? Will the "peace that passes understanding" well up or will panic and dispair overwhelm us? Can we say with Paul,"To live is Christ; to die is gain" and mean it?

If we knew that a violent storm was headed toward us and certain to strike us there is little doubt that we would prepare to withstand it. It would be foolish to say,"I'm too busy now. I'll deal with it later." We shall all certainly face spiritual storms. There is no escape. Doesn't it make sense to prepare ourselves spiritually now instead of when the storm is at our doorstep?