Merry, uhh Happy,uhhh, Season's, uhhh, Have a Good One.

If you are a Christian, or at least if you believe in God, Christmas time is a great time for either just touching base with your faith or really connecting again as if for the first time.  It's a weird time because even the most pious Christians that Jesus might not want to hang out with are either looking forward to opening presents, eating well, or getting their newly charged Starbucks gift cards.  At least here in America.

There was a column in the Detroit News by Editor Nolan Finley.  He wrote as he was leaving a store after Christmas shopping, he held a door open for a lady entering and said, "Happy Holidays".  Finley wrote that the lady "barked" back," I say Merry Christmas!" in a tone more suited to a union strike vote or Congressional Debate in South Korea just before someone gets kung-fu'd.

Finley wrote that he is a Christian, and didn't mean anything more than to give her a pleasant greeting, but was taken aback by her.....almost militant behavior (my words not his).  I have to admit, I think some folks are getting a bit too worked up over words sometimes.

One of my favorite songs this time of year is "Happy Holidays" when sung by Andy Williams.  The song was recorded probably in the 1960's and nobody then was worried about the secular media, de-empahsizing of the Christian aspect of the season, etc.  It is a pleasant song and makes me smile. Williams also recorded "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" with something for toasting and marshmallows for roasting, etc. with nary a mention of Christmas.

 Now my favorite Christmas song is "O Holy Night" sung by virtually anyone, I suppose, even Young Jeezy if he does it straight.  Is he still Young Jeezy?  Or has he aged to the point of "Just Jeezy"?  I can tear up during a version of "Silent Night" I love "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and I enjoy reading Luke Chapter 2 verses 8-11.  It's Christmas, right?

Just a segway, here, or is it a segue?  Gotta check that.  Anyway, while I was going door-to-door with some church folk inviting parents to send their kids to church in our Bus Ministry a couple years ago, I spotted two teen girls listening to a rap song in a car.  I walked over, waited until the song ended, and asked, "who is that"?  Now, they knew we were church people, and on top of that we were all caucasian church people in an area of Detroit where most white folk were either cops or drug-buyers.  Really.

So the young lady says, "It's Young Jeezy."  It was a catchy tune, and I told her that and asked her to tell me about Young Jeezy.  She mentioned a couple of things I really can't remember, she didn't know too much about him, other than he was cute and the CD was very good.  Then she asked what we were doing there, and I said, "you told me about Young Jeezy and  we're telling people about this guy Young Jesus".  They actually were very polite when I shared a bit of faith with them, told 'em thanks for their time and went to the next house.  See, you don't have to hit people over the head with your faith, or cut off heads, I suppose.  When God gives you an opening, go ahead and walk through it with courtesy and love.  (And of course confidence because you are certain of your faith and even a Happy Holidays won't shake it).

So next time someone wishes you a Happy Holiday, go ahead and say "Merry Christmas" if you want, or say thanks, or even give 'em a handshake and pat on the shoulder.  But don't act like a spoiled brat or angry mob-inciter and growl out a Christmas greeting that sounds more like fightin' words.  And, hey, for most of us who claim to be Christian, maybe we should wish more people Merry Christmas every other part of the year except December and maybe they'll listen more.

Jesus had a couple issues with religious people.  First, they thought they knew everything about God and nobody else did.  Second, He was kinda cheesed that they seemed to try to BECOME the Almighty rather than WORSHIP the almighty.  Finally, He felt those religious types actually made it difficult for the "sinners" and normal folk to enjoy a relationship with God.  So, when Jesus got the most angry, it was with religious types. You could look it up.

For those of you who proclaim Christ as Lord;  If you indeed read your bible, you know that as time goes on, people will be less interested in an Almighty God and Savior, "the love of most will wax cold", etc.  These times are a sign for us to be extra certain to let people know that God is Love, and through that love He offers eternal life in His Son.  Don't chase people away by being a big cranky-pants at Christmas or any other time.

  Be relational, not religious, be personable, not pious, be a lover of people, not an arbiter of holiday greetings.  Show love, like Jesus did, and worry about the sematics later. With respect to people of all faiths, or none, Merry Christmas.

Occupy THIS

So we have the Occupy Movement.  I must admit, I remember this during the 60's in the campus unrest days.  You had the Berrigans bombing ROTC offices on campus, sit-ins, love-ins, some destruction and wanton rioting, you know.  But during all that unrest, the idea was to tell the government to keep their hands off freedoms.  The 60's were about reminding the "powers that be" that the real power was with the people.

Now, point one, I applaud peaceful protest, and even violent protest depending on the situation.  I applaud those excercising their rights as Americans and freedom to assemble and protest.  I think the concept of  this protest iteself is great.  The part of the Occupy Movement (or OM as I'll call it) that bothers me is that it seems this band of protesters, funded and backed by some big money (from big industry, I might add...George Soros anyone?) seem to WANT the government to take over banks, regulate industry and decide how to allocate wealth.  THAT' S scarier than Abbey Hoffman and the Chicago Six (or was it 7?).  It's scarier than the Black Panthers, the John Birch Society and Jehovah's Witnesses....

I fear that these people who would take from the rich and give to the not-so-rich forget, as they surf on their MacBook, update facebook status ("sitting in the rain smoking hookah") on their iPhones, listening to music on their iPods and tweeting such deep thoughts as ("some of the people are urinating out in the open") forget that corporate greed is in direct response to the need of the public to have all this cool stuff, them included.  AND, if you let the government spread the wealth, there won't be any except in the government (and the big businesses supporting those in power).

I'd like all the people in the OM to think a bit about how talented our senators, representatives, the President and his cabinet are at balancing a budget....Now you're thinking.  You really think they can spread the wealth to lift everybody up, or will most of us be taking a big step back?

Maybe instead of trying to bring down big business and big banking, we can switch money to credit unions, sure, fine.  Maybe instead of bringing down big corporations we will invest in those who, rather than squeeze every nickel out of their company to inflate stock prices and fill the pockets of big investors, they will invest in the neighborhoods where they operate, take a bit of a dividend loss to enrich the lives of their employees and others in ways other than financially. 

WE can stop buying stock and products in "evil companies".  Go ahead.  But don't think it's cool to buy goods from foreign companies because we've seen the sweatshops, melamine in formula and other examples by those companies.

Maybe it's time we the people took back our government.  Don't vote for the usual suspects.  Real grass roots involvment would be to find that person who is all about what's right versus who's right.  Hey!  Everyone should run for office for something somewhere.  Get actively involved.  Occupying a spot and spouting rhetoric (blogging) is fine, I give you points for some involvement.  But let's all get really involved and do the hard work to roust all the Republicans and Democrats and put Americans into offices.  Maybe one of those people will be you.  I announce now that I will run for something next time around.  Maybe I can still get some play for President this time around, you never know.  I challenge each of you to do it, too.

And, as always my friends, May God Bless you and keep you.  Know that beyond corporate bail-outs, partisan politics and just crazy-ass stuff in this world, there is One who you can count on.  When this stuff gets you down, cry out to Jesus, let him know you're scared or hurting or worried.  Wait on His Presence quietly.  And let Him lead you through the hard work it takes to make a world better.  See 'ya.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

So, it's a beautiful October day, I took a day off from work to enjoy a long weekend and I feel like blogging.  Nothing says got to blog like getting new license plate tabs, untangling a dental bill/insurance issue and setting up an appointment at the vet.  For the dog.  Not me. 

I'm leisurely perusing some newspaper articles from the last couple of weeks.  I gotta tell you, this stuff wasn't in the paper when I was a kid. 

One from today, in the Oakland Press via the AP wire service, was about a Viet Namese woman who cut off HALF her husbands' penis and threw it in a river.   The headline read "Viet Namese Woman Cuts off Taiwanese Husband's Penis." He had been out of work and messing around with another woman while the wife slaved as a singer in her parents' Karaoke bar.  You can't make this stuff up.  The wife, we'll call her BLADE, says she did it after her husband fell asleep after taking sleeping pills and drugs.  Tell 'ya what, Blade, I figure he did the drugs, you slipped him the sleeping pills.  And why cut off just half?  Was it longitudinal or lattitudinal?  It's not in the story.  She's been booked for assault.  If they're in the US there would be an ethnic intimidation charge, too.  Now, cutting off the guy's, you know, is a state charge, but the other one, that's Federal.

There's another story from the front page a couple weeks ago.  Now, the Oakland Press in Oakland County,MI is a real newspaper, just google 'em.  But they print some wacky stuff.  The next story was, indeed on the front page.  I believe the headline was "Man Dies after Sex and Drug Party at Chaplain's House".  So I had to read it.  It got better.  The Chaplain for the Ferndale Police Department was also gay, and a leading gay activist in the city Plus he leads a church congregation in the city.  You're jumping ahead, now, aren't you?  So apparently the chaplain has a guy come over, they inject methamphetamine to increase their libido or performance, or whatever, and the guy becomes unresponsive, not just to the sex part but TOTALLY unresponsive.  So the FERNDALE POLICE CHAPLAIN, activist and church pastor PHONES A FRIEND to come over.  The friend then calls the police and ambulance, the unresponsive guy dies.  So, Ferndale fires the chaplain, I don't know what his church will do.  I had a totally different idea going on in my head before I read the story.  So we can put this guy up with Ted Haggard, Jim Bakker and other pandering pastors, I suppose.  Oh, yeah, there are charges pending.

In that same paper on the front page was a story about bullies.  Scotch Elementary school in West Bloomfield, MI.  hosted a FunD run (FUND run,not just fun run, get it ?) against bullying.  The kids got pledges and ran around the school's track for about 20 minutes.  The article stated  "Proceeds this year will fund multiple character education initiatives that target bullying."  What was that, again?  Anyway, it seems like a good idea, builds cameraderie among the older and younger students and has one major benefit:  these kids, when chased by a bully, will be able to outlast him for up to 20 minutes.  Most bullies can't run that long, I'm guessing.  I'm pretty sure this program is more about outrunning bullies when character education initiatives prove fruitless.

Ahh, the world is indeed a changing place.  Character initiatives to target bullies, Police Chaplains having meth and sex parties, and another member amputation. This stuff probably was going on when I was 8 years old, I suppose, but we didn't read it in the papers.  I'm not sure we need the Chaplain and the Blade in the paper, really.  The anti-bully thing is a good thing, but if these character education initiatives involve water boarding or sensory deprivation, I think it'll end up on the front page again.

While I feel sorry for the unnamed man who died at the Chaplain's house, and the guy who ran afoul of Blade, and I wish no children be bullied, a simpler world sure allowed us to sleep peacefully, and without armor-plated undies.  Truth is stranger than fiction.  Until next time....Oh, yeah, click on the title for some fun.

Oil, Light Bulbs and Cafe Standards

Well, it has gone from cool damp spring to a rather hot summer around here.  When I was a kid, we didn't have air conditioning in the house, so the sounds of summer were the box fan in the hallway, crickets, trains, dogs barking, Mrs. Hartline's boyfriend running through the backyard, hopping fences to avoid Mr. Hartline, and the occasional hot-rodder.  Nowadays it's the constant humming of the neighborhood AC units.  Nowhere near as home-spun nor enjoyable, but very, very comfortable. 

When I was a kid, I thought it just natural that all the wood in the house was sticky in the summer and everyone went to sleep with a wet washcloth on their head. Of course all the doors and windows were open.  Heck, you might even sleep in the cool basement (with the lights on to avoid spiders and the walking dead that lived down there when the lights were off).

These days being what they are, I immediately started thinking about energy consumption.  Then I started to think about these absurd new curly-cue light bulbs, which throw about as much light versus a standard light bulb as a lightning bug versus a prison spotlight.  I think about the Federal Governments attempt to mandate 52 MILES PER GALLON for US automobiles (Cafe Standards)  Really?  Then I wonder why we don't drill for oil in the massive fields in the ocean off our shores or the Alaskan mountains.  Then my mind starts wandering and I head off to "crazy old man" country.....

See, it is my humble opinion that much of this global warming, tree-hugging energy running out stuff is not so much about saving the planet as it is about control.  Imagine if cars can get 52 miles per gallon but only can travel 200 miles.  Imagine all the curly-cue light bulbs not saving enough energy and instead of curly bulbs we begin to experience rationed utility use in the name of saving Mother Earth.  Imagine having to shut down industry, entertainment and even LOCAL governments in the name of saving energy for a time?  Perhaps the Feds will TAKE OVER various utilities and industries and ration work, production and energy in the name of the "common good".  Think it can't happen?  Ask GM and Chrysler. 

I was listening to my Sirius/XM radio on the "Bridge" station.  They played a Jackson Browne song and the announcer said that Browne would appear at a "safe energy" rally or concert as he had at the very first one.  Then I laughed out loud.  Then the lady next to me at the traffic light looked at me like I was drunk, or weird.  Then I laughed louder and spat out my Trident.

I laughed because of the term "safe energy".  Just the creation of power for various uses can be described as "unsafe".  Wind turbines produce electricity through movement that produces "dangerous" electricty and heat from friction.  Nuclear has it's drawbacks, burning coal, oil, etc. has natural drawbacks, but all produce energy that at it's core is dangerous when used incorrectly.  There is no safe energy, some is cleaner that others, some with less natural disaster possibilities.  Take wind versus oil.  If you have an oil spill, it can be quite disasterous.  Windmills, not so much danger (but don't try to put them up in the sightlines of a Kennedy).

You know, we should just allow drilling in the mountains and oceans for a finite period, say, 30 years.  Then mandate a tear down of those facilities.  In thirty years we should be able to figure out how to safely dispose of nuclear waste, or use solar, wind, geothermal and other technologies better, safer and more economically than available now.  In thirty years I think we can figure out how to light our homes without curly cues or incandescent lights, run our cars on other fuels, our manufacturing with less-damaging side-effects. 

And you know what?  We can spur more pure research, more profit-minded new companies racing for the best mousetrap.  And you know what?  It becomes the AMERICAN way.  We could be leaders again, but many seem to be embarrassed or ashamed of being in a nation that was once a leader in peace, yes, in war, in research, manufacturing and prosperity.  We shouldn't be ashamed of wanting to be great, none of us individually nor collectively as a nation. 

Global warming, curly bulbs, cafe standards....All designed to create a governmental control of it's people.  And as our nation and other nations begin the take-over, many of us sit quietly, believing "saving the world is good".  Many sit by saying, "you're a crazy old man".  Many just go on with Dr. Phil, Oprah, ESPN and TMZ and let their liberties be not-so-quietly spirited away.

Just think.  How many in our government in any party you pick are career politicians?  They've nary worked a day in their lives, they've just been face-first in the public trough their entire adult lives.  They figure they will always have unlimited energy, unlimited access to gas-guzzlers and private airliners, because they are the ELITE. 

Well folks, this energy stuff is about control.  If a public is controlled by the amount of energy they can use, the distance they can travel and the amounts they have to pay for just the simplest things, they are very easily controlled.  Remember the old Soviet Union and other "Socialist" or Communist nations?  You always read of bread shortages, meat shortages, gas shortages.  It wasn't so much about not being able to produce, it was about controlling production to control a public.  And make sure you belong to the correct political party, or good luck with even the bare essentials.

Anyway, I encourage everyone to read Ayn Rand...an anti-communist atheist who wrote Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead and Anthem.  Great reads.  A great look into mankind, all three.  As a Christian, I once struggled with the fact I so enjoyed an atheist's works.  Then, as I look into her characters, her "good guys" are filled with a certain, spirit I guess.  She might rally in the wonder of man's own spirit, I look at that spirit as the spark given by an amazing creator.  The spark all of us have, to use for rising up and out, the creator's very desire for us to use all the God-given talents we have to achieve for ourselves and to serve  each other.

Hey!  Join me and my atheist friend Ayn Rand and motivate that spirit within you to do something good, or noble, or selfless, or gallant.  Good night, my friends.  Take control of your life with the spirit that dwells within you.  Keep the ELITE from shepherding your lives.  Dare to be great.  God Bless.

Forgive us our debts....

So, we've weathered a debt crisis for now. Standard and Poor's has been demonized for lowering our previously perfect credit rating and much of the public and politicos are bashing S&P.  Isn't that just like us?  I mean S&P stated, and I paraphrase, that the US credit rating was lowered do to the lack of long-term planning and the contentious nature of our Congress.  Is that not true?  Japan just received similar notice for the same general reasons.

How do we fix this?  Demand Congress acts long-term and with the best interests of the United States rather than political platforms in mind.  Demand our elected officials get out of the trough, stop filling bills with pork, end the practice of pensions and healthcare for themselves.  Go to work!  You should not be career politicians, you should be career employees of other companies or your own businesses and SERVE the public, not keep pulling dollars out of our pockets.

While we must be careful to look after the neediest of Americans, namely minor children and the aged, we must also stop supporting "poor people" who live in single family homes, have satellite television or premium cable, existing government health care, either through Medicare or Medicaid, get food stamps and always manage to buy cigarettes, weed and booze, and are able-bodied and able to work.  Now, I know times are tough job-wise.  But you can find work out there that will pay at least what is received in assistance.  It's just lowering one's standards to work at Wal-Mart or McDonald's or some job that is below your personal standards, which include taking money for nothing from the government coffers (my pockets) and many times living in places which are best described as hovels.  You know, the average "poor" person in America is still among the top 10% or so of the income earners in the world.  You could look it up.

How about if all of us go out and vote for any politican in a party other than Republican or Democrat?  You can't do Communist, either, because their platform and the Democrats are too similar.  No Tea Party either, too similar to Republicans.  So you have Libertarians, Green Party (ugh!), Independents and others.  Hey, I like Joe Lieberman as an independent, he'd make a pretty good President, I think.  A true American who looks at "what is right" rather than "who is right".

How about if many of us decide to run for office in our cities, our counties and beyond?  Yeah, you need some money, but the internet is a great way to drum up interest and dollars.  You can even Tweet your way to office if done properly.  (You probably have to hire Steve Martin or Robin Williams).

Americans have to decide if all our pet projects that we want the government to subsidize, including global warming, government funded abortions, able-bodied welfare recipients, unions (see stimulus funds), oil company tax breaks, lifetime health care and pensions for Congress members (Presidents are okay, tough job even if you suck at it) are really worth selling our futures, and our childrens'.  We have to look at public employee pensions, our state and civic leaders' deals and the rest.

It's true that everyone will have to take a hit to right the boat.  Yup, that means we probably gotta pay more in taxes, at least for a time. Yup, that means most of the free rides will have to end.  We might have to end our desires to try to legislate that everyone gets to share in wealth, we will always have poor.  We have to demand that elected officials do something constructive for the city, state or nation they're elected to serve.  And we have to decide if we want to do anything to make the changes, or end like so many sheep, or lemmings or turkeys. I once read that turkeys are so, stupid, I guess, that they will actually look up to the sky when it rains, open their mouths and drown.  Now, that might have been in National Geographic or Mad Magazine, I'm not sure which.  Lets' not be turkeys.

A Big Month and some Big Ideas

So, the above photo was shot at sunset on the ocean in Naples, Florida the night before my daughter married a wonderful young man.  Ah yes, who will ever forget May 22, 2011?  As you parents who have married children know, it all goes by so fast, and that includes the wedding.

Short story is it was really three great days of fun for family and friends.  Most of the attendees were friends of my daughter and son-in-law so it was a young crowd, and a great bunch to celebrate with. It was like a family vacation with you and 20 kids, all the same age. Really fun, and great memories.  And a lot of time with just me and my wonderful wife.

So, I start thinking about how you have to give your kids away when they get married.  And, yes, you're not losing a daughter, son, etc.  you're gaining one, I know.  But I'm not THE GUY for my daughter anymore.  Her husband is.  And it's tough.  Like when she went away to college and I missed her so much for so long.  Watching your kids get married is wonderful, but it's also sort of the end of an era, or even a death of sorts.

You have to be realistic about giving things up when it's time, even people.  You can't hold on to days past;  sure they're great memories but that's what they are.  You have to go forward to continue to experience new things, to appreciate what you have now, to grow.  I have to grow, looking FORWARD to holidays with a larger family, maybe grandchildren, and more.  Many of us have lost loved ones to death, both young and old.  While the memories are to be cherished you can't live in the death of the person but relish in the life you had with them and remember how they would like you to grieve less and live more.

That got me thinking about how we hold on to things too long.  Here in Michigan, it took a decade to knock down an old ball park, Tiger Stadium.  It was the field where baseball legends like Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson played, along with Hammerin' Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gehringer and Al Kaline.  It was the ball park I walked into through the dark tunnel into a sun-drenched carpet of green with bright white uniforms on the players and the aromas only old outdoor ball parks have, like Wrigley and Fenway.  But, it had been neglected for years, trees were growing in the seats, the place was falling apart, scavengers were stripping the old lady of all her past glory, and any valuable copper.  But people couldn't let go of their childhood memories.

I watch my friends go to concerts and watch senior citizens like Steve Tyler and Aerosmith, Paul McCartney, who has been around so long people refer to him as "former Wings' front man", forgetting the Beatles were a fairly popular foursome, and wonder why they keep shelling out hundreds to see these guys. Now, I've enjoyed their music, add in the Allman Brothers, the Stones, Bob Seger, Bruce and the rest, and there were great times as kids.  And it's okay to still like the music but if you're in your fifties you should not get fece-faced drunk and high as Timothy Leary on a work night.  Hey, it's over, grow up.  Let go, enjoy the Black Keys, Lil' Wayne, Eminem, Kid Rock, Jay-Z.  Try it, you might like it.  Make new music memories.

Then, of course I think about how so many of us have trouble really embracing the whole Jesus Saves thing.  See, Jesus SOUNDS cool, but if I have to give up Seinfeld reruns, Friends re-runs, R movies, songs with questionable lyrics, my nightly glass of wine, the occasional Jack Daniels rocks and other things I've held on to with great fervor and passion, I don't want any part of it.  I want to sit in old Tiger Stadium listening to "Stairway to Heaven" without religious overtones, wearing my throwback Converse All-Stars, drinking my old school Pepsi "now with real sugar" for Petes' sake, hoping I can hold on to everything and still have everything else. 

Well, my suggestion is to remember that everyone dies, you too.  There is an afterlife or so many religions wouldn't be hawking their ideas, rhetoric and merchandise.  Life is really a worthless excercise if this time on Earth is everything, isn't it really?  I believe One God did create it, and has given us free will to choose all the iPads, iPods, Jimmy Chus, Mercedes, Cartiers, etc. or Him.  God probably won't ask you to give up anything.  You may find as you give Jesus a chance to really be part of your life that some things won't seem as important anymore.  Heck, you might stop dressing up as Darth Vader and standing in line at Loew's two weeks ahead of the next Star Wars sequel and do something good for someone, which might even be giving up your Darth Vader costume to someone who could use it.  It might be skipping one new generation of smart phones to donate to Habitat for Humanity, or the Tuscaloosa relief fund, or heading to the urban area nearest you and feeding some folks or teaching some kids.  Who knows?  And those new things will probably be the most rewarding and valuable things in your life.

For a plant to grow a seed has to die.  If you hold onto the seed you'll never reap the harvest, or enjoy the shade, or colorful blooms.  Just even as Jesus died and buried sin in the ground, raising up in triumph over death (that we can share), sometimes you have to bury the past, plant that seed, and let your life grow to it's full measure.  Have a great day!

Ahh yes, I remember it well

These photos were taken a week ago while walking my dog.  I took a Friday off, kind of a mental health day.  We took a walk around noon time, and it was really the first day spring was breaking here in Metro Detroit.  I was surrounded with yellows, whites, pinks, lavenders and all kinds of shades of green with a few reds sprinkled in.

Up here in these parts we take a lot of pride in our fall colors, and if you do head UP NORTH from here, the colors can be as beautiful a scene as you will ever experience.  But last Friday, almost for the first time, I realized how beautiful is spring.  Now, one week later, it's rained a couple of times and most of these blossoms are on the ground.  Everything is leafing and turning "summer green".   This splash of nature's beauty goes by so fast here, its' easy to miss as you see those first blooms and immediately start thinking about summer.

Life is like that, no?  I think of all the preparation for my wedding some 32 years ago.  Before I knew it, we were on a plane for our honeymoon, then back to work.  I really have to think hard to remember the ceremony itself (it wasn't hotter than hell, but it was just a few blocks north), and then all the details of the reception.  Christmas, anniversaries, even a great dinner cooked at home; all the build up, then it's over, and we almost forget what happened.  All of a sudden there's a pile of dishes, a pile of wrapping paper, a pile of cards, and I almost forget what it was all about to begin with.

Whether you're 18 or 80, there's still time to relish those events of life.  Every spring, every fall, every first frost, first tulip, first kiss, first love, first everything.  And then the second and so forth.  Many people I've met have some great memories, but they never mention  the perfume of the magnolia blossoms as they bloom.  They never mention the flaming orange maple leaves in October, or the work of Jack Frost on the kitchen window that first frozen morning of winter.  They don't mention the sun-sent golden sparkles dancing on the summer lakes' waves.  They don't mention the first feel of summer-warmed beach sand between their toes, the way the air caresses your face that first warm spring day.  They forget the best cup of hot chocolate ever after buildling a snowman on a cold winter morning.  They can't even remember the crisp autumn air at a Big Ten football game, the greatest smells EVER the first time they walked into Old Tiger Stadium or Fenway or Wrigley.

I thought of how easy I've neglected the beauty of spring lo these many years.  I thought how easy it was to take everything in stride, one moment just a piece of your life fitting together into your own personal jigsaw puzzle.  You're glad there's another piece, but when you finish it, do you remember the small moments, or just the fact that you've built the picture?

Here's to the smell of the first warm spring rain each year.  Here's to the smell of the neighbor's fireplace on a cold Sunday evening in October.  Here's to each January icicle, shining, sparkling and adorning the house like a diamond necklace.  Here's to the beauty of a Northern Michigan summer sunset, the sky just turning dark as the time nears 10:00. 

Here's to my daughter's first steps, my son's first words, my wife's first homemade birthday cake.  Here's to the first hug I ever remember getting from my dad.  Here's my mom's loving back rubs when I was sick as a child.  Here's to the first time I knew God is real.

And then, here's to the second steps, the second words, the next cake (all very tasty, dear).  Here's to every spring, summer, fall and winter smell, sight, and feel.  Here's to every kiss, every touch every taste.  Here's to every prayer, every dream, every effort everytime.

As I near 54 years of age, it amazes me when I have to say, "well FORTY years ago...."  Really?  Forty years ago?  I was 14, I remember 1971 very well.  My sister graduated from High School.  My dad and I put tile, paneling and a ceiling in the basement.  The Viet Nam war was still going on, you could still get gasoline for 19.9 cents a gallon when competing stations would have a price war.  My dad would say "fill it with ethyl" when we'd take the car on long trips to the Upper Peninsula.  Richard Nixon was President.  The Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain were real.  Forty years? 

Now I'm trying to remember that High School Graduation.  It was an evening event at the football field where my graduation would be 4 years later.  Tim Laing was the Valedictorian, my sister was Salutatorian.  I liked her speech.  My mom and dad were there, one of the last times when we would do anything as a family.  The Maverick gas station at Middlebelt and Merriman would have that low priced gas to spur business.  I remember the young man, with his "garage blue" pants and jacket, a shop rag hanging out of his back pocket checking the oil and squeezing every last drop of gas into that Chrysler Newport.  The Berlin wall and the Iron Curtain were ominous names, something to be feared, something to remind us of how good we have it in the U.S.

My daughter's wedding is coming up one week from today.  Both my children graduated from Michigan State University last spring, it was just yesterday (2004 and 2006) when I watched them both graduate from High School.  It was just last week when I shared an orange pop and bowl of popcorn with my daughter the night after my son was born and he and my wife were still in the hospital.  It was just last month when, about a month after we moved into our first house my wife told me she was pregnant with our daughter.  It was just last year when I dropped my date off at her home on a summer's night and KNEW I was in love.  It was just a couple years ago when my mom, dad and sister would spend two weeks at my Aunt Ty and Uncle Happy's house.  Yup, Ty and Hap. 

I look out the window on this rainy Sunday and the pink and white blossoms have been washed from the trees, it's hard to remember how pretty they were just yesterday morning.  I'm glad I have the pictures.  It's kind of chilly and I can't smell the magnolia tree in my front yard.  I just had dinner with my cousins, of whom I am the youngest.   Yikes.

Take time to smell the roses, smell the coffee, hug your kids, love your spouse, take in all this world has to offer.  Time doesn't wait for anyone, right?  So don't you wait till you "have the time" to enjoy all that life, and our Lord, offers.  See ya'.  Just for kicks, click on the title of this post and enjoy.

What came first, the Easter or the (marshmallow) Eggs?

So it's Easter Sunday.  Most churches will be jam-packed, families will get together, Walgreen's, Rite Aid and CVS will be clearing out the "seasonal aisle" of candy and bunnies to fill it up with flip-flops, sunscreen and patriotic beach and picninc paraphernalia.  There's playoff hockey and basketball, the 2011 baseball and golf seasons are in "full swing".  Ha!  Full Swing, baseball and golf; I kill myself.

Just another Sunday, it seems.  It's too bad.  When I was a kid, some 40+ years ago, pretty much nothing but churches and hotels were open on Easter Sunday.  Heck, remember when banks, stores and shops would close down between Noon and 3:00 PM on Good Friday?  There was something special going on; something that consisted of more than the every day routine, more outwardly focussed versus the self-centered society we've grown into.

Easter has become over the years just another sales tool for marketeers "get your Easter outfits at...."  It has become a chicken-clucking bunny candy commercial, a pastel-fashion advertising fiesta, another Sunday in the rotation of some 52 each year.  Kids soccer games, hockey games, baseball games and the like have overshadowed the sacrifice of about 90 minutes of our time to give thanks.  And, hey!  I realize not everyone is Christian, I get it.  But of those of us who SAY we believe in God, many of us find it hard to commit to excercising our faith on a daily basis.  I find it hard, sometimes, too.  Everyday life is so often in direct opposition to the direction God would have us take that we all stumble.

Today, though, this Easter Sunday, perhaps some reflection is due.  You know, many Christians make fun of the "C and E ers"; those people who show up at church at Christmas and Easter.  My step-dad might have coined the term.  He's the first one I ever heard use it.  But Easter and Christmas offerings sometimes are the big times when missions funding can be completed; when the church can provide more outreach to more people, fix their own leaky roofs and update the facilities.  So I say, "Hooray for the C and E ers."  Thanks for coming.  God loves you every day and is thankful you came today.

Now, there is the "just like any another Sunday" thing.  See, I don't care how good you are (or think you are), you and I are human.  We've done things differently than God would choose us to do, call it sin, call it doing your own thing instead of God's, you label it.  Because we do our own thing, we become splashed with the mud of our own desires, we're kind of soiled.  Lets' describe it as following:

Imagine, for example, if everything I did in life that was opposite of God's desire was gasoline.  Imagine every time I went away from God, gasoline was splashed on me.  One day, I die, and I have to stand in front of a HOLY God.  Now, quick definition of Holy....Above everything, perfect, set apart from all other things...See, God is Holy. Let's make this a bit of a physics lesson, now. 

Imagine further that God is a burning fire.  You, the gasoline soaked person, comes to stand before God for judgement.  Before you can even get to Him, the fumes of the gasoline ignite, destroying you.  Even as it is physically impossible for a gasoline-soaked rag to exsist in the presence of a raging fire, so it is impossible for us with our "sins" hanging on us to stand before a Holy God.  It is physically impossible. Its not so much God WANTS us to perish, it is just physics. 

Now, Easter.  Jesus is God's only son, born of a virgin, one with the Father since the beginning of everything.  Jesus is actually the Word of God made flesh.  So, this flesh-covered Word of God comes to show us how to live perfectly.  As a man, he is vulnerable to everything that we can be tested, tempted or tortured by.  As God, He can avoid making a human's pitfalls.

Jesus lives this sinless life, always doing the will of the Father.  Then, he is arrested because the religious leaders don't like him horning in on their deal.  He's handed over to the Romans in charge of pretty much the whole known world at that time.  Then, he's beaten; this not to show how cruel Romans are, but to show what God's punishment on a sinner (that's me andyou) would be.

Jesus is then crucified; this a horrible, horrible death.  You can google "crucified". But, see, Jesus died as a murderer, thief or a  rapist would.  He died as a sexual deviant, a cheater, a liar would've died.  He, this perfect one, took on the offenses of everyone from the beginning of man and for everyone since then and took the punishment God would hand out in judgement, so we won't have to.

Jesus went to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday knowing that Good Friday was going to be anything but good for him.  But it was good for us.  He willingly took the punishment for my sins on that cross, willingly giving up his life for me.  Then, he took His life back, re-animating himself in a great victory over death, the same victory I can have, and so can you.

See, if you can trust in Jesus, you can cover yourself with Christ.  Then, when your days here are over, you can stand before God even in your gasoline-drenched clothes, because Jesus is covering everything you did opposite the Father's will.  And when God looks down on you, this consuming fire, He is looking at you, but sees His Son.  Easter is the day we celebrate.  WE celebrate because as we trust in Jesus, and use His strength to avoid those "sinful" pitfalls, God only sees His only son when He looks at us.  Cover yourself with Christ today.  Happy Easter.

PBS, PBJ PBR, OMG

I just gotta share this with you. I'm enjoying my second of two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner. Sometimes it's just fun and tasty, that's why. Okay, it's not the PBJ I wanted to share, its the following email. It's from a very good friend of mine, who will remain nameless. He works at a PBS affiliate far away from me, and will share fun, witty and, gasp, important stuff. So, this friend of mine, perhaps the most middle of the road of all of us, tolerant of many things that would send me to the top of a clock tower, sends this email. I laughed out loud. It's copied and pasted from the email, so it appears as written, other than one spelling correction at the end.


He begins...
"PBS is constantly being attacked as being biased to the liberal side of the scale right? You would think during these uncertain financial times they would at least TRY to appear somewhat balanced just to defuse some of the debate about PBS federal funding.

For a start, it would be nice to see ONE kids show that featured a nuclear family. I guess you have to go to Japan to see one of those. The closest thing we have is the show Arthur, Dad stays home and runs a catering business, mom is an accountant. The Dad is constantly emasculated, wears an apron, acts like an idiot.

Dinosaur Train, A bunch of pre-school aged dinosaurs who ride around on a train and have stupid adventures. A veiled happy daycare setting.

Cat in the Hat, two kids who run around with a cat and a fish causing all kinds of trouble. There is a mom in the picture but you never see her, no dad.

Curious George, A gay guy who lives with a monkey in New York City. The women featured in this show are always business professionals or scientists. The men are always bakers, or pizza cooks. I think the monkey is gay too or at least curious.

Sid the science kid, No dad in the picture. Mom drops Sid off at daycare, they BOTH sing and dance as he gets dumped off each morning. Correct me if I'm wrong T (another friend of ours in the email) but I don't remember any kids dancing into daycare every morning. Even the kids that liked the daycare always looked like they would rather be in bed when dropped off.

sorry for the rant, the adult programming starts in 10 minutes. don't get me started on that."

I laughed. The Curious George thing killed me. And with my friend, it was not mean-spirited, just an honest evaluation of what he saw. That's who this man is, "tells it like it is". (No, my friend is not Howard Cosell. I do miss Howard, though, and Dandy Don.)

You know, I enjoy some of the concerts on PBS. I've watched some great Austin City Limits shows. I loved Julia Childs before Dan Aykroyd on Saturday Night Live. I enjoyed the frizzy-headed painter guy, a combination of Mr. Rogers and Bernie from Room 222. I have a secret crush on the yoga lady I see in the mornings. How can one woman be so flexible? And she's no spring chicken. Sesame Street, The Electric Company (Rita Moreno, always a fave)and all those old, black and white shows produced by various college programs. Seems like I remember something about making an apple bird somewhere in the past. But my friend has a good point. And this is a guy who at one time in his life was a confirmed Atheist, anti-government, apolitical kind of guy. A "why can't we all just get along?" kind of guy. I think this qualifies as a perfect unbiased comment.

With all the P's in this one, I just had to add PBR. You know, Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer. And it's cheap cousin Red, White and Blue. I remember an old country song about a guy's patriotism, "...with my red neck, my white socks and my blue ribbon beer." A real country song, real 'Muricun. (American).

Speaking of Real Americans...I met a man today who is 91 years old. He's a WWII vet, wounded in action in Germany. They sent him to France, where the doctors wanted to remove his leg. He told them, "NO. Just put some metal in there and it'll be fine." Then they sent him stateside. They wanted to take off the leg. He told 'em to put more metal in. The leg lasted some 25 years until he was injured in a work accident. Then he fought it as long as he could. Now he's an amputee. He's had a couple of strokes, but what a great guy. The VA is purchasing a lift for him so he can enjoy his basement, and retreat there in time of storms. A neighbor lady looks in on him. His wife died a few years back. This 91 year old stroke victim amputee was as friendly and fun to hang out with as any of my buddies. It only took the VA about 60 years to help him out.

Another man I met today for another VA lift is a Viet Nam Veteran. Agent Orange has attacked his bones. He hasn't worked in years; had to give up his love, his Harley when one day while he was stopped at a light, his leg basically broke and he fell over. Took almost 30 years to get the VA to allow his disability claim. This is a fellow wounded in action in 'Nam. After recovering they sent him to Korea to join a re-formed unit (the others were all killed) and spent time at the North/South Border. 30 years to act on a claim for a wounded veteran, poisoned by Agent Orange. A friend of mine, Denny would tell me, "Ern, that sh#% was everywhere." This man I met now volunteers and raises money for and volunteers his time with veterans in hospital facilities and "old soldier" homes.

You might not agree with war; heck, nobody hopes for war, other than the right wing whackos in motion pictures. But you have to give it to these guys who were drafted, served, sacrificed and then waited patiently for some help. Even the bible speaks of a time for war, a time for peace. There will be wars and rumors of war, etc. It's just something that people will always cause; whether it's a border war, a civil war, "ethnic cleansing" gang and drug wars, there's always a couple of warring factions somewhere. One day, the Prince of Peace will return, and even then there will be a battle before real peace on Earth is realized. Pray for peace, work for peace; but support the men and women who are chosen and now, for those who choose to serve, knowing they are offering even their very lives. There's something bibilcal there, too, huh?

Once this global warming is over (cleverly disguised in Michigan as cold, rainy weather) maybe we'll see spring. You know,back in high school, all the rage was the coming ice age due to GLOBAL COOLING caused by Carbon emissions. This was back in the mid to late 1970's. I don't remember seeing any approaching glaciers, the Great Lakes didn't freeze or overflow and inundate Michigan...Oh well, maybe the next fad will be global temperate, where everywhere it'll always be between 60 and 70 degrees. Not bad, really. See 'ya.

Sheen, Showers and Such

Okay, so Charlie Sheen bombed at my hometown Fox Theatre last night.  Anyone shocked, here?  Are we done now with the Warlock, “Winning!”, Tiger Blood and the Goddesses?

You know if I acted like that I’d lose my job, too.  My wife would probably have me committed and my kids would change their names.  There would be no agent or arena waiting and willing to book me.  Heck, my neighbors would treat me like I had the plague, or was a Libertarian or something.  They’d want my butt right in jail, or an asylum (or maybe on Dr. Drew).  But if Robert Downey Jr. was coming over  my house for dinner there’d be a line around the block to catch a glimpse.

I can’t believe the time national networks have given to this drug-addled buffoon.  Where’s his dad to set him straight, where’s Emilio, where’s anyone who really loves him?  Here’s the thing; I do believe if you’re in the business (Hollywood type) you go nuts after a while.  You’re indulged too much, you indulge too much, people want to hang around your success, maybe a little cash will fall out….

I just hope we’re done now.  You know, I actually am a Two and a Half Men viewer. I’ve laughed out loud (with much guilt) over the antics of those guys.  Who didn’t appreciate Sheen in Wall Street?  Who didn’t like “Wild Thing” in Major League?  I still hope we’re done.  Good luck Chicago and wherever the Torpedo Tour heads.

Anyway, reality is my daughter’s wedding shower.  A couple’s shower arranged by the groom’s Aunt Mindy.  A great time with our small family to connect with the groom’s larger one.  And no silly games, thank you very much.  Just chat, gifts, some Bellinis and lunch at the very hip and environmentally friendly City Flats Hotel in Holland, MI.

Reality is walking the dog in the morning, not so much for the dog but for my heart.  Reality is having to go into work Monday and speak with a troubled employee. Reality is not being able to screw up and be celebrated by even the news arms of the various networks.

Charlie, I don’t give a rats behind about your career or your craziness.  I don’t want to see you on the news, though I will watch the occasional re-run.

My daughter, soon to be son-in-law , my son, some of my friends should be on the news just because they are normal, hard-working people.  They should be the ones celebrated for making it through a normal day’s work, school, family problems without checking out, sparkin’ up or getting hammered.

Here’s to the normal boring people, around the globe.  Go to work, love your family, take care of yourself, have faith in the One who gave you life.  In my mind, the Warlock can’t touch you.  To me the real celebrities are the folks who make the mundane fun, rewarding and anything but mundane. And they do it without making $1,000,000.00 in a lifetime, rather than per show.  See ya’.

A chair named Bruno, padded bras and other stuff

So here I am again, in front of the old laptop. I'm listening, by the way, to Kenny Wayne Shepherd "Live In Chicago", "10 Days Out Blues from the Backroads", Joe Bonamassa, "Live from Nowhere In Particular", and Walter Trout "Common Ground" on the old fashioned 5-disc CD Player. I enjoy music, but as I've aged (more like a stinky cheese than a fine wine, I might add), I have really connected with blues music. From Hubert Sumerlin, Johnny Lee Hooker, Cootie Stark, Honeyboy Edwards, Robert Johnson,and more, these old school blues men and the new school face-melting guitar blues of Kenny Wayne, Joe B, Walter Trout, Larry McCray have me hooked.

My son and I checked out Joe Bonamassa a week ago Monday at the DeVos Performance Center in Grand Rapids. Two-hours and twenty minutes of music. I was exhausted, Joe musta been beat. He talked for maybe 2 minutes total and played almost the entire rest of the time. While he has a unique style not necessarily totally blues, the blues are his roots,and he rocks his roots. Kenny Wayne Shepherd is probably the most commercially known here in the States, just an amazing talent. I then took my wife to see Walter Trout, and not only did he melt our faces, he lit our hair on fire, and is an EXTREMELY nice gentleman in person. This aging, pot-bellied blues guitar maestro (looks like an old biker) is a story-teller in song and a spleen-disengaging guitar virtuoso.

Anyway, we saw Walter Trout at a bar in suburban Detroit, Callaghan's. 200 people packed the place for a guy who draws thouands in Europe. For any of us who grew up with the "guitar gods" of the rock era, the new "guitar kings" are screamin the blues. And Walter stayed to greet anyone who wanted to come by and say hello. Cool. Check 'em out on You Tube or on their websites. And have a wet towel handy to put your hair out when it bursts into flames.

So that was the other stuff. The chair named Bruno is actually some of the mobility equipment I sell. This company, started by a parapelegic, the late Mike Bruno Sr. makes lifts to get scooters and wheelchairs in vehciles, turning seats that help people with disabilities enter and exit their vehicles, along with the mobility type equipment; stair lifts and wheelchair lifts.

Anyway, Bruno flew several dealers in from specific areas of the country to check out thier new stairlift prototype to get our feedback. I can't give you any details, of course because I am sworn to secrecy, but they've done a nice job providing help for folks who can't walk up and down the stairs. Mike Bruno Jr. now runs the company, and he has a disabled daughter who also uses the equipment Bruno manufactures.

Padded Bras? Yes, of course I heard the outrage as Abercrombie and Fitch, I believe, once again is encouraging young women to act like porn stars or maybe Courtney Cobain (sp?). They have in their catalog little girl bikinis for the 8 and up set with padded bras. Really? If any mom (include dad and grandma here) buys her daughter this bikini I have to ask, "why?" Lo these many years from the explosion of the feminist movement in the 1970's the biggest issue for women has been their exploitation and being perceived as "nothing but sexual objects"; except for maybe Rosanne Barr and Rosie O'Donnell. Hmmmm, how many other Rosies' are out there?

So, of course feminists won't speak out because it is certainly a woman's choice to pad her bra, even at age 8. We don't want the possibility of some 15 year old dreamy surfer boy walking by our daughters without enticing cleavage exposed to ensure said surfer boy will try to have his hands under that padded bra momentarily. You know, I just don't see why mothers and even more scarily, grandmothers want to "sex up" their children and grandchildren. Quit, already! I'm sure the pageant moms are lining up to get their little pageant princess the new enhanced bikini. Frankly it disgusts and horrifies me.

If you were to look in the Bible, 'cause I'm too lazy to figure out where it is, you would see an entry that talks about women who put on too much make-up and jewelry. The passage compares that to, basically, painting a pig. Are we encouraging our young girls, our young CHILDREN to grow up as painted pigs? Hey mom! Do you measure your make-up in brush strokes or gallons? Just asking.

Think back for one moment, back to when you were a teen. Which girls did the guys look at with lecherous desire? You are correct! The girl with major exposed (and/or enhanced) cleavage, copious amounts of make-up, the shortest skirts, hip-huggiest pants, halter tops and of course, cut-off jean shorts that makes the English term "cheeky" mean something quite entirely different. Is that a good thing? Do you as parents aspire for your daughters a life of being a sex-symbol? Do you want your daughter to be J-Wow or Snooki or Kendra Wilkenson? Is the money and fame more important than self-respect and decency? I'm betting on money and fame with many of you; I would hope deceny and self-respect.

"Bring up our children in the way they should go, and when they are older, they will not wander far from it." That's a Bible thing, too. As Pastor Mike O'Mire would say, "Bring up your children according to their talents, desires and passions, not yours, and they will be happy and productive." I paraphrase both the bible verse and Pastor O'Mire's words, but you get it.

I trust you will let your sons and daughters know they were made in the image of our Heavenly Father. That He has made no "bad people". There are people who let themselves be led off the path. There are those whose parents will encourage such a lifestyle as to really curse their children, basically creating a poisonous lifestyle for their kids to emulate.

You know, it only takes a moment of thought to make a wise decision versus one that is unwise. I truly believe we all have the ability to make the wise decision, every time, if we think, consider, and pray. Here's to parents who, even if they don't believe in God, provide a safe, comfortable, decent, thoughtful household for their children, and God Bless You all. Thanks.

Christmas, Oprah, and Stuff

So it's February and I haven't posted since December. I drive around the State of Michigan a lot and drive by a lot of churches. As January 1 turned into late January, I was irritated by a slew of signs in front of churches.

"Join us for Christmas Eve Services"
"Join us for Advent Services"
"Celebrate Christmas with us"

"All right", I think, "Who is the dumbell in charge of changing the sign? Man it's almost Ground Hog day, and they're still pushing Christmas". So then I remember a story of my own...

Our church is in an area that is close to Woodward Avenue, site of the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, where thousands of classic cars assemble for a week of fun. Actually, it's a single Saturday in August, but lasts about a week or more. So, the church puts on a Cruise Fest party with inflatables, bands, food, games, etc. Well, of course the sign outside the church says, "Join Us for Cruise Fest August.." So, here comes September, and I'm driving by the church, and the August Cruise Fest sign is still up. Now,we've past Labor Day, the kids are back in school and the leaves are beginning to turn....but the August Cruise Fest sign is still up!

I decide, being a good Christian and model congregant, to call the church and say, "Hey! We got three pastors, a couple of secretaries and you think somebody could change the sign?" Except when Pastor Jennifer answered, God spoke for me or something, and what came out was, "Hey, do you guys need help changing the sign out front?" So, from that September until a heart attack a year later, I was the dumbell changing the sign. See it's easy to point out faults, but tough to commit to help fix them. I sure didn't want to do that sign, but it was a way to quietly serve the Lord and our church. No fanfare, no glamour job, just change the sign.

So as I passed another "Christmas Eve Service 11:00 PM" in that late January morning, another thought crossed my mind. "I should just call every church that hasn't changed their sign and ask if they need help." So today, I'm changing four dozen church signs regularly around the Detroit Metro area.....NO, I'm not. That's a lie. What did come to mind was how cool it would be if everyone of us would get up every morning and remember Christmas, every day, all year around.

NO,not just the presents,food and stress, but the love of a God who decided to come not in pomp and circumstance, but humbly, to show people His humanity and true nature. Not just figgy pudding and spiked egg nog, but the understanding that each Christmas brings us closer to His return (probably not May 21, 2011 but you never know).

Oh, about Oprah. I was on a sales trip and finished my day a bit early. I turned on the TV in my hotel room, and there's Oprah in Australia handing out some kind of huge pearl necklace to everybody in the audience. They were excited of course. And thenI thought if all these Oprahites would be as excited to see Jesus if he was "only" promising peace, hope, love and eternity in the presence of the Father. Then I wondered if He'd have to give everyone a car, or an Oscar goodie-bag.

Try spreading hope today, a little love and creating peace where you are today....and Merry Christmas.