The Simple Life

If the teachers and others who are protesting in Madison really believed in their cause they should take whatever consequence comes from their actions. The idea of calling in sick and then getting a doctor to lie about being sick is unethical and most cowardly. These are not people whom I would trust in leadership positions. They have proven themselves liars and cowards. (Those that are actually doing that.) Everybody certainly has the freedom to express their opinions and we have provision for such events. No one needs to lie or hate. Likewise, the Democrats who left town for Illinois are acting quite immature. There are not a majority of Democrats in the Senate for a reason. They need to deal with the reason, not run and hide. (Some of us in Wisconsin would be willing to draw a line around Madison and give it to Illinois....then perhaps we could land grab the U.P. and all would be good!) If those in Madison represent the unions then again, I would like to have nothing to do w...

You were made to be loved.   I know there are times you feel like you were made to be used, but that is not the case. In fact, as you look at our wonderful creation and hear the voice of our Creator, you find that you were indeed made to be loved by Him and to love Him.  As God crafted the world in which you live, He saw that it was good, for it was being crafted for you. God personally created you and personally created the world in which you live for you, as one of His many gifts to you.   Since we live in a world that is Godless, we often do not see how special life really is, and we feel used, cheap, abused, and hopeless. God, who started it all, had a plan. This plan involved loving, and you are the target of His love.   Take a look around the room you are sitting in. Pick an object, like a lamp, or a couch, or a pen that you might have in your pocket or purse. As you look at that object you will know that that object has some kind of value to the one who owns it. They bough...

A Chance For Civility Our president went to Tucson in order to represent our nation in the tragedy that unfolded there. While there he represented us well and spoke of a need for civility in government dialogue. He seemed genuine, sincere and, well, presidential. I could not help but be a bit skeptical because I have heard these words before and have yet to see any movement in Washington that indicates that they are anything more than words. In fact, if the politicians were Christians and talking like that we would be on them for their hypocritical words and reject their form of Christianity as something that lacks authenticity. Even though those were my immediate thoughts, I also had some other, more sane ones. I realized, that as I have prayed for this president and our leaders that God was at work even though I did not always see it. I remembered times in my life, game changing moments that changed the way I think and interact with others. I remember those hard times as being ...

People are committed to all sorts of things. Some good, some bad and some...well the jury would be out on. Years ago, Bill Bright shared an excerpt written by a young Communist. It said: "We communists have a high casualty rate. We live in virtual poverty, and turn back every penny we make above what is absolutely necessary to keep us alive. We communists don't have the time or the money for movies, concerts, or T-bone steaks or decent homes or new cars. I am in dead earnest. It is my life, my business, my religion, my sweetheart, my wife, my mistress, my bread and meat. I work at it in the daytime and dream about it a night. Its hold on me grows, not lessens, as time goes by. Therefore, I cannot carry on a friendship, a love affair, or even a conversation without relating it to this force which both drives and guides my life. I've already been in jail because of my ideas and if necessary I am ready to go before a firing squad." It is amazing to think ...

Matthew 6:1“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Religion ruins people’s lives; relationships make lives worth living. Religion is based on what others think God thinks; relationships are based on proximity and inclusion of God in our lives. Religion is based on doing; relationships are based on being. Religion is based on feelings; relationships result in feelings that come from intentionality in time and energy. Religion forces man's way upon God; relationships allows God's love to permeate our very being. Religion creates guilt; relationships promote grace. Religion demands conformity; relationships demand unity within diversity. Religion is about me; relationships are about others. Religion promotes a caste system; relationships promote equality. Religion uses people; relationships celebrate people. Religions give rules; relationships create behavioral di...

We often say things to make a point and have no real basis for the comment. This stems from our extreme narcissism in that we believe that all that we see and understand is all that there is to see and understand. In fact, we become so self-absorbed that anyone who thinks differently than us becomes an enemy and is treated with contempt. The idea of dialogue about ideas has been lost because our personal significance has been tied to us being heard and our ideas being right. So, we fight and fight hard to try and convince the world that we alone, or I alone, am right, and thereby valuable. This notion is most troubling. Recently, Susan Jacoby wrote this in the Washington Post. There has always been a strong correlation between religious fundamentalism and lack of education. About 45 percent of Americans who have no education beyond high school believe in the literal truth of the Bible, while only 19 percent of college graduates do. Two-thirds of college graduates, but only one...

On Sunday, May 16 th, 2010, the Wall Street Journal had an article about nonprofits spying on people in order to secure their money. They told of tactics such as data-mining software that help find wealthy individuals who have shown prior interest in your work or work like yours so you can casually meet them and befriend them in order to one day land the big gift. It is interesting that one of the summary statements of one of the fundraisers was that it is all about establishing relationships at the point of service. Those who are trying to find money for nonprofits know that they need to establish a relationship with you in order to “get” your money. It seems, once again, that our culture gets it wrong. Their narcissism has made relationship all about themselves. We are being trained to have relationships for our benefit, to take your money rather than for loving you and showing you Christ. In fact, the article went on to say this: “ When your favorite non-profit isn’t busy saving...