Didn't they used to be called sneakers?

Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Concord

I'll admit that I am an old guy. I don't really think of myself that way but, the reality is, that I have been alive nearly 1/4th as long as the United States has existed.

Nike recently released the new Air Jordan 11 Retro Concords and it caused widespread pandemonium at shoe stores this month. The Air Jordan line of athletic shoes has consistently been a best seller ever since their introduction in 1985. There are so many brands of athletics shoes nowadays that it almost makes your head spin...Nike, Adidas, Reebok, New Balance, Puma, Asics, K-Swiss and the list goes on and on.

run faster, jump higher PF Flyers

Back in my day these athletics shoes were simply called sneakers and I only remember 3 brands...Converse, PF Flyers and Keds. I don't remember any guys wearing Keds, though. Seems like they were mostly the brand that the girls liked. I remember PF Flyers advertising that promised that I could "run faster and jump higher" if I wore their brand with the "magic wedge" insole. Really? I mean, all the kids wore them so how was I going to gain any advantage in the running and jumping department? It didn't matter...Johnny Quest wore PF Flyers and that was good enough for me even if PF Flyers were owned by the BF Goodrich tire company. I guess rubber is rubber.

Converse All Stars

As I grew older it seemed to be cooler to wear Converse...the basic Converse All Stars (aka Chuck Taylors) because that was what most of the professional basketball players wore. The likelihood of seeing a pair of Converse on the basketball court today is right up there with seeing a two-handed set shot.

Converse- 11 ways better!

There is no comparison between the sneakers of my day and the technologically advanced shoe designs that exist now. Today's shoes are so much better for today's athletes.

When I was a kid, a pair of Converse sneakers sold for around $6. Today, you can spend $200 for high end sneakers. Shortly after the new Air Jordans were released, they were selling on Ebay for $500. Today you can buy a pair of Converse All Stars for about $25 a pair.

Hey, they were good enough for Chuck!

Winter in the woods...

There is something about the aroma of wood smoke wafting on cold morning air that makes me feel...alive. The air, so cold that it glues your nostrils shut, stings my cheeks like a thousand tiny needle pricks. In the distance, the obnoxious squawking of crows pierces the quiet. The sun, still attempting its rise over the distant, snow-dusted mountain, begins its illumination nonetheless. Winter morning in the woods. The sky is alive with orange, purple and pink and a dozen other colors whose names I do not know. One lone star remains in the morning sky.

It will be a clear day today after a day and night of fierce wind and pelting rain. Everything is wet. The leaves, fallen months ago, are matted all about like faded, multicolored carpet. The trees are stark silhouettes against the morning sky, with branches revealing the nakedness of the solstice. In the distance, I hear a lone dog bark but, just that quickly, it is quiet again except for the tap, tap, tap of last night's rain still dripping from the cabin's roof.

There is something strangely peaceful about winter. But I also find winter to be a lonely, almost depressing time. Everything is dormant...nature in its long, eerie slumber.

Spring is like the brightly colored, newborn's nursery. Summer has the sights and sounds of a rowdy carnival. Autumn resembles a beautiful tapestry. Winter is more like the church cemetery. Not a scary place, but a place of reflection with a twinge of loss. The year will be over in a few days. Seems like just yesterday we were ringing in the new year.

Tomorrow we will load up the Jeep and head back home, leaving the little log cabin that has been our home for the last three days. But what if we just stayed?...

Peace on earth?

It's late Christmas evening...in fact, it's no longer Christmas day as I notice the clock says it is after 3 in the morning. The presents are no longer under the tree but safely tucked away in various bedrooms. It is quiet now in the house after an afternoon of laughter and warm family conversation. It feels almost....peaceful.

But then I check the latest headlines and find that the ugly world outside remains ugly. Seven shot dead in an apartment near Fort Worth, Texas...apparently all family...including the shooter. Suicide bomber kills four and injures 17 outside Iraq's interior ministry in Baghdad. More than 35 people were killed in attacks in Nigeria....churches were the target. 20 people attending a funeral ceremony were killed by a suicide bomber in the Takhar province of Afghanistan. Five people died in a morning house fire in Connecticut... including three children. Four people died in a two vehicle crash in Palermo, Maine.

Did these tragedies occur last month..last week? No, these all occurred over the last 24 hours. In the time it took us to awaken, open our Christmas presents, eat our Christmas meals, watch our favorite holiday movies, visit with family, eat some more and get tucked away for another night's sleep... evil and death reared their ugly heads...again.

The year was 1864 and America was in the throes of the Civil War. American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's son Charles, a Union soldier, was severely wounded in battle the year before. Two years prior to that Longfellow had lost his wife Fanny in an tragic, accidental fire. On Christmas Day 1864, he wrote a poem entitled "Christmas Bells." The Bible passage in Luke 2: 8-14 must have been on his mind:

 "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

Here are five of the seven stanzas Longfellow wrote:

"I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th'unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
'There is no peace on earth, ' I said
'For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.'

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.'

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men."


"...There is no peace on earth, I said..."

My son and wife are soundly asleep. Safe and healthy in their beds. I know not the agony that Longfellow had experienced, prompting him to write down the words to his poem. I hear the pealing of the bells at Christmas and the sound brings a smile to my face. Longfellow heard the Christmas bells chime and believed that the bells were mocking his tragedy. But by the end of his poem, he acknowledges God's trustworthiness.


Peace on earth. Is this a peace that is a result of an absence of war and violence? Is this a peace that comes due to a life that is void of pain and misery? Do we gain this peace by life's bountiful providence? Is there peace on earth? Maybe the answer to that is too obvious. Is there peace in your heart?


Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Romans 5: 1,2

Peace.

"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" by Casting Crowns

Why are we so upset about Christmas?

Is this one holiday or two?

I'm sorry but I need to get this off my chest. On December 25th, Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The reality is, however, that the holiday known as Christmas is not exclusively celebrated by Christians. There is a world full of people that enjoy the day as a time to join with family, eat delicious meals, exchange gifts, sing Jingle Bells, watch favorite movies and a host of other activities. And many of them don't really think too much (or even care) about the "religious" aspects of Christmas or, at least, not to the same extent that some Christians do. And this seems to bother many Christians. A lot. It is as if they feel like the "secularists" have hijacked Christmas...like their holiday has been stolen from them.

We hear phrases like "Remember the Reason for the Season" or "Don't take Christ out of Christmas" or "You can't spell Christmas without Christ" or some other "slogan" meant, I guess, to either warn Christians from forgetting why they should be celebrating (really? do we think they will forget?) OR as an attempt to influence non-Christians into becoming followers of Christ by imparting shame on them for their false celebration of "our" holiday. I wonder how that is working out as an evangelizing method.

Some get all out of breath if a store clerk says Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. What are we so upset about? Quite frankly, most stores are going to say whatever they think will allow for the maximum amount of sales volume. They would stand on their heads and spit nickels if they thought you would buy another Kindle or Xbox 360 or iPad. Do we really expect them to sing the Hallelujah Chorus? By the way, did you wish anyone a Happy Hanukkah yesterday or wish greetings during Ramadan back in July?

So, for we Christians that celebrate the December 25th holiday the right way, that means we don't really embrace any of that Santa Claus, elves and reindeer stuff because that really has nothing to do with the birth of our Savior. And, of course, we don't put all those lights all over the house and yard because we don't find anything about that in our Bible. I guess it can be justified that what we are really doing is emulating the gift giving of the Magi when we load up our shopping carts with toys, clothes, electronics and wrap them all up in colored paper and bows. And we certainly don't fall victim to any of that gastro-overindulgence because that would not be in keeping with true Christian tradition. But we point at others and say that they are ruining Christmas.

I think all of this is just another example of something larger that is bothering many American Christians. We have become like the child that has a toy that the other kids want to play with but the child clutches tightly to it and shouts, "Mine!" I am an Anglo-Saxon white (I guess that's redundant) Christian American. And for many Americans that share that descriptor, we believe that this country is "mine." We believe that the holiday known as Christmas is "mine." You know what? ...the country isn't mine...it is ours. I think many believe that we are losing "my" country and now think that we have lost "my" Christmas. And we are very concerned and maybe just a a little angry.

So are we suggesting that only followers of Christ should celebrate Christmas? Isn't it true that, from the exterior at least, a Christian's celebration of Christmas probably 98% resembles that of a non-Christian? And isn't it true that what really matters for a Christian with regards to Christmas is a matter of the heart?

"Don't take Christ out of Christmas." Others cannot take Christ out of my Christmas. Only I could do that to myself.

Her name was Louise

I finally read the bestselling book "The Help" and I have been thinking a lot lately about Louise. Louise was the woman that used to clean our house when we were first married. She only came once a week mainly because she had other folks for whom she cleaned on other days and, once a week was probably all we could afford back in those days anyway.

The first time I met Louise was when picking Carol up for our second date. It was a bit of an intimidating experience. Louise was just about to leave Carol's parent's house after cleaning all day. She was packing up her personal items and placing some things into her familiar Igloo cooler. After Carol introduced me to her and told her that we were going out on a date, Louise proceeded to rearrange the contents of her cooler and took some of the items out. About the same time Louise was interrogating me about where we were going, what time we would be home and basically, what my intentions were...she flashed the .22 caliber handgun that she always had packed in her cooler. I think this gun is known as a Saturday Night Special. I'll be honest, this was the first time I had ever had a gun pulled on me. This rotund, elderly black woman was going to make sure nothing happened to her sweet Carol. Promising nothing but good things for the evening, we left.

Louise had been the Williams' cleaning lady for almost all of Carol's life. But she was so much more than that. She was nearly as responsible in raising the Williams sisters as Carol's parents were. She was a fixture in the Williams' home and even moved with the family to Atlanta while they briefly lived there. Only many years later did Carol know that Louise had a family of her own. But Louise was needed in Atlanta so...she went.

From our first date to our wedding was a short five months. Carol didn't want a formal wedding so we decided to get married at her parent's home and, aside from her parents and the preacher, there were only seven other people that we invited to attend the ceremony in the living room. Louise was one of them. Louise was dressed up in her Sunday best (even though it was a Wednesday night.) The wig she wore gave her hair three times the volume as normal. She was fully dolled up with make up and lipstick and she didn't spare any perfume. One of her babies was getting married and she wasn't about to miss it or look anything other than her best. She even brought her boom box and recorded us speaking our vows to one another. At the end of our very modest ceremony she declared "they jus as married as if day had a big fat weddin!" You know what? After nearly 29 years of being married, she was exactly right.

After a few weeks, we asked Louise if she had any days available to clean our house for us as it just seemed natural that Louise would be a part of our new household while she continued to be a part of Carol's parents'. Louise would come one day a week and clean the house from top to bottom. I always got a kick out of Carol the night before Louise was to come. We would have to clean up the house. This never made any sense to me until Carol admitted that she didn't want Louise to see our house looking messy or untidy. Louise's opinion mattered a lot to Carol.

I have another admission...Louise continued to intimidate me even after she became our cleaning lady. I would intentionally stay late at work so I would have a better chance of getting home after she had left, although she would often stay late. Even in her advanced years, Louise was very thorough and meticulous in her cleaning. The house where we first lived had carpet in every room except the bathroom and kitchen. After Louise finished vacuuming the carpet, she would take a broom and sweep the carpet to make all of the marks left by the vacuum cleaner disappear. The only problem was if you later walked across the carpet, your shoes would leave imprints in the now pristine carpet nap. She would follow behind me as I came through the house sweeping away my footprint indentations. I always assumed she was irritated that I was messing up her handiwork.

Louise was still with us through the births of both of our children and they loved her as much as we did. We have cherished photos and video of Louise holding, playing with, or feeding Jessica and Michael when they were little ones. She always came by at Thanksgiving and Christmas, dressed up as pretty as she was the night of our wedding. Louise was family to us. When she died, there was never a discussion about attending the funeral. Other than Carol's family, the only other white people there were a handful of other folks that she cleaned for. Her family sincerely thanked all of us for being there.

After reading "The Help" I have wondered what Louise would have said given the opportunity to add her thoughts on what it was like to work for a white family during the 60's, 70's and 80's in Georgia. I wonder if she ever felt like she was only "the help." The Williams never treated Louise in a way to make her feel like she wasn't respected and, in fact, loved. I wonder if all the families that hired her treated her this way? Thinking back on the years we were fortunate to have Louise in our home, our lives were enriched by her hard work, her down home advice on child-rearing and care, her companionship, and even her occasional cooking of chicken and rice (I would eat it by the tablespoons-ful right out of the pan when no one was watching.) No one could make it like her.

Louise was a special person in our lives. How did she feel about being a black woman cleaning the houses of white people? I don't know...I wish I had asked her.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Is he shouting "fire" in a crowded theater?

I'm sure you are familiar with the phrase "you can't shout 'fire' in a crowded theater." The phrase is a free speech metaphor that suggests that there are some things spoken that are so harmful that they are not protected by free speech rights. The actual quote comes from a legal opinion by Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendall Holmes, Jr. regarding the 1919 case of  Schenck v. United States. What he actually wrote as a part of his opinion was "The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man falsely shouting fire in a theater and causing a panic." Note the key word...falsely. The commonly spoken phrase today usually leaves out the word "falsely." If there was a fire in the theater, it would certainly be appropriate to warn everyone in the theater.

Tell me if you have heard this phrase recently..."the rich are not paying their fair share of taxes." When you hear this said, do you believe the statement to be true? If not, then the phrase probably irritates you because you disagree with it. But what if you believe it to be true? How do you react to the statement?

There are many in politics that have said or repeated this declaration. I would think that many of those that promote this position sincerely believe it to be true. For purposes of this discussion, I don't think it matters whether those that speak it (or shout it) actually believe it to be true. Politicians say things from time to time solely for political purposes (or political theater...no pun intended.)

Here is my question. Is it potentially dangerous to repeatedly shout "the rich are not paying their fair share of taxes?" If you are not "rich" how does that statement make you feel if you hear it over and over? Does your attitude towards people that are better off than you begin to change? Do you begin to get angry or frustrated towards people that are more financially well off than you? Is it possible that some people will decide to take matters into their own hands?

The comedian Adam Carolla is recorded on You Tube with a 7-1/2 minute video where he rants against the Occupy Wall Street movement. If you decide to listen to it, I would recommend the so-called "cleaned up" version. You have been duly warned. One part of the rant describes a change in the times (I am paraphrasing...) " 'Back in the day' a father and son are walking down the street and the richest guy in town drives by in his Rolls Royce. The father tells his son [with admiration] 'there goes Mr. Jenkins...he works hard, he built a company...built an empire...look at that Rolls Royce'."

Contrasting that sentiment with today when, seeing Mr. Jenkins drive by in his big fancy Rolls Royce, the dad asks his son [with a whiny voice] "see that car, why does he need that car, why does he get to drive that car?...let's go throw a rock at him." Carolla suggests that attitude isn't going to help Dad get out of that Chevette he drives.

If politicians continue to shout "the rich are not paying their fair share of taxes" does that not begin to cause a real problem in our collective society? Do we really want to pit one income class against another? I don't know about your town, but it seems like every day I read about another home burglarized or another home invasion. Don't have a 55" 3d TV of your own? Well, why not just take it out of the home of one of those "rich" people. Rather than admire the beautiful Corvette in the restaurant parking lot, I think I will just drag my key down the side of the car because he has something that I want to have but cannot afford.

Falsely shouting fire in a crowded theater is dangerous. In their panic, people can get hurt.

Continuing to shout things that appear to be intended to demonize a portion of our citizenry is equally dangerous. Pitting one group against another does harm. Just look at what is going on all around us. It's time to stop this harmful speech.

So, what is a Higgs boson and does it spell the end of religion?

Things have changed a lot since I took physics in 11th grade. It was Spaulding High School circa 1971 and Mr. Ricker did his best teaching us Newton's laws and Einstein's theories and, for the briefest of moments, we understood physics. But, c'mon...who in the world remembers any of that stuff? And it's not like we were learning quantum physics anyway.

The Standard Model of Particle Physics

In the world of particle physics, the Higgs boson is a very big deal. You see, in the field of research of subatomic particles there is something called The Standard Model of particle physics. People that study this know all about things with very funny names...quarks, leptons, neutrinos, mesons, guage bosons, and the like. And, trust me,  proof of the existence of the Higgs boson is a very big deal.

Without boring you with all of the science that I certainly don't even understand anyway, let me tell you about the Higgs boson, commonly referred to by the media as the "God particle."

After the so-called Big Bang scientists have fomented that the formation of stars, planets and even living beings required something to exist that allowed random particles floating around to acquire mass and become something. In the mid-1960's really smart guys including a guy named Peter Higgs theorized the existence of a field (now referred to as the Higgs field) that pervades the universe. As other particles pass through this field they acquire mass. All of the particles defined in the Standard Model have been discovered...except one...the Higgs boson. If it is finally discovered it will validate that the current theories around particle physics are correct. If it doesn't exist, or can't be discovered (is that the same thing? hmmmm) then physicists may need to go back to the drawing board. There are other theories out there that do not require the existence of the Higgs boson and would be seriously considered at some point in time if this elusive boson is never found. Not surprisingly, these other ideas are called Higgless models.

particle collisions

The Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland is busy smashing protons into each other at near the speed of light hopeful that the side effect of these collisions will reveal this elusive boson in the 125 GeV mass range. (GeV= giga-electron-volt) If discovered, it would also promote gains in the theories of supersymmetry.

will they find the Higgs boson?

Referring to the Higgs boson as the "God particle" stems from a book written by Leon Lederman entitled "The God Particle: If the Universe is the Answer, What is the Question?" Some might suggest that if the Higgs mechanism can be observed and proved, then it would explain how the universe and everything in it came into being and was formed, presumably excluding the need for God to have done it. This description of the boson is a description made by the media...not really one made by the science community.

So the million dollar question is, should people of faith be afraid of all this experimentation into the subatomic particle world, attempting to discover the hows and whys of the universe? My answer? Of course not.

The reaction by many "religious folks" to the reports out of Geneva has bordered on hysterical and sounds like something out of the 1600's. I am not in the least concerned nor do I really believe that these physicists are out to prove that there is no God. Let's not allow the media's attempt to sensationalize the scientific efforts by referring to the Higgs boson as the "God particle" make us react with hyperventilation because it might suggest that science is trying to prove that the creation of all things didn't involve or require God. I don't think we really need to worry about that.

What's the best gift you never received?

In the course of our lives, we have had numerous opportunities to receive gifts. American culture seems to be very gift oriented. Why, most of us received gifts before we were even born. I suppose those gifts were technically given to our parents at baby showers but, that blue baby blanket was, after all, for me so I think I am correct. Birthdays, holidays throughout the year, special life events and, of course, Christmas (the gift bonanza) are the big gift receiving times. Just think of how many gifts you have unwrapped in your lifetime.

Rollfast Cruiser

I have been blessed to receive some wonderful gifts. I remember getting my own new bicycle so I no longer had to ride my brother's hand-me-down Rollfast (although that Rollfast would probably be a collector's item today.) 

I loved receiving my first BB gun, my microscope, my wood burning kit, my own record player and several other items that every young guy growing up in the 50's and 60's yearned for. 

Honda CT70

The one gift I wanted so badly when I was growing up was a mini bike. These scaled down versions of motorcycles were very popular for running through the woods on trails or wherever the little machines could take you. The father of one of my best friends bought two Honda 70's for his family to ride. We had so much fun riding those bikes...but I never had one of my own. As a kid, this was probably the one gift I wished for but never received.

As we grow older, our gift wishes certainly change. Not too many adults are asking for train sets or Lincoln Logs or Barbie dolls (especially guys) or Lava lamps or 8-track players or Rock-em Sock-em Robots or Sea Monkeys or Chia Pets or Beanie babies or Pet Rocks or a pogo stick or a Charlie's Angels lunch box or a Rubik's cube or an Atari video console. Of course, not too many kids are asking for these things today since most of these are no longer popular or even available. Some toys seem to be timeless. Bicycles, Frisbees, skateboards, baseball gloves and dolls still show up wrapped up under the tree.

iPhone and iPad

But ask most kids today what gift they would like and they will often give you the same answer as many adults. Electronics certainly top the list of the most sought after gifts. Top of the list? iPad 2 or maybe an iPhone 4S. I don't really ever remember a time until recently when kids and adults shared a common wish list.

Some of my most cherished gifts as an adult have been those that evoked strong sentimental feelings. When our daughter Jessica was just a little thing, Carol had a mother/daughter portrait made and gave it to me for Christmas. Another time she had some old color slides of my sister and me blown up and framed. She knows how to get me emotional and now takes every opportunity to come up with some amazing gifts like that. The portrait that I had made with our son Michael was one of my reciprocal gifts to her. One of the best gifts Carol bought me was my first cordless Makita drill. I was so impressed that she bought me something that she had absolutely no familiarity with and had to do some research and check with some of my guy friends to learn about it. Carol has always come up with some of the best and most thoughtful gifts. What's the best gift I have never received as an adult? That's a tough one. I am not someone that really desires to accumulate a bunch of stuff although I have my share of man goodies.

I mentioned wanting a mini bike as a kid. You know what I have always wanted as an adult? A Honda Gold Wing motorcycle. Funny how those motorized two-wheel machines have eluded me all my life.

Honda Gold Wing

What is that one best gift that you never received? 

The $254 Million Dollar Man

Anyone that was watching television in the mid 1970's immediately knows what I'm talking about if I say "The Six Million Dollar Man." Actor Lee Majors played the role of astronaut Steve Austin who is "repaired" after a crash at a cost of $6 million. He was outfitted with several bionic parts making him superhuman.







Actually, Lee Majors was probably better known due to his being married to swimsuit pin-up Farrah Fawcett, one of the three original Charlie's Angels.

But now we have the $254 million man. Albert Pujols, former first baseman of the St. Louis Cardinals, signed a 10 year deal with the Los Angeles Angels that will pay him this ginormous amount. I understand that the pay rate of baseball superstars will always be an escalating amount. You have to figure that inflation probably is part of the reason. I mean, since January, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) has gone up a whopping 3.5% before seasonal adjustment. So I can see why Albert's salary needs to continue to increase...otherwise his spending power will deteriorate. Don't want that to happen.

$254 million. That's a lot of money. To play baseball. To hit, run, catch and throw. (I'm sure there is some other stuff but this is basically it) I know it is popular when trying to illustrate just how much a certain dollar amount is, is to say that if the amount was in dollar bills placed end to end it would reach all the way to that new planet they found 600 light years away. But you won't see me taking the worn out approach.

How can Albert make all that money? Let's just divide evenly by year...that's $25.4 million per year. If you make $20 per hour and work 40 hours a week and 52 weeks a year, how close would that be? Even with rounding, it's off by $25.4 million. OK, how about $500 per hour- 40 hrs a week, 52 weeks a year? Now the gap is down to $24.4 million. How about $2000 per hour? OK, now the gap is down to $20.2 million. This could take all day...let's go the other way. IF Albert worked 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year what would $25.4 million work out to be per hour? $12,212. Holy mackerel. You'd have to spend almost $70,000 a day to spend $25.4 million.

Don't get me wrong, I don't fault Albert for making a quarter of a billion dollars over the next decade. If someone offered me that much to do most anything, I would probably be all over it. (Carol just said delete the word "probably")

But am I the only one that thinks something may be adrift when the pay scale of athletes, TV stars, movie stars, recording artists, and talk show hosts is so incredibly high? How did that happen? America has become an entertainment junkie. And we are willing to pay a high price for our fix. What does it cost to get into a movie?  $10-12 not counting the trash can size container of popcorn and the half gallon cup of Mrs. Pibb. What does it cost for decent seats at a baseball game? The average ticket price in 2011 to see a Yankees game was $80.35 each. The monthly car payment on my first new car was equal to 2 seats to watch Derek Jeter play (Model T's were cheap back in the day.) On the other hand, the average ticket price to watch the Cincinnati Reds play was $15.22. Can't reconcile that one out in my head. I guess if you live in NYC, that $15 price in Ohio isn't doing you much good. The average for the Angels (before Pujols) was $22.92. The key word there is....was. The Angels might be bumping those ticket prices up a little next year, ya think?

Now before you begin to wonder if I am one of those crazy Occupy Sesame Street characters, I am a dyed in the wool, free market capitalist. If, however, we are stupid enough to pay what we pay for our entertainment, then those that provide that entertainment might as well reap the harvest. The entertainers aren't the problem. Just like the Colombians that are squeezing white powder out of coca leaves aren't the real problem. It's the consumers. I often wonder where the tipping point is on our entertainment spending. We found out a year or two ago that $4 gasoline was the point when the screaming began to occur. When will a ticket to the movies be $30? Or when will a ticket to an NFL game average $200? We'll see.

The $254 million dollar man. Move over Lee Majors, you're just chump change.

When did thanking God become taboo?

 Last night on one of the cable news networks the topic of Tim Tebow's demonstration of his faith was "debated."  As anyone that follows NFL football knows (or anyone with a television, I guess) Tim Tebow has stirred up much controversy because he continues to talk about God. Pundits just don't seem to know what to think of that...or maybe more accurately stated, they are quite vocal about what they think.

The problem for many is that they may not understand what it really means to be a Christian. They are familiar with "religion"...those organized groups that have a set of spiritual beliefs, creeds, traditions, rituals that one practices on Friday in the mosque or Saturday in the temple or Sunday in church. But, unlike all other "religions" Christianity is about a relationship with a person. That person is Jesus Christ. And that relationship exists every day of the week, every hour of the day. Tebow compared it to the marriage relationship. He said, in answer to a fellow football player's criticism, that one doesn't just tell one's spouse that you love him/her the day you get married or only one day a week. You tell them at every opportunity. And that is what Tim Tebow does...as do millions of other Christians in our world.

On Saturday, a tragic accident occurred at a private airport in McKinney, Texas. Lauren Scruggs, a fashion model and online fashion magazine editor walked into the path of the propeller of an Aviat Husky A-IC-180 two-seater airplane. She had just returned from an aerial tour of Dallas' Christmas lights and, after getting out of the plane, walked into the path of the spinning propeller. They think she was walking over to thank the pilot.  Lauren has lost her left hand and has suffered other very serious injuries. Her parents, Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs were interviewed in recent days on most of the major morning news shows. In describing what has occurred and in answer to the questions from the shows' hosts, the Scruggs have demonstrated that same heartfelt love and appreciation to God even through all the tragedy they are all experiencing. They talked about Lauren's faith in Jesus Christ and shared with great optimism, yet great humility, that they trust that God will take care of all these things. And that trust does not seem to be conditional on a certain medical result.

I do not know the Scruggs but I know other members of her family. They too share this amazing relationship with the person whose birthday we will celebrate in 19 days. Please pray for Lauren and Cheryl and Jeff and all the people in their lives that have been affected by this horrible accident. Pray for the pilot, Kurt Richmond. Imagine how he must feel.

I admire people like Tim Tebow and Lauren, Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs. They love God and it would be like telling them to stop breathing to tell them to stop proclaiming their love for the Lord. So, let them breathe. Because in breath, there is life.

Maybe you are reading this and do not have a relationship with God. How I wish I could convey in words what an incredible transformation occurs in the life of a follower of Christ. When we enter into a relationship with Christ we don't suddenly become weird...we become new...alive...not perfect, but desirous to be like the One that loves us unconditionally. If you would like to speak to someone about this, I would be honored to share the Christ I know with you...just make that known to me via a comment. We will figure out how to make the connection with one another.

Lauren's "story" can be found through the various links below. Listen to her parents talk about their daughter; read the outpouring of love and concern and prayer on the CaringBridge site that has been set up.

Tim Tebow and Lauren Scruggs...one a burly football player...one a fashion model. They couldn't be more different...or be more alike.

Listen to Lauren's parents
Visit Lauren's CaringBridge site

Thank God today...out loud. And say a prayer for Lauren...and for Tim.

We can pray and we can give

We have some dear friends that are going through a nightmare experience. Their niece was involved in a horrific accident this past weekend when she walked into the path of a still spinning small airplane propeller and has suffered serious injuries. [ Read story here ] I don't know Lauren Scruggs but I do know her aunt, uncle and cousins. But it doesn't really matter whether I know her personally. She and her family need our prayers.

A CaringBridge site has been set up where you can follow her progress and provide your well wishes to her and her family. Here is the link: Lauren Scrugg's CaringBridge site

A fund has been established to help with Lauren's medical expenses. I don't currently know how donations can be made to the Lauren Scruggs Hope Fund but I am sure that information can be found soon. I will post more when I have the information. Her recovery will be a long one and I'm sure the medical bills will be substantial. Please help if you can. UPDATE- you can donate via [link to PayPal] to laurenscruggshopefund@gmail.com.

From what I have heard and read, Lauren is a woman with a strong faith in Jesus Christ. Her parents and extended family are also faithful believers so I am confident they will cherish your prayers.

Little drummer boy

Last Sunday we sang this familiar Christmas song. It's only 3 verses and, at first glance (or listen,) sounds like a simple children's Christmas song complete with vocal percussion... pa-rum-pa-pum-pum. But maybe the song is more profound than we give it credit.

If you are familiar with the Christmas story, it is often combined with the message of the Magi as recorded in Matthew 2. Despite our Nativity sets that may suggest otherwise, most likely the kings from the East were not there on the night of our Savior's birth but rather visited the family later. January 6th on the Christian calendar celebrates Epiphany which, in part, marks the day when the wise men came bearing gifts and to worship Jesus. Our Bible only records this event in Matthew's gospel...the other gospels remain silent about it. The Matthew account does not, however, ever indicate how many of these eastern visitors came. Because the story does mention three gifts...gold, frankincense and myrrh, tradition holds that there were three priests or kings or wise men that came to see Jesus.

Gold...frankincense and myrrh...all valuable commodities in Biblical times. Gold has always been valuable...today it sells for over $1700 per ounce. Frankincense (also known as olibanum) is a resin that comes from the Boswellia tree and was used in Hebrew ritual at the altar of incense. Not necessarily highly valuable in monetary terms, it was valued due to its use in the temple. Myrrh is also a resin that was also used as incense in Jewish ritual. During the time of Jesus it would have been as valuable per ounce as gold. I doubt these men from afar would have traveled such a distance carrying gifts of little value, particularly if the amounts of the three gifts were substantial. It is suggested that the gifts provided the monetary resources that Joseph and Mary needed when they fled to Egypt with their newborn son to get away from King Herod.

What gifts do we give to Jesus? The men from the East brought a valuable bounty. Even though scripture never records a visiting young musician, the song suggests that the young boy with the drum didn't have anything of any value to give...or did he? He had no wealth but he had an ability...a talent...a gift. So he gave what he had and I'm sure his pa-rum-pa-pum-pum was the best he ever played. Do you identify yourself more with the Magi or the young drummer? Or maybe neither? Maybe this Christmas the first gift we need to think about is what we are giving to Jesus. Oh, I don't mean what we may be putting in the offering plate or the red Salvation Army kettles or the Toys for Tots boxes or the Empty Stocking fund (all good and worthy things to give.) I mean what gifts do we bring to Him? Are we giving our best to Him? What are we holding back? What gift, talent or ability has God blessed you with that you aren't using for Him?

Then, He smiled at me (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)...me and my drum
Listen to the song

Yeah, let's just ship them all back

During a recent Republican debate, the issue of illegal immigration was thoroughly vetted by the candidates. There seemed to be general agreement on the issue of securing the border (I assume that when they refer to "the border" that generally means the US/ Mexico border since that is the major problem.) There was not agreement regarding what to do about the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants that are currently in the US.

I hear all the time that we need "comprehensive immigration reform" and I must honestly admit that I don't really know what they mean by that. I assume it means that there are many different things that must be solved...it needs to be "fair and balanced." I don't know how difficult it is to gain entrance into the United States for purposes of staying here for extended periods of time or on a permanent basis. Apparently, we are not letting enough people in legally or we make it too difficult to do so or the process is there but it just takes too long. I understand that there are many people that subscribe to the idea of fully open borders that would legally allow virtually all-comers. I'm not sure that makes good sense. I believe that a country's border should have a high degree of integrity. It should be respected and enforced...vigorously.

Newt Gingrich caught and continues to catch a great deal of heat for his answer to the question about what to do with all those illegals that are living in the US. I am not quoting what he said but my take on it was this...set up some community "citizen boards" and have them evaluate the "illegals" living in their communities and make a determination if some number of them should be allowed to stay "legally" (but not gain citizenship) based on some criteria including how long they have lived here, the degree to which they are an active, contributing part of the community, etc. Current US law (I believe) says that children born in the US to illegal immigrants are afforded citizenship status. Many of those children have been here long enough that they have subsequently had children of their own. The reality is that there are some number of people in the US who came here illegally that have been here a long time and now have extended families. What do we do with them?

The other candidates pounced on his answer. Bachmann stated that Newt wanted to give amnesty to 11 million illegals. That's not what Newt said. Romney said that Newt's position would maintain the "magnet" that attracts new people across the border...they would believe that they would one day gain citizenship. That's not what Newt said either. But both Bachmann and Romney are pushing hard to be recognized as the most conservative candidate...Bachmann because she was part of the original Tea Party movement and Romney because there is so much skepticism about his conservative credentials. So I wasn't surprised that they disagreed with Newt's position.

I applaud Gingrich for taking a sensible but unpopular position because, realistically, we are not going to deport 11 million people. No way. Take the entire populations of Idaho, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming combined; round them up, and ship them out of the country. That's what deporting 11 or so million people would involve. Does anyone really think that (a) we would actually do that and (b) it would even be feasible to do that even if we wanted to?

Here's my take on the issue (like anyone really cares what I think about this anyway.)

1. We currently have an estimated 500,000 illegals coming into the US each year. This must stop as soon as we can make that happen. The flow of illegals into this country must be shut off or we will NEVER solve the illegal immigration problem...not to mention the national security problem it causes with the ongoing terrorist threat a leaky border provides. They say that when they repaint the Eiffel Tower, it takes so long to complete the job that, by the time they get to the top, it is time to start repainting the bottom again...the cycle never ends (not sure this is true...sounds good though.) If we don't stop the flow of illegals, by the time we figure out  what to do with the ones that are currently here and deal with it, there will be another 11 million here.

2. Illegal immigrants that have other crimes they have committed (in addition to that little one called illegally entering the US) should be immediately deported.

3. I like Gingrich's idea of establishment of community boards. Some uniform, minimum criteria should be agreed upon (both objective and subjective) that these boards would use to identify candidates that would be given "legal" status (but not automatic citizenship) and be allowed to stay in the US. I say that these candidates would have to admit that they illegally crossed the border and have been living here illegally. A fine should be imposed and some reasonable payment plan should be provided for those that could not pay the full amount up front. These candidates would be people with children born in the US, are employed, have been contributors in their communities and have been living here at least 20 years as of the time the program is established.

4. Younger people that do not qualify above could be considered for legal status if they agree to serve in the US military (if they otherwise meet all other qualifications), or agree to serve for at least three years in one of the volunteer service organizations. (Peace Corp, AmeriCorps, etc.) These people would also be required to pay a fine. Again, citizenship would not be automatically granted.

5. Any illegal immigrants that are participating in or have already earned advanced degrees in disciplines that are strategically important to the US could be offered a process to earn legal status and possibly citizenship. The fine for coming here illegally would have to be paid.

6. Then what do we do with the remaining illegal immigrants? I would guess that the number of people I have identified above that would either be immediately deported or be given legal status is a relatively small number of the total 11 million people in the US illegally. Are we going to deport 5 million people? 1 million people? In 2009, 389 thousand people were deported. That is 3 times the annual number that were deported in the pre- 9/11 years. Even at that rate it would take 12 years to deport 5 million people.

People that crossed the border and stay in the US have committed a crime. How does that crime compare in seriousness to other crimes? I think each of us has a different  opinion on that. Some of us look at the violation of our sovereign border as a horrible act...essentially an invasion of our land. Others look at it and see people that are primarily coming here because their prior circumstance held no hope or opportunity and the quest for survival and prosperity overwhelmed their sense of obedience to the law.

I wonder how we would react if most of the illegal immigrants that crossed our border were English speaking, predominantly white people from Canada? Would we be as eager to round them all up and ship them back? That's not for me to say. We are a country that tries to respect the rule of law. But this is also a very compassionate country that acknowledges its own immigrant roots. These ideals are slamming into each other in a tremendous way with the immigration issue. Can't we find a way to respect these ideals and still solve the problem? I think so.

Would love to get your opinions on this!

I don't mean to be indelicate but...

Best bathrooms on the interstate? I think not.

I took a short road trip this afternoon to drive my wife to her sister's. Actually her sister and her husband drove as well and we sorta met in the middle. I-77 Exit 77...Waffle House rendezvous and prisoner swap.

Carol and I arrived a little before her sister so we went in, sat down and ordered coffee. Sister/brother-in-law arrived and we chatted a little, finished our coffee and decided to use "the facilities" before each of us got back on the road.

OK, what do you call it? Restroom? You know, there are many names used to describe that place where we all go to....well....to go. You may refer to it as....bathroom, toilet, little girl's/boy's room, water closet, head, john, privy, powder room (in Waffle House?...yeah right), latrine, dunny, loo, lavatory, washroom.... There are, of course, other names as well but let's keep it to the less coarse names for now. By the way, Sir Thomas Crapper (1836-1910) did NOT invent the toilet, although he was awarded three patents that were associated with improvements to the flushing water closet. Trying to keep this educational.

My visit to the special place was not a pleasant one. First, the room was disgustingly unclean...even for a public restroom. Fortunate for me I am a guy so the degree of "facility utilization and interface" was significantly less involved than if I had been a female (thank the Lord.) Let me just say that in my travels to various places around the world the single greatest difference I experienced relative to the comforts of the US are the "facilities." Notice I didn't say "toilet" because that would imply that there was one. In some countries this just isn't the case. I don't mean to be crude but some places in South America and China where I traveled were so disgusting and crude I'm not even going to describe it. Let's just say that I will never wear nice shoes (or pants with cuffs falling below my ankle bone) to those countries ever again. So, my criticism of the WaHo bathroom is a relative thing.

don't touch...ever

It actually was a bit on the humorous side. Before I get to the humor part... there was a device on the floor that was made of a wood handle and a rubber apparatus on the end...you know what I'm talking about. Does anyone think that even if I found myself in a situation where I might need to use that "tool" for some emergency drainage relief that I would? I mean, I love Waffle House and all but I am not reaching my hand down and grasping that thing. Just looking at it probably will give you typhoid or cholera or something. In the event of a "situation"...I'm outta there...just being honest here. Did you know that even at 5 foot 6, and in my mid-fifties, I can still get my left foot up high enough, maintain balance like a Russian gymnast, and hit the flush handle? Does anyone actually use their hand to do that? The thought of that just made a little vomit rise up in my throat. So, you can bet the "tool" will never be touched by these human hands. I don't even like touching the one we have at home for goodness sakes.

Bradley Model 2875-28 ..also available in white

Oh, the funny part. After washing my hands in scalding hot water with that fragrant industrial-strength, pink, liquid soap, I turned to grab a paper towel. Rats! WaHo has gone paperless! Then I saw the Bradley, gleaming chrome, 150mph blow dryer on the wall. From personal experience, I would have more luck hitting red 27 on the roulette wheel than finding a dryer that is actually functional. But today is my lucky day. I hit the button with my right elbow and it roars to life. I'm in business. What I failed to notice, however, was that the standard kitchen height waste basket was directly under the dryer...directly under the stream of jet engine thrust air. As air reached bottom of said trash receptacle, contents of trash receptacle moved...toilet paper, the brown cardboard "thingies" that you finally get down to when the TP rolls are all gone (much like the tootsie roll in the middle of the tootsie roll pop but only much different) Sorry...

tornadic action... it's no different

The contents took to flight when lifted high on the jet stream. Fortunately, the flying objects were relatively harmless and dry and "clean" so, despite my inability to dodge the debris, I came away unscathed.

You know life is a series of surprises...one after another. But there are some things we experience in life that shouldn't really surprise us. The restroom (that's hilarious...really? a place of rest?) of your neighborhood Waffle House should not be a surprise to me anymore. But occasionally it still is.

I'm still trying to get my wife to tell me what she means by "hovering" ...but I guess that will have to wait until a later blog.

Is Tim Tebow for real?

After I graduated from high school, the next stop on my education path was in Athens, Georgia. Despite my stay there being relatively short-lived, the red and black became a permanent love of mine. So, being a Bulldawg, it was not in vogue to be a Tim Tebow fan while he was a Florida Gator. But, I will confess, I was silently cheering for him (except during the GA/FL game.)

Why would I cheer for him? Because Tim Tebow is the real deal. He obviously is an extremely talented athlete. He is a fierce competitor. He loves playing football. But he has been attacked from almost all sides. I can't remember any other standout athlete that has been mocked and ridiculed like Tim Tebow. His critics (that may not even be a strong enough description) cheer any and all failures he experiences. They want him to fail...not just fail, fail miserably. Just what has Tim Tebow done to deserve the vitriol?

Tebow is a devout Christian. He makes no apologies for his faith or the way he lives his life. He wore bible verses on his eye black. He gave praise to God whenever he was interviewed. He bent down on one knee in prayer when he scored, presumably giving thanks to God. He confidently stated that he and his teammates would be the hardest working college football team. Braggart? I don't think so.

We have heard the story of his mother refusing the doctor's suggestion that she abort her high-risk pregnancy (when pregnant with Tim.) We watched the commercial during a recent Super Bowl that shared that story and celebrated life. Prior to the airing of the commercial, the pro-choice folks went nuts over the idea that the commercial would be allowed on TV. Once it finally did air, I never heard another word about it because who could criticize the message of the commercial?

When Tebow entered the draft many said that he was not NFL material... he couldn't learn to take snaps from under center, his throwing motion was a mess and he just didn't have the juice to be a pro quarterback. Will he be a successful pro quarterback? I don't know. But I hope so because the NFL needs people like Tim Tebow.

So why all the criticism; hatred even towards Tebow? I think it is because Tim Tebow makes us uncomfortable. He seems too good to be true...or maybe just "too good." He is too nice, too polite, too devout, too humble, too demonstrative in his faith, too squeaky clean and that makes us uncomfortable. What does that say about him? More importantly, what does that say about us?

I have no illusions about Tim Tebow being perfect. I am certain that he would tell you that he is far from perfect. He would say that he is a sinner, saved by the grace of a merciful God. Many people are just waiting for him to do something that defies his profession of his faith. They are just waiting for any misstep. Unfortunately, that day will probably come and they will shout "Aha...see there, Tim Tebow is just like the rest of us...he's not so perfect now is he?" And they will feel better about themselves.

I will continue to cheer and admire Tim Tebow. Not because he is a great athlete but rather because he is trying to live his life as a follower of Christ and use every opportunity to share with others not who he is, but whose he is. That makes him a winner in my book.

Read what Jill Kelly (wife of former Buffalo Bills QB Jim Kelly) has to say about Tim Tebow

Do you (a) attend church or (b) participate in worship?

Did you go to church Sunday? If the answer is "Yes" did you get anything out of the service? Did you enjoy the music? If I am being honest I will admit that sometimes the music is better than at other times. Did you notice that they moved the Offertory back to being after the sermon and for whatever reason we didn't sing the Doxology? That's strange because we always sing the Doxology...we've been singing Old 100th since they laid the cornerstone in the building. The other thing I noticed is that some of the ushers were dressed like they were heading out to the golf course right after the service...golf shirts under jackets (no ties of course) sure seemed a bit too casual but that's just my opinion. Oh, and what was going on with the pipe organ on the (I think) third song? Sounded like they cranked up the volume way too loud. I did thoroughly enjoy the drama that the students did. That gal who is the daughter of our Chairman of the Deacons is quite the talent...she didn't mess up any of her lines (some of the other kids had a few problems and that one guy said the girl's part by mistake) I think the drama was from one of the Old Testament stories..I can't really remember but I do remember that the costumes that the ladies' class made were perfect. They always do such a good job. I'll admit, I could have done without that solo. That song just didn't seem appropriate for church although the words were very powerful. But why did they feel the need to have those two guitars and the drums playing on her song? I'm just not sure how I feel about that.

What was up with the bulletin? Has it always been that small? Maybe the church is trying to save some money on paper. I was a little upset that, due to the repair work they were doing to the parking lot, I ended up having to park in the adjacent parking lot that belongs to that insurance company. I would have thought that they would have had a shuttle or something available so that we would not have had to walk that far. By the time I got back to my car after the service, it had to have been ten after twelve. Forget even trying to go that late to the cafeteria by the mall. The wait would have been way too long. Speaking of repairs, the good news is they finally seemed to get the temperature right in the sanctuary. I know the weather has been a little crazy lately but it was uncomfortable in there the last two Sundays. I don't understand why they can't keep the temperature where I like it.

I saw in the newsletter that the preacher's sermon next week is out of the book of Leviticus. I wish he would just stick to sermons out of the New Testament...I really prefer the gospels and most of Paul's letters. He mentioned something about inviting the Holy Spirit into our service or Holy Spirit power  (or something like that) ...I'll admit that sort of talk makes me a little uncomfortable. I was watching a service on TV the other day and folks were proclaiming the Holy Spirit and were jumping around with their hands up in the air. My goodness, I just can't believe that people think that God wants us to behave that way. You would think they were at a football game cheering their team or something.

Well, I am pretty excited about going to church next week. I bought a new outfit and I know (not meaning to brag or anything) that it will be noticed. I have always thought that we should look our best and this outfit does the job. My luck someone else bought the same outfit...that would be a little embarrassing.

Anyway...I'll see you at church next Sunday! Praise the Lord.

My piano makes me sad

Technically, I guess it is Jessica's piano. After all, she is the only one in the family (other than her husband Matt) who can actually play it. But she is now halfway around the world so...it sits in silence.

When JR first started playing piano we purchased a modestly priced "starter' piano....I think it was a Baldwin. Because our house, at the time, was on the smallish side, we really didn't have a good place to put it so it ended up in the dining room...not too bad...we could simultaneously eat and listen to Pachelbel's Canon in D. As the years went by and her playing improved, her teacher told us that we needed to invest in a better piano...one that was larger, had larger hammers that would help strengthen her hands and fingers. He recommended a Yamaha U1 piano. Now, this was a serious piano with a price to match. No matter...if we were going to invest in Jessica's piano instruction, something she was excelling in, it was very worthwhile to provide a worthy instrument. Eventually, we enlarged the house and the piano was able to find a good spot in the living room.

The house used to be filled with the sound of the various pieces of music that she was working on for her upcoming recitals. I think the sound of music in a home is just about one of the best things you can hear.

But now it is sitting in the house where we currently live and, interestingly enough...it is in what is supposed to be the dining room. But we use that room as the "music room" ...filled with guitars, amplifiers and that ebony black piano.

There is something sad about a beautiful musical instrument that doesn't have the opportunity to make music. It's not that the piano is not functional....it is in perfect condition save an occasional layer of dust. It just needs someone to play it. All by itself it is just a big chunk of wood, metal and strings. But in the hands of someone that knows how, it can produce a most beautiful sound that can bring joy to your heart or tears to your eyes. As a guitar player, I have always been envious of the piano...my guitar has only 6 strings so it can only produce a certain amount of musical fullness. That beautiful Yamaha has 88 keys with its corresponding strings. A magnificent instrument...but no one to play it.

I think some folks are like that piano. They are full of potential but, for whatever reason, don't make music (metaphorically speaking, of course.) I see it way too often in young people who somehow have become convinced that they "can't" or "never will" ________ (fill in the blank.) They need someone or something to help them "make music." Maybe it is somebody to encourage them...to tell them they can accomplish anything they set the heart and mind to. Maybe it is a teacher or mentor to inspire them. Maybe it is just a chance to show what they can do.

I know some of my sadness is that I just miss my daughter. The piano is a reminder that she is a long way away. But that piano is also a reminder that God has put a gift in all of us...maybe not music, but some special gift that He wants us to use to tell others about Him and to bring Him glory. It would be sad to just let that gift stay silent. What is the piano in your life?

Can't we wait until Thanksgiving is over?

I am writing this on November 13th....nothing particularly special about the date. Halloween was 13 days ago but I wouldn't necessarily call Halloween a major milestone on the calendar. Let's see, Veterans Day was this past Friday. Originally named Armistice Day, this holiday was in honor of the soldiers that fought in World War I. That was supposed to be the "war to end all wars." That turned out to not be correct. World War II and the Korean War followed and, in 1954, the holiday was renamed Veterans Day to honor American veterans of all wars. This year was especially unique in that the date was 11/11/11.

The retailers are already reminding us of how many shopping days are left until Christmas. By my count Christmas is 42 days away. I'm not sure how many "shopping days" that translates to...I guess in the world of 24/7 stores and online ordering it means...42.

Let me just say up front..I love Christmas. I love most everything about it. As a Christian, I love the significance of celebrating the birth of my Lord and Savior. I even love the secular Christmas traditions...the inflatable Santa Claus on the front lawn, the Christmas movies, and the Christmas carols of all persuasions. Let me just take a slight detour, though, with regards to Christmas music...just because you are a recording artist doesn't mean that you should record a Christmas album. I mean do we really want to hear David Hasselhoff or Kenny Chesney or Gorilla Zoe singing Christmas songs? (then again I probably wouldn't limit my comment to just Christmas music) But I digress...

Could I ask just one favor though? On November 24th we have another holiday on the calendar. You may be familiar with it. It's called Thanksgiving. And Thanksgiving is only 11 days away...not shopping days...just plain old days.

Can we please enjoy Thanksgiving before we have to be bombarded with all the Christmas music, decorations, bad sweaters, antlers attached to your SUV, commercials, shopping days countdown clocks, Christmas plates, antlers attached to your dog, and all the other stuff that has come to represent Christmas?

I know for the "women folk" (and I mean that term with no disrespect), Thanksgiving can be a little stressful since the women in our lives do most of the Thanksgiving cooking. But, think of the stress level comparison to Christmas. There are no cards to mail out (although Thanksgiving cards are a great idea), gifts to purchase, major decorating to do, toys to assemble, batteries to purchase or little white lies to tell children. For Thanksgiving we can just get together as family (sometimes with friends included) and share a meal together while expressing our thanks for the people in our lives, the wonderful country in which we live and the blessings that God has bestowed on us...and we eat. And eat. Did I mention that I love to eat? The best food I ever eat is on Thanksgiving Day.

Ruth Williams (who I miss dearly) taught her daughters how to properly fix a Thanksgiving meal. Succulent turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, squash casserole, broccoli casserole, deviled eggs, vegetable plate....and on and on and on. When Carol and I were first married I weighed 150 lbs. I now eat that much on Thanksgiving Day. Oh, and you know what is on TV on Thanksgiving Day? Oh sure I know the Twilight movie saga is on but, as much as I would love to, I can't watch that because football is on! And it always seems like the Godfather movies are on Thanksgiving Day. Haven't figured that one out though. But I end up watching them.

Some people enjoy getting the old folks and the younger ones together and having a football game in the backyard. Laughing, hugging...just loving being in each other's company. And remembering....yes with some sadness... the ones that aren't with us this year. But we give thanks again for those that we loved and who made such a difference in our lives. Thanksgiving. Maybe my favorite holiday. Can we agree to savor it?...after all...it lasts only a day. Then we can move on to the frenetic Black Friday shopping and all the other things we do next.

I know that Christmas is coming.

But can't we wait until Thanksgiving is over?