Remember the first time you voted?

The Presidential election of 1976 was my first voting experience. The 1970's were tumultuous times in politics. Richard Nixon resigned the Presidency after being exposed during the Watergate scandal. His Vice-President, Gerald Ford, assumed the position of President and, soon thereafter, pardoned Nixon. This was very unpopular with many people, Democrat and Republican alike.

Reluctantly, Ford agreed to run in the 1976 election. In the primaries, former California governor, Ronald Reagan ran against Ford but, ultimately bowed out at the Republican convention. I voted for Reagan in the Georgia primary. He and I lost. In the general election, Ford ran against Jimmy Carter. I voted for Ford. He and I lost. Two voting opportunities and I was 0-2. Hmmm, didn't start my voting career so well.

I am a Republican. Here is how I voted in the following elections:

1976- Voted for Ronald Reagan in primary. Voted for Gerald Ford in election (Carter won)

1980- Voted for Ronald Reagan in primary. Voted for Ronald Reagan in election (Carter lost)

1984- Voted for Ronald Reagan in primary. Voted for Ronald Reagan in election (Mondale lost)

1988- Voted for Pat Robertson in primary*. Voted for George H.W. Bush in election (Dukakis lost)

1992- Voted for Pat Buchanon in primary*. Voted for George H.W. Bush in election (Clinton won)

1996- Voted for Alan Keyes in primary. Voted for Bob Dole in election (Clinton won)

2000- Voted for Alan Keyes in primary. Voted for George W. Bush in election (Gore lost)

2004- Voted for George W. Bush in primary. Voted for George W. Bush in election (Kerry lost)

2008- Voted for Mike Huckaby in primary. Voted for John McCain in election (Obama won)

* I consider these to be protest votes. I was not a fan of George H.W. Bush.

So, I have voted in 9 primaries and 9 general elections. My record in the primaries? 3 wins, 6 losses. My record in the general elections? 5 wins, 4 losses.

Except for Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush's second term election, I have voted against the eventual Republican nominee 67% of the time. Not sure what that says about my political persuasion but, I don't automatically go for the leading Republican candidate. I try to vote for who I think is the better candidate not for the one I think will eventually win.

Voting. An American privilege. Do it as often as they let you.

Joe Paterno

Joe Paterno Dec 21, 1926- Jan 22, 2012

On Sunday January 22, Joe Paterno, affectionately known as JoePa, died from lung cancer at the age of 85. Until November of 2011, Paterno was best known as the winningest Division 1 college football coach with 409 victories. He coached for 61 years at Penn State (46 years as head coach) and was a legend in Happy Valley, PA and around the entire country. His teams won National Championships in 1982 (beat Georgia in the 1983 Sugar Bowl) and again in 1986 (beat Miami in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl.) He won 24 of the 37 bowl games he coached and, in 2007, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The superlatives that could be said about Coach Paterno could fill up a page.

But Coach Paterno became part of a scandal involving sex abuse charges against his former defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky. Because Paterno was alleged to have been told about the abuse years ago by a graduate assistant and, Paterno failed to report it to police, he was fired by the Board of Trustees. Paterno did report the abuse to the Athletic Director and later to the Director of Business and Finance but, apparently failed to follow up to ensure that one of them reported it to police since he did not report it himself.

The reaction to the news that Paterno had been made aware that Sandusky had abused a boy in a shower and didn't immediately notify police has ranged from seething outrage to unapologetic defense of Paterno's action or lack thereof. Many of Paterno's most loyal fans believe that Paterno should not have been criticized and punished for not going beyond his legal reporting obligation. Others believe that there is no excuse for his lack of more deliberate action.

My question is this. How will Joe Paterno be remembered? His accomplishments as a football coach are nothing short of remarkable. He is 1 of only 3 head coaches of Division 1 (now called FBS) programs to win 400 games. His reputation as a coach and mentor is legendary. He was a strong advocate for athletes to succeed academically and to graduate. But less than 4 months before he died, he was forced out in disgrace by a university he had been a part of for 61 years. Will the sex scandal ultimately be the defining event of Joe Paterno's life? Should it?

Joe Paterno, admittedly made a terrible mistake by not taking more action. Had he taken more action, it is possible some of those boys may have been spared from Sandusky's abuse. Did Paterno have a motive for not doing more? Was he protecting his friend, the football program, his and the university's reputation or did he just assume that what he did was enough? I want to believe it was the latter.

We all make mistakes. Obviously, some mistakes have significantly greater consequences than others. Some follow us for the rest of our lives and are remembered even long after we are gone. A reputation, built over 85 long years, can be irreparably damaged in the blink of an eye. How history remembers Joe Paterno cannot be known at this time. For us, it is a stark reminder that we must make good choices and always strive to do the right thing. While God forgives us for our errors, we still have to live with the earthly consequences.

My condolences go out to his family, friends and all the Penn State faithful in their loss of JoePa.

What's wrong with being a janitor?

In the most recent Republican debate in Myrtle Beach, SC, Juan Williams and Newt Gingrich got into a lively back and forth over comments that Gingrich had made concerning President Obama, food stamps and jobs. In Newt's response to Williams he further stated an example of how jobs could be created for young people. He suggested that, given the very high pay rate of janitors in New York that, if they were to reduce the number of janitors by just a few, that money could be paid to many more young unemployed people at a starting wage and help them to earn money, learn the benefit of a job and paycheck, and learn about the responsibility that comes with having to come to work on time and put in a full shift of work.

Somehow, Mr. Williams thought that suggestion was demeaning, especially to young African-Americans. I guess doing the job of a janitor is somehow beneath some people. Newt's comments drew a very rare, standing ovation.

When I was 15, my first job that provided an actual paycheck and eventual W2 form was working at a softball field one summer...I made a whopping $1.60 per hour; then minimum wage. My job was to pick up all the trash that remained from the previous evening's games, and to prepare the field for that night's games. The coolest part of the job was dragging the infield. During the interview, I was asked if I knew how to drive a stick shift vehicle. I lied and said of course I could. The ball field had an old, beat-up Volkswagen Beetle that was used to pull a small section of chain link fence in a circular pattern around the infield to smooth out the clay. That's how I learned how to drive a manual transmission. I mowed grass, striped the baselines and batter's boxes with chalk, and even built some new bleachers...pretty much everything. I was the only one there all day long. My boss told me that I could help myself to anything I wanted out of the concession stand behind the backstop. I learned that if I worked a vigorous pace, I could spend a good part of the day sitting in the small concession building drinking Fanta Grape soda and listening to the latest hits on the cheap AM radio. If I dragged the work out, well...less time to relax.

When my junior year of high school started in the fall, my next job was working in the motor pool at an Army Reserve Center. I worked in the afternoon after school from 1-5 since our school was doing double sessions and my school day ended at noon. That's where I learned about working with folks with all sorts of different personalities and opinions (I was the only young guy working there.) I also learned a few dirty jokes, how to make strong, black coffee and how to drive all of the vehicles there...jeeps, deuce and a half, and the big 10 ton trucks (essentially like the big over-the-road tractor-trailer truck on the highway.) I wasn't able to play sports or run track that year because I needed the job and couldn't do both.

Moving to Augusta for my senior year, my job on weekends was working as a janitor at the NCO Club at Fort Gordon. I pushed a broom, picked up trash, mopped and did just about any other menial task I was asked to do. By the way, minimum wage was still $1.60 per hour.

I never believed that any of those jobs were beneath me. Hey, I needed a job and was willing to take whatever I could get. I learned so much in that process. I also learned that I didn't want to do those types of jobs for the rest of my life.

I won't bore you with all the jobs I've had but my last employer hired me to work in a warehouse shipping out parts for a whopping $2.35 per hour. I retired from that company nearly 33 years later and was blessed to climb the ladder doing several different jobs, including 15 years as a VP. Not bragging....just illustrating the fact that we all have to start somewhere and for most, it is near the bottom of the ladder. Oh, and that metaphor is intentional...we learn that climbing is hard work.

But some believe that suggesting that someone do a janitorial or other menial job is insulting and demeaning. Wow, I never realized that I should have been insulted all those years. I was just thankful to have a job, a paycheck and an opportunity.

Does God Really Care Who Wins the Game?

Prayer. To me, this is one of the most unique endeavors a human can undertake. Think about what prayer is...a conversation, often silent, between you and the Creator of the Universe. In the first place, I am amazed that we can even get an audience with God. In your sphere of influence and using your best connections, who is the highest ranking or most famous person you could have a one-on-one conversation with right now? Call the White House and ask to speak to President Obama. Call the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and tell them that you would like to speak to Billy Graham. You get my point.

God does not, like an annoyed parent around a pestering child, irritatedly say to us OK, OK, what is it? No, he desires to hear from us. All the time. According to the world population clock, as I write these words, the population of our planet is 6,987,718,467....nearly 7 billion people. At this very moment, I wonder how many are having a conversation with God? How can God "hear" and engage in that many conversations simultaneously? Well, He is God and when I stop thinking like He has limitations that we humans have, I can simply be in wonder that He can do anything.

What do you pray about? I know our prayers are not just requests that we make of God. In our prayers, we acknowledge Him for who He is. We express our adoration. Maybe, not often enough, we say how we have fallen short or how we have been disobedient or confess things for which we seek forgiveness. We thank Him for the blessings in our life. We thank Him for what He has done. We thank Him for Christmas and Good Friday and Easter. But, we also spend a lot of our prayer time making requests.

God, heal my friend's grandmother. Lord, help me repair this damaged marriage. Father, let this pregnancy not end like the last two that ended in miscarriage. Help me do my best on this exam...by the way, I need at least a B or I will lose my scholarship. God, protect my cousin who is in Afghanistan.

Many, many years ago, I was asked by a co-worker to play on his church's softball team. In those days, I was a pretty good player and so I agreed. We always had a team prayer prior to the start of the game and I can still vividly remember the coach of the team asking God, in every single one of those pre-game prayers, to give us base hits. ...base hits. And he didn't even qualify it with that often used (but, in my view, unnecessary) caveat..."if that would be Your will." In a world of suffering and war and disease and poverty and hunger and strife and a 50% divorce rate and childhood leukemia, he is asking the God of the Universe for base hits. I'll be honest...that sorta bugged me. Many of us have considered prayers we have heard or even spoken ourselves and thought "God has bigger things to worry about than whether your team wins the game."

Really? If your child came to you and said, Daddy, the thunder scares me. Do you say, honey, I've got a tax return that I need to complete and I also need to finish my presentation for work tomorrow...I don't have time for that and even if I did, being scared of thunder is nonsense. Come back to me when you have something really important to discuss. Mommy, can I have a hug? Can't you see that I am busy right now? Why don't you go watch TV until supper is ready.

God is never too busy. And there is no request from your heart that He does not want to hear. He delights in you and me. He is the Father that has all the time in the world to listen to you. He is the Mother that is never too busy to hold you and hug you and listen to even your most silly concern.

Do you ever make deals with God? God, if You will make this situation turn out the way I want it to, I promise I will ______________. Pretty sure most of us have done that. We ask God to "intervene" in the course of human activity and history and adjust the rudder to turn the ship of inevitability just enough to change the result that is otherwise obvious. When my father-in-law, Ed, was in the latter stage of his cancer, I struggled with what to ask God to do. I wanted a miraculous healing to take place knowing that the doctor's prediction ran counter to that. So, do I pray for healing or do I pray that God will take away his suffering and pain and mercifully let him die? God, please heal him, but, if not, then I ask that you please allow him to not experience any more of this terrible pain. Thinking back, I only asked for two possibilities. What if there was a third? But, in my heartbreak, I was being honest and I think God asks that of us. Tell me what is on your heart...I'll deal with the rest, I think He says. Even when we do not know what to pray...God tells us in Romans 8: 26,27: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God."


Ed battled cancer for many years. We prayed and prayed for his outcome with cancer to be different than what actually occurred. But, God was glorified through Ed's ordeal. I shared a story at his funeral:

I want to share one last story. Ed re-entered the hospital 8 days ago and was very sick. On Monday of last week one of his co-workers at Augusta Regional, a good friend, went to visit him. She had been reading her Bible and their conversation turned to that. She had been reading about Noah; and Ed, with oxygen tubes up his nose, morphine and antibiotics running into his arm, began to talk to her about God flooding the earth because of man’s wickedness, but sparing Noah and his family. He went on to explain how God sent His only Son to pay the price for our sin and provide a way for us to be forgiven and enjoy eternal life with Him. Dying of cancer in a hospital bed, Ed led his friend to the Lord and she professed her faith in Jesus Christ.

What if God had answered my prayer the way I asked Him to? Would Ed have had that opportunity to share Jesus Christ with her? We'll never know.

God is glorified through football wins and tragedy, newborns and cancer, triumphs and disasters, graduations and incarcerations. I want my prayers to be honest...if it is on my heart, I want to share it with Him. But in all that I ask for, I always want God to be glorified in the outcome. If that is done by His saying "yes," that is wonderful. If, however, He is glorified through "no" or "not now", then so be it. That's my prayer.

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Marriage

The Republican primary season is in full swing and the various candidates are employing their strategies to win the nomination of their party. Some seem to be focused on courting the more conservative party voters while others seem to be trying to attract the more moderate voters and independents.

Rick Santorum has clearly been one of the more outspoken candidates when it comes to social issues. He is currently in New Hampshire and, at a meeting on Friday, he addressed issues with college students in Durham, NH. One of the topics was same-sex marriage. His position that marriage should only be between a man and a woman was met with heckling and disdain. Many of these college students disagreed with him and Rick Santorum is clearly not a favorite among gays.

So, what is the correct answer? Today, some states (including New Hampshire) allow same sex couples to marry. (By the way, New Hampshire's state motto is "Live Free or Die") Other states allow something called civil unions...not exactly the same thing as marriage, but close. In most states, any type of legal union between same sex partners is not allowed. Certainly people that are married are provided certain rights and benefits that non-married people are not afforded. Some believe that by not allowing same-sex partners to enter into this legal status, they are being discriminated against relative to these benefits. My understanding is that states that allow for civil unions effectively provide many of these benefits through this alternative arrangement while falling short of calling it marriage.

Marriage has traditionally been both a religious status and a legal status. The majority of marriage ceremonies are held in houses of worship officiated by the "clergy" of that particular religion. But people can also be legally married by various public officials like judges, justices of the peace (and even ship captains!) To be legally married in the US, one is not required to participate in any religious ceremony, only one that is legal.

So, can marriage be simply a legal status? Right or wrong, in the US, the obvious answer is yes. So, marriage has been defined, by precedence and practice, as a legal status granted by governing authorities. As long as that is the case, laws will ultimately have to be based upon considerations that do not necessarily involve any religious influence. That does not suggest that moral considerations are not considered but, many, if not most, "moral" norms are traced back to some religious teaching so, we keep coming back to the influence of religious teachings.

So, we have a societal dilemma. Homosexual people are going to have relationships with their partners regardless of any laws that are passed. And these partners are going to live together because there will be no laws passed forbidding this, and, even if there were, laws like that could never realistically be enforced. There are other marriage related laws...laws forbidding polygamy, laws preventing certain family members from marrying, laws with regards to age of consent and probably several others.

I think one of the major issues has to do with the very meaning of the word "marriage." That word has traditionally denoted the strongest identification of the joining of a man and woman in relationship. Nobody has ever asked me how long Carol and I have been "unioned." I think that many gay couples' primary desire is to secure all of the legal benefits and acknowledgement that a legal "joining" affords. But I also believe that most gay couples desire their relationship to be acknowledged by society as equally legitimate and acceptable as that of any heterosexual marriage relationship. Many heterosexuals have a problem with that because most people in the US see it as a moral/ religious issue. But, our government doesn't look at marriage as a strictly religious status, it is a civil, legal status. People of faith generally view marriage as something much more significant than a legal contract...it is something ordained by God. Unfortunately, the divorce rate of these marriages mirrors that of secular marriages. (Maybe a bigger problem is man/woman marriage...but that is a subject for a different blog.)

So, when it comes to this marriage issue, what is the right and best thing to do? Hmmm, is that one question or two? You tell me.

In the meantime, can we agree that we will treat all people with respect regardless of which "H" word they identify with? At the end of the day, we are all just people, loved equally by our Maker.

Inspiration

Have you ever been inspired? All of us can probably point to at least one time in our life when we were genuinely inspired. I don't mean motivated...I mean inspired...there is a difference.

There are all sorts of things that can do that to and for us...special moments in our lives, tragedies, songs, nature, literature, people...so many different things can serve to inspire us.

A friend of mine was inspired by a photograph she took almost 10 years ago while vacationing at Edisto Island, South Carolina. Rising early one morning, Jan went down to the shoreline to take some pictures of the sunrise with a borrowed camera (she didn't even own one of her own.) After she returned from her trip and had the film developed, she and her friend Mary were looking through the photos and discovered an image in the clouds in one of the photos that left them both speechless. What Jan and Mary saw in the photograph was a face. That photograph served as an inspiration for Jan to ultimately write a short, 16-page book she titled "The Lord Make His Face Shine Upon Thee and Be Gracious Unto Thee." The title page adds: "A Story of Love, Loss, Rebellion, Redemption, Grace and God's Favor." What makes the photograph even more significant is the fact that, prior to her trip, Jan, in her prayer time, had made a very specific request of God.

Last year, Jan shared with me that she was going to write the book...a special story about the photograph and what it meant to her. I told her that I thought that was a great idea and encouraged her to do so (she really didn't need any encouraging from me because she had already been inspired to write it.) Many months ago, she brought a manuscript to my store and asked me if I would like to read what she had written. I said yes but honestly didn't really plan to read all of it. During a slow point in the day, I opened the manila folder containing the pages she had written... I read every word and was moved by the story that she shared. There were a few places that nearly brought me to tears. What she has written is a story about a photograph but, maybe more importantly, a poignant story about her own life and faith journey.

Unfortunately, Jan was not successful in finding a publisher willing to print her book so she had a local printer produce copies of the book for her. One of Jan's co-workers helped her with the layout. Jan's desire was to have some books ready for Christmas but, problems with the local printer's equipment made that goal seem unattainable. Somehow (!), the problem was resolved and Jan received the first batch of books on December 23rd. Jan had decided one of those books was going to be for me. I feel honored and blessed that she would give me one of her first copies.

Why am I blogging about Jan's book? Because Jan was inspired by a photograph to write a book and, Jan's reasons for and decision to write a book inspired me to start writing my blog. Funny how that works.

Want some inspiration? Contact Jan Ayer and ask to buy a copy of her book.

Jan's photograph, which she titled "Safe Haven," has been shared with several notable people/groups including Dr. Charles Stanley, President George W. and Laura Bush, Thomas Kincade, and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Their responses are detailed at the end of the book.

Jan can be contacted through her Facbook page.

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