Because, not Despite

This morning I am reminded of a sermon from about three years ago on John 3:14-21:

While we are still sinful creatures, God gave his only begotten Son for us, for all of creation. Indeed, God did not send the Son to the world to condemn it, but in order that it might be saved through him. This is my point; I do not believe that God loves the world in spite of itself. I do not believe that spite has any place in God’s perfect love.

Last Thursday, Darryl Littlejohn was formally charged in the brutal murder of 24-year-old Imette St. Guillen in Brooklyn. The horrid nature of her death made headlines. In an interview with Littlejohn’s mother, she told reporters that she loves her son. She did not try to say he was innocent. She did not try to apologize for what happened to St. Guillen. She did not try to explain away the crime. She said nothing about the crime. Instead, she simply said she loves her son.

This must have been difficult. This is such a heinous crime. It might have been tempting to say “my son could not have done this.” With such a shocking crime, the family of Miss St. Guillen might have hoped for condemnation of Mr. Littlejohn by everyone—including his mother. But Mrs. Littlejohn did not say she loves her son in spite of what he is accused of doing, but because of who he is—her son. This crime has nothing to do with her love of her son. His sins, his transgressions do not change her love for her child.

I do not want to offend our sensibilities and compare our lives to that of an arraigned murder suspect. It is tempting to thank God that none of us has ever been so depraved that we would even consider such a dreadful deed. It is tempting to take solace in the thought that we are not “that bad.” But I want us to consider this from a different perspective. Don’t consider the crime of the son, but the love of the mother.

Our Heavenly Father loves us in the way Littlejohn’s mother loves him. A love which exists not despite who we are, but because of who we are, sons and daughters. Even in our most atrocious humanity, God does not forsake us.

This rings with me this morning. May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Virtual Nostalgia

Marie gave me permission to share this story with you.

The other day she was using Google Earth to check out her old stomping grounds, East Haven, Connecticut. She showed me the road she lived on, she showed me the beach. She showed me the park and she showed me the marina. She couldn't find the light house, but her cousin assures her it is still there.

Then it dawned on her. She was giving me the same tour her father would take her on of the old neighborhood. Of course, he did the tour from the road. "This is where so-and-so lived. This is where we would do such-and-such." The only difference is that we did it from the comfort of our own home.

So to speak, it was virtually the same tour.

As Jim Stafford sang in the song Wildwood Flower, "Take a trip and never leave the farm."

Marketing?

About a month ago, I went to Wal-Mart (no booing) to look for Ice Melt for the driveway. When I got there, I couldn't find any. It was February! Shouldn't there be Ice Melt at WallyWorld?

I finally found and asked a sales guy where to find the Ice Melt and he said, "Don't stock it anymore. The season's over." Since then we have had ice once and are supposed to get some ice tomorrow too.

Whoops! This is the problem with large multi-national corporations: There is no flexibility in stock. You get what's due for the season based on statistical and business models. Who cares if it snows?

Oh yeah, I do-my street sucks when its icy.

In Memorium--Dan Seals

Marie told me this morning that Dan Seals died, I think she said lymphoma. Seals was a pop singers in the late 70's in the duo "England Dan and John Ford Coley." In the 80's and beyond he was a solo country artist as Dan Seals.

About fifteen years ago or so, Seals played a rodeo in Las Animas, Colorado; about 30 miles from where I lived in Lamar. One of my best friends, Cory Alan Lopez, was wording for the radio station and went out to interview him for the news.

Cory asked: "So, which is better? England Dan or Dan Seals?"

Seals just looked at Cory first in amazement and then with a smile. Dan Seals said, "I have been asked that question a million times, and that's the best way anyone has ever asked."

Sorry, I don't remember the answer.

RIP Dan Seals.
Lopes, give me a shout.

T.O.- Give Him Credit, not a Hard Time

Terrell Owens, the football player commonly known as T.O., is not going to Buffalo for voluntary workouts. (Follow this link for details.) Folks everywhere are complaining that he it's "Just T.O. being T.O" "T.O. not being a team player." Well, I'm comfortable on the T.O. Bashing Bandwagon, but just a minute here. There's a detail in the story that has been underemphasized:

Owens, who was in Washington on Wednesday night to receive an award from the Alzheimer's Association, said he has reached out to Bills quarterback Trent Edwards and that he's anxious to build a good relationship. "We talked shortly after I signed and we exchanged text messages," Owens said. "We're looking forward to the upcoming season."

and later in the same article from ESPN.com

The Alzheimer's Association honored Owens for raising awareness about the fight against the disease, which affects his grandmother, Alice Black, who raised him. On Wednesday, Owens credited his grandmother for the way he plays the game.

"My grandmother has been very, very instrumental in where I am as a person and my determination on the football field," Owens said.

People get on Mr. Owens (yeah, for once I will call him "Mister") for being selfish and a distraction, and this is often true. But this time he should be recognized for his charity work, not his fiery persona. If one of the NFL's golden boys had missed voluntary workouts for a charity function, nothing would be made of it. It's a shame Mr. Owens can't get the credit he deserves when he deserves it.

Our New Used Car

Well, we did it, we got a new car, or a new used car. It's a 2004 Nissan Xterra.




It's nothing fancy, but it has heat, A/C, and no oil leak so we're quite happy with it. And the next time we have to take all four cats to the vet--we can do it in one trip! Marie loves it because it's high enough that she can now see oncoming traffic over the neighbor's fence. Yeah!

Nostalgia and Sadness

In Clarksville, Arkansas, there was a flea market. It was right off of the highway and I remember it well...

Just before starting seminary, my Committee on Preparation for Ministry liason wanted to finally meet my wife. We arranged to meet in Clarksville since it was close to halfway between Fayetteville (where we lived) and North Little Rock (where he lived). We decided to meet in the flea market parking lot and find a restaurant once we got to town.

The place was huge, there was a ton of stuff. Marie even found a couple of Nancy Drew books to take send to her younger neice in Michigan. The chain link fence separating the store from the interstate was used by the local high school kids to put up messages with styrofoam cups in the mesh of the fence.

As I said there was a flea market. All that remains of the flea market is the faded sign that points down the road by a gas station on the main street. It's almost hidden in the mess of signs on that corner.

Now it's Clarksville's biggest Porn Emporium. Nostalgia and sadness--and no, we didn't go in this time.

There's No Crying in Plagerism

The Bravo Cable Network's show "Make Me A Supermodel" has begun another season. This week's episode features the models wearing what appears to be gold body make-up and the weirdest hair styles devised by chimps, or that's what the ad looked like to me. Evidently one of the models begins to weep. Maybe she had a brief fit of self-esteem?

Anyway, one of the judges cries out "There's no crying in modeling." Theft is so unbecoming on a supermodel judges panel.

Friends, let me show you how the line should be delivered as it was in the movie "A League of Their Own." Please, enjoy.

Bixby, Bixby, Look Who's Sixty!

This is my attempt to add 20 years to "Lordy, Lordy, Look Who's Forty" yet do it without success.

Happy Birthday Dan Krotz. By the time you read this, anyone reads this for that matter, it will be too late to warn you of the unexpected Birthday Party. Congrats and hooray.

For those of you who do not know Dan, he is a wonderful man, a great friend, and a spur to intelligencia everywhere. He's smart, well read, and wickedly funny. If you think this is a bromance, well, my wife would just say "duh."

He's also committed to the economic development of people all over the world. He has helped establish markets (from macro-and-micro-economic to farmer's markets) from Africa to the Berryville Square. He's a good neighbor around the corner and on the other side of the planet.

If you get the chance, read his on-line novel Coffee with John Heartbreak. It's a very funny and insightful look at the particular and sometimes peculiar small town life of Berryville, Arkansas--with a little bit of crime drama and an appearance by the Holy Spirit.

Also, if you are looking for a good book or antique, checkout Sow's Ear Antiques on the Berryville Square or online. Dan and Susan are happy to hear from and help out everyone who comes into their store--both virtual and brick and mortar.

God bless Dan! Happy Birthday!

Crime and Punishment

Ah, dear friends. I am sorry it has been so long since my last post, but hey, at least I got something. Berryville's Mayor has been arrested for DWI and possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia. Again.

For more information, follow this link to the Washington County Sheriff's Department Detainee Information with mugshot!

Boy, much more of this and you'd think this was Eureka Springs. Wait, is that a politics dig or a hippy dig?

A Modest Political Proposal

A crew of "Economic Experts" have given President Obama a grade of 59 on his handling of economic matters during his presidency.

The man hasn't been in office for two months and he's getting graded on a problem that started almost 30 years ago! America--we love to keep score but really, shouldn't we let him get into the game before calling his four years an economic debacle?

Pundits say the first 100 days are the most productive of any presidency. So I have a plan:

1. Cut the Presidential term of office from four years to four months. This gives the President 100 days to govern and 20 days to rest on the laurels.
2. To even the playing field--Congress terms go to two months and Senate terms to six months. This maintains the proportional length of terms in office.
3. Judges-no changes to appointed positions. Elected judge terms get cut to 1/12 just like the others.
4. Maintain current term limits! Don't change them one bit.

That's my proposal. It won't change the way campaigns are run one bit. Washington runs on a constant election cycle anyway. Shoot--Newt has just announced he's considering running for president and the next election is so far away we don't want to see it. We just take an election cycle that is happening and make it real instead of imaginary.

What a pity.

That Boy Ain't Right Bright

Bristol Palin's boyfriend and baby-daddy has dumped her. (I've seen it reported both ways--he broke up with her and she with him. Who knows? But this posting works better assuming he did the dumping.)

This is the sort of tragic family that is all too common in America. Kid's don't seem to have parents anymore-they have baby-mommas and baby-daddies. This is sad, and considering the statistics, this baby--even with a politically powerful grandmother--stands a much greater chance of being raised in poverty. But I have a question here...

What kind of kid would break up with Sarah Palin's daughter leaving a baby behind? Doesn't this kid know that dumping his limp, beaten, dying body anywhere in Alaska would be a snap for Granny? This hockey mom has a slapshot that can knock him into next week and the clout to get away with it.

I'm not saying this should be the governor's first inclination, nor am I saying this is a bad thing either. I'm just saying this boy has a habit of not thinking through his decisions. First he gets the daughter of a governor pregnant and then he dumps her. This kid is no rocket surgeon.

Yes, It's Broken

No, this isn't more about my car, this is the health care system.

I heard on the news that on Saturday the Republican response to President Obama's radio address included some observations about the health care system, particularly the insurance system.

The man who gave the response invoked the words "Socialized Medicine" while talking about the plan. He also said that the Democratic Party way of doing business is to "find something that works and fix it."

With all due respect (By the way, have you ever noticed that when "all due respect" is offered it is followed by less respect than the object of the remark might think is due?) with all due respect to the Congressman who dropped that bomb--I invite you to trade insurance with me for a couple of months and see how it works for you.

I have a good health insurance plan. I really do. But I am broke because of the way hospitals and insurance companies deal with one another. My paperwork gets lost and misfiled and the wrong codes go one way and the other. My part-time job is to jump through the paperwork hoops to pay medical bills! I just bet his plan is a little better--and he's got a staff to take care of the BS that goes with the paper.

Let us trade places, I bet I'll like his plan better than he likes mine.

That goes 1,000 fold for folks who can't afford insurance. People without insurance rightfully wonder what I'm complaining about.

Automotive Update

Well, not much to say about the Hyundai. It needs a new gasket, that's the source of the oil leak. It has been doing this for quite a while, but now it is in bad shape. This would run $500. It needs some other standard maintenence coming to about $1,000 more. On top of that, it also needs a new fan motor on the compressor cooler, a new fan for the interior, a new fan switch, and struts all the way around. Easily, this would run us about $3k...on a car that's ten years old with almost 117,000 miles on it.

In the words of a good friend, that sounds like sending good money after bad.

I once told Marie that I like to own a car until it's run into the ground. She reminded me of this today. I believe we can say this qualifies for running into the ground.

So, anyone selling a good used car?

Car Woes

Well, this is a fine kettle of fish...

I was in Little Rock from Thursday through Saturday at a conference. It was a wonderful learning experience and makes me feel quite hopeful. Unfortunately, one of the presenters said, "Beware when a pastor wakes up and thinks everything is great, because it won't be soon." Alas, she was right.

Leaving Little Rock, the tachometer (gauge that measures engine RPM's) died. This happened not too long ago--the alternator died and with it the car. Well, we got that fixed. But when the tach quit again, I figured it couldn't be any good.

I decided to drive to Conway and take a look at it there. So getting to a gas station at I-40 & US 65, I opened the hood. There was smoke coming off the engine block. Oops, this can't be good. So it's 3:00, the service place at the Hyundai dealer is closed in Conway, I'm still 3 1/2 hours from Berryville, and the sermon is ready to be typed, but it isn't typed yet. I'm stranded and hours from home.

To make a long story shorter, Marie came and got me with the help of good friends. We stayed the night because she was exhausted (I was pretty tired too, don't let me tell you it was just her) it was dark, and those corners are kind of tough on 65--especially at midnight--on the day that daylight savings time begins. We left at 7:00 this morning and I made it to church five minutes before worship.

Yes, I led worship in a t-shirt. At least it was a black tee and as bad as it must have looked, it could have been much worse.

Tomorrow I call Superior Hyundai in Conway to see what's up with the vehicle. I don't know what's going to happen next, I just don't. Will the car be fixible? How are we going to pay for it? What if it's not? How can I keep up on all of our bills with this on top of it all? But I know this, we have a wonderful church family who bolsters us. Thank God for their love and support, this is truly a spiritual gift.

Please pray for us, but pray with confidence. Glory comes, but it may look nothing like what I could ever expect. Of course, that's a part of this Sunday's sermon...

Conspiracy Theory

Who doesn't love a good conspiracy theory? I know I do. Convulusion with paranoia and a touch of Rube Goldberg always make the best ones, and there are two out there catching my attention right now.

Into politics? This one is becoming a golden oldie or an instant classic--the Obama isn't a citizen so how can he be President theory.

Into sports? This is a new one--Coach Belichick of New England and GM Scott Pioli of KC are hooking up a deal to get KC talent and dump salary off of the New England roster to the benefit of both.

The best thing about a conspiracy theory is that if nothing comes true, that can always be blamed on the conspiracy! Failure or pulling the plug is a function of conspiracy! "Oh, they had to stop what they were doing because they were afraid we were on their trail." Please.

My favorite from the 1984 Presidential election was that Clinton was looking at Colorado Governor Roy Roemer as a running mate to shore up Western support. Roemer denied it. "Bingo, why would he deny it unless he were considering it?" asks the conspiracy buff.

The answer that it might be the truth never crosses our the mind of the theorist.

Senator Al Gore is gets the nomination instead of Roemer, "Ah!" goes the conspiracy king, "Speculation was too hot so he had to duck out."

This is why I love conspiracy theories, they can eventually swallow themselves by their own circular logic. Not to say I haven't speculated once or twice...

Movies to Offend

Marie and I watched Tropic Thunder yesterday. As offensive as Blazing Saddles is, see my post from a couple of weeks ago, Tropic Thunder took the ground Blazing Saddles blazed, planted a ton of C-4, and scorched the earth.

This movie is intentionally offensive to every group of people on earth. Robert Downey Jr.'s Academy Award Nominated performance in black face reaches a new level of "OMG, did I really just see that" that just gets us started. The movie then offends (in no particular order) good actors, bad actors, the movie making industry, fat people, gay people, Asians, drug runners, children, people with special needs, Toby McGuire, MTV, energy drinks, rap/hip-hop music, bald people, sycophants, insects, and the anti-land mine people.

If you can offend that many people in less than two hours, you deserve a special prize.

Did I laugh, oh yes, I surely did. Am I proud of laughing at this movie. Oh, God no! And that's the point. This was meant to offend people. The film needed a caveat that said "Equal Opportunity Offender" running across the bottom for people who didn't get that it was a joke. Perhaps its saving grace is that it not only went too far, it went way too far.

Do I recommend it? Well, we'll have to talk. This isn't for just anyone, but it is against absolutely everyone.

Except Hispanics. Hummmmm.....