Most of the time I really enjoy being the mayor of a small city. I love meeting people and helping people when I can. I believe in letting people be on their own property as long as they do not cause problems for their neighbors. I do love a peaceful community.
It is that "As long as" clause that gives me a problem. Sometimes neighbors call and lodge a complaint about their neighbor. In previous administrations the city would send a letter of citation that really left people angry. When I became mayor I wanted to give citizens the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps they did not know that what they were doing or failing to do, was illegal. I like to check out the facts and then talk to the offender face to face in a polite way.
Most of the time citizens cooperate and correct the situation and all is well. When they get mad to my face and refuse to cooperate that is hard on me. If what they are doing or not doing is a danger to the community I am required by state law to act to enforce the law. Then I must issue a letter citing the law being violated and let them know what will happen if they fail to take care of it in good order. I also pray for them to come around and be helpful.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Thursday, August 13, 2015
A Question on the Trinity
"Could you explain the Trinity to me please?"
The hymn goes “God in three persons blessed trinity.” What do we mean by that phrase? Most people just shake their heads and say it is a mystery and still others think we Christians worship three gods, which is not true. You will not find the word “Trinity” in the scriptures. For me the easiest way to think about all this is to recognize that there is only one God. Jesus said that. “God is spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and in truth” so this is our starting point.
Humans have a difficult time relating to a god that can not be seen or touched so we want to make pictures or statues to help us. That however is forbidden in the Ten Commandments. The early Christian church struggled with this relationship. They needed to express the different ways they experienced and talked about God. They saw that the one God was doing three things in relating to us and the terms they used were Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Father: God acting in creation to make all things by word of command.
Son: In the man Jesus God put His spirit and saved us from our sins.
Holy Spirit: God created us with our own spirit and contacts us directly as spirit.
The very human concept of Trinity is simply our way of relating to the different ways that God has used and continues using to relate to us.
The hymn goes “God in three persons blessed trinity.” What do we mean by that phrase? Most people just shake their heads and say it is a mystery and still others think we Christians worship three gods, which is not true. You will not find the word “Trinity” in the scriptures. For me the easiest way to think about all this is to recognize that there is only one God. Jesus said that. “God is spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and in truth” so this is our starting point.
Humans have a difficult time relating to a god that can not be seen or touched so we want to make pictures or statues to help us. That however is forbidden in the Ten Commandments. The early Christian church struggled with this relationship. They needed to express the different ways they experienced and talked about God. They saw that the one God was doing three things in relating to us and the terms they used were Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Father: God acting in creation to make all things by word of command.
Son: In the man Jesus God put His spirit and saved us from our sins.
Holy Spirit: God created us with our own spirit and contacts us directly as spirit.
The very human concept of Trinity is simply our way of relating to the different ways that God has used and continues using to relate to us.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Back To School Time
With school starting this week children are streaming back into the class rooms to learn all they can. The summer has been full of trips, relaxing and enjoying the fun in the sun. But now it is time once again to refocus their minds. It is also a good time for the rest of us to also refocus our minds. Some of us have traveled out of the country and some to other parts of the country. Some went fishing and some went to visit family and friends in different parts of the good old USA. Now is a natural time to get back to living at home and get back to weekly worship, Sunday school and Bible studies as part of our focus on faith.
It is ironic that in the age of super fast computers, when our access to knowledge and information exceeds any previous age, that confusion is rampant. It is not the new and improved that we need to seek but the oldest source of wisdom and strength, God’s Word. The words and witness of the prophets of the Old Testament and the saints of the New Testament tell us that faith is more powerful than doubt, that hope is more potent than despair, and that only God’s love can conquer those forces within.
The forty-plus writers of the Bible give us their witness of their growing relationship with God. Their life stories were a lot like ours. Life was a hard struggle then as it is now. Even with advanced technology, our basic struggles are the same. We face the same temptations to sin against God and against other people, just as they did. Some of them obeyed God and were blessed, and some of them turned away from God and paid the price of their folly. We can learn from their successes and mistakes that God is quick to forgive those who repent and love. If you find that life is just too much, turn to your Bible, and you will find that someone before you has faced the same problem and has given you a witness for overcoming that problem with power and faith.
It is ironic that in the age of super fast computers, when our access to knowledge and information exceeds any previous age, that confusion is rampant. It is not the new and improved that we need to seek but the oldest source of wisdom and strength, God’s Word. The words and witness of the prophets of the Old Testament and the saints of the New Testament tell us that faith is more powerful than doubt, that hope is more potent than despair, and that only God’s love can conquer those forces within.
The forty-plus writers of the Bible give us their witness of their growing relationship with God. Their life stories were a lot like ours. Life was a hard struggle then as it is now. Even with advanced technology, our basic struggles are the same. We face the same temptations to sin against God and against other people, just as they did. Some of them obeyed God and were blessed, and some of them turned away from God and paid the price of their folly. We can learn from their successes and mistakes that God is quick to forgive those who repent and love. If you find that life is just too much, turn to your Bible, and you will find that someone before you has faced the same problem and has given you a witness for overcoming that problem with power and faith.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Labels Liberal OR Conservative
I was recently accused of being a liberal by some one who took issue with a post I made. A short time later I was accused of being ultra conservative by another friend. To top it off both labels came because of the same post. It says something about the two people who gave me those labels.
Labels like liberal and conservative are often placed on us by people who want to put us in a box of their choosing. Some of us chose our own label to reflect where we think we stand in our community. We do not all share exact definitions of what those labels mean so applying them to others based on our understanding may be a source of friction.
It is interesting to watch the current political debate where politicians accuse each other of not being conservative enough. The truth is often not considered in the argument but is based on our own bias. On both sides of the spectrum there are people who get angry with others who do not fit their definition of liberal or conservative. Is there a test we all have to pass on this issue? I hope not.
I am an independent mind and the fact is that on some issues I am very conservative and on others I am very liberal. If you are talking money I am very conservative! In my home, city government and national politics I believe in balanced budgets and NO debt. However if you are talking personal rights and freedom I am very liberal. I believe that unless my actions are causing harm to others I should be allowed to make my own decisions without government intrusion
Politics, religion and relationships are all open to reflection and renewal for me. I don’t change my mind easily but I am always willing to look at new evidence and seek the truth. There is not enough truth seeking this year.
Labels like liberal and conservative are often placed on us by people who want to put us in a box of their choosing. Some of us chose our own label to reflect where we think we stand in our community. We do not all share exact definitions of what those labels mean so applying them to others based on our understanding may be a source of friction.
It is interesting to watch the current political debate where politicians accuse each other of not being conservative enough. The truth is often not considered in the argument but is based on our own bias. On both sides of the spectrum there are people who get angry with others who do not fit their definition of liberal or conservative. Is there a test we all have to pass on this issue? I hope not.
I am an independent mind and the fact is that on some issues I am very conservative and on others I am very liberal. If you are talking money I am very conservative! In my home, city government and national politics I believe in balanced budgets and NO debt. However if you are talking personal rights and freedom I am very liberal. I believe that unless my actions are causing harm to others I should be allowed to make my own decisions without government intrusion
Politics, religion and relationships are all open to reflection and renewal for me. I don’t change my mind easily but I am always willing to look at new evidence and seek the truth. There is not enough truth seeking this year.
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Politically Correct?
There are some who rail at PC or Politically Correct conversation. One in particular says that America does not have time for PC. This is something that I have been thinking about for a long time. Most of the people I know who gripe about PC are not able to be PC. They say what ever come into their mind no matter who it hurts.
What does politically correct really mean? We do not really have a law that defines it and people are free to use what ever words they choose. So why all the anger? Perhaps it is because our society has been changing so much that using derogatory language has become unacceptable to most people?
PC can also mean Polite Conversation that cares about the feelings of others. Most people are aware that unkind words can hurt deeply so they refrain from using derogatory words based on gender, race, national origin or orientation. PC is all about being respectful of others no matter who they are.
My mother use to tell me that Jesus teaches us to love all God's children with our words and deeds. She was always PC because it was in her heart to love as Jesus loved.
Enough said!
What does politically correct really mean? We do not really have a law that defines it and people are free to use what ever words they choose. So why all the anger? Perhaps it is because our society has been changing so much that using derogatory language has become unacceptable to most people?
PC can also mean Polite Conversation that cares about the feelings of others. Most people are aware that unkind words can hurt deeply so they refrain from using derogatory words based on gender, race, national origin or orientation. PC is all about being respectful of others no matter who they are.
My mother use to tell me that Jesus teaches us to love all God's children with our words and deeds. She was always PC because it was in her heart to love as Jesus loved.
Enough said!
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Does It Really Matter?
For many years as a Christian Church Pastor I tried in vain to get church people to follow the bible in our practices. Culture keeps chipping away at the meaning and actions of our Christian Celebrations. It started early, very early when church leaders incorporated two pagan celebrations into Christian celebrations. They moved the birth of Christ from January to the solstice day of December 25th and there it stayed in the Western Church.
They changed the name of Resurrection Sunday to Easter Sunday to move Romans from the pagan goddess to Christ. Then we have the whole X-mas thing which is a miss understanding of the Greek letter “X” spoken as “chi” for Christ.
After 40 plus years of trying culture has won out. I know that I can never change what is to tightly locked up in peoples minds and hearts. I have to ask myself, “Does it really matter?”
If we know what we mean does it matter what it use to mean? If we actually do celebrate the birth of Jesus does it matter what day we choose? If we celebrate the Resurrection does it matter what we call it?
The real test is that Christians do what Jesus taught! That is what really matters. Jesus took the old laws of love your neighbor as your self and taught us to do more; Love those who hate you and pray for those who do bad things to you. There are church members today who do and say hateful things about people they don't like. They are not following the teachings of Jesus and in fact are doing the opposite so can they be truly called followers of Christ?
Yes it really matters!
They changed the name of Resurrection Sunday to Easter Sunday to move Romans from the pagan goddess to Christ. Then we have the whole X-mas thing which is a miss understanding of the Greek letter “X” spoken as “chi” for Christ.
After 40 plus years of trying culture has won out. I know that I can never change what is to tightly locked up in peoples minds and hearts. I have to ask myself, “Does it really matter?”
If we know what we mean does it matter what it use to mean? If we actually do celebrate the birth of Jesus does it matter what day we choose? If we celebrate the Resurrection does it matter what we call it?
The real test is that Christians do what Jesus taught! That is what really matters. Jesus took the old laws of love your neighbor as your self and taught us to do more; Love those who hate you and pray for those who do bad things to you. There are church members today who do and say hateful things about people they don't like. They are not following the teachings of Jesus and in fact are doing the opposite so can they be truly called followers of Christ?
Yes it really matters!
Monday, August 3, 2015
Student Loan Program
The Student Loan program is a double edged sword. On the one hand students can get easy access to money for their collage expenses. On the other hand they often do not read the fine print which makes it possible for their school loan debts to really pile up. It is not an easy choice for young people going to school cost are high and it is really hard to work your way through as we did in my day. In some ways this easy money has made it possible for more people to get a collage education and then an economic education afterwards.
Some people are crying out for debt relief for former students who now can not afford to buy a new home or car because of a student loan they can not get out of even in bankruptcy court. The government loan guarantee to the loan company is that the loan will be paid off by the student. Because students can delay repayment many do but do not understand that the interest accrues and compounds every day. If I make a loan I will pay it off as a matter of personal pride.
The Student Loan program has been good for the universities and has allowed them to raise the price of education. We need to rethink the Student Loan program and perhaps our educational system. Should the state pay for our education from K through BA/BS? Should we go back to only those who can afford a collage education are able to attend?
What do you think?
Some people are crying out for debt relief for former students who now can not afford to buy a new home or car because of a student loan they can not get out of even in bankruptcy court. The government loan guarantee to the loan company is that the loan will be paid off by the student. Because students can delay repayment many do but do not understand that the interest accrues and compounds every day. If I make a loan I will pay it off as a matter of personal pride.
The Student Loan program has been good for the universities and has allowed them to raise the price of education. We need to rethink the Student Loan program and perhaps our educational system. Should the state pay for our education from K through BA/BS? Should we go back to only those who can afford a collage education are able to attend?
What do you think?
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