Out of Context

During political campaigns both sides will resort to taking video clips and edit them to show a candidate saying something quite different than what the people listing to him or her heard. Taking a piece of the speech out of context can make it seem like something terrible was said.

One example out of the many was the President saying, “You didn’t build that.” In the context he was talking about the infrastructure like highways, phone lines and water pipes. Out of the context political ads made it seem like he said that the people who built a business didn’t build their business.

This has been going on forever in election maneuvering. It is not honest but that never stops them. The concern for me and all voters is to pay attention to the negative ads and find out what was really said. Sadly we too often hear what we want to hear and accept as truth what our side is saying even if we know it is a lie.

   

An Unforgettable Sermon

I once had a plan for a sermon  but Murphy and his silly laws got in the way. The sermon was from Matthew 25 about the story of ten bride’s maids and their oil lamps. You need to know that the last time I was in Jerusalem I purchased several clay oil lamps of the kind used in the days of Jesus. My thought was to use one of them to demonstrate how these lamps provided light and how oil was added and have the lamp burning on the communion table during the sermon.

On Friday I took my oil lamp to church and practiced with several wicks to get it just right. The fourth time it worked like a charm. The lamp worked just the way I wanted it to and it was easy to put out. Then I thought I would introduce it during the children’s moment and leave it lit on the table. It seemed like such a good plan to help every one focus on the sermon and remember it well.

On that Sunday I had everything set up and the children came forward and it was all working just like I thought up until I added a bit of oil to the lamp and some of it got on the top of the lamp. We sang “give me oil for my lamp keep me burning.” It wasn’t much just a bit and I lit the wick. It looked OK and was for a moment. I set the lamp on the table and got ready for communion. During communion I looked at the lamp and noticed that not only was the wick burning but so was the whole lamp.

One of the elders tried to put it out with the candle snuffer but that was too small and then the lamp fell off the table onto the floor… Well we got the fire out with no real damage but it will be a sermon that no one who was present will ever forget. We can make great plans and even work hard to make them work but we need to be ready for the unexpected. Being ready for the unexpected was even covered in the sermon.  

Our Federal Government

The preamble of the US Constitution gives us the purpose for establishing our representative form of government. It is short but it covers a lot of concepts by which we are governed. I have been thinking about each of these reasons for our federal government.

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Justice:

First on the list is justice and I read that equal justice for all people in this country. We may have a trial by a jury of our peers and when accused the arresting authority must inform us of our rights. This includes the right to an attorney provided by the state if we can not afford one.

Domestic Tranquility:

The federal government is charged with keeping the peace within our borders.

Provide for the common defense:

Provide for Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines to keep us safe from outside aggressors.

Promote the General Welfare:

People interpret this in many ways. The debate is on going concerning our care of the poor, sick and disabled. Is the affordable health care act covered by this?

Secure the Blessings of Liberty:

Not just for ourselves but for future generations.

True Wealth

One afternoon in 1953, the mayor and city officials gathered with reporters at the Chicago railroad station. They were expecting a famous man who had won the 1952 Nobel Peace prize.A giant of a man stepped off the train, six-feet-four, with bushy hair and a full mustache. The cameras began to flash and the mayor stepped forward with his hand outstretched to greet him. They began to lavish praise and honors on him but he asks them to excuse him for a moment. Looking over the heads of the crowd this big man began to push through to the back of the platform.

There he approached an elderly black woman who was struggling as she tried to carry two large suitcases. He picked up the bags in his big hands and, smiling, escorted the woman to a bus. As he helped her aboard, he wished her a safe journey.

Meanwhile, the crowd tagged along behind him. He turned to them and said, "Sorry to have kept you waiting." The man was Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the famous missionary to Africa who earned the Noble Peace prize helping the poor. he was wealthy beyond measure but needed not one bank vault to hold his wealth.

At Odds With Myself

I have some core political beliefs that guide me but at times I am at odds with myself over their application. Some times two of my beliefs are at odds with each other and I need to work out my thoughts on the greater good between them. It is an ongoing struggle with life and living in this republic where there are a lot of differing opinions challenges our choices.

I believe that all levels of government should provide the best possible governance for the least possible tax. All government budgets must balance spending and revenue. Debt should only be incurred in war or great national emergency and then only with a prescribed pay off time. Elected officials should serve their office as an act of service and not as a career.  Term limits should be imposed by voters but we often re-elect the same people over and over. As a small city mayor I struggle with all of this as I enjoy being mayor and think about serving another term and argue with my self about my term limit.

No matter which government level is in action we are all here to serve our people in a responsible way. We would like to do it all but we can not do everything for everyone. We will please some and displease others when we weigh taxes and service to our continuances. To provide more service we must raise more revenue and to reduce revenue we must reduce services. Our government is by the people, for the people and sometimes in spite of the people. 

National, state and local governments affect people’s lives in a variety of ways and it is not easy to balance our ways and means but we must. I pray every day for our elected officials even the ones with whom disagree. Join me in prayer.

What does it take for you?

The story is told about an angel walking down the street of Old Jerusalem with a torch in his right hand and a bucket of water in his left hand. Another angel saw him and asks, “What are you going to do with that fire and water?”  The first angel replied, “With the fire, I’m going to burn down the mansions of heaven, and with the bucket of water, I’m going to put out the fires of hell. Then we’ll see who really loves God.”

What a thought! Do you have to have hell scared out of you or the promise of golden streets to make you love God? Is it enough for you to love and praise God simply because God is God. Is it enough to love God as the creator of the universe, including the good earth we live on. What does it take for you to really love God?

God has expressed love for us many times but never forces us to love in return. But our love is what God desires from us. For that love to be real it must be freely felt and given. To be in love with God can be the most exhilarating feeling one can have. Sadly to few people feel the full effects of that kind of relationship and their lives suffer from the lack of it. Do you truly love God? How do you express you love for God? Does your love flow from a heart filled with joy because of God’s great gift of His son Jesus?

Let your love flow freely and enjoy its power to lift you up.

My Dear Mother

I have been thinking about my recent visit with my mother in Texas. She has changed since I was with her for her 90^th birthday last spring. It is a very noticeable change and not for the better. Many mini strokes over the years had already robbed her of the ability to make new memories but she always knew who I was and was with the moment.

This past year she broke her hip and spent time in the hospital and has been in decline ever since. She looks very frail and is no longer in the moment or knows who I am. We just go with the flow of her conversation of what ever moment she is in and enjoy being with her. I am so thankful for the care my sister Jeannie gives her.

My mother was always a rock of faith and love for me and my siblings. Because of her I am the man I am today able to live and be at peace with God. I know that her great faith is still with her and even though she is nearing the last of her days with us that she will be in the arms of God forever. I am at peace with that and honor her life as a woman of Proverbs 31.

I love you mom.