I heard they said....

I was flipping radio stations on my drive in this morning as I often do and I heard a great summation about one of the great evils plaguing our country today. Problem was the person who spoke these great words of wisdom had no idea he had spoken something so profound.

A caller to a local radio station was on the line. I missed the first part of the call but it was obviously open mic time and the subject was health care reform.

Now let me digress a bit. Anyone that knows me and my political beliefs knows that I happen to think anytime you receive a "sample ballot" in the mail for any election that the only place you should take that ballot is straight to the trash. I don't care who sent it. To me, part of our duty that goes along with voting is doing our homework on candidates and issues and using the brain that God gave us to make a decision - not relying on someone else's agenda. That being said, I'm sure there are some groups that send out some fine endorsements - but that takes thinking out of the hands of the average voter and that can never be a good thing.

Back to the caller. The talk is about healthcare and the guy says, "I heard they said that if this passes you'll have to blah blah blah".

Now, another disclaimer for this post. I certainly believe our healthcare system needs a little work, but I also don't believe the plan being shoved at us right now is it. Yes, I'm wandering again - this post isn't about healthcare...sorry...

Did he really just say what I thought he did? Yes, he really did. "I heard they said".

Unbelievable. And on top of that, there was no doubt that he really believed in the point he was trying to make. But he didn't quote an Obama speech from YouTube. He didn't cite a letter from his congresscritter that answered his question about the issue. Simply, "I heard they said...".

Who in the world is "they"? Probably the same people that send the weekly email saying that buying gas from Petro Express is supporting Chavez, Obama is the antichrist and Bill Gates will send me money if I forward this email.

Please don't misunderstand. I think that any issue that is going to affect me, my family or my pocketbook needs to be debated and questioned ad nauseum. I want to know who's in favor of it and why. I want to know who doesn't like it and why.

But, for the love of all that's good - do a little studying before embarking on a journey in support of or in opposition to an issue just because you heard they said....

Cash or credit?

Last Sunday morning, my Life Connection teacher started the class with a question about the last extravagant thing we bought for ourselves. As part of the discussion someone made a comment about saving up for it for as long as it took and then finally buying it. Eventually the conversation turned toward what we do for ourselves verses what we do for others.

I don't really remember what started my brain down the trail it took at that point but I had one of those aha! moments.

Do we help people on cash or credit?

Kind of a silly question, huh?

Maybe. But it made perfect sense to me at the time.

Suppose you are drooling over a new dishwasher at your local mega electronic warehouse. Now, suppose you've also got a credit account at said warehouse. You could buy it on that card and pay it off for 10 bucks a month for the next 27 years...or you could save up for the next few paychecks and go back and buy it. I know there are exceptions out there, but our society as a whole would much prefer the first choice. Sign now - pay me later - doesn't really cramp our style much does it?

But the latter option hurts, no? It is often painful to sacrifice to get something we want. It isn't always convenient to deny ourselves things we want in order to save up for something even bigger. It hurts our feelings not to stop and get a three dollar cup of coffee while we are trying to fill up our piggy bank.

So how in the world does this relate to people?

Well, here's my theory.

Helping people when they need it is kind of like scrimping and saving to pay cash for that dishwasher. It isn't always easy to do that , is it?

It begrudges us to tell someone we'll come by on the way home from work and give our time to them when we know our favorite show is on TV later that night.

It's difficult enough to write a check for our friend going on a mission trip or troublesome to cough up some cash for someone you don't even know that just watched their house burn to the ground - especially when the neighborhood hardware emporium has that patio furniture on sale that you've been eyeballing all summer. It's difficult - but it can be done. I suppose you could make the argument that you actually could help someone financially on credit - but that's an argument for another day.

But how do you help someone - how do you give them your time on credit?

Well, you really can't.

There is no way that I know of that you can be on your knees in your prayer closet asking God how you can help expand His kingdom by helping others without actually being on your knees in your prayer closet.

There isn't a way to hand out water bottles at the local ball park and invite people to your church without actually being there instead of somewhere else.

It's practically impossible to help clean up someone's house or yard after a disaster or even help a friend move if you make excuses and look for something else to do.

It hurts. It is often unpleasant. The word easy doesn't enter into the conversation. It may not always be the popular thing to do.

Thankfully, our Savior never let those things deter Him from helping us. He came to serve others - not to be waited on hand and foot. He came to die so that I didn't have to. No store account for Him.

How much trouble then can it be to give just a little bit of that love to someone else?

Who sets your pace?

I watched the other day as three people walked down a road. I just so happened to know all three of them and I also happened to know that they were all headed to the same place. I was high up in a building and they had no idea I was watching them.

Two of them were laughing, talking and walking at a somewhat leisurely pace.

The other man was a good bit behind them and I could tell from the layout of the road that he couldn't see the first two. He was walking at a decidedly faster pace than the first two. Eventually he caught up to the first two and they all three continued together

No big deal, right? Happens everyday somewhere or other.

Maybe...but who decided how fast they would travel or how far they would go at that point?

That little scenario can apply to so many situations in our lives everyday.

Maybe somebody you know fits one of those descriptions. Just maybe you fit one of those descriptions.

Have you ever had an idea for something that you thought would make everybody's life a little better? If so you probably felt like you were on top of the world and no one could stand between you and what you believed in. Your step was quicker and your smile was bigger - until you ran into the two guys that were walking in front of you. They didn't see your vision the same way you did and next thing you know, you've forgotten why you were so excited in the first place.

Or maybe you and your buddy were standing by the proverbial water cooler at your office. Up walks someone with a relatively small amount of time at your company. That someone has a great idea about a way to improve something you've been doing for years. Deep down you know that it's really a good idea but you give in to the culture and poo poo the new guy. Next thing you know, he's walking at the same pace you are.

I rambled through all of that to say this:

Next time you've got an idea, don't let anyone slow you down on your way to making it happen. Matter of fact, use that opportunity to pick up the pace of the people around you. They'll be glad you did and you will too.

If somebody comes to you for encouragement or guidance don't drag them down - help them!

You never know - you might just inspire and motivate the next Edison or von Braun or Whitney.

A sign of the times?

I have dreamed of this day for a long time.

More than once I have thought that it might never get here. 

On occasion I have imagined that I might experience this thing called parenthood without ever hearing it.

But then it finally happened. 

Last Friday, Carson finally asked. 

“Mom…Dad….can I have a goldfish?”

Wooohooo…fish bowl bliss is certainly upon us!!!

So off we go on Saturday morning to get a goldfish and some goodies.  We went to Wal Mart and got a fish bowl and some assorted decor to go in it.  Naturally though, the Wal Mart closest to us is undergoing a little remodeling and there were no goldfish to be found there.   Unbeknownst to us at the time, that was an ominous sign.

“No problem”, says I.  “We’ll just run right over the hill to the pet store”.  (Name withheld to protect the partially innocent.)

So we stroll into our local mega pet, walk past the local humane society adoption animals (including a boxer named Waffles) and march straight over to the fish section. 

Mindy tells the employee that she would like two goldfish, please. 

Said employee then asks, “Do you already have an aquarium setup?”. 

“No ma’am”, says Mindy, “we’ve just got a glass fish bowl”.

At this point the employee, with the majority of the color drained out of her face looks down over her glasses at Mindy and says, “We don’t sell goldfish for fishbowls.”.

{{{Insert apocalypse upon us comments here}}}

What?  Hold the phone.  Stop the presses. 

“You don’t do what?”

“Well, a goldfish will only live two years in a bowl but their life expectancy is actually 25 years”.

After our fit of laughter and after informing her that a trip to our house would likely result in a life expectancy of 25 days and not weeks, she kindly pointed us the bettas, which will live-just-fine-in-a-bowl-thank-you-very-much.

How in the world did goldfish achieve protected status?  What happened to the days when you could go to the fair or a carnival and win a goldfish in a baggie that had been riding around on  a train with bearded ladies and mustachioed barbell toting strong men for the last three weeks?  It’s hard for me to fathom that I can waltz into a pet store and buy 10 pounds of feeder fish for the ravenous carnivore swimming in my tank, but I can’t buy a thirteen cent goldfish because little Sally might outgrow her bowl if she lives two years…

OK…back to the present.

Maybe it’s progress.  Maybe it’s a sign of political correctness run amok.  Either way, it’s most definitely a sign of our times today.

You know…come to think of it…maybe she did us a favor…

What?   Nooo, we didn’t go home empty handed, gentle reader.  No way was I going to be the killjoy for this long awaited day.

No, she did us a favor because that bright blue betta aure does look good swimming in his bowl…

Blessing or curse?

Truth is, there's just no way to know yet.

One thing is for sure. The steel business runs in cycles. I'm a fourth generation steelworker so I'm no stranger to layoffs, strikes and other such impediments to making money in this business. To be fair, Fairfield Works sure has paid a big chunk of the food, clothing and shelter bills in my family for a long time.

The news today that I'm laid off starting next week hardly came as a surprise. I was really surprised I didn't get chopped last week.

The big question is, and it's the one that frustrates most people in my position - how long will it last? Lots of people inside the barbed wire of Fairfield Works say that we'll be back in a few weeks - and they might be right. Others speculate that it might last until next spring and they could be right as well. Either way, it's hard to commit to projects and jobs and work to help get by in the meantime.

There is a phrase I keep repeating, largely because I believe it. It came from a message by Vance Pitman when he was at our church recently talking about the kingdom of God. He was talking about our economy at the time and he said "if you think your employer is your source of income you are grossly mistaken; it has always been the Father". Praise God, my source of income isn't changing...it's the same today that is was three weeks ago and it will be the same five years from now if the Lord sees fit to leave me on this earth a little longer.

Ultimately, it's just to soon to know what's gonna happen...so stay tuned....

An upside down world...

I added something new to my daily reading a while back.

I use the Blue Letter Bible a lot for reference and one day I stumbled on the devotions by Charles Haddon Spurgeon. To say that he had a pretty good grasp on the Bible might be an understatement. Anyway, now I get a morning and evening devotion in my inbox everyday and it is always phenomenal. You can subscribe here if you'd like.

This one below is from yesterday morning and it absolutely nails the whole concept of service. Some great advice about the attitude of our heart. Enjoy!

I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

Ecclesiastes 10:7

Upstarts frequently usurp the highest places, while the truly great pine in obscurity. This is a riddle in providence whose solution will one day gladden the hearts of the upright; but it is so common a fact, that none of us should murmur if it should fall to our own lot. When our Lord was upon earth, although He is the Prince of the kings of the earth, yet He walked the footpath of weariness and service as the Servant of servants: what wonder is it if His followers, who are princes of the blood, should also be looked down upon as inferior and contemptible persons? The world is upside down, and therefore, the first are last and the last first. See how the servile sons of Satan lord it in the earth! What a high horse they ride! How they lift up their horn on high! Haman is in the court, while Mordecai sits in the gate; David wanders on the mountains, while Saul reigns in state; Elijah is complaining in the cave while Jezebel is boasting in the palace; yet who would wish to take the places of the proud rebels? and who, on the other hand, might not envy the despised saints? When the wheel turns, those who are lowest rise, and the highest sink. Patience, then, believer, eternity will right the wrongs of time.

Let us not fall into the error of letting our passions and carnal appetites ride in triumph, while our nobler powers walk in the dust. Grace must reign as a prince, and make the members of the body instruments of righteousness. The Holy Spirit loves order, and He therefore sets our powers and faculties in due rank and place, giving the highest room to those spiritual faculties which link us with the great King; let us not disturb the divine arrangement, but ask for grace that we may keep under our body and bring it into subjection. We were not new created to allow our passions to rule over us, but that we, as kings, may reign in Christ Jesus over the triple kingdom of spirit, soul, and body, to the glory of God the Father.

Randomness...

Well, a few things on my mind tonight...not the least of which is I have really done a horrible job blogging lately and I've been scolded by more than person for slacking on my writing...so here I go back to blogland...

I'll throw a few things out there just to get them written down and I'm gonna write some more about them later.

First off, I need to take time to count a few blessings and share them. Some really great things have been happening lately.

I've also got a rant brewing about the state of highway travel around our fair city. It involves construction zones, state troopers and generally inconsiderate drivers.

BSF is drawing to a close this week and I've got to say that the study of Moses has been awesome. I've got more than one post about this year coming soon. Next year's study of John promises to be awesome as well.

There is big news from the world known as work too. US Steel has announced their intention to idle our facility beginning May 19, 2009. Lots of things have changed since that initial announcement but the premise still holds true. Our blast furnace is still going down tomorrow but now it looks like maintenance (that's me) will work till at least the end of June. That being said, once they drain all of the iron out of the furnace, all bets are off. We could be down a month, 2 months, six months, a year or two years. At this point, nobody knows and it will all depend on how many orders we get in the near future.

I've also got several other projects in the works right now....the biggest one being my new business known as 1045media - that is my name for my video company and the name is based on my life verse - Mark 10:45. With 1045media I do things like photo slideshows, converting VHS and other formats to DVD and producing promotional videos. If you've got a need in one of the these areas, I'd love to talk to you about it.

I'm going to be offering some more services soon so be sure to watch for those. You can reply to this post or send an email to jason@1045media.com and I'll put you on my mailing list so you can keep up with specials and new services.

Lastly, the "Who Do I Want To Be" series has really been neglected lately as well. I've been making some notes but just haven't completed any articles. I'm a long way from enough of those to finish my book...

All of that being said, maybe, just maybe, I can get back in the writing groove...