Tag Archives: Accountability

Accountability, God, Hope, Humor, Inspirational, Life, political, politics

Dazed and Confused

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apples

I have a little confession to make.  It has been a really tough year keeping track of the political arena and who is going to lead this country beginning next year.  And perhaps like many of you, I have had a difficult time choosing someone to stand behind.  Mentally, it has been like trying to scour through a basket full of very badly bruised and rotten apples, attempting to find that one edible orb I could possibly use.  As soon as I think I’ve found that certain one, it is tossed out of the basket and I have to start all over again.  Now we are left with what looks like a choice of two; an old Granny Smith apple with a tough wrinkled skin as well as a sour bite and a new hybrid that has not been thoroughly tested and proven to be of use in the old proverbial political pie.

Mentally, I guess I am waiting for an interruption from our regularly scheduled lives to hear something that goes a little like this.  “We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for a special announcement concerning our nation’s current political figures.  As it turns out, this was all a farce and the real political candidates were on back order but are now available for service.  We apologize for any misunderstandings this may have brought about.  We now send you back to your regularly scheduled programming currently in progress.”  Don’t criticize someone for dreaming, right?

And at the same time our national political circus is in high gear, Jenny and I have the distinct opportunity to experience another political “say what?” here in North Carolina.  Our governor has passed a bill called HB 2 (House Bill 2) commonly called the bathroom bill which basically spells out that if you were born a male, you must use the restroom marked “Men” and if you were born female, you must use the restroom marked “Women”.  What seemed like a common sense piece of legislature has become a landmark case of discrimination against transsexuals who wish to use the restroom whose reflected sex on the restroom sign they currently relate to rather than going to the restroom that matches their biological equipment.  As a result, there have been corporations threatening to either pull out of or not expand their companies in the state, musicians have cancelled concerts and the Federal Government has sued the state of North Carolina based on discrimination with the state circling the wagons with a countersuit.  All over the equipment God gave us versus the equipment we wished we had?  Really?  No wonder we feel dazed and confused sometimes…

When I was growing up as the youngest of six until the time we moved and joined the “flushable” society when I was eight, we too had a choice concerning going to the restroom.  You see, down the brick path past the coal house and large cherry tree sat the “outhouse”, complete with two different sized holes.  Depending on the size of your accumulated assets, you either used one or the other.  And because of the rather pungent undesirable aroma and at times, stray wasp, there was no hording bathroom time; you came and went as fast as possible and hoped no one saw you.  Alas, simpler times…

Today, we would probably be offered free counseling for going through such a horrid ordeal, plus new government housing so we wouldn’t have to live in such deplorable conditions again and maybe a new custom built bathroom with an upgraded toilet all provided by the US government complete with an apology.

So what am I saying exactly?  Perhaps this; in the Declaration of Independence it begins with, “We the People” incorporating ALL peoples of this great country, not just those screaming the loudest, or has the most money, or has the support of those holding the most funds.  And while the government is dictating “common core” upon our children in our schools, I am looking for a leader to come forward with their own “common core” of beliefs.  First of all, the common decency to live a life that can be scrutinized and yet come through with his or her integrity intact.  A person who has the common sense to not bow to the whims of special interest groups, to not set themselves up to be palpably pleasing to the political palates and appetites of super packs, rather have the courage to go against the flow in order to represent ALL Americans.  And I would hope they would have the common courtesy of cherishing integrity over entitlement.

I know it is a tall order but nothing is impossible.  Maybe first we, as a nation, need to read the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights again.  There is a slogan going around this year “Make America Great Again”…really?  How about “Make America Accountable Again”, beginning with those at the top and letting it filter down to the everyday Joe.  Let US (you and I) be accountable for doing the right thing, for meeting the needs of others when you see a need instead of thinking someone else will step in.  Maybe for once, we can be accountable for our own actions and addictions instead of blaming others?  And maybe we can still hold on to the mindset our forefathers had.  Come on, you can still read it on MOST of our currency.  In God We Trust?  Just sayin…

I know we have a long way to go and maybe I am just cleaning off my rose colored glasses before placing them firmly back on this face of denial but I do still have hope for our country AND for each other.  I know, opinions are like belly buttons; everybody has one (unless they have been surgically augmented).  I am just hoping when it comes time for the inauguration, they don’t mistakenly play “Send in the Clowns”, instead of “Hail to the Chief”.

 

Proverbs 14:11-12—11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. 12 There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

Accountability, Christian, Christianity, God, Hope, Humor, Inspirational, Life, Listening, Love, new life, Spirituality, Transformation

Unexpected Expressions of Love

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rainbow cross

We have a rather strange anomaly at our house.  You see, written out on our expansive driveway are the words, “I LOVE YOU”.  Normally you can’t see the affectionate message because it is virtually invisible to the naked eye…unless it rains.  After a downpour, the hidden message comes to life.  I can only conjecture that the desperate scribe was in an adequately sized “dog house” at the time, the size of which would sufficiently house a Saint Bernard.  In his hurried act of desperation, he scribbled these words with the only thing he had at the time…I’m going to guess perhaps a chrome wheel cleaner.

I chuckle to myself every time I see it because it reminds me how unexpected expressions of love are displayed in our everyday lives and many times we are just too busy to see it…or may be express it?  (Of course, I could also be chuckling to myself because I wasn’t the one in the doghouse…)

A second, much more recent example occurred on Mother’s Day.  I like to get my wife a little something for Mother’s Day and strive to make it a little special.  Let’s face it guys, where would we be on Father’s Day if we didn’t have our wives as mothers…right?  And if we didn’t honor them with a little something, we would probably be writing “I LOVE YOU” on our own driveways, anything to get out of that proverbial doghouse.  Anyway, I had picked up a gift and had planned to make her breakfast.  I had also noticed the daisies dotting the horse pasture, blowing in the breeze.  I schemed to get up early on Sunday morning, sneak out the door and cut some of the daisies and put them in a vase just as something special.

What I didn’t expect was her reaction when she saw the flowers.  Jenny exclaimed “You picked me daisies!!” with an excited look and misty eyes.  My expression was one of surprise and confusion; I couldn’t figure out the response I received.  I later asked her about it and she explained that I went out of my way for a simple expression of love and it meant much more to her than going to the local Walmart for a bunch of flowers.  (Hhhmmmm…I wonder what will be growing out there in August for her birthday?)

You see, it doesn’t necessarily need to be a large material item to express “I love you!” or  “ I really appreciate you!!”…sometimes it only takes you being present in the moment.

God also showed His love for us in different unexpected ways.  One of those expressions can be seen after a thunderstorm; a beautiful rainbow.  And before the symbol of the rainbow was used and abused as a symbol for sexual immorality, it was THE symbol from God as a covenant between Himself and man.  Genesis 9:12-17 (NIV) says–And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

Even though God had destroyed the earth by water because there was so much evil on this earth, He still loved us enough to make a covenant between himself and all life on earth.  To this day, that is exactly what I think about when I have the privilege to see a rainbow in the sky; a promise kept and a really cool expression of love.

Another unexpected and ultimate expression of God’s love for us has to do with our redemption.  Romans 5:8 (NIV) states—“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  And while I still can’t quite grasp that kind of love, I have to accept it as a gift I can never repay.  John 3:16 explains—“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The cross, once a symbol of death, has become a beacon of life for ANYONE who believes in Jesus Christ as their lord and savior, who confesses their sins and becomes a new creation.  Simply speaking, this is the kind of love that sets the standard for all of us to follow.

So as you go on with your ordinary lives, take note of all of the unexpected expressions of love that surround you.  Participate in expressing that love as much as you can.  You definitely don’t want to be that guy (or gal) making a run to Walmart to purchase that chrome wheel cleaner so you can scribble a desperate message of love across your driveway.  If you need some help with expressions of love, try reading 1 Corinthians chapter 13 (NIV) reflected below; it is known as the LOVE chapter and for good reason.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Daisies

Accountability, Christian, Christianity, Forgiveness, God, Hope, Humor, Inspirational, Life, Love, Spirituality

Well, that’s not FAIR!!

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surprised smiley

As I was growing up, our family never really had a whole lot of material things to hold on to.   In fact, my youngest sister and I still joke about being so poor, all we had were catfish heads to play with instead of toys.   But what we did have made all the difference in shaping our lives to adulthood.  We had food on the table, we were clean, we wore clean clothes even though they were seldom brand new, and we had love in our home.  We learned how to count and perform basic math in our heads by playing dominoes.  We were taught respect, how to use our common sense, and the necessity to implement the common courtesies we learned along the way.  I’ll never forget one of those “lessons learned”.

One day when I was just a boy, my mom and I were walking down the sidewalk in our small town, running errands.  I was walking to mom’s left side and she quickly corrected me by urging my slight frame to her other side.  I looked at her a little puzzled and she saw the question on my face.  “Men and boys are ALWAYS supposed to walk on the outside of the female, closest to the street” she responded with a matter of fact persona that begged the question “why”?  Mom’s response was enough to send me into a tailspin.  “Well, because if a car swerved toward the sidewalk, it would hit the male first as protector, protecting the fairer sex.”  “Well, that’s not fair!!”, I screamed inside my mind as I had mental images of being sprawled out in the middle of the street, teeth littered around my body as the maiden in distress stood over my lifeless form, hands clasped together and pressed to one of her cheeks declaring, “my HERO!”

It took me more than a few years to completely understand what Mom was trying to teach me in that moment.  You see, we all have the grave responsibility to be more than what we are; to step out of ourselves, our comfort zones, and to be made available to meet other’s needs; even up to and including death.  What parent wouldn’t think twice about running into a burning home to rescue their children but what about your special needs neighbor?  What about the stranger you see every day walking to work because they can’t afford a means to get from point A to point B?

The news this past couple of weeks has been full of unsung heroes doing what they did not because of a possible fifteen minutes of fame or a handshake and “atta boy” from our POTUS but because it was the right thing to do.  Whether it was the hero who would rather take seven bullets from a madman than to fathom another life lost or the stranger in South Carolina who went from door to door in his boat, trying to save anyone in need instead of thinking about his own loss of property, there are true heroes out there but there needs to be more.

Here is another example.  Jesus Christ was sent here from His home to dwell among strangers and haters, not because He enjoyed deprecation but because it was the right thing to do; not only was He being obedient to His Father but He loved/loves us with a fierce love we cannot comprehend.  Jesus had the ultimate reason to cry out “well, that’s not Fair!!” as He hung from that cross, completely broken and humiliated, bleeding and aching from the weight of OUR sin.  Perfect love conquered His own need for preservation as a man on this earth so we wouldn’t have to suffer an eternal separation from the One who made us, our heavenly Father.

What about you and me?  Isn’t it time we turn away from the deceptive mirror of self we have been staring in to far too long and instead, peer out the window of our safe, selfish little cocoon to a world full of need.  And even though we can’t save the whole world, why don’t we just start with the world around us; our city, our neighborhood, our own home.  Pray for the courage to be THAT person who makes a difference, that man or woman who is brave enough to put away the “Me-Me’s” and embrace the unique needs of others.

As for the lesson learned so long ago, I still irritate the people around me, stepping forward to open the door for a lady, whether they be nine or ninety or to walk on the outside, closest to the street.  You see, the common courtesies have been engrained in my very being along with another sentiment; sometimes life isn’t fair…but life is a privilege and passes too soon so we have to make the most of every opportunity to serve those around us.

John 15:12-15 (NIV)– My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

Accountability, Christian, Christianity, God, Humor, Inspirational, Life, Spirituality

Imitators

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Over the edge 2

Our granddaughter is almost eight months old now and is beginning to imitate other’s actions such as waving bye and attempting to move her finger up and down across her lips while making noises; she prefers her entire fist though, resulting in a saliva fest.  It seems our entire life is spent either following someone else’s example or being a role model for someone else to follow.

I remember growing up during my influential years in the 1960’s and 70’s where everyone seemed to be expressing one’s self in different ways.  Smoking was one of those things taken for granted and a lot of my family participated in this freedom to inhale toxic fumes.

Living in the country afforded a few freedoms as well.  For instance, the freedom to burn trash in the open air.  Being the imitator as a kid but without having the means to try smoking with an actual cigarette, I found some dry hollow reeds down along the creek bank by the square brick burning pit while I was burning trash one day.  The gray-white fibers of the reeds resembled the white paper of the cancer stick.  I decided I wanted to look and act as cool as my older siblings so I broke off a four inch section of the reed and put the tip of the “cigarette” in the flames until the end glowed red from the embers.  I put the imitation cigarette to my mouth like I had seen others do many times before and inhaled.

What happened next was nothing less than life changing.  Small flames entered my throat along with smoky air, singeing my esophagus in the process.  My eyes grew wide from the pain as well as the smoky pungent smell of burning reed racing down my lungs. I involuntarily coughed uncontrollably, the blackish gray smoke bellowing out as if more anxious to rise to the surface than I was to get it out so I could breathe again.  I stood there, continuing to cough violently as well as mentally kicking myself across the yard.  I desperately glanced in all directions to see if anyone else had witnessed the blatant stupidity of a young boy trying to imitate the foolishness of others.

Fast forward more than a couple of decades and I find myself once again in the present, hopefully much more wiser and aware of the consequences of imitating others or following someone’s example without first analyzing and reasoning out their intentions and possible negative outcomes.  However, I am greatly concerned and have been for some time that it seems many blindly follow and imitate the latest trends, fads, popular people in the spotlight, and yes, even governmental politics bent toward entitlement and socialism without first stepping back for even a split second to think of the eventual consequences of said blind following.

Don’t you think it is past time to be the responsible, accountable “grown-ups” we are supposed to be and pray to again become the examples of those growing up around us?  And before you judge me for seemingly being such a self-righteous hypocrite, brandishing my pistol of one-sided opinions, may I remind you that I only write what is on my heart that God is also speaking to me; I’m certainly aware of my own shortcomings—and I need help.

Ephesians 5:1-2(ESV) reads, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” What an awesome reminder of whom we should imitate constantly in thought, word, and deed so we have a chance to be that example others are looking for to follow.  And now that I find myself in the position of tribal elder in our little family nucleus, I am once again reminded of the grave responsibility we have as humans to impress upon our next generation not only the common courtesies and manners of life, the do’s and don’ts that separate the civilized from the savages but especially the eternal.  For it is only through the grace of God that we are still here, breathing on this earth and it is only by His mercy through His son Jesus Christ that we have a hope for a future far better than our present circumstances.

The next time you see a child doing something they shouldn’t, even to the point of foolishly ingesting noxious fumes from a weed, fight the inner adult child within that wants to sit back and see what happens so you can be entertained, and use this as a time of instruction, of lovingly guiding that student on to a better path of wisdom and understanding.   And remember, those eyes are on you whether you want them to be or not, imitating your every move; make the most of it.

Proverbs 14:12 (ESV)—There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.