Think About It

The other day I was reading an 1896 speech about the need for improved African American education given by Booker T. Washington who observed, “In reference to my own race I am confronted with some embarrassment at the outset because of the various and conflicting opinions as to what is to be its final place in our economic and political life. Within the last thirty years – and, I might add, within the last three months – it has been proven by eminent authority that the Negro is increasing in numbers so fast that it is only a question of a few years before he will far outnumber the white race in the South, and it has also been proven that the Negro is fast dying out and it is only a question of a few years before he will have completely disappeared. It has also been proven that crime among us is on the increase and that crime is on the decrease; that education helps the Negro, that education also hurts him; that he is fast leaving the South and taking up his residence in the North and ...

Each Wednesday evening, as a part of our mid-week gathering, we spend time in prayer.  Our process is pretty simple – if someone has a prayer request, we write it on a board and, before we leave the gathering, we pray for each item on the board.  You never know what is going to make the list; some are continual requests, while others are unique.  Last Wednesday night someone brought a serious issue to the group’s attention, we put it on the board, we prayed for it and, within a matter of minutes, the requested blessing had been received.  What a powerful reminder of the power of prayer!  Do we really believe in prayer?  I think that, sometimes, we limit the effectiveness of our prayers because we are too analytical.  We tend to try to examine the process of prayer rather than just doing it.  We debate which prayers God hears (answers) and we discuss whether we have to actually formulate the content of the prayer or if the Holy Spirit can guide ...

A few months ago Jeane and I “cut the cable” and became a part of a growing number of people who are reducing the number of channels available to us and focusing more time on enjoying shows that appeal to us.  For the most part, our entertainment choices come from the days gone by – programs where people wore stylish clothes, spoke kinder and solved more problems with morals than by yelling harsh profanities at each other.  Now, some might say that we are old fuddy-duddies and that we should come to grips with the “new era” of entertainment, but our response is “Why?”.  It’s our house, it’s our entertainment, it’s our money ... this is what we want, so we might as well enjoy it! Wouldn’t it be great if life could emulate our entertainment choices?  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could pick and choose an environment where good is appreciated and evil is met with rigid resistance?  Alas, those times are memories of nostalgia – or are they?  You see, it is ...

          If you would like to feel old, just count up the number of presidents who have served during your lifetime.  For me, I am on number 12 – Presidents Eisenhower through Trump.  Now, if the sheer number isn’t enough to make you feel your age, think about it in terms of percentages – for me, I have personally lived under over one quarter of the presidents.  Wow!  Now, in an effort to balance that out, I have only seen one queen of England and somehow that makes me feel a little better.           On this President’s Day I find it interesting to look back on how our nation seems to project the personality of our leaders.  We are blessed to have a balance of government where the power is not solely vested in one person, but we cannot deny how a president’s personality influences our outlook and perception.  As I look back, I can see the ebbs and flows ... the goods and bads … throug...

I enjoy reading American history because it reminds me of how far we have come.  No, we have not achieved an utopian status, but a look back in time can help us recall our progress.  Even before becoming a nation our forefathers dealt with issues such as the Salem Witch trials of the 17 th Century.  Then came the 18 th Century and – even though we won our independence from the British – not all of our nation’s residents were considered citizens.  The 19 th Century featured slavery,  an uncivil war, and the first in a series of presidential assassinations.  It wasn’t until the 20 th Century that women were given the constitutional right to vote ... and even those years brought social and political unrest.  As we enter the 21 st Century we haven’t resolved all of the problems facing humanity, but we are further along than where we have been. Interestingly, a similar rationale is why I enjoy reading the Bible.  I think there is a lot to learn...

What does it mean to have a successful meeting?  The answer to this rather straightforward question might be a bit less crystal clear.  Often, when we declare that a meeting accomplished its purpose, what we really mean is that we came to a conclusion.  Whether it was in unanimous agreement, by majority vote or merely the boss saying this is the way it is going to be – the success of a meeting is often determined by identifying an issue, coming to a decision, then moving on.  Yet, is that really what meetings are all about – decisions? There are times when the value of the discussion is exactly that – the discussion.  Just because we don’t come up with a decision doesn’t mean that we have failed and, conversely, the fact that we put a topic to rest doesn’t mean that we accomplished something productive.  (Just ask a group that is continually railroaded into a decision by an overbearing participant or a spouse who merely gives in to protect the unity or s...

          One of my favorite passages is found at the very beginning of the Bible, “ Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.’”. (Genesis 2:18)  My personal affinity for this verse has less to do with the creation aspect of the passage – the thing that makes it so special to me is how this idea of God has blessed my life for the past four decades.  When God made this declaration He set in motion events that would bring Jeane into my life.  I am thankful for and blessed by God’s understanding that mankind would benefit from the presence of intimate relationships.           Valentine’s Day is one of those days that is often measured in dollars and sense (yes – sense).  Too often, at the end of the day, it’s success is determined by how much money we spend on our loved ones and if we had the good sense to make thoughtful purch...