Think About It

The other day I was visiting with a friend of mine who told me a story of a recent interaction with someone who found out that he was retired military. The veteran said that while he still appreciates it, he has gotten used to people saying “Thank you for your service.”. Yet, one day not long ago someone said something that made a real impact on him. Rather than thanking him for his service the person said, “Thank you for my freedom.”. That personal recognition a job well done made an incredible impact on this man who had invested his life in defending our nation and preserving our freedom. As we honor our veterans today, please take the time to say, “Thank you!”. Find someone who served in the military and let them know that the sacrifices they made are not forgotten. The saying goes, “All gave some and some gave all” but the measure of appreciation isn’t diminished by how someone’s career ended. These men and women (and their families) are worthy of our acknowledgement. Wheth...

The other night Jeane and I were watching one of those sports shows about Tim Tebow. The interesting thing about the show was that, typically, these types of shows do a retrospective of the career of a player long after they have retired. Not only have they made their mark on the league, enough time has passed that history has given them either a thumbs up or thumbs down for their enduring legacy. This show, however, was filmed as Tim was still active. He had just left the Broncos and joined the Jets but the jury was still out on what was going to happen. In the years since then, we have seen his playing career come to an end … then try to restart … and even an attempt at a professional baseball career. To me, this shows that Tebow is such an interesting character, they just could wait to feature him. When I think about Tim Tebow several things come to mind, but one that jumps out to me is how comfortable he is in his skin. He is who he is – like it or not. He is confident i...

When Jesus set the foundation for His spiritual movement He told people, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6). These words have become famous as one of the Beatitudes; but have you ever really thought about what they mean? Particularly, what is righteousness? The word just sounds religious, but what does it mean? Since I am not all that intellectual, I often have to reduce things to their least common denominator and righteousness, at is most basic form, is doing things the right way. It is being obedient to God, treating others with respect, obeying the laws of the land and living within the accepted standards of a moral society. The concept may sound complex, but it is lived out in a simple way. We live in world where contentment seems to escape us. We want more but feel like we must settle for less. What would happen if we made the effort to practice righteousness and lived good lives? Would we then find sat...

Today is Election Day for many parts of the nation. While this is an “off-year” election (meaning that we aren’t selecting a president), it will still make a difference in our communities. In fact, I was recently talking to someone who observed that for our day-to-day existence, these elections that tend to be more localized may have a greater influence than those in the presidential years. Maybe it has always been this way in our nation, but I get the feeling that elections have become more divisive than they have been in past. I don’t know, maybe I just value unity more today than I did years ago, but the vitriol spewed by politicians and their supporters seems to be more acrid now than in days gone by. Sure, the thing that makes our system of government work is divergent points of view; but that loses its value when it is at a level that tears us apart rather than building on the differences that can take us to greater heights. A few years back, the phrase “make America great ...

There are times when I am patient and tolerant of the people around me. There are times when it takes quite a bit to ruffle me. There are times when I find it easy to go the extra mile. Now is not one of those times! I am not sure what is happening, but I am in one of those periods when the best is not necessarily coming out of me. It wasn’t too long ago that Jeane noticed it and said something about it; now I am feeling it for myself. I am not sure that I have found the root of the issue, but I can relate to Paul’s dilemma, “For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15). I bring this up for a couple of reasons. First, they say that confession is good for the soul. By expressing this (rather than excusing it) I have an obligation to do something about it. Acknowledgment is the beginning of accountability. However, this is only a part of the process. If I merely point out the o...

The older I get the more I realize that what was old is new again – and this is never truer than in fashion. I have seen trends come and go … and come back again. It’s kind of funny to find myself shaking my head at the way the “cool kids” are dressing and then realize I had the same outfit when I was a teenager. Even the “mullet” is making a comeback! About the only thing I haven’t seen return is the leisure suit. Maybe there is a reason for that. Interestingly, fashion is not the only thing that is recycled. Political trends and even religious philosophies seem to ebb and flow with time. We shift from conservative to progressive and from inclusion to exclusivity from generation to generation. It seems like we laud the new ideas only to realize that we have been here before. If it weren’t so important for our development it would be funny to watch people discover new ideals only to realize that Solomon was right, “That which has been is that which will be, And that which ha...

When I was a youngster, I would give mental assent to the idea that there was a better place for us than this planet and we should all look forward to heaven. I would hear sermons on the concept of “Maranatha” in I Corinthians 16:22 (which is often understood as meaning, “O Lord, Come”) and believe that the coming of Jesus would be a good thing. I would read Paul’s observation, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) and understand that there is some better waiting for us in heaven after this life is over. Yet, in spite of my faith, I am not sure that I was in a hurry to see this earth be destroyed or my life come to an end. There was a lot I hoped to accomplish and a lot of things I wanted to see. Again, I wasn’t opposed to an eventual home in heaven, I just wasn’t sure I was ready for it quite then. Over the last few decades I have become more comfortable with the transition from earthly existence to eternal life. Sure, there are more things I’d l...