Crying to the Choir

I recently read a description of the Democratic Party (as displayed in their recent convention) as a party of "studied, celebrated victimhood."

The phrase made me chuckle but I didn't think much more of it. Then I received my second email of the day from Mary Beth Cahill, Kerry-Edwards Campaign Mgr., soliciting funds. The following quote is from Cahill's letter:

"Drug companies count their billions while seniors count the number of pills they can afford. Halliburton counts its billions while our troops count the number of soldiers in their unit without body armor. The Saudis count their billions while we count the rising cost of gasoline. The friends of George Bush and Dick Cheney count their tax refunds while the average American counts the days until the next paycheck."

I continue to be amazed that those two (Kerry/Edwards) extremely rich, white, powerful men are able to sell the message of despair, the message that America is being run into the ground by those rich, white, power brokers of the GOP.

They failed to mention that Edwards is counting his millions while doctors struggle to pay their insurance premiums.

When I worked for Coke I sought business relationships with my customers that were mutually beneficial. I saw opportunities to build those contracts that made financial sense to both Coca-Cola and my customer. We called those a win-win situation. Victimhood doesn't allow for that. Victimhood necessitates that if someone is winning, someone else is losing. Victimhood also removes any responsibility from the individual.

Let's remind ourselves that Halliburton is employing thousands of people with those billions of dollars. Let's remind ourselves that drug companies are plowing back billions of dollars into research and development to find the drugs that will save our lives. Let's remind ourselves that the biggest tax cuts go to those who pay the biggest taxes. (And it has nothing to do with a friendship with Bush/Cheney... or Kerry and Edwards wouldn't have gotten their tax cuts.)

There is no nobility in laying in the ditch crying about your wounds. The nobility is in climbing out of the ditch, dressing your wounds and pushing on to the goal. I offer the following borrowed words from Mr. W.E. Henley.

"In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud: Under the bludgeoning of chance my head is bloody, but unbowed."

Democrats, please stop telling us that we're losers. Start reminding us that we have the strength to get up and finish the race, climb the mountain, kill the dragon. It will not be easy, but nothing worth accomplishing ever is. Remind us that America is a land of opportunity, not a land of uniformity.

It's good to be the King

If I were king for just one day...

people who didn't keep their commitments would be publicly flogged.
public servants would be more like servants, less like princes.
federal welfare would only help people who had a work history.
spoiled children would be put to work shoveling manure.
race/sex hiring or admissions quotas would be eliminated.
punishments would fit crimes.
business casual (jeans/boots) would be a national mandate.
unions would be abolished, laziness would no longer have a voice.
bacon would have a holiday all it's own.
I would have a new Ford truck. Yes, a crew cab diesel.

I think I'll close my office door and indulge this king fantasy some more.

Burn Down this Temple

Damn this self righteous anger.
Cut out this infected, selfish disease.
Numb all the pain that I cause in others.
Uproot the malignant, malevolent weeds.

Crush the head of the deceitful serpent,
Who whispers to me that it's all about me.
Burn down my narcissistic temple.
Leave me hollowed out, empty and clean.

Pour into me the blood of the Servant.
Fill the vessel full of the need,
To give of myself in humble service
As He, long ago, did so for me.

Michael

Sappy, but good

If you and a friend ever carry a bucket together you'll find that it seems as if your friend is carrying more than half. For reasons unknown to me (physics professors can probably explain this) sharing the load seems to reduce the total weight of the bucket.

Same thing with big tasks like moving. When friends move out of their house and they do it by themselves the task seems insurmountable. Yet, when eight or ten guys (and three or four pickup trucks) show up to help it's not long before everyone's standing around wondering what to do next because all the boxes and bags and furniture are loaded up and ready to go.

Help someone today. Take part of their load. Share the work. Share the burden. If someone helps you, show your gratitude. Simple as that... the world is better for your effort. Get to it.

It's the Law

I'm going to show my ignorance today by addressing something that seems very straightforward to me but I'm certain that I'm missing some delicate intricacies somehow.

Close our borders to illegal aliens.

People in other countries want to come to America for all kinds of reasons. Business travelers fly into this country by the thousands everyday. Great. Tourists fly into this country by the thousands everyday. Great. These people are legal aliens. Let them in. Screen them carefully and let them in.

I wish to close our borders to illegal aliens. These are the men, women and children who pour into this country by the thousands everyday by walking, driving and flying across our unbelievably porous borders. They are not here for a week to sell their products to American companies. They are not here to see the Grand Canyon and Yosemite and the volcanoes of Hawaii. They are here to work. Their country doesn't have the economy to support them. There isn't work for them in their own country so they come here. I can't blame the aliens for wishing to come here. There are plenty of people willing to pay them to do all sorts of manual labor. They are willing to work hard for very little money and therefore are an attractive workforce for those unscrupulous enough to hire them. All of that makes sense to me. Now for the part that doesn't make sense.

For some reason, these people who violate our laws by sneaking into our country have some political strength. Why? There is a legal way to enter our country and these folks have chosen to circumvent it and then our political leaders make all sorts of outrageous concessions to them. (PC notice: It's no longer okay to call them illegal aliens. Preferred term is undocumented immigrants.)

There are all sorts of estimates of the costs to our economy to let them stay. There are all sorts of estimates of the costs to our economy to remove their cheap labor. The cost is not the issue. The law is the issue. Year after year we have seen political pandering erode the laws that those panderers were sworn to uphold. Shame on us (lowly voters) for allowing it to go unchecked.

If the borders are to be opened then put it to a vote. Let the American people decide. If we have a law, enforce it. Close the borders. Punish those unscrupulous companies and individuals who hire illegal aliens.

Good news from Florida

Florida was recently pounded by a hurricane. You couldn't have missed it. Hurricane Charlie rolled up the west coast of Florida and destroyed everything it touched. It also brought out the best in some people and I have to write this down so that their kindness is not forgotten.

I heard the story of a Floridian who was buying blankets and diapers and all sorts of baby needs. (I'm not sure if it was for a hospital or some other group.) She stood in line at WalMart and someone asked her if she ran a daycare center. She explained that she was buying supplies for these babies and the people in line around her began handing her money to buy the blankets, the milk, the diapers. Several of the people who gave her money were rebuilding their own homes that were damaged in the storm but were moved to help.

I also heard this morning that the classified ads in Florida have picked up a completely new category. There are ads being run in papers in Florida for FREE homes. Lots of people own vacation homes in Florida where they spend only a portion of the year. They are offering their vacation homes free of charge to people who live in Florida while the storm damaged homes are being rebuilt.

I've also heard the stories of price gouging hotels and gas stations and I'm disappointed by the corruption of the human desire to help those less fortunate. When I hear about the giving, the sharing, the comforting and the "bearing one another's burdens" I'm reminded that people are carrying some goodness and kindness around inside them.

Find a way today to help someone who is in need.

Pot called. Says Kettle is Black

We've been given another example of Kerry's unbelievable hypocrisy.

We've heard him criticize Bush for taking too much time off during the days before September 11th and implying that Bush's awareness of the potential threat was incomplete due to his "time off." Then we find that Kerry skipped out on 78% of his Intelligence Committee meetings.

We've heard him tell Detroit auto workers about how much he loves his big Suburban and weeks later tell the Earth Day audiences that he doesn't really own any SUVs. He dismissively explains that the SUVs belong to his family and are therefore, not really his.

We've seen him recently decrying the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and sending lawyers to sue TV stations that run their ads and to persuade the publishers and the retailers to stop carrying their books. He made no attempt to quash the other private issue ads being run by MoveOn.org and others. He complained about the SBVT ads being paid for by a Texas millionaire. The MoveOn.org ads are paid for by George Soros, a Hungarian born billionaire.

We've recently heard him speaking to a church (frankly, it's amusing to hear him use words like "brother" as he addresses a primarily African-American congregation) and quoting a bible verse from James, a book in the new testament. Kerry, paraphrasing the book of James, said 'The scriptures say, "What does it profit my brother if someone says he has faith but does not have works?"' The scriptural point being that if a person really believes in the message of Jesus that person will necessarily respond by doing good works for others. Kerry's point was that Bush was all talk and no good works. Kerry's bold assertion that he has the faith and the works to prove it has been challenged by the IRS tax records.

Today I heard a comparison of Kerry's and Bush's income tax records. It seems that Senator Kerry and President Bush both made handsome incomes for the last 10-15 years. Kerry has been employed by the citizens of Massachusetts and has been making over $100K each year. Bush was a private citizen and then governor and made about $200K each year. He had one great year where he made about $600K. Here's the big difference between the two. Kerry's charitable contributions peaked out at $820 one year with several years where he made NO charitable contributions. Bush made charitable contributions of no less than $20K and peaked out at $31K.

Forget about the waffles for a minute and consider only the discrepancies between what he says and what he does. The fact that Kerry has any supporters at all seems to suggest that the population is more gullible than we'd like to believe and that Kerry's primary skill is "pulling the wool."

Limping along with the Yellow Dog

I'm so tempted to take the Yellow Dog (my '87 F150) to a car dealer and trade it in on a new one... it broke down on me again this morning. It's just a fuel issue that I could fix if I didn't have this full time job that keeps me busy... well, full time. Probably just the back tank needs to be flushed and cleaned and the fuel pump and switch need to be cleaned out.

How great would it be to have a shiny new truck sitting in the driveway tomorrow morning? A truck that would crank right up everytime I turn the key. A truck that would run without question for the next five years. A truck that would have a CD player and AC that would blow really cold. A truck that would stop smoothly and certainly. A truck that would ride smoother than the Dog does. A truck that I would feel good about letting my wife drive. A truck that was built within the last decade.

Oh well, enough fantasy for the morning. Got to get back to that full time job so I can pay for the repairs to the truck that I have (and love) and that has some fuel issue.

Old truck owners of the world... unite.

Lightning strikes

What do you offer to a man whose house is burning? What do you offer to a man that's watching the flames rush out of the attic vents and the smoke sneak out of the eaves?

I felt helpless as I stood beside my good friend this morning. Lightning hit the turbine vent and set the attic on fire while we were sitting in the playroom, having a cup of coffee and talking. Minutes later we're in the yard, rain soaking us and watching the smoke in the house get thicker and darker. No one was hurt and of course I'm grateful for that but now there will be months of living in a hotel, working with contractors, cleaners and the insurance company to get the house rebuilt. I can't really help with any of that either. I couldn't put out the fire, I couldn't stop the damage from happening and I can't rebuild the house for him.

When my sister lost her baby daughter her husband told me that all they wanted to hear were the words "I love you. I care about you. I'm sorry for your pain."

Well... my friend, my brother... I care about you, your wife and your girls. I love all four of you. I'm sorry for what happened this morning and I know it's not over yet.

Several observations:
The smoke smell stays in your skin for at least 12 hours.
After a house fire, everything else that day is pretty boring.
Objects do NOT need to be grounded to be struck by lightning.
Lightning certainly can strike the same place twice.
Firemen are wonderful human beings.

Kerry pleased, America is buying it!

My frustration with my fellow Americans has been enflamed recently as I've observed the presidential campaigning. My fellow Americans (about half of them according to most polls) would cast their votes for John Kerry if the election were held today. The fact that anyone could fall for his political positioning is amazing. He's somehow able to hold both sides of every position. Within the month of August he's spoken publicly for moving troops out of Korea AND spoken against Bush's decision to move troops out of Korea. This is only the most recent example of this man's willingness to say anything he deems necessary to win the favor of the audience to whom he's speaking. He's proud of his SUVs when he's speaking in Detroit and then ashamed of his SUVs when he's speaking at Earth Day. He's convinced that Iraq's WMDs are a threat and then when the war get's ugly he's feeling hurt that Bush told us there were WMDs in Iraq. He wants Bush to condemn the Swift Boat Vets for Truth as their ads rebut Kerry's claims of Vietnam heroics but does nothing to condemn Move On Pac as they run anti Bush ads comparing our president to Hitler. The examples go on and on. He wants to toss the coin if he can be "heads" and "tails."

My disappointment is not that a professional politician would turn out to be a waffler or lack any convictions. My disappointment is that we would swallow it. How can we see this man's daily statements and daily speeches and read his campaign material and not see the duplicity?

Wake up, America. You can't get away with that kind of double speak in your workplace, in your home, in your circle of friends. Your friends can't get away with being two faced. You'll call them on it the first time. If they happen to continue to be deceitful you'll weed them out of your life. Why then would you accept it from your president?

I want to learn

Learn to trust God. Learn to seek His will. Learn to submit. Learn to rely on His strength. Learn to be His vessel. Learn to rest at His side. Learn to break down the walls inside me and allow God to fill every room.

Patriotism

I guess I'm living in some rose-colored biosphere because things seem to be going well economically. I see plenty of businesses hiring people around me. I see companies investing in new equipment and new technology and expanding markets. I see people getting to choose between the job they have and the job they're being offered. I see people consuming goods and services in the stores everyday. This is my personal experience. I'm not talking about something I saw on the news.

I see on the news that Iraq is trying to hold onto their newborn democracy. I see that Afghanistan is no longer a theocratic house of horrors. I see that churches and schools and markets are open in Iraq. I see that Pakistan is rounding up terrorists and prosecuting them with a new found fervor. I see that Libya turned over their nuclear material to us. I see that the economies of most European countries is still expanding. I see that Japan's economy is still growing. I see that America's economy is still growing.

So why the anger? Why do I hear the complaints and the whining? Why are so many people in this country upset with the president? Why are so many people in this country ashamed of America?

I am proud of my country and proud of my American heritage. I was taught to take action even when no one else will join me. I was taught to stand up for what's right even when it's unpopular. I was taught to protect the weak and defend the innocent. I was taught that America is a country built on humble heroes, men and women who did the right thing when it cost them their fortunes, their families or even their lives. I was taught that to die with honor is far greater than to live with dishonor. These lessons didn't just come from my parents or my religion. These lessons came from my history, my American culture.

We're not perfect and our country is not perfect. We've made our mistakes. We've embarassed ourselves at times but we've admitted our mistakes, sought forgiveness and moved on. We've shouldered the load and carried it ahead. We've cleansed our shame with honor and heroism. We've strived for that ideal again and again and we do so everyday.

I will recommit myself to act honorably, to love mercy, to seek justice, to protect the weak, to defend the innocent and to make the world a better place. When I find the opportunities to do these things I will remember those Americans who modeled that behavior for me and will thank God for the country that has nurtured more heroes than any other.

My two sons... and their mother

Back home again after more than a week away. Feels great to sleep in my own bed, go to my own church, see my friends.

The boys started school today. The youngest is in Kindergarten now. He told us the other day that it didn't seem like he should be five years old now. How right he is. He sat at his little table with his friends this morning. Several cute little girls and my little blonde headed boy. They were all coloring pictures about their summer. He put his foot on the path, he began the journey through school. His mother was surprisingly, not crying. She may be sobbing in her office right now but at school this morning she was all smiles.

My first born was his great social self. He loves his public and his public loves him. We got to his classroom and his class was already writing a paper. Several looked up from their papers and spoke to their beloved. He slid into his seat and got right to work. Good man. He rode with me this morning. Just the two of us and he sat in the front seat with me. He asked if I remembered my third grade teacher. I don't. He asked if I remember my best friend from third grade. I don't. I had to explain that those people are important now but they might not be when he's in the fourth grade or the fifth or the tenth. He got it. He's really smart in that way. He's always been able to comprehend things like that.

There's no way to deny that I'm a father. Sometimes I feel like I got sucked into an episode of Quantum Leap because I don't seem equipped for this life. I feel unworthy of those two boys. No one should give me credit for them because I know what God gave them and what I've contributed since then and let's be honest... it's heavily weighted to the God side. The divine Mrs. L seems completely at home guiding them and seems to know what they need to learn at every stage. Between God and my wife I think they are going to turn out okay.

Oldest Friend

Oldest Friend

Lean against my shoulder.
Speak into my ear.
Look right into my eyes.
Assure me you are here.

Quiet me when I'm angry.
Comfort me in my fear.
Lead me when I wander.
Assure me you are here.

I'll ask for your opinion.
I'll listen and I'll care.
I'll quietly enjoy your presence
Assured that you are here.

...and so it's begun.

Found a space (not difficult) to type out the things that are in my head. Not necessarily for anyone's enrichment by my own.

Some introspection,
some meditation,
some search for divine direction.

An electronic endeavor of
meager expectation,
and so it's begun.
MDL