A Season of Hope

I was sitting in his chair, joking around with the barber. She walked in, her son in tow. I watched them out of the corner of my eye; an exhausted mom caring for a special needs boy. He was seven or eight. She wasn’t wearing a wedding band. I wondered if dad was still around. I wondered about the challenges she faced everyday being his mother, raising her son. I wondered if she carried that challenge alone.

I found myself feeling sorry for her, but then reminded myself that she wouldn’t appreciate my pity. I did all I could… I prayed a prayer of encouragement. But I left feeling sad.

Please, Lord Jesus, come…

Later I sat across from a friend of Marybeth’s. Her husband left months ago. We all hoped for the best - prayed he would fight the demons that were pulling him away. Instead, he’s grown more distant, more cold, more angry. We fear the worst. Overnight, a woman's life is changed by the man who's supposed to love and protect her, "'til death do us part." Instead of feeling warm and secure, she has nightmares of another woman. A stay at home mom of almost 20 years should be entering a full period of life. Instead, she faces an empty checking account and an empty bed. Kids in desperate need of a father are crying out for a daddy who’s choosing to tear their innocent worlds apart.

She sits across the table, and through a river of tears asks, “Why???”

Please, Lord Jesus, come…

I lay awake at night and stare into the darkness. I can't shake my feelings and the sadness life can bring. I dream of a day when there will be no more pain, no more suffering. Our tears will be wiped away and our hearts will be filled with joy and peace.

Please, Lord Jesus, come…

Tomorrow begins my favorite season of the year. Our world can be a dark place… but Jesus came as a babe, and the Good News of the Gospel was proclaimed for every man. God pierced through the darkness to shine His light of HOPE into our lives.

And now we can dream of a day when we won’t cry anymore. Our tears will be wiped away and our faces will reflect the glory of our Lord. I won’t worry about being able to provide for my family or fight the demons from my past...

A mother and wife will dance with her King and experience the gift of perfect love...

A little boy will be set free from his broken body to run and play in the fields of God's grace...

Please, Lord Jesus, come…

A Pre-Thanksgiving Thankful Post

My youngest son won’t be with us this Thanksgiving. About five years ago, my mom decided that she wanted to take each of our kids to Disneyworld. Up until this year, she had made two trips and taken the older four. This year was my six year old’s turn. His older brothers and sisters spent the last few weeks telling him about all the fun things he was going to do and see. He got so excited about the trip that he could barely get to sleep at night! The excitement built up for weeks.

The big day finally came. This past Friday night, we got him packed up and I drove him out to my moms to spend the night. I have to admit that as he was saying goodbye to everyone I got a little teary eyed. I thought about how much I’d miss him. I also thought about how lucky I am to be the father to such good kids. I’m thankful for each one. I’m thankful for the things God has taught me about myself as I’ve grown into being a parent. I pray each night for the specific wisdom I need for each one of my kids. They’re all the same and yet all so different. And so I pray that God will help me grow to understand them individually. I pray that He would help me see their strengths and weaknesses. And I pray that He would help me see mine…

I was sad when I got to my moms and told him goodbye. He’s my little buddy, always following me around the house and yard asking to help me with stuff. We’ll be separated for a week, and while part of me will find a small bit of relief in that (six year olds can be quite energetic!) most of me will miss him terribly.

I look forward to his return… to the hugs I’ll get and to the stories of adventures I’ll hear.

Running the Race

Last week I was out of town working with our sales office in Raleigh. While I was out to dinner with a group from the office, this suddenly showed up on my cell phone. The night before I had run to Target to get a few things and while I was in the store, I walked past a pair of pink Christmas pajamas with kittens on them. I’m a sucker… I had to snatch them up for my three year old.

You can love someone so much that it hurts inside.

I forget that God loves me more. He follows me into the darkness when I'm making mistakes and running away from Him. He's tender with me when I feel ugly and unworthy.

God has helped me through some rough periods of life. I'm beginning to understand how much He cares about me. And it's in this knowledge that I find the strength I need to fight back against the things that could tear my little girl's life apart.

My little girl deserves a father who holds her, tells her he loves her, says prayers with her, and puts her to bed at night... every night. She deserves to have a dad who loves her mom, treats her mom with respect, and is faithful. She should be able to grow up in a home where dad has stuck around.

I think about these things a lot. Over the last few years, I've watched men, good men, get pulled away from their little girls. Men who turned on their wives and ran off into the arms of another woman. I've seen little girls cry for dad. It's painful to experience, even from the sidelines.

I want to stick around. I don't want to be one of those men.

My little girl is worth it.

Ok, This Was Just Funny...

I have no idea who came up with this!

QUESTION: Why did the chicken cross the road?..............................

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MCCAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

SARAH PALIN: You betcha he crossed the road, but let's not talk about that, let's talk about energy policy, and how gosh darn hard it is for a middle-class hockey mom to manage the budget of the only state in America with a massive surplus, especially while surrounded by countless Russian and Canadian chickens we have to keep an eye on.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure - right from Day One! - that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken...What is your definition of crossing?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain... alone.

JERRY FALWELL: Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why they call it the 'other side.' Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay, too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like 'the other side.' That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.GRANDPA: In my day, we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!

The United States of America is the greatest country in the world. Our foundational belief in liberty and freedom has changed the course of history. Two hundred years ago, patriotic men risked their lives to break away from a tyrannical monarchy. 100 years later, we fought a civil war to free men of color from the hell of slavery. We've dealt with two world wars that robbed the lives of brave American soldiers. Young men went to war to save the world from madmen whose bloodthirsty nature desired to conquer Europe. Hundreds of thousands of young American boys never got to experience the love of a wife or the joys of children because their blood was spilled far away from home defending foreign countries. My generation has witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and understand the fundamental role the US played in that event.

Our country has always faught for good, has protected the innocent, and resisted evil men filled with a lust for power and bent on destruction. We've been a nation different then any other in history, fighting to bring peace and stability into a fallen, sin-filled world.

Two hundred years ago, our Founding Fathers pledged their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor” to preserve liberty. They understood that freedom from tyrants was a divine gift and ransomed all they had to preserve it for future generations. They understood the implications of the very first command God gave mankind through Adam and Eve. God made it clear that He required all who are followers of his Word to be stewards of His creation and to take dominion over the earth.

Adam also quickly learned that Satan, God’s jealous enemy, desires to claim God’s creation for his own. Throughout the history of mankind, Satan has tried to corrupt and destroy the joy God wants for His children. Satan’s consuming desire is to control our world, and has used earthly kingdoms to try and crush God’s people to take away their freedoms.

The church is in a battle for our lands, and we as Christians must choose a side.

We know these things in our mind, and yet we forget about how religion shaped our American past. The Christian faith played a significant role as the ideas of what America would "be" took form. We forget of the “Great Awakening” that swept through the American colonies between the 1730s and 1770s and the impact that religious movement had on our forefathers. We forget how the great ministers of the Gospel during that time, men like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, lead a powerful evangelical movement that swept across our early nation. We forget the connection between the First Great Awakening and the American Revolution. As stated by Christine Leigh Heyrman, Dept. of History, University of Delaware, “many historians now believe that the religious ferment churned up by the Great Awakening in the decades immediately preceding the revolutionary crisis had profound implications for American politics.”

The words and actions of great men of the Christian faith changed the course of our nation's history.

In November of 1769, Pastor James Ireland was warned by British magistrates in Culpeper County, Virginia that he must obtain a license to preach or face arrest. Pastor Ireland wrote in his diary, “I sat down and counted the cost. Freedom or prison? It admitted of no dispute. Having ventured all upon Christ, I determined to suffer all for Him.” He preached the next day, was quickly arrested, and confined for six months.

History records that Patrick Henry, riding into Culpeper, recounted this event:

“There in the middle of the town square, was a minister tied to a whipping post, his back laid bare and bloody with the bones of his ribs showing. When they stopped beating him, I could see the bones of his rib cage. I turned to someone and asked what the man had done to deserve such a beating as this. The reply was that the man being scourged was a minister who refused to take a license. The minister, in pain and bleeding, was jailed again. A few days later, he was given an opportunity to change his ways and apply for a license to preach, but he continued to refuse.”

Days later, Pastor Ireland, a minister who wouldn’t compromise his faith, was whipped to death for continuing to refuse.”

A few months later, on March 23, 1775, the future of our nation hung in a delicate balance. The American delegates from Virginia were gathered in the House of Burgess. Virginia was our most powerful colony and could persuade the other southern colonies to join or ignore the rebellion. Unfortunately, as in times past, the meeting was being controlled by weak, sickly men who were ready to put on a display of loyalty to the crown and make additional concessions to the King of England. Unable to contain himself, Patrick Henry, one of the greatest public speakers in our history, rose to his feet before the assembly.

“Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country and of an act of disloyalty towards the majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.”

Patrick Henry, motivated by the recent, vivid picture of a minister dying for liberty, spoke words that captured the very spirit of our fight for freedom and altered future events.

“Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me… give me liberty… or give me death!”

On this special day that honors our veterans, this post is dedicated to all of those who fight for freedom, both home and abroad; servicemen who risk their very lives to protect my family from foreign powers.

And also to the men who make daily sacrifices and whose words have the power to remind us of the commands of our Heavenly Father. Men who teach us to fight for freedom no matter what the cost. Men who talk of risking our lives and reputations to protect the innocent. Men who immerse themselves into our culture and our politics to protect our God given right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

The 2008 Elections

Here are some thoughts after the 2008 election.

First congrats to the democrats. I don’t agree with many of your policies, but you deserve recognition for your significant victories on national and local levels. What you accomplished didn’t happen just because Obama is a dynamic speaker or because republicans have been disorganized idiots. The democratic victories were accomplished from the ground up with a lot of hard work by local organizers. The process was managed well by the national democratic party. (Republicans – take notice! You should be ashamed…)

Second, although I don’t agree with Obama on much of anything, I am PROUD that our country has elected a black President. I would argue that most conservatives agree with that statement. Yes, there are still race issues that exist in our communities, but I think that for the majority of people (both liberal and conservative) the color of one’s skin is a non-issue. So let me say it again. I’m proud of what our country accomplished. The fact that our country moved so quickly from segregation to electing Obama is a testimony to the greatness of the United States of America.

So can we get off the race thing now? Please?

Here’s my last thought. Some background - I’m a Christian and believe the Bible. In it, I believe God has laws we are to obey and principles we are to follow. Abortion for example, is the taking of a human life and clearly violates a Biblical law. The Bible is also full of guidelines of how I should live my life in areas such as relationships, money, marriage, child rearing, etc.

I’m far from perfect, but the Bible has become the lens that I “filter” my life through. As an example, I try and manage my money using Biblical principles. God is a “giver” and speaks from both the Old and New Testament about tithing (giving) to your church. He wants me to learn to give.

This has political implications as well. While I don’t believe the church should use power to drive a political agenda, I do believe that Christians should make political decisions based on Biblical laws and Biblical principles. Leaders within the church should be very clear on what those Biblical laws and principles are and what considerations should be given to different subjects during an election cycle. Church leaders should not be afraid of educating their congregations about political topics like abortion and should challenge them to compare Biblical law to the beliefs of the different political parties and candidates.

I have to be honest, during this last election cycle, I jumped around the internet reading different blogs from many church leaders. It seemed as though most were intimidated of the political process. There was the challenge from all to “get out and vote your beliefs,” but rarely did you find the church leader who brought up the questions of how different political topics were aligned with scripture. In an effort to not offend their congregations, it seemed that church leaders tried to take a middle ground. And that really bothered me.

I don’t think lukewarm is where Jesus wants us to be.

I will admit to having issues with the current republican party, but democrats are fighting for things like allowing gay marriage and keeping abortion (in all it’s gruesome forms) legal. I don’t understand how any Christian can support a party who’s beliefs spit in the face of our Creator.

2008 was a tough year for conservatives. While I respect what President Bush has done to protect our country from terrorists, his administration and the national republican leaders have made a mess of our party. What I hope we learn from this huge loss is that Christians and republicans alike need to quit bashing those on the other side and start communicating the ideals and beliefs we stand for. We need to get back to our core beliefs of smaller government, eliminating government debt, a stronger manufacturing base, lower taxes, choosing life, and a strong military used for deterrence.

Freedom

Like most of you, I voted today. I've been waiting for this day for weeks and woke up at 4 a.m. excited to get to the polls. I was in line by 6 a.m. (30 minutes before they opened) and by 7 had cast my ballot.

The older I get, the more meaningful this day becomes. I live in a free land, a country where we get to choose our leaders. I am governed by laws, but if they are laws I don't like, I can support a candidate who shares my beliefs and can create legislation to make changes. Heck, I could even run for office myself.

The United States of America is the greatest country in the world. We've made our share of mistakes as a nation, but the beauty of our republic is that we fight for the freedom of all our people. When it's needed, we fight for change. Slavery, for example, was hotly debated during our nation's birth, and although it took two centuries, we rid ourselves of the ugliness of segregation. I'm a white boy whose family is from the deep south (Memphis.) I’ve seen first hand how terrible it is to form an opinion of someone based on their skin color. But the story of our country is one of freedom and equality for all, and mine is the first generation to refuse the ugliness of racism and to recognize people for who they are and what they believe, not making judgments based on the color of their skin.

And this is what I hope my vote means today. I hope and pray that America continues to be the "land of the free and the home of the brave." America must continue to be a safe harbor where people from all countries can come and live in self-created prosperity and at peace with one another. America must continue to be a land where people from all religions can come and worship as they choose without the fear of recrimination because they have a different faith. America must continue to value the freedom of speech, even when that speech sounds ugly or hate filled. And we must fight for the freedom of others, protecting innocent citizens from the brutalities of evil men.

Many men over hundreds of years have made incredible sacrifices because the spirit of independence awakened their hearts and captured their imagination. Husbands and fathers, old men and young, have spilled their blood and given up their lives so that I could rise from my slumber one early November morning and press a button that recognizes their sacrifice. I pray that I will never take that responsibility lightly.