A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend the annual gala for Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge. If you are not familiar with this organization it is one of the most respected treatment programs for addiction in the region.
Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge Choir
My friends Peter and Debra had invited us as their guests and it was really nice to break bread with them again. We’d met on our mission trip to Haiti with Healing Haiti. Two of the nicest, most spiritual, people I’ve ever met. My only regret about the evening was that I didn’t win the car in the raffle.
The choir that the group has is an amazing group. Not only do they sound wonderful as a group (about 500 people) but there were several exceptional soloists. And many, many great testimonies about the salvation from drugs and alcohol that an awakening in Christ has brought to the clients of this organization.
Every day of my life I do thank God that I’ve escaped addiction. It’s something that a lot of my friends and family have struggled with in their lives. Some have triumphed, some have lost, some are still fighting. I’m especially proud of the latter group – it’s a battle every day and I love them for their courage. I don’t always get a chance to tell each of them, but I will say it now – “I am proud to be your friend. I love you. I will help in any way I can.” That goes for friends of blood and friends of acquaintance.
Keep fighting the good fight. I will be in your corner if you need me.
Do you have a loved one or friend who fights addiction? Do you struggle? Do you realize that God loves you and you can find a refuge there if only you seek it out?
I had “one of those days” a few weeks ago. By the time I was safely hidden away from all of the stupid people I could feel the fillings in my teeth melting from the pressure of me clenching my jaw.
Yes, there were multiple contestants in the local derby for the dumbest/most maladjusted twit contest. Let me run them down for you.
1. This aging relic of Woodstock was spotted raking his front lawn on a lovely spring morning. He’d rounded up all the grass clippings, leaves, broken twigs, pine needles, trash, plastic bags, and assorted flotsam from the winter and ushered it into a big pile on the curb. Instead of bagging it up or taking it to be mulched our hero was pushing it down into the storm sewer. Thanks. That ought to break down in a couple of decades with no adverse impact on the sewer system.
2. Moron #2 was doing the exact same thing as moron #1 except he was burning it in a pit in his back yard. No chance the authorities would spot that column of acrid smoke rising into the sky. I wonder how his neighbors felt about the smog that covered approximately 3 city blocks. We quit burning trash in this area in about 1968. I’m fairly sure it wasn’t a recreational burn.
3. Doofus #3 was spotted leaving the Midway Cub Foods at approximately 1945. He and his equally squalid partner in crime exited the store, pulled their shopping bags out of the cart as they were walking along and left it in the driveway of the store. The cart then rolled away and missed a parked car by inches. I complimented him on his skill set as I parked my car. Wisdom produced the proper response in him and he got in his car and drove away without a word. He’s probably wondering who the angry biker dude was and why I would say anything about his God given right to abandon his cart in the middle of the row. Best part is that he was parked two slots away from the cart storage corral.
It is at this moment when I confess that I certainly don’t always embody Christ’s love for men. I’m hard pressed when I see this sort of thing to come up with Hannibal Lecter’s love for his fellow man. Does anyone have a nice chianti?
**this will be included in all posts until further notice. Please subscribe now to Commotion in the Pews and then “like” the Facebook author page. I will be giving away a $100 prize from Walker Farms Honey in May if, and only if, I get 100 new subscribers and 100 new likes to the author page. It stands at 67 today, needs to hit 166 before the prize can be awarded. This helps me when I approach agents and publishers trying to get my books published. Thank you!**
Tuesday was a strange day in several respects. Remember a week ago when it snowed a little in Minnesota? And last Saturday when it was 36 degrees when I got off work? Today it was 96. And that meant I had to clean the air conditioning system.
I will spare you the gory details, but it comes down to: “Curse those pidgeons with a thousand nuclear sunrises.” That would be coupled with: “The dining room unit fan wheel is completely caked in mold and dust. I have to scrape each of approximately 180 minature blades by hand. Please shoot me.”
I took a break from my moldy wall unit and went to get my pre-surgical physical. Seems they won’t operate on you if you’re too sick to survive. I passed. Barely. Thankfully they don’t inquire too deeply as to your character.
Three significant things happened at the clinic today. Probably most significant is that I am losing my doctor of the last few years. Dang it. She is the epitome of the doctor I want taking care of me and she has been kind, funny, tolerant, most pleasant, and professional. But she’s got some other fish to fry (low-fat oil, I’m sure). It is the loss of her patients here in Minnesota. Best wishes, Dr. Sudha Chadalawada.
One of the staff had a question for me when she found out that I write a Christian Blog (worldview, versus preaching – which explains the ABBA videos and dog stories): How do you keep your spirits up as the world circles the drain?
I had to think about that for a few minutes. The short answer is that I trust in Jesus to take care of the faithful. It’s really the only way you can cope with the current world situation. It is especially helpful to pray and reflect given the downward spiral of the moral and ethical situation in The United States of America. I have to add, however, that I am discouraged on occasion by our prospects for the future. For the first time in my life I am actually glad to be past the 1/2 way point of my time on the planet. I won’t be around to see the truly awful things that are clearly headed this way.
I will not give up the fight here on Earth, because there are still souls that need to know Jesus and be saved. But I’m settled into the idea that the “end days” foretold in The Bible are either upon us or coming rapidly. We win the battle in the end but it will be discouraging to watch evil take over in the meantime. And doesn’t it seem that way of late? Only by looking forward to our reward in Heaven can we tolerate the pain here on this planet in this life.
So the answer is: It’s in God’s hands.
The final event – well, it’s the Master Chief part of the title. And I’ve decided to save it for another post.
I hope your day is blessed with the strength that you can draw from God. Take some time today to pray, listen to Christian music, watch a family movie, pet an old dog, or just have coffee with your spouse. And I’ll catch you tomorrow.
Every person reading this blog has their own concept of what leadership consists of in life. For many people leadership is an alien concept. They have only a vague idea of what it means and no experience in exercising leadership. To them, leadership is someone “telling me what to do” or being bullied or unfairly pushed by a supervisor. Every leader is as threatening as Gunny here.
Is this leadership?
Leadership isn’t always the charming style depicted by the good Gunnery Sergeant. There are times where it works well, drives home the lesson, gets one properly motivated, and “seals the deal.” Other times the quiet leadership of doing the right thing every chance you get, of taking the hard road even when it subjects you to failure and scorn. It is the only road open to you and your conscience. Sometimes it’s dying on a cross.
All of those leadership styles are crushed by the other kind of leadership – the nonexistant kind. We are confronted in our society by the admonition to cut corners, cheat, lie, and fabricate just to get by until the next test. We have “leaders” who really are “defeaters” and nothing else. The ones who will never admit that they can’t possibly make the right things happen (in their lights) and then blame it all on someone else. The ones who through their inaction and defeatism drag down everyone above and below them into the pit of despair. They are the ones who set the bar so low that everyone can cross over it and nobody can excel. These are also the people who stick their head in the sand when problems are brought to them in hopes that the issue will either just vanish or be unnoticed by anyone who actually is in a position to do something about it down the road.
You have to make the choice which camp you will be found in right this minute. Going foreward will you be the one quietly leading by example? Will you do the right thing regardless of the cost? Will you stand up for your people and your company? Or will you say, “I couldn’t possibly change the way things work, nobody cooperates with me when I try.” That’s not leadership, that’s bean counting.
Mirrors are tough critics. Take a look in one today and find the leader. It’s a power we all have inside ourselves. It’s a gift from God. Leading helps others find their way. So whether you’re a father who has children looking to him for guidance, a husband with a wife in need of assurance that the right path is being taken, a boss who has the guts to remedy a problem at work, or a Gunnery Sergeant who has recruits to train you need to be that leader.
Or you might be a wounded warrior who says, “I can’t ask my guys to do what I won’t.” Sgt. 1st Class Greg Robinson is that man. One flesh leg, one prosthetic leg and all guts. He’s the first graduate of the Army Air Assault course who also happens to be a combat amputee. That’s my kind of leader.
A man above men – a Leader.
Of course if there’s nothing above that inspires you when you need to look to a leader, look to Christ. He made the toughest choice of all. And you are a part of His legacy. Look to God for ways to lead. He’ll provide.
**this will be included in all posts until further notice. Please subscribe now to Commotion in the Pews and then “like” the Facebook author page. I will be giving away a $100 prize from Walker Farms Honey in May if, and only if, I get 100 new subscribers and 100 new likes to the author page. It stands at 67 today, needs to hit 166 before the prize can be awarded. This helps me when I approach agents and publishers trying to get my books published. Thank you!**
Over the past week my wife was out of town. That left me alone with my two hairy roomies. One hairy roomie almost never barks anymore. Why should he? He’s got Stormy to take up that “full throated cry” and do his work.
On more than one occasion I either had to laugh or lose my mind. With my knee out of service I couldn’t just walk across the yard and collar her when she drifted into “the zone” where dogs only hear their own voice and barking is everything. I chose to laugh. Except for the last morning at 0600 when she ran out and started barking at an unknown source of hatred. And then Edzell joined in from the stairs. I had to stump out and bring them both in or risk gunfire from the neighbors.
Glaring at me for standing in her barking spot. She can’t bark if I’m blocking her and it makes her crazy.
This made me think of the perfect song for my girl: Barking Queen. The words are posted below the video. It is sung to the tune of ABBA’s Dancing Queen.
You can bark, you can howl, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, diggin’ the barking queen
Dark of night and the yard light’s on
Looking out for the place to go
Where they play the bird’s music, annoying on the wing
You just seem insane
Any barking would be just fine
Night is young and the moon’s high
With a bit of bark musing, everything is fine
You’re in the mood to run
And when you get the chance…
You are the barking queen, young and sweet, only seven years
Barking queen, feel the beat from the trash can machine
You can bark, you can dive, having the time of your life
See that dog, watch that scene, diggin’ the barking queen
You’re a spinner, you bark your song
Leave them screaming and then you’re gone
Looking out for another, anyone will do
You’re in the mood to bark
And when you get the chance…
You are the barking queen, young and sweet, only seven years
Barking queen, feel the beat from the trash can machine
You can bark, you can dive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, diggin’ the barking queen
