BAAAA!!!!!

I was just reminded of a story about my dad that I laugh about every time I think about it. Dad went to school in a very small community; the population was 303, according to the sign at the city limits. And it was in the early 1940’s.

One of Dad’s teachers presented the idea that nurture is more important that nature in the development of men. She told the students that if a baby was raised by sheep that it would eat grass, walk on all fours, and bleat. My dad did not believe that. He believed that at some point a human child would stand upright and use his hands to an advantage. The teacher and he had an argument. My dad would not concede on the matter.

When the time for testing on the subject a few days later, there was only one question on the test. It was “What would be the outcome if a human were raised by sheep?” Dad wrote the answer she wanted to see on his paper. But when he handed in his paper, he looked the teacher in the eye and said, “Baa!”

After Mom Died!

When Mom died, Dad wandered around aimlessly--figuratively speaking. My brothers and sister all did all we could to include him in what we were doing. I remember the Friday after Thanksgiving, in my front yard, he and I were watching the girls play. Mom had been gone for 3 months. I made some remark about wishing I knew what to do to help him feel better. His reply, "Ralph, you can not be my buddy. You are my son and you are exactly what I want in a son. But you cannot replace what I had with Betty!"

I was caught off guard, and though I did not want to admit it, I knew it was true. I was thinking like a 35 year old who wanted to protect and defend. It was that day I realized that there is a different perspective in every relationship. It was that day that made it acceptable in my mind when, a few months later, Dad said he and Melba were going to get married. It was that day that made me seriously consider what I would really do if my precious wife were to precede in death.

I can not imagine making the adjustments of a new mate. But I hate to be alone. I would be as lost and aimless as my dad was if I had no companion to help me see things clearly and support me in the endeavors of life. I would not settle for just any wife, but I am relatively sure I would want to find a friend with whom to spend the last of my life.

I have a younger sister who was not happy that Dad was remarrying. She felt he was being unfaithful to Mom. The day before the wedding, she came to my house to tell me she had just come from meeting with Dad. She had told him that she did not want him to get married. He had said, “Yes you do, because you want me to be happy and this is going to make me happy.”

She said a few more things in anger and left to come to my house. She asked me what else she could have said. I told her she had already said too much. Dad has now been married again for nearly 25 years and we all love Melba, including my sister. We are all very glad Dad has a partner to share his life and fill his heart.

Unfair To An Angel!!

I spent Monday visiting a friend of mine in a detention center run by a corporation, in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security. His name is Angel, and I met him through an outreach program in our congregation that we call, Friend Speak. In the program we use simple texts from Scripture to help folks that want to improve their English speaking capabilities.

I met Angel seven or eight years ago. He is from La Paz, Bolivia. He was already fairly proficient in his English, so most of what I help him with was diction and working on his accent. We became close enough friends that he spent holidays in our home. And one night a couple of years ago when he awaked very ill in the middle of the night, he knocked on my door and asked me to take into the emergency room, which I did.

Angel has been trying to obtain asylum in the United States, ever since he arrived here more than 19 years ago. His lawyer only sought the path of asylum even though there are two or three other options that were available. Some people who apply for multiple paths find one works better than the other for them. I do not know all the details of the process, but I do know that a few months ago Angel was told that he had been denied asylum. His lawyer told him that there was an appeal that he could make, and Angel believed that the appeal had been initiated. But last week INS officials came to his workplace and took him into custody. They denied to let him even make a phone call to his lawyer before he was arrested and taken to the detention center.

His lawyer came to the place that Angel was being held and asked him for $2200 that would be used for a bond to allow him out of jail, pending his appeal. But early the next morning he was taken to the Bolivian consulate and was told that there was no appeal filed on his behalf. Apparently the lawyer was only trying to secure $2200 before Angel was taken back to Bolivia.

There is a very thin hope that an appeal can be filed and Angel allowed to stay in this country. But it is more likely that he will return to La Paz within the next day or two. He has a positive attitude, though he is saddened at the prospect of having to leave. He says he believes God has a plan and he wants to accept it like a man of faith.

God go with you Angel.

(first published on qassia)

Fears

Fear is an interesting topic and I expect to read some very interesting posts this week. I believe almost all of us have fears in one measure or another, and are probably better off because we have those fears. A healthy fear of falling keeps us from taking dangerous steps. The healthy fear of pain helps us to decide wisely to avoid circumstances that are likely to bring pain for no beneficial reason. And a healthy fear of eternal damnation causes us to seek salvation.

I suppose it is those inordinate fears that many will write about this week. An inordinate fear of flying, an inordinate fear of the dark, an inordinate fear of spiders or snakes, any fear that causes us to be paralyzed and incapable of functioning properly can rob us of joy, comfort, & productive living.

I suppose the fear that holds me back most in some circumstances is also the fear that motivates me to give my utmost effort in other circumstances. It may be two fears, though I think they are so interrelated that I count them as one; the fear failure and the fear disappointing those I care about. There have been many times in my life that I thought I wanted to try something; to experience something. But because of the fear of not being able to accomplish it or that I would somehow be disappointing, I didn't even try. Those were more prevalent when I was younger than they are now, but I wonder if they will return in force as I get older. The few regrets I have in life relate in some ways to the fears.

On the other hand, some of the greatest joys and satisfactions of life have come because I worked so hard to avoid failure or to avoid disappointing someone and was thus able to accomplish or to achieve, sometimes even beyond my own expectations. The fact is I have had several times when I did fail and disappointment, but I can't remember ever regretting having given something my best.

(first posted a qassia)

Tough Times

In the economic climate we are now experiencing it seems to me that having clean credit is must. With money being so tight, if you have a bad credit report it will be very difficult to obtain loans for important purchases necessary.

For those who have been caught in a crunch, you may wonder if it is possible to repair credit reports in a relatively short period time. If so you will be pleased to learn it can take as little a ten minutes on an easy to use web site to fix credit to enable you to acquire that mortgage or car loan that you are seeking, even in difficult times.

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Almost True!

“Whatever is only almost true is quite false, and among the most dangerous of errors because being so near the truth, it is more likely to lead astray.”
Henry Ward Beecher

I used the quote above at the end of my sermon on Sunday night, and had a request about it, so I decided to use it as the basis of the article this week. Beecher’s point is obviously accurate. If we someone uses elements of truth in making an assertion or proclaiming a position, it is much more likely to be accepted. The little step away from the whole truth is not really a big deal; we can still see the truth from where we now stand.

There are at least two dangers from that kind of thinking. One is that the place we are now standing is not level and leaves us in jeopardy of slipping or stumbling further from the security of truth. Perhaps more to the point but less easily seen is that when you leave the truth, you are standing on a lie. We see it as a rationalization, or socially desirable, or expedient. But the fact is that the ends never justify improper means in God’s eyes.


Untruth permeates our society these days, and most of it has an element of truth in it. That is why our politicians are so mistrusted these days. That is why the world’s view of the church is so negative these days. Christians have not stood solidly on the truth of God’s Word. They have given messages and used means that are rationalizations, or that are thought to be expedient.

Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) So, folks, when Christians take a step away from the Truth, they have stepped away from Jesus!

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Josh Turner at the Houston Rodeo

Last Saturday I got a call from a friend who offered me tickets to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The rodeo is a big deal around here, both as a charitable organization and as a provider of entertainment at a very reasonable price. The rodeo runs a full three weeks. Each performance of the rodeo has a nationally popular music act as well as the top professional cowboys. This is the 77th year for the Livestock Show and Rodeo in Houston and they have contributed $250 million to fund youth programs and scholarships. Over the years they have had some terrific acts on stage, including Elvis.

The star performer Saturday was Josh Turner. I am not a big country music fan, but I was impressed with his show. Turner has a very deep voice and his fans really went wild when he hit the low notes. I liked that fact that his songs were all upbeat instead of the “crying in your beer” type lyrics.
I was impressed with his three numbers that pointed to a relationship with God. He sang, “Me & God”, “The Long Black Train”, which I believe are his songs. But my favorite seems to be someone else’s’ song that he sings, “That's Just The Way He Was Raised.” That one gave me goose bumps.