Derek's Discourse

Engaging

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:57:43 PST

Twas a snowy, cold day in Northeast PA.
My girlfriend and I found ourselves,
by my design, in a local park...
her house not too far away.
Her eyes were glowing, her cheeks were red
her heart was full...the park was dead.

This very same park, not long ago
watched me confess my love.
"I love you" to her I said for the very first time
and offered my arms as a place of rest...
her tears caught by my willing chest.

Flash forward to Feb 18th, 2006.
I grabbed her cold hand
to warm her soul
as the sweat poured from my nervous palm
my composure was nearly gone.
I stopped along the snow-covered path
and kissed the white ground with a trembling knee.
The father was okay with me...but would she be?

A tiny black box...A much bigger question
Would she say yes? Would she say no?
Was this really happening!?
its all a blur...spare the look in her eye.
For when she spied the ring...my oh my
if ever i believed that i could bend time
it would be this moment.
Yes I am certain it slowed just for me.

I cannot remember how I asked or what I said
I was busy staring at eternity instead
She tucked in her lips, ever so slightly
and closed her eyes...but not too tightly
and with a simple nod and a single tear
She gave me joy everlasting that has continued
year after year.

Candidate Program

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:00:02 PST

Becoming a Chaplain is can be a long and confusing process, so here are the basics…

As many of you know, I am in the process of becoming a Chaplain. Friends and loved ones will often ask “So, how is the whole Chaplain thing going? Are you a Chaplain yet?” Well, ….no, I am not.…not yet.

It is actually a very long a tedious process to become one, and it takes many years. Here is the Reader’s Digest version of what I must do according to the Army to become a Chaplain…via the Candidate program

Complete a Bachelor’s Degree
Get Approval from a DOD recognized organization to enter program
Get medically approved (height, weight, body fat, physical, etc…)
Get accepted to seminary
Write a one page paper on why Chaplaincy
Complete an SF-86 SSBI (background check/security clearance)
Get ministry related reference letters
It is recommended that at this point I get licensed as a minister (not ordained)
- At this point I can now enter the National Guard or Reserves as a Candidate…a 2nd Lt who is not yet a full Chaplain and non-deployable
Get at least 72 hours of Masters level seminary credit
(my endorsers require 90)
Get ordained
After getting said hours…it is highly recommended (borderline required) to get two years of ministry related experience while I put my packet together
Apply for active duty

It is at this point I can officially become a Chaplain. So, as you can see, it will take many years (around 5-6) before I am done.

And it is worth every minute…And I cannot do it without the help and calling of God, the amazing and undeserved support of family and friends and the leadership and council of my elders and pastors. I covet your prayers.

Merry Christmas-2011

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:25:16 PST

A very merry Christmas to all my friends and family. I hope this finds you well and closer to Christ than you were at the start of the year. Gal. 4:5

So what’s new in 2011?

Well, Derek has firmly committed to becoming a Chaplain with the US Army. It will be a five-six year process as he must have a 93 credit hour Masters of Divinity plus two years of post M-DIV experience before he can go active duty.

During that time he will be a Chaplain Candidate with the local National Guard unit as a Lieutenant. Derek has been approved by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention to move forward with his plans. He is recommended by the elder Council of Carpenter's Way Baptist Church, an SBC church and accepted to Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.

The last big hurdle for him is getting back in shape, which he began doing a few months ago and so far he has lost 20lbs and feels great. Please be in continued prayers for his physical, spiritual and emotional development.

Jamie

Jamie has been doing wonderful this year. She was recently promoted at work to Teller Supervisor and works with an amazing staff at Genco Federal Credit Union. It is her first real supervisory role, and she is younger than a majority of her staff, so she asks that you pray for wisdom to make the right decisions and strength to follow through with them.

Also through Jamie’s continued support and excellent financial prowess she has been able to save enough money to purchase a keyboard and plans on taking piano lessons in 2012 so she may return to her love of music.

Another passion of Jamie’s is dance, and she has scouted out a local dance studio and will be returning to her love of ballet.

She fully supports and has been instrumental in helping her husband and his decision to return to the military as a Chaplain.

Both

Jamie and Derek both are anxious for what 2012 holds. There will be many changes in their lives and it will more than likely be one of the most dramatic and life changing years of their lives. We humbly covet your prayers for guidance, direction, wisdom and mercy as we move forward. May God bless you and your family this upcoming year.

Chaplaincy? How Dare You!

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 01:13:33 PDT

Don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t think so. Jews, Muslims, Wiccans Oh MY! How can you even think of being a Chaplain? For the beard of course!

Misconceptions:

“How do you feel about having to marry homosexuals?”
“How do you feel about saying Muslim Prayers?”

I won’t have to marry homosexuals and I will never be forced to pray a Muslim prayer. The Army is clear about one thing: No Chaplain will ever be forced to pray a prayer or perform any ceremony which directly violates his or her own faith or the beliefs of the endorsing agency of said Chaplain.

I am endorsed by the North American Mission Board, a division of the Southern Baptist Convention. I have been examined and recommended by the elders of Carpenter's Way Baptist Church, an SBC church of which I am a member in good standing.

The bottom line is I have had to answer a myriad of questions regarding my theology and there is no way any of the folks who approved me would be okay with me doing anything that violated my faith.

But I heard…

Yes, I know what you have heard, especially regarding don’t ask don’t tell. While it is true that homosexual soldiers can now serve freely in the military and Chaplains now have the option to marry said soldiers if they so choose…it is not, nor do I believe it will ever be, mandatory for any Chaplain to perform said services…because of the aforementioned paragraph and the whole violating your faith thing.

So, what about them Muslims?

They need the love of Christ just like any other person. As a soldier, they will see and experience many stressful situations and endure much hardship. No matter what ones personal beliefs or faith system, they still need edification, encouragement, care, and concern.

I would be glad to put my arm around any soldier, including a Muslim, and let them know they are loved and cared for…that I will pray for them and their family. That if they ever need to talk, they can come to me. I would hope any Christ follower would do the same.

Would you give them The Qur'an?

You bet. Now that is part of my job. I am to ensure that all soldiers are given access to the proper items to practice their faith freely. A soldier, regardless of his faith. deserves access to these items. Restricting access is both unloving and unconstitutional.

Denying a soldier a right to a Satanic Bible, a Wiccan’s SpellBook, The Book of Morman, or a Watchtower Magazine does nothing to bring them closer to Christ. In fact it only makes them even more bitter towards Christians and simply reinforces the “Us V. Them” stereotype.

Can You Proselytize?

Not directly, no. But neither can a lot of people at a lot of jobs. A school teacher can’t attempt to directly convert his/her students in the classroom, can they? Of course not! But what they can do is offer love, care, concern, and dedication to the task at hand. And I have found that these alone can be enough to engage the conversation that can lead them to Christ.

The point is if I show each and every soldier that I truly care about them…that I pray for them…that I am there for them…and that they are loved…those that are seeking the Truth will come and ask me about Him. They will ask me why I am the way I am, why I love them, why I care, why I pray. And it is then I will have the opportunity to freely share my personal testimony.

In Conclusion…

I hope this very brief article has helped some of you who continue to question my decision understand why I am choosing the path of Chaplaincy. I feel a calling to serve my fellow brothers and sisters in arms and show them the path that will lead them to adoption into God’s wonderful family. And all men and women need Christ…regardless of their religious background and beliefs.

Essential Skills for New Husbands-Basic Finance

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:16:53 PDT

Essential Skills for new husbands is a series I will be doing over the next few posts to hopefully help new husbands avoid the land-mines of new marriage that I myself have stepped on or near. I am in no way an expert, but a fellow traveler on the road to marital bliss. Parts 1 and 2 can be found here and here.

So, you are newly married. For some of you, this will be your first time living out on your own, paying your own bills, etc...while others of you having been roughing it "in the real world" for quite some time. Regardless, marriage brings on a whole new set of responsibilities and societal pressures that many are not fiscally prepared to handle. Here are a few tips to help you out...

Live on Less

Simple, yet so hard for many of us to do. If we can afford it now, we want it. Keep in mind that you are now responsible for the well being of another...and possible more in the near future if you plan on having children. What if your wife gets sick? What if you blow out a tire or the battery goes out? What if you get sick? What if you get fired or demoted at work due to cutbacks? You should be putting a healthy amount of your paycheck (or both your paychecks if you are D.I.N.K.S.) into a nice savings account. Dave Ramsey, a well known financial guru, says at minimum you should have $1,000 emergency fund to start...and then as you pay off debt you should begin saving even more so that you could live for at least 6 months with no income.

Pack a Lunch

Again, a simple way to save money that most people look past. Eating out not only costs you more money now (immediate, tangible food cost) but more money later (health issues). Pack yourself some nice leftovers or a nice healthy sandwich with some fruit, cheese sticks and other healthy goodies. You will feel better during the day and you will be saving money.

Ignore Social Pressures

Many new couples struggle with this one. They think that since the Johnson's just purchased a $200,000 Victorian complete with garage and front lawn that they in turn need to do the same. If you can't afford something, don't put yourself in dangerous debt (mortgages that exceed 35% of your income, for example) just to impress people you don't really like. The Johnson's may come from old money that you didn't know about, or maybe they are in debt themselves...it doesn't matter. Live your life wisely, based on what is best for you and your wife...not what society tells you is important, or that which simply inflates your ego.

On that same note...don't be pressured into having children early just because your mother-in-law wants a grand-baby or your sister wants a niece. If you are not ready for the fiscal challenges a child brings...you should not be attempting to have children. While no one can be fully ready to have children...you can be better prepared if you wait until you have your fiscal house in order.

Invest in Benefits

Many jobs will offer medical, dental and life insurance policies. Some may offer IRA, 401k, and stock options as well. You should invest some serious time in studying these benefits. It may seem like a large chunk of your paycheck is being eaten by the costs of said benefits...but there is no substitution for the security of knowing your family will be taken care of should a medical emergency arise.

Invest in Transportation

If you live in an area that offers public transit...I recommend using it. The amount of money and time saved is usually worth it. If you live close enough, try biking to work. It will keep you healthy and save a ton on gas each year. If these are not viable options for you and you must use a vehicle...consider a motorcycle. I know, I know, but they are usually cheaper and much more fuel efficient than cars. If you have to use a car, take good care of it...check the oil, tire pressure and other vital areas regularly. Taking care of small problems before they become big ones can save you a lot of money and headache later.

For Further Reading...

Financial advice blogs are all over the net...I am not in any way an expert...so here are some great blogs for you to read...I hope this tiny snippet of advice has proven helpful.

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Essential Skills for New Husbands-Care & Concern

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:53:02 PDT

Essential Skills for new husbands is a series I will be doing over the next few posts to hopefully help new husbands avoid the landmines of new marriage that I myself have stepped on or near. I am in no way an expert, but a fellow traveller on the road to marital bliss.

How often as a husband have you said something similar to the following immediately after your wife shares a problem she is facing with you…

“Well honey, here are some ways you could alleviate that issue”
“You see sweetheart, here is where you went wrong”
“Beautiful, next time just do this…”

If you are anything like me, chances are you have made this marital blunder and have suffered the inevitable consequences that follow soon thereafter.
(This is part 2 of my series and builds off of part 1, which can be found here.)

Ears not Insights

When our wives communicate issues they are having to us, many times they simply want you to listen. They want to share something that is bothering them, that is on their mind. They want to vent about frustrations at work, with the children, or with a family member, etc…

It brings them a level of comfort to know that someone else is aware of the issue. It makes them feel like they aren’t struggling alone, and that their very best friend, you, is on their team. At this point, all they want is your attention. I know it is tough as many men tend to be problem solvers, but at this point the best thing to do is offer up care and concern not insightful analysis.

Shoulders not Solutions

Chances are, your wife already knows where she went wrong. Chances are she probably feels a combination of sorrow, regret, anger, embarrassment or a host of other emotions regarding her issue. Maybe she blew up at a co-worker or customer, or lost her temper with the kids, or had another fight with her mother.

The point is, now is not the time for lectures, but love. It will benefit everyone in the long run if you make it clear to her that no matter what, you are on her team, and you both are working towards the same goals. So before you go into your twelve step solution, complete with Power-Points and pneumonic devices, just wait a second. Give her the care and compassion she is craving.

So, Abstain from Advice?

No, not at all. This would be a terrible idea as you and her both will benefit greatly from working through life’s issues as a team, as a couple. Once your wife has unpacked her emotional burdens, here are some things you can do before offering your sagely counsel…

Gently kiss her check, offer her a hug
Reinforce your care and concern with statements like:
- “I’m sorry my love, that sounds like it was very draining on you”
- “Wow, work can be brutal sweetheart, what can I do right now to help you relax?”
- “Sounds like you had a rough day, how about dinner on me and maybe I can draw you a bath?”
Hold her

Again, as I said in the first post on this series…if a wife feels totally secure and loved, she will be much more likely to take what you say in a positive way.

What If She Asks…?

Well, what if she asks me “What do you think?” or “Was I right?” ? Well, that depends on the timeframe of the question. If the air is still tense and she is still “unpacking” emotionally, a response like “Let’s talk about that later, my main concern is about you…Are you alright?” or something along those lines will serve as a good deflection until deflation has occurred.

On the other hand, if the air has cooled and you have done your best to show care and compassion, gentle and loving advice can be useful. Just remember the gentle and loving part. When offering any kind of advice or insight, especially when it comes to your wife, here are some tips I have found helpful:

1. Wait Until She Asks

Pretty self-explanatory. If she wants your advice, she will ask for it. Offering it up without want will only prove to be fruitless at best and annoying at worst. If it is something that is ongoing and you feel she is unwilling or unable to seek counsel, that in and of itself is a whole separate issue that needs attention.

2. Peer, Not Professor

You are her teammate, not her coach. Offer your insight from a peer perspective. Don’t get caught in the trap on Monday-morning quarterbacking, or saying how you would have done it better.

You are not her, and no one knows what they would do if they were someone else…it is virtually impossible. So avoid the “If I were you” phrase.

3. After-Action Review

In the military, they have something known as AAR’s or After-Action reviews. The report seeks to answer three basic but very important questions:

What Happened?
Why it Happened?
How can it be done better?

This is a good way to go about most situations as it allows a lot of room for the participant, in this case your wife, to examine her actions in a objective manner. It encourages introspection and helps one learn from their own mistakes. Furthermore, it allows you as the husband to understand your wife’s thought process and offer insight only when necessary.

In Conclusion

In life, just like you, your wife is bound to encounter stress filled situations that drain her emotionally. When she shares these situations with you, your first response should not be to simply solve the issue. Instead you should listen to her concerns.

Secondly, you should offer genuine care, concern and compassion. Don’t rush to be Mr. Problem Solver. Once your wife has vented and seen that you care about her, she will ask for advice if she wants it.

Finally, when offering advice, do it as a peer, not as some wise old man who is better and smarter than your wife. Let her analyze the issue herself and only offer advice if she gets stuck on how she could have done better. You are a team.

Essential Skills For New Husbands-Communication

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 18:17:10 PDT

Essential Skills for new husbands is a series I will be doing over the next few posts to hopefully help new husbands avoid the landmines of new marriage that I myself have stepped on or near. I am in no way an expert, but a fellow traveller on the road to marital bliss.

“But honey, I didn’t say anything about your cooking.”
”Yes you did, you said you didn’t like the meal”
”Yes, the meal, the ingredients, not the way it was prepared”
”Oh, so then I guess I am just a bad wife then?”
Huh?
”Because I don’t even know what my own husband likes?”

That is an excerpt for a real conversation that led to an argument early on in my marriage. I honestly couldn’t fathom why my wife was so upset.

Rather than comfort her at this point and use this as an opportunity to remind her of what a great wife she was I chose instead to belittle her for being overly sensitive. Yeah, a real Casanova.

My primary concern at that moment was not for my wife…it was for my own pride. I was right, she was wrong and I was going to prove it… at any cost. Instead of listening to her, I simply formulated my argument whilst waiting for her to finish speaking. Big Mistake….

Listen, Don’t Hear

In case you haven’t heard…hearing and listening are two different things. I know for some it seems elementary, but for many it is not so simple. Listening involves your full, open-minded attention and focus, hearing requires functioning ears. You have to hear to listen but inversely you do not have to listen to hear.

Watch her body language, hear her tone, look into her eyes and take a few moments to ponder what she said. I know this may be hard, but don’t even think about your response until she finishes speaking!

It is a sign of respect when you allow her to finish speaking and take a few moments to formulate a response. This shows her you were listening and she will be more apt in return to listen to what you say and consider it carefully as well.

Transference + Projection = Interference

No, not a bunch of psyco-babble but real issues that can seriously hinder honest communication. First, some quick definitions…

Transference: the redirection of feelings and desires and especially of those unconsciously retained from childhood toward a new object
(ie…you automatically mistrust someone just because they look like or sound like a former spouse,girlfriend,or parent you didn’t like)
Projection: a psychological defense mechanism where a person sub-consciously denies his or her own attributes, thoughts, and emotions, which are then ascribed to the outside world, usually to other people.
(ie… a husband thinks about cheating on his wife, and with no evidence or provocation whatsoever begins to believe his wife is thinking about cheating, aka, he projects his feelings onto her)

As you can see from the above definitions, these very real, very prevalent conditions can seriously and adversely affect authentic conversation and communication with your wife. So what can you do to help prevent transference and projection?

Simply being aware of them is a big step in the right direction. Having a talk with your wife about this can help as well. If everyone is aware of possible poisonous presuppositions going into a conversation, it can help to alleviate the aforementioned adverse effects.

If you feel that past relationships (whether sexual, emotional, paternal or otherwise) OR current maladaptive feelings are causing a serious hindrance in your ability to communicate, perhaps it may be time to seek out some martial counseling. A trained man or woman offering an educated, outside perspective can work wonders on transparent conversation.

Actions Speak…

…louder than words. Yes, I know it is a cliché, but that doesn’t make it any less true. The way you treat your wife, both publicly and privately, screams to her how you really feel. If you are the type of husband who offers to cook dinner, clean up, and cuddle with her after she has had a hard day…you can bet she is going to be more apt to listen with an open mind and an open heart when you speak.

If, on the other hand, you are a “Where’s my supper?” kind of man, you can bet she is a lot more likely to take what you say the wrong way.

Also, when she does open up and share with you her most personal and private thoughts, you can bet she is watching your reaction. If you react calmly, with love and understanding, she will be much more likely to keep the dialogue open and continue to be fully transparent and trusting around you.

Gossip Kills.

There is nothing more uncouth and ungentlemanly than slandering your wife around your friends. Though it is commonplace in many T.V. shows and movies today, it is absolutely base. That is your wife, your soul-mate, the current or future mother of your children, and your best friend. She trusts you with her secrets, her body, and her heart. Referring to her in pejorative and degrading terms is really more of an insult to yourself than to her.

You are simply telling the world you are an uneducated coward who can’t confront his own wife in private regarding any issues you may have with her. Instead you complain to any and everyone who will listen. And sooner or later your wife will find out and this will make it immensely more difficult for her to trust you again anytime soon.

In Conclusion

Make time to talk and really listen to what your wife is saying. Ensure that your actions are fully integrated with your loving talk. Be aware that past relationships and current negative feelings can seriously hinder communication; seek counseling if necessary. And keep your private problems private, don’t disrespect your wife in public.

A man that cannot communicate honestly and openly with his wife is bound to have a mediocre marriage at best, and no man should strive for such a base goal. Instead I urge you to be the best husband the world has seen…and that starts with knowing how to lovingly communicate with your true love.

Silly Persons with their Silly Documents…

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 14:59:47 PDT

What Is This Document?

“A Marriage Vow: A Declaration of Dependence on Marriage and Family” drafted by Iowa’s Bob Vander Plaats, who heads the IFPC. Basically it has around fourteen bullet points and other revolution era jargon aimed at defending marriage and family.

Why Do You Call It Silly?

Oooo, let me count the ways…for starters, bullet points like this:

Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA‟s first African-American President.

Anytime someone has to bring up slavery to make a point about marriage…they’ve crossed the silly line. His source is invalid since it is widely known that black folks were treated as property back in the day and the colonists were not very good record keepers in regards to marriage and family of their slaves.

Even FoxNews finds this clause a bit silly…

Another Example…

Humane protection of women and the innocent fruit of conjugal intimacy – our next generation of American children – from human trafficking, sexual slavery, seduction into promiscuity, and all forms of pornography and prostitution, infanticide, abortion and other types of coercion or stolen innocence

This statement, in conjunction with others in the document, show that its author, in my humble opinion, goes beyond biblical bounds in regards to women being the weaker sex. It goes beyond the scope of this post, but women even in biblical times held high and respected positions of authority.

Specifically the line “seduction into promiscuity”…sex, unless you are raped, is always a choice, and this line seems to remove all responsibility from the female in the situation.

And really, you are going to ban all forms of porn? I am not pro porn, but trust me it will never ever be banned. It simply is too widespread for that to even be considered a logical possibility…but it is a silly one, that I must say.

More Examples..?

Recognition of the overwhelming statistical evidence that married people enjoy better health, better sex, longer lives, greater financial stability, and that children raised by a mother and a father together experience better learning, less addiction, less legal trouble, and less extramarital pregnancy

ehhh….I know plenty of unmarried folk who have all kinds of the good sexy sex. And I know married folks not havin’ any special bedroom time…

Yes, I do believe that those involved in a healthy marriage which fosters an environment of trust, love, mutual respect and open communication will indeed have better sex, but broad blanket statements and silly phrases like those above nullify any real point the author has.

I am not nor will I ever promote premarital sex, but to say that sin isn’t fun for a season is both denying God’s word and just a bit sil….
(you knew where I was going with it, because if you read the discourse, you are not a silly person)

And let us not forget the silliest line of all…

So help us God.
* NOTE: Or, “solemnly attest”. Each signatory signs only in his or her individual capacity as an American citizen and current or potential leader; affiliations herein are for identification purposes only and do not necessarily imply formal embrace of this vow or the sentiments herein by any institution or organization.

…just in case God might offend someone who would actually read, let alone sign this document…

Soo…Is It Silly?

Honestly, you can read the document for yourself, it is filled with silliness. Once again this goes to prove my point that methods and intent are just as important as the message itself. I do believe marriage is important and I do believe we need to be educating our young people about the mental, emotional and physical perils of premarital sex, porn, and the such.

What we don’t need is a headline hungry, Christian right, power seeking silly person writing silly documents for sillier people to sign so that the silliest people of all will sign their ballots with their silly name on election day.

It’s just silly…and sad.

Newsworthy

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 08:54:39 PDT

…Police and prosecutors there alleged that he had been forced to live in a dog cage, and was kept naked except for a diaper. They alleged that his father, Riley Lowell Choate, 39, and his stepmother, Kimberly Leona Kubina, 45, had regularly beaten and kicked the boy, deprived him of food, and chained his hands to the top of the cage…

One of the most saddening aspects of the case is that Christian was killed more than two years before his body was found in May, yet during all that time, according to police investigators, there is no indication that anyone was looking for him.

*source: Bob Greene-CNN

At around 10 am on July 7th, I did a search on news.google.com for Christian Choate and got roughly 30 results…

I didn’t even have to do a search on Casey Anthony, as she was the top story on the Google News homepage with over 7,000 linking articles…

I am truly amazed and simply bewildered as to why certain stories get more attention than could ever be necessary whilst others get virtually none…why?

I believe, as I have said many times before, that the media, especially the twenty-four hour news networks, have a major slant towards sensationalism. It ceased, long ago, to be about information. Instead it has become a ratings game…what stories, what news is most amusing, entertaining and revenue generating.

It makes no difference whether you are a staunch conservative or a progressive liberal…whether you fancy Rachel or Bill, Keith or Sean, you are no being informed, you are being entertained; they are pandering to their demographic.

So, does this mean you can’t watch Fox and friends over a latte or Morning Joe over coffee and toast? Not at all, but just remember what you are watching…it sure ain’t news…

A Simple Card

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 21:00:33 PDT

To a husband and wife who remained faithful, I thank you…

Leaving that which you know is tough. Venturing out from the protective wings of family and familiarity is a trepidatious trek for even the bravest of souls. My wife and I were no different. When we made the decision to depart the ever familiar landscape of Central Virginia for the unknown tumbleweeds of Texas…we were scared. It was late summer.

Flash forward to late fall. Christmas shopping was in full force and clinquant Christmas chimes were singing their song to all who would listen. This was without a doubt going to be a tough Christmas. My father had just died less than three weeks ago and I was going to be spending Christmas away from my mother and brothers. It was truly Jamie and I versus the cold, cold world. It was 80 degrees outside…

I fired up our economical Chevy Malibu Classic, tuned into NPR, and hoped Garrison Keillor’s soothing voice could make me feel at home whilst I headed to the post office. I arrived at the post office just as Guy Noir was about to solve the case…

I swigged down my hot coco, complete with mini marshmallows, and headed inside. As I opened the mystery box and reached inside I noticed something…one of the envelopes felt stiff and was larger than those around it. It was deep red with pine green trim. The colors smiled at me and were a welcome contrast to the black and white mediocrity of bills, bank statements, and blanket requests for donations. I walked outside…the sun which had been fading was now gone from site.

I climbed back into my car and was catching the news from Lake Wobegon as I opened this Christmas treasure. It was a greeting card from Rachel and Calvin McGahey. A simple, everyday average greeting card with two hand written signatures at the bottom in bright blue ink. Nothing special, nothing amazing…and yet it was everything…amazing. It felt as if home itself was hugging me. And for that moment the world seemed more like a warm blanket than it did a deserted iceberg. A smile crept over my face…Mr. Keillor signed off.

I headed home to share this precious gift with my beautiful wife. She read it and looked up at me with those stunning eyes, tisked her tongue on the roof of her mouth and in her cute girlish voice that I love so much exclaimed… “Awwwwwwwww….they’re so sweet”. She proceeded to place the card on a table, in a position of prominence amidst our tiny dwelling. More cards and love followed…but theirs was the first.

As the years wore on, Rachel and Calvin were always faithful with their card ministry. Our Anniversary, birthday’s, etc…they never let us forget that we, at least in some small way, were still thought of back home, still loved, and still a small part of their lives. I am so thankful for people like Rachel that are faithful until the very end.

Heaven just got a little brighter…and Thomas Terrace Baptist Church lost, if only for a little while, a great saint. May her legacy burn bright and may others follow her example in love and grace.

And to Calvin…her husband…press on brother…fight the good fight until God calls you come as well. Weep not dear brother…your angel awaits you soon.

Jesus is WHAT?

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 23:13:44 PDT

Students’ concerns over plagiarism by Tennessee Temple University President Danny Lovett ultimately led to his resignation from the school.
But Lovett, while acknowledging that he plagiarized some passages in his book “Jesus is Awesome,” said he was leaving the university anyway.

*source-http://bit.ly/lfDvIG

See that little mark that says *source right above this text? And see how the words above it are in a blockquote format? That means I got them from somewhere else…acknowledging I didn’t come up with them myself. That apparently was too much to ask for my former professor and Dean of Liberty Seminary Danny Lovett.

You see, I read the book in question, I had to for my CHMN class…(Church Ministries…it has since been renamed EVAN 101) , a class I took in Fall of 2004…(picture of my transcript below)

Firstly, the book itself is awful…it is written in a sing-songish style manner one would expect out of a sixth grader forced to do an essay project. Secondly, …honestly I could bash this book all day, let’s move on…

In keeping with tradition of former Dean’s of Liberty Seminary (if you recall the most recent dean, Dr. Ergun Caner was forced to resign after it was found out he lied on numerous occasions from the pulpit regarding his past..he was allowed to keep his job as a professor at Liberty, but eventually left to become Vice-President of a small Baptist college in Texas) Danny has resigned in disgrace after it was proved his book was filled with passages from other books yet nary a credit or citation was found.

I seriously don’t get why anyone would hire these clowns. One is a vice-president of a college and one is going to be a head pastor of a church…really? Are we so desperate for good men that we are using men who have clearly abused power before?

Perhaps it is time for these men to serve in non-leadership positions. The book of Timothy warns us to flee from this sort of corruption and temptation…clearly these men are tempted by power and control. They have proven they cannot handle it and should spend time seeking out another course for their lives.

I fear instead they are attempting to preach the gospel for personal, fiscal gain…and we all know how God feels about his word being used for that sort of evil…

For all my non-Liberty friends reading this…the title is an allusion to both Danny’s book and a phrase we all said at the start of class…he would yell “JESUS IS WHAT???” to which the class would reply “AWESOME!”…

And Jesus is still Awesome…no matter how much Danny Lovett, Ergun Caner or anyone else tries to drag Him down.

For Further Reading:

A Baptist Message board (click here) announcing the resignation of Danny Lovett as Dean of Liberty back in the day and the promoting of Dr. Ergun Caner as the new dean. Both these men failed us…look how excited the first poster was about the change…

“Would He?”–A response to Louis Farrakhan

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 22:08:01 PDT

“I’m gonna ask you a question. Do you think God would give His only begotten Son for this World?…Just think…Look at the world you live in, how rotten it is.”
--Louis Farrakhan speaking at the American Clergyman Conference in May 2011

The blogs have been set ablaze with posts and comments concerning remarks Mr. Farrakhan made recently where he called President Obama a murderer and an assassin. Mr. Farrakhan made it clear he made these comments for two main reasons:

His (Louis F’s) personal friendship with embattled dictator Muammar Gaddafi and the current US policy on Libya.
Mr. Farrakhan’s stance on the War on Terrorism, in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But what I want to focus on today is the question Mr. Farrakhan asked his listeners directly before he made his comments regarding the White House and the President. He asked them if God would give His only Son (Jesus) to this world today…meaning the current world.

His tone and his following comment about the world being rotten indicates Mr. Farrakhan doesn’t believe God would. I believe the Bible reads otherwise…Consider Romans 5:7-9 (NLT)

⁷ Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. ⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹ And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.

God sent Christ to die for us while we were still sinners…aka enemies of God!!I Isaiah tells us that there is nothing we could ever do for God that would earn us Salvation…it is a free gift of God because He is a merciful, loving God who is full of grace.

No matter how rotten you are or how rotten the world you live in, God still seeks you out and calls you to Himself. Salvation is by faith in Christ alone…Solo Christo shall man be saved.

So, as to Mr. Farrakhan, I say…Yes, God would and did give His son to a rotten world… and I encourage you to get back to the basics as God desires a relationship with you as well…

Sola scriptura, Sola fide, Sola gratia, Solo Christo and especially Mr. Farrakhan…Soli Deo gloria!!! Forever and ever…Amen!

Under God…and stuff.

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 08:17:23 PDT

I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
-Francis Bellamy’s original Pledge of Allegiance…1892

There has been much written in the past day or so regarding NBC’s intentional editing of the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance prior to the US Open. In case you missed it, they cut out the words “Under God, Indivisible”.

Almost immediately the grumbling and outrage began. “How dare they, this nation was founded on Christian principles, etc…” While I agree this nation is one rooted deeply in Judeo-Christian values, the pledge did always have God in it.

For those that aren’t aware, the words “Under God” were not officially added to the pledge until 1942! (during a time of war and fear.) I really have no issue whatsoever with the amendment, and as a Christian I am happy we added the phrase.

But not for one second do I believe that our nation between 1892-1941 was somehow less Christian or less of a nation because we didn’t have that phrase in the pledge. As with everything in life, our actions speak much louder than words. While America does have many things wrong with it, it still gives more time and money to the poor and helpless than any other nation on Earth.

The bottom line is I think NBC was silly to edit out the phrase, since Under God is now officially part of the pledge via an act of Congress…and if you are going to show the pledge, you should show it in its entirety. I do not, however, buy the argument that by having the phrase in our pledge we are somehow closer to God.

Nor do I believe that those who would have the phrase removed, or to be more accurate, those that would have us go back to the original pledge, are a bunch of godless Sodomites plotting the destruction of America whilst having gay sex on a burning copy of The Bible.

They simply believe, (wrongly, in my opinion) that the functions of government should not in any way acknowledge God or religion for fear of religious leaders (ie…The Pope’s of old) gaining to much power and forcing their way of life on non-religious people.

The bottom line is the name calling and the “us versus them” mentality has to end somewhere. And since my Bible teaches me to love my enemies and to pray for those who persecute me,(Matt 5:44, Rom 12:14) then perhaps it is we Christians who should be the ones to extend the olive branch.

Reasonable, rational, academically honest conversations filled with understanding, love, and true discourse are a good place to start. So next time someone disagrees with a value you hold dear…like the pledge…instead of yelling and pointing fingers, you can have a rational discussion.

“I understand where you are coming from, and you are right, we didn’t add the words ‘Under God’ until 1942, but I believe the addition of this phrase was a good thing, since it reflected the values and principles we as a nation hold dear….”

is much better than

“You America hating, Godless moron…burn in hell”.

Just think about it.

Technorati Tags: Pledge of Allegiance,NBC,God,Christianity

Pledge of Allegiance,NBC,God,Christianity

Monday Mix-Up

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:14:59 PDT

Greetings…as a blogger I read many other blogs…some for inspiration, some for information, and some for simple amusement. Here are some posts I found interesting this week…

Bonnie Smith’s review of clichés…-A film themed blog run by my good friend Bonnie. In this post she discusses some well known movie clichés.
Thirty Days to be a better man…- The Art of Manliness is by far one of the top blogs on the net for men. It defines true manliness, not the crap we read about in Men’s Health or Maxim. This is a series of 30 posts designed to help make you a better man.
LifeHacker-How to Take Better Pictures part 1…- LifeHacker in general is a wellspring of knowledge. It covers topics so vast I won’t even attempt to list them all. This article is the first part in what appears to be a promising series on how to take better pictures.
Where Does Integrity Begin…. –Justine Jacobs has an outstanding blog regarding sexual integrity and the mistakes she has made along the way…and what one can learn from them. In this post she tackles the popular topic of sexting and computer flirtation and whether or not it is “cheating”. Very relevant in regards to the current Anthony Weiner saga.

“Don’t Spill It”

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:21:30 PDT

Memories live on seemingly forever in our minds. The fountain of youth so vigorously sought after has been contained within us this all along, just above the spinal cord. Here is a story I would like to share from the amazing Sara Bellum:

In the mid 90’s my father had a job that required him to wine and dine clients. We lived in a small suburb just outside of Atlanta called Loganville. Contained within his client wooing arsenal were season tickets to the Atlanta Braves. Sometimes, there were no clients to woo so Dad would take me and my older brother to see David Justice smack a few out of the park.

On one such occasion, we decided to split early, around the 7th inning or so, as was our custom. Sometimes these National League games could drone on forever, which was especially boring if the point spread was greater than five or six. We got out of our seats, which were located in the middle deck, on the first base side in the now long gone Fulton County Stadium, and walked out of the stadium to our maroon 90’s Chevy Lumina and tuned our radio to WSB, 750 A.M. radio.

Smelling red-hots and boiled peanuts all night can make a guy hungry, and we had long ago finished the Krystals we had brought with us that night. It was nearing midnight so we decided to hit up a local DQ drive-thru and grab some frozen delights.

I don’t remember what I chose that night, but I believe it was a large Strawberry Shake. I always loved shakes because for some reason as a kid I was always thirsty…and drinking a shake seemed to, if only psychosomatically, satisfy both my craving for liquid as well as my sweet tooth.

My brother and father both chose banana splits as best I can recall. I do remember my dad making that goofy face he would always make and saying in his patent silly voice “Oh boy, they’re loadin’ em up good tonight” followed by two loud lip smacks and a clasping of his hands as he rubbed them from side to side.

My dad always judged his desserts by how many toppings were on them…the more the merrier. The cashier who had originally taken our order at the speaker was gone, we assumed it was a possible shift change or just his time to get off. So the young Indian man who we had seen make the splits handed us the frozen delights. For some reason, everyone who worked at that DQ was Indian, and at that age I didn’t understand why.

My dad and my brother both got wide eyes and were seemingly too excited to speak. The car was instantly filled with the aroma of sweet cream and sugar…that Dairy Queen smell that just can’t be described, only enjoyed and remembered within the realms of our mind.

My dad grabbed the cash to pay the man and placed it in his left palm. He brought his hand up to the window just in time for the ice cream sculptor to proclaim in a loud, broken-English voice “Buh-Bye, Have a nice night…Don’t Spill It!” before shutting the drive thru window and walking away.

My dad sat there for a minute, dumbfounded. He looked at the money in his hand, looked at us, looked back at the empty drive through window, and put the money back in his pocket. We sat there for another minute continuing to stare at the empty window, before driving off.

About five minutes down the road on I85, dad burst out with a loud Indian accent “Don’t Spill It” and we all laughed. We then all discussed and reenacted the scene of dad holding up the money and getting the window shut in his face. It is one of the only surviving memories of the many many Braves games I attended during my middle school years.

My dad was no thief, but I could tell years later he still had a tinge of guilt in his soul for not paying that poor DQ cashier. In 2008 as he lay dying and in pain from Pancreatic Cancer and a failed Whipple operation, we attempted to cheer him up with stories from the past.

We said out loud in our best Indian accent “Hey Dad….Don’t Spill It!” …but instead of laughing my dad looked up with his weak eyes and said in his feeble voice “When are you all going to let me forget I am a thief…”

It’s funny how we remember things, and how we look at them. Something that had made me and my brother laugh for over 15 years was something that had been buried in the back of my dad’s mind as a regretful night of ice cream thievery.

So this father’s day I think of my Dad in Heaven…as his cup overflows and I want to say to him…”Dad….Don’t Spill It”….

Happy Father’s Day, may you make memories that last forever…

Integrity, Hugh Hefner, and the Honesty Effect

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:43:11 PDT

"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle, that is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."
–Brennan Manning

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will ^[a]spit you out of My mouth. a=Lit. “vomit”
-Rev. 3:15-16

Integrity

So, I know what you are thinking…How in the world are Integrity and Hugh Hefner and Revelation related? Well, simply put, I believe Hugh Hefner is a man of integrity….no, you are not going crazy…I just wrote that. I can say that because here is how I believe integrity is defined…

Integrity: Adherence to one singular moral compass whose true north does not fluctuate when circumstances such as socioeconomic status, friends, and environment do themselves change.

In other words…you are who you are… no matter where you are… or with whom you are… or what others believe you are or what you should be. You are solid, your beliefs do not wax and wane with public opinion nor peer pressure.

Hugh Hefner

Make no mistake, I do not agree with Hugh’s moral compass, and I believe his hedonistic, fleshly pursuits have left him always wanting more…but the man has made no bones about who he is or what he likes…and he is the same on Sunday morning as he is on Saturday night.

I wonder if the same could be said of us. Are we the same around all our groups of friends? Do people really know what drives us? What is in our hearts, our thoughts, our deepest desires?

The Honest Effect

You see, God wants us to be real, authentic and honest with Him… ourselves… and those around us. He doesn’t want us to pretend to want the same things He wants…He wants us to actually want them. And when we begin to get radically honest with ourselves and those around us…our lives typically get turned upside down.

For me, I must humbly admit I am not there yet. I have given in to the Bible-Belt mentality of just pretending I am this great Christian who has it all figured out…when the truth is I am nowhere near that. Christ seeks to change my heart, but I must humbly allow Him to do so.

I still struggle with many things, including my flesh as well as spiritual warfare. I have gotten better, and I still seek to make the desires of His heart, my heart…but until that time I have made a pledge to be honest with those around me.

Honest about my struggles with imperfection, temptation, and failure. Honest about victories, my growth, and His love. Honest about my doubts, my fears, and my questions. Honest with friends, honest with my wife, honest with myself, and honest with Him.

Anything….anything but lukewarm. Let me be a man of true integrity.

The Lost Art of Conversation

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Fri, 27 May 2011 16:08:48 PDT

Awhile back one of my favorite blogs did a post about the (lost) art of letter writing. I would like to take it a step further and say that real, honest, authentic conversation…aka..discourse…is a swiftly dying art.

One only need look at the recent surge of popularity of Twitter, Facebook and the like. Status updates and “tweets” are now a regular part of not only the print lingo of young adults but the spoken vernacular as well. If one can’t say it in a “soundbyte” it ought not be said; at least that is the modern motto.

So what can one do in this world ever dwindling attention spans…here are a few tips, in my humble opinion, that I hope prove helpful…

Skip the Movie…Go Old School

While I am a big fan of movies, they don’t exactly foster great conversation. Playing a good came of cards, going fishing or hunting, building a puzzle together, etc…are just some ways you can open the floor to great conversation. In addition, these activities force one to be intentional and thoughtful…which in turn can help broaden the attention span.

Skip the Superficial…Go Deeper

“Small minds talk about people, Good minds talk about events, Great minds talk about ideas”. While this may sound like a cliché, it is a good motto to guide great conversation. Don’t just gossip or discuss trivial superficial events, instead dig deeper to things that actually matter. You can learn a lot about a person if you are willing to do this and you will find your friendships have much deeper roots.

Ask Questions…Don’t Assume

Not everyone grew up like you, and not everyone thinks like you. If a comment comes across as rude, insulting or puzzling, ask questions to clarify the speaker’s intent. Don’t just assume they meant something mean or hateful.

Find Common Ground

Even if you disagree on just about everything, attempt to find some common ground with your intraocular. It makes for a good starting and ending point and leaves a good taste in the mouth of everyone involved. I am not saying one should lie or even capitulate or kowtow, what I am saying is that you should listen and make a strong attempt to find something you agree on. This way, you will have a better chance of having a great conversation in the future with this person.

I hope this info has proven helpful.

Treat Others: Service Staff

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Thu, 26 May 2011 20:02:24 PDT

Throughout my life I have noticed a strange phenomena…we treat certain individuals in our lives in a sub-human fashion. Not on purpose mind you, but almost out of a sheer emotional reflex we remove the title of person from them and insist they meet our demands or expectations with no consideration for their feelings or emotional well being. It is an American idiosyncrasy that should cause us all a bit of consternation.

Today I will be focusing on service staff. Whether it be the college guy who gets us our double tall latté or the single mom who brings a hot plate of bacon and eggs, we need to acknowledge these people as, well, people.

Yes, they are getting paid to do a job and yes, that job includes serving us. But that does not mean they aren’t human.

It doesn’t mean they don’t deserve even the most basic of our social niceties. So here are some tips that can help both you and your server have a great night:

Greet them back when they greet you…

A quick introduction and a kind greeting can go along way to establishing a friendly atmosphere for the remainder of the evening…

Please and Thank You are still Magic…

“Gimme” “I want” and “I need” are still rude. “May I have” “I would like” “Please bring me” are much better ways to ask for what you want. And add a thank you when your drinks and food are brought to you.

Complain Tactfully

Servers, cooks and clerks are bound to make mistakes. Be tactful with your complaints. “Pardon me, my food is a little cold, would you please warm it up for me?” will go over much better than “This food tastes like crap”. One is a request, the other is a just infantile style whining.

Pre-Bus Your Table/Clean your Area

The old motto “Leave it cleaner than you found it” is a good one. It seems so simple, but it goes a long way towards showing the kind of person you are. If you leave napkins, cups, and empty wrappers all over the place, it makes more work for the staff and makes you look lazy and uncaring.

If, however, you clean up after yourself, it shows you care and leaves a very good taste in the mouth of the staff. They are more likely to give you even better service when you return, so it actually helps you in the long run.

These are just a few tips on how you can help out both yourself and service staff. It will make for a more pleasant evening for everyone and will be demonstrating the principle of treating others the way you wish to be treated.

Facts, Fiction, and the Christian Right

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Mon, 23 May 2011 09:47:34 PDT

Regular readers of the discourse will recall that I have not had a lot of positive things to write about the Christian right. I believe they are nothing more than a pandering, money-hungry group more interested in procuring wealth than proclaiming the gospel. As election season looms, I felt it necessary to reiterate a few of my positions and offer up some examples of what I mean…

Abortion

I have noticed that if a Democrat if pro-choice, he will be hammered on the issue over and over, portrayed as someone who delights in taking a chainsaw to the heads of unborn children…BUT….if a Republican is pro-choice (or has a pro-choice record and says he is pro life) Christians are (a little too) willing to overlook the issue.

BOTTOM LINE… In my humble opinion, if a candidate is pro-choice, a Christian has no business voting for him/her.

Fidelity

Republicans, and even Christians have no high ground on the issue. Newt G is the perfect example…he got married, had an affair, married his mistress, had an affair with a staffer, divorced his second wife and married the staffer. It was during the Lewinsky scandal that Newt was having his second affair, and Newt was helping spearhead the investigation and the loudest critic of Clinton.

BOTTOM LINE….There have been just as many (if not more) sex scandals involving Republicans and Christians as there have been ones involving Democrats. Let’s focus on our plank and not their speck.

Wise Spending

George W. Bush was no in any way a fiscal conservative. Republicans and Democrats both are guilty of unwise use of taxpayer dollars.

A Final Word…

My point is this: Conservative and Christian radio have long had an unfair slant and a blind eye when it comes to the faults, failings and shortcomings of Republican candidates. I believe the media, especially Christian media, should be promoting Christian values, not Republican values…they aren’t the same, nor have they ever been the same. Vote Christian.

Ten Years Later

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:25:47 PDT

Ten years, one enlistment, one marriage, three deployments, and one family death later….

So, I did it…I graduated. But to even use the pronoun “I” is deceiving. For I could not have reached this point without the encouragement and edification of my loving and devoted family and friends. Ever since I graduated high school I have had the loving support of those who wished this day upon me.

As with anyone, a lot has changed and transpired since I last wore a cap and gown whilst marching down the aisle to repeated playings of “Pomp and Circumstance” ten years ago.

I enlisted in the military, got deployed a few times, lost touch with some very dear friends,made some new friends, met and married my lovely wife, got some good jobs, lost some good jobs, moved five times, lost my father at aged 49 due to cancer, and made the decision to get my Master’s degree and go back in the military as a Chaplain.

If you would have asked me ten years ago, I would have told you that in ten years I will be a law school grad working with the ACLJ in the realm of constitutional law, defending the rights of persecuted conservatives and Christians around the globe. I never dreamed I would be where I am today.

But I am not sorry nor am I saddened. Each and every decision, good and bad, has lead me to where I am today. I have had the opportunity to befriend some amazing human beings with equally fascinating tales of life, love, and loss.

I have had the opportunity to marry and grow close to the most amazing and beautiful woman I have ever met.

And I have been given the chance to become closer with my Savior, Jesus Christ, in a way I would have never done so had everything gone according to “my plans”. It is oft overstated but still true…His ways are not our ways and He has great plans that we cannot even fathom.

So once again, I thank any and everyone who helped make this day a reality. Whether it was a kind word, a prayer, fiscal support, a chore done for me so that I could study,or a simple hug…I am humbled and blessed by your love.

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Paradox

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:26:14 PDT

Sometimes you just don’t fit in a box…

And sometimes that makes people mad…

I’m a Conservative

I don’t watch Fox News. I can’t stand Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh. I hardly ever agree with Ann Coulter. I do believe that sometimes the free market needs a bridle in order to ensure fairness (ala Sherman Anti-Trust). And I can admit when a liberal has a good idea.

I’m a Christian

I am not a huge fan of Focus on the Family or Family Research Council as I believe these organizations long ago gave into the temptation of political pandering and posturing and stopped being about their first love. Janet Mefferd has no business on Christian radio and belongs on Fox News.

I believe that just because someone doesn’t act, think, and believe the exact same things I do doesn’t mean they aren’t a Christian. And I don’t equate patriotism and Christianity…nor do I believe we should ever pledge allegiance to the American flag at a civilian church service, nor celebrate American holidays nor have American flags displayed prominently during the service. Jesus died for everyone, not just Americans or Republicans or those that love America.

I’m a Liberty Univ. Grad

as well as a current student in their seminary. They are the complete antithesis of everything I have written thus far; frequently equating politics, patriotism, and posturing with being a good Christian.

In Conclusion

I could go on and on about how my beliefs do not line up with the beliefs of those who supposedly represent me. My point is simply this; no matter what you or your friends believe…get to know them.

Don’t assume that some national figure can in any way represent them or who they are or what they fully believe because if you do, you will be missing out on the complexities and the shades of grey that make us who we are.

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Joel Gets One Right-Banner Issues

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:44:57 PST

I am by no means a fan of the of the guy…

but I must give credit where tis due.

What Did He Say?

On a recent CNN interview with Piers Morgan (the new Larry King) Joel Osteen was asked point blank if he thought Homosexuality was a sin. Twice. And both times he replied in the affirmative.

I was surprised seeing as how in the past Joel Osteen has been so wishy-washy regarding the most basic principles of the Christian faith. But he didn’t stop there and I am glad he did not…

What is a “Banner Issue”?

He went on to say that sadly Christians have latched on to homosexuality as a “banner issue”. A banner issue is an issue on which the majority of your congregation or group agrees so you tend to preach louder and stronger on that issue in order to garner favor with your flock, especially the wealthy and influential ones.

And banner issues are one of the biggest reasons the Church has ceased to be a voice of hope, faith, and love in the community.

Why are Banner Issues Bad?

Banner issues are bad because nine times out of ten they are over-emphasized, divisive, and not preached in love. One might hear sermon after sermon about how gays are going to hell, but hear nary a word about fornication, gluttony or gossip. Such a person will grow up hating gays but be no closer to God than the very gays he or she hates.

Furthermore, banner issues usually serve to further a secular or sinful agenda and are not in any way helpful to the Kingdom of God, nor do they educate, edify or enlighten the church.

What Can I Do?

Firstly you must develop a daily routine that involves prayer and reading through God’s word in some sort of orderly fashion. Apart from this I can assure you that you will never grow closer to God. Secondly, ask God to reveal to you how He views people and how He views all sin, not just some sins or the sins that you don’t struggle with.

Thirdly, start saving sermon notes and keeping track of what verses are studied and what topics are covered. If you begin to see a pattern…ie… the same issues being covered over and over again whilst other issues that the Bible clearly speaks on being ignored, it is time to set up a meeting with your pastor/elders.

Ensure that, according to Matthew 18, you speak to the person you have an issue with (in this case your pastor/elder) directly. Make sure you speak the truth in love, and make sure you pray before you meet with them. Let them know your concerns.

What Else?

The Bible teaches us to be Spirit lead and filled, to bear fruit, and to show love to even our enemies. We are to speak truth in a loving manner, find common ground with all so that we can lead them to Christ so He may save them, and to examine ourselves thoroughly on a daily basis before pointing out the sin in others.

In Conclusion

We are not to look the other way when it comes to sin…but we are also not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. We are all sinners, we have all missed the mark, and we all need a Savior.

Whether our sin be homosexuality, fornication, lust, pride, gluttony, slothfulness, etc…we all need help and it is high time we stopped acting like we are better than those around us who suffer from the effects of a sin different than ours.

A Quick Vlog

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 07:53:24 PST

Just a quick vlog…

Merry Christmas and whatnot…

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:33:58 PST

With the presents and the tree and the music …and stuff…

Yep…still alive

Where Have You Been?

Sorry, I haven’t been updating as regularly as I once did, I have had a plethora of changes going on at Casa Cormier, including a move to a new home, a promotion, and some new developments as far as becoming an Army Chaplain.

So, Why The Delay?

Well, I found that having internet at the home was becoming a distraction to getting more important things done, so I decided to nix it. So, now, whenever I need the net, I have to make it intentional. I make a list of what I need to get done and head out to Starbucks. While this has been a huge help for me as far as time management goes, it has and will continue to, by default, slow down my blogging.

I also have been filling out tons and tons of online “paperwork” to get my faith endorsement for the Army. I simply haven’t had the time to blog.

How often will you Update?

Well, realistically I will update around 3, maybe 4 times a month. This may be via video or a written update. I believe this will help me focus my blog more as well as give readers/viewers an opportunity to soak in what I am writing (or in some cases saying).

Basically, I hope it will make this blog better. Too often I focus on quantity and forget about quality…which can result in rushed, detached updates with no real purpose.

Will the Discourse be shifting?

Somewhat…I basically plan on making this more about…well…me. I know, it sounds selfish, but I think I know me better than any other topic. While I won’t rule out topical series, I can say they will be reduced dramatically. Instead this blog will serve as sort of a quazi-documentary on my life.

In Conclusion

I thank all of you who have continued to keep up with this blog over the years. I hope I have and continue to bring you items worth talking about. I wish you and yours a very very Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year.

Two years ago

DerekJamesCormier@gmail.com (Derek Cormier) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:16:59 PST

On this very day…a great man passed from this world to the next...

So why can’t I focus on the good times?

“It was two years ago today…”

The weakness of his face, the painful moans from his mouth, the disillusioned sorrow living behind his eyes…are all as vivid this very moment as they were in the days leading up to his death.

As much as I try and remember the good times, I cannot reflect on them for but a moment without recalling those devastating last days.

“I catch a glimpse of the grey ominous storm clouds…”

It’s not like life with my father was devoid of any humorous, interesting, and exciting moments… such as free tickets to Atlanta Braves games (both at the old and new stadium), season passes to Six Flags over Georgia (the story on how we got the money for those passes is just as interesting as visits to the theme park itself), reenacting famous pro wrestling matches via a backyard trampoline, cementing the front-driveway so we had a place to shoot hoops, etc…

But attempting to remember these moments is like casting your eyes skyward to breathe in a brilliant beautiful blue sky only to catch a glimpse of the grey, ominous storm clouds on the horizon. One cannot help but fear what lies within those grey puffs of fear speckled with jagged white bolts of fury. The breathtaking majesty of the perfect calm sky seems but a distant memory from a life lived long-long ago.

Hope…

But there is hope. I believe that a healthy combination of time, knowledge, understanding and life experience will guide me, slowly but surely…to a life where I understand the balance betwixt beauty and pain, suffering and salvation, mystery and majesty. I believe that by sharing more of both the good times and the bad with those around me who have suffered through a similar story…I will have no choice but to grow stronger and wiser.

In Conclusion

May Christ bless you richly, especially those of you suffering through a holiday season without the warm hand and gentle voice of a loved one to guide you through the end of another year. You are not alone dear friends…

Derek's Discourse

Engaging

Candidate Program

Merry Christmas-2011

So what’s new in 2011?

Jamie

Both

Chaplaincy? How Dare You!

Misconceptions:

“How do you feel about having to marry homosexuals?” “How do you feel about saying Muslim Prayers?”

But I heard…

So, what about them Muslims?

Would you give them The Qur'an?

Can You Proselytize?

In Conclusion…

Essential Skills for New Husbands-Basic Finance

Live on Less

Pack a Lunch

Ignore Social Pressures

Invest in Benefits

Invest in Transportation

For Further Reading...

Essential Skills for New Husbands-Care & Concern

Ears not Insights

Shoulders not Solutions

So, Abstain from Advice?

What If She Asks…?

1. Wait Until She Asks

2. Peer, Not Professor

3. After-Action Review

In Conclusion

Essential Skills For New Husbands-Communication

Listen, Don’t Hear

Transference + Projection = Interference

Actions Speak…

Gossip Kills.

In Conclusion

Silly Persons with their Silly Documents…

What Is This Document?

Why Do You Call It Silly?

Another Example…

More Examples..?

Soo…Is It Silly?

Newsworthy

A Simple Card

Jesus is WHAT?

For Further Reading:

“Would He?”–A response to Louis Farrakhan

Under God…and stuff.

Monday Mix-Up

“Don’t Spill It”

Integrity, Hugh Hefner, and the Honesty Effect

Integrity

Hugh Hefner

The Honest Effect

The Lost Art of Conversation

Skip the Movie…Go Old School

Skip the Superficial…Go Deeper

Ask Questions…Don’t Assume

Find Common Ground

Treat Others: Service Staff

Greet them back when they greet you…

Please and Thank You are still Magic…

Complain Tactfully

Pre-Bus Your Table/Clean your Area

Facts, Fiction, and the Christian Right

Abortion

Fidelity

Wise Spending

A Final Word…

Ten Years Later

Paradox

I’m a Conservative

I’m a Christian

I’m a Liberty Univ. Grad

In Conclusion

Joel Gets One Right-Banner Issues

What Did He Say?

What is a “Banner Issue”?

Why are Banner Issues Bad?

“How do you feel about having to marry homosexuals?”
“How do you feel about saying Muslim Prayers?”