My God Space

The Choice of Blaming

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:00:00 +0000

I had lunch today in the Haven for Hope cafeteria, which I do most days now that I work there. I always try to pick someone new to sit with every day because it's always very interesting to hear their stories, and I've heard a lot of stories. Today I sat with a young man named Ryan. He seemed quiet when I sat down, and a little jittery. He looked to be less than 30 years old, but it's hard to tell people's ages in this place.

I finally introduced myself and he told me his name. We talked about the food, and how it was to live at the Haven. He had only good things to say. Then I asked him how he got here. It turns out that he was a youth pastor until his wife suddenly died. His faith was shredded and his life spiraled out of control until he ended up sitting across the table having lunch with me in a homeless shelter.

I'm surprised everyone in the room couldn't hear my heart breaking.

I asked him if his faith had been shaken, and he said it definitely was. So then I told him that I thought it was odd that when terrible things happen to people they raise their fists and rail at God, blaming him for their pain and suffering... and all the while they let the devil completely off the hook. I said God is the creator of everything that is good and pure, but Satan is the destroyer of everything good. Perhaps his anger was being directed in the wrong place.

All Ryan said was "Fair enough," and we sat in silence eating our lunch. He finished his meal and said it was nice to meet me and went on his way, alone, head down, destroyed.

It's too easy to say that God works in mysterious ways. It's almost a meaningless cliche when someone has lost the love of their life. I can only hope that God will free Ryan of this torture that he has put on himself. In the end it's his choice though.

"God, I pray for pastor Ryan. Please reveal your plan for his life and relieve him of the hell in which he has relegated his life. I know you don't want that for him. Please. Heal him."

On Brown Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 05:11:00 +0000

It’s been an unfortunate day having a local San Antonio business put in a very bad light on a national level. Several hours after NY decided it would be ok for homosexuals to marry each other, the owner of Brown Coffee Company, Aaron Blanco posted on his business Twitter account that “No human law can ever legitimize what natural law precludes.”

The result was predictable in a hailstorm of liberals spewing hatred at the company, even so far as Anthony Bourdain from the Travel Channel chiming in with his two cents in a Tweet that said “Dear Brown Coffee: God called. He said you suck.” How arrogant do you have to be to think you can speak for God? Your quip is both offensive and intolerant, Mr. Bourdain.

Yes, I said intolerant. The liberal’s buzzword for anyone who doesn’t agree with their views. I submit that it’s the liberal community who are actually intolerant to other people’s Constitutional right to free speech. Mr. Blanco’s comment didn’t say “Kill homosexuals,” he simply posted that he doesn’t agree with homosexual marriage. It wasn’t a hateful statement; it was just his opinion for which I spent 21 years in the military defending our Constitution so he could voice his opinion as a free American, just as I defend the homosexual’s right to free speech too! We’re supposed to be a free society in which we can agree to disagree about anything, and voice our opinions without fear of being harmed.

Our society has degenerated to the point that only a few are allowed to have an opinion and if you disagree with them you’re vilified in the media and your livelihood is threatened. Just because someone disagrees with homosexuals they are instantly labeled as intolerant and homophobic, when it is them who are being intolerant by trying to take away people’s right to disagree with them.

What Mr. Blanco did wasn’t smart. Using his business account to give a personal opinion about a hot-button topic like homosexual marriage was a bad idea. Business owners should know that their business has to be neutral unless they want to lose a segment of consumers. But he didn’t express it in a way that would cause physical harm to anyone, so the hatefulness being delivered to him and his business by the liberal community is just another attempt to chip away at our Constitution and force people to bend to their way of thinking.

Christ commanded us to love one another. He didn’t specify a race, color or politics. He meant everyone. So that’s what I do. I don’t care if you’re homosexual; my only concern is whether or not you have a personal relationship with Christ. After that, you and Him can work out the particulars of your lifestyle choices.

“God, please help us to love each other the way you love us, and to be bold enough to stand up for the truth that you have given us in your infallible Word.”

Death, food, giving and an oasis.

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 21:02:00 +0000

Saturday was an interesting day. My wife read an article in the daily paper about 18 month old Jesaydin Guerrero losing his life in a traffic accident. The family needed money to have a funeral for the child so they set up a BBQ stand at the funeral home over the weekend to raise much needed funds. The accident was especially tragic because it was a family member who accidentally ran over the child, and then to add insult to injury the family doesn’t have the money to bury him.

It took about .3 seconds for us to be in the car headed for the funeral home. Although I’ve been going to school for over a year and have had no job, my wife and I still feel blessed and when God moves us to share of our finances we know we have to do it. God loves us, and would never leave us short on money, so even when we don’t think we have enough to share, we have found that if we follow God’s urging we always come out ok.

Anyway, we went to the funeral home and there was a pretty good crowd. Family and friends were busy grilling up chicken quarters and Kielbasa sausage. There were beans and potato salad and bread, packaged in the neat Styrofoam container with a picnic style plastic fork, knife and napkin in a sealed bag. Nice meal.

The gentlemen gave us our meals and asked for $12. Now, this is where God moves in my life. He continually shows me that I am blessed, and I have to say one of my greatest pleasures is giving to those who are in need. I’m the guy who stops traffic to hand a beggar a few bucks that everyone hates because they feel I’m enabling this guy not to work, or that he’ll just spend it on booze. Well, I don’t care what they think, if the guy spends it on something I wouldn’t approve of then that is on him, not me. What I handed him was a gift, and once I gave it to him it became his to do with whatever he wants. It doesn’t lessen my responsibility to try and help him.

Sorry to get off the path. My point is that I know people need help sometimes, and I’ve been blessed beyond compare. So I took my two meals, handed the guy a hundred bucks, politely said “keep the change,” and left. I heard him say “God bless you!” as we walked away, and I thought to myself “He just did.”

We left the funeral home and it was such a nice day that I drove to the other side of I-10 to Camp St and stopped at Chris Park. This little one acre green-space is truly an oasis in the ugly downtown urbanity of San Antonio. It was built by Linda Pace as a memorial to her son who died at the age of 25. The park is across the street from the Camp Street Lofts and is pretty easy to find off S. Flores. You may recognize the name “Pace.” They created Pace Picante and used to own the Pearl Brewery (Pabst Blue Ribbon).

We took our BBQ bounty and sat under a beautiful shade tree and enjoyed the beauty of the park, shutting out the sights and sounds of the city for a while, and contemplated the abruptness of life, and losing an 18 month old child.

The contrast of death and the beauty of the life in the park was a reminder to me that our world is filled with both, and we will all be touched by both at some time in our life. I don’t have the answer to the question of “why did God let this happen to Jesaydin.” I only know that He doesn’t wish us harm. Only Satan wishes us harm. God teaches us through adversity, and strengthens us through our failures.

40 Days

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 20:55:00 +0000

It was Easter Sunday yesterday, and the season of Lent has ended. I’m happy to say that my social experiment in news deprivation for the past 40 days was a success. For 40 days I didn’t purposely watch the news on TV, or log on to any media outlets online, or use my iPhone to check any news stories. I also didn’t listen to any radio stations but KLOVE, or read any books except the Bible.

I wanted to see what life would be like without the negative inputs that can come from media. So I cut out everything: no liberally biased NPR radio, no conservative leaning Fox News, no news at all except for collateral information gleaned from posts on Facebook or Twitter.

What did I learn from this experience? Well, mostly that the old adage “if it bleeds, it leads” is absolutely true, especially in San Antonio. Although I never purposely turned on the news, there were a few times I couldn’t help but hear it because it was on a television at a restaurant. After not seeing the news for several weeks it really stood out that what our local news agencies report the most is bad news. It made me wonder why I needed to know that someone crashed on 1604 and died, or that someone robbed a cell phone store in Leon Valley, or that two morons were charged with drunken boating. How did these stories enhance my life? Why was this news that everyone in San Antonio needed to know?

Some people will simply say “don’t watch it, just change the channel.” That’s a problem for me because I’d like to know the news, the real news, the news that makes a difference in people’s lives; like how people are helping the homeless in San Antonio and how others can, and should get involved. I want to know what our government is doing in this city and state, and how our representatives are actually representing us. I want to know about events like festivals, and stories about the hundreds of good and kind acts that happen in this city every day. What I don’t want is 30 minutes of news that has two good stories and 25 bad.

So what now? Has my social experiment changed me in any way? I’d have to say yes. It’s helped me see what is important. Without the constant intake of injustice and inhumane acts from around the globe, I’ve spent the past 40 days not worrying about all the things going on in the world and concentrated on the vicinity around me. The place that I can really be effective.

Don’t get me wrong, I pray for the entire planet on a regular basis. But getting my stomach in a knot about how Gaddafi or some other despot is treating their citizens doesn’t do anything to enhance my life. I know there will be injustice, that’s a given in this world. But knowing about every instance of it only brings us down.

Overall, I’ve felt better the past 40 days not having the “news” in my head. I’ll probably watch some news now, but I don’t think it’ll be the same. Maybe I’ll start a “pleasant news” network where for every bad story that has to be reported, 20 good stories must follow. Ha!

My advice to all of you is to unplug like I did and see how your life changes. If you’re a media junky and think that you have to know every news story that gets broadcasted, then that’s your god. Take a break from it and see how you feel in 40 days.

“God, thanks for this experience. It’s helped me become more focused on meaningful use of my thoughts and time. And oh yeah, to celebrate Easter can you tell Jesus 'Happy Resurrection' from me. I know that was a pretty busy day and we all appreciate His sacrifice and love for us. We love Him back. Amen.”

Lent(ish) – Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:43:00 +0000

I posted a few days ago that I’ve been thinking about conducting a social experiment about how the news media affects us. I was on Twitter one day and everyone was talking about Lent, so I decided to put my experiment in motion and use the Lenten season to do it, so I’ve unplugged from all news broadcasts on TV, radio, and online outlets for the next 40 days. My only source of information is whatever I glean from conversations around me and social media posts on Twitter and Facebook (just the text posts, not the videos).

Let me just say that Lent just happened to fall at the same time I’d been thinking about doing this experiment and it helped push me into actually doing it. As I said in my first post I’m not a Lent observer. Giving up coffee or beer or chocolate for 40 days won’t bring you closer to Christ. If you want to give up a vice then give it up for good, but if you want to be closer to Christ then read His Word daily and practice what He preached.

Anyway, the basis for my experiment was brought about one day when after driving somewhere I realized I was very agitated. I wasn’t agitated when I got in the car, and there was no traffic, so I started to wonder if listening to the talk radio show I heard during the drive had affected me. I started to pay attention to my moods more closely and realized that I could definitely see how taking in the news made me feel agitated, or sad, or just plain dissolutioned with the world. We all know that news outlets thrive on bad news. They prey on our seemingly subconscious desire to slow down and look at the accident, and they skew their reporting to the Left or the Right.

So I decided to stop taking in all of this stuff and see what happened. Would I become completely out of touch with the world, but be happier?

The first few days were a little hard because I’m a news junkie. I like knowing what’s going on in the world. But I stayed on course. Then suddenly the whole experiment was put into jeopardy when the catastrophe hit Japan. I saw a Twitter post saying there was an 8.9 earthquake followed by a tsunami.

Now I was in trouble. I started to grab the TV remote, justifying to myself that this was a game changing event and I really needed to know about it. But then I stopped and realized that this would actually help my experiment. Would I be able to gather enough info from sources around me to know what happened, or would this event go unrealized?

It’s been a few days now, and the only video I’ve seen about the disaster has been a fleeting glimpse on a TV in a restaurant that showed houses being swept away. Just that small intake made me feel terrible.

I mean, really, does seeing the utter devastation make the experience of knowing there was a catastrophe in Japan any better? Having your brain constantly bombarded with those images only makes you feel worse every time you replay them in your mind.

So I have to ask myself what would be different if I watched the news or videos that people are posting on Twitter. The answer is that my actions would be the same: I would still pray every day for Japan, and I would give to a relief fund to try and help out. The only other thing I could do is go over there, which like 99% of us is unrealistic. The difference is that I don’t feel that heavy weight that would be caused by seeing the destruction and devastation or having every minute of a news broadcast dedicated to it rolling around in my head. You may not realize it, but it effects you, and you don’t need it to know that there is suffering going on over there.

So far, my experiment has been interesting. I’ve gathered all of the information I need about world and local events just through the sources around me without the 5 thousand other stories about murders and rapes and fires and every other nasty thing the news fills their broadcasts with. I have all of the truly relevant information I need without the rest of the crap. I’m experiencing a better mood, and finding that I’m actually more productive not looking at the hours and hours of horrifying news coverage of the disaster.

I’ll continue to check in as my Lent(ish) experiment progresses.

Goodnight, and Good News.

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 22:31:00 +0000

I’m a pretty avid news reader. I like to be informed about what’s going on in the world and in my community. With my iPhone I’m able to receive a ton of information. Here’s a “short” list of what’s on my phone: CNN, Time, The Washington Post, Newsweek, Fox, Huffington Post, Fast Company, TechCrunch, Mashable, Endgadget, WOAI (local San Antonio news), NPR, Al Jazeera, and Dilbert. That last one is just to cheer me up after reading all that news.

The reason I look at so many different outlets is because I want to get an array of interpretations of worldly events. I know too many people that stick to just the news service that suits their political stance, and that’s a shame because both sides skew their stories, and unfortunately it seems that most of the stories aren’t news that makes people smile either. Actually, I find that most of the time I’m agitated after reading the news because it’s frustrating to read about the political rancor in our country that permeates just about everything we do, and the deplorable way humans treat each other all over the world.

I’ve thought about not reading the news, but I’m afraid of becoming an uninformed oaf with no idea what’s going on in the world. But now that we’ve reached the season of Lent, I’ve decided to unplug. I don’t normally participate in Lent because I feel it’s an empty ritual that doesn’t really prove anything. If you want to impress me then give up that vice for life, not just 40 days.

Anyway, the only reason I’m doing this now is because a short term experiment is really what I need, and all of the stories I’ve read about Lent today gave me the idea to do it now. So, for the next 40 days I’m going to avoid the news. I’ve deleted all of the news apps from my phone, removed the news feeds from Twitter, and installed the Charlie Sheen filter on my home computer that is available for FireFox now. I’m going to avoid all talk radio, and only listen to Christ-centered music, and the only book I’m going to read is my Bible.

It’ll be interesting to see the results. Will I be able to glean all of the news I need from friendly conversations with people around me, or will I become a social black hole? We’ll see.

Beautiful Soul

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:15:00 +0000

It was kind of a sad weekend for my family. We had to lay my aunt Jackie to rest. She was a pretty remarkable woman. She was an unassuming person with a wonderful smile and a good word for everyone. She had a tough childhood that made her feel that she was less than worthy of anything. This continued into her adult life with an abusive marriage that lasted a long time. It wasn't until she was older that she broke free from that relationship and struck out on her own for the first time. She met a very nice man who showed her that not only was she worthy of being loved, but that life was an adventure that she was just beginning.

Jackie suddenly found a whole new world in which people cared about what she thought, and what she thought was usually very sagely and delivered with perfect timing. She began going on cruises and exploring the world. She decided not to waste another moment of her life, which was personified once after tasting a rather odious glass of wine when she commented "life is too short for bad wine." She poured it out and opened another bottle.

When she was in her late 50's she decided to go to college. The new love of her life was a college professor with several PhD's and spoke seven languages. It's difficult to be around someone like that and not catch the learning bug, so she enrolled in the Texas Woman's University. She found a whole new world in academia. For most of her life she was told that she was dumb, but she discovered that not only was she not dumb, she was smarter than most of us. She took classes and got certifications and the people at the college noticed her immediately. She received so many certifications that the college had to create advanced level certifications just to keep up with her.

Jackie finished her undergraduate degree at age 61 with a 4.0 GPA. But that wasn't enough for her, she went on to receive a Masters degree a few years later, again with a perfect 4.0 average. She finally became a teacher, bringing her education full circle to do what she did best, enlighten others.

Jackie's funeral was, for the lack of a better word, astounding. The pastor began with a eulogy and some scripture, then she said they were going to play some songs that Jackie really liked, and while the music played if anyone would like to say something about Jackie they could come up and do so.

I kid you not when I say that literally for over an hour people streamed up to the podium to talk about Jackie. Women who worked for her when she was a manager at an insurance agency many years ago talked about how Jackie had mentored them and helped them through marital problems and other difficult times in their lives. Professors from the college came up and talked about how Jackie was the most incredible learner they had ever met, and that the college even began a scholarship program in her name. Friends from years past, family, and acquaintances all spoke of what a wonderful, giving person she was. It was amazing to see how many lives she had touched.

It's been said that a person's life can be measured by their funeral. If that is true, then there is no scale big enough to measure the life of Hettie Jacqueline Nye. She will be missed, and all of our lives are just a little less joyful without her presence.

Rest in peace, beautiful soul.

The Bill of Subterfuge

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 05:24:00 +0000

I just have to weigh in on the news I've been reading about the bill defeated today in Congress by a Republican filibuster. The bill would make free medical care available to 9/11 first responders, which I think is s good thing, but the press is saying the Republicans defeated it because they didn't like the price tag.

That isn't exactly accurate. The Democrats knew this was an important piece of legislation that the American people would like, so they secretly added some things that weren't publicized, such as abortions being funded with tax payer dollars.

This kind of subterfuge happens all of the time in Washington. It's a game to them, with the ultimate losers being the American people. They don't really care about us, they just want their agenda to pass. Both sides of the aisle do it. But unfortunately for the Republicans the Democrats really played dirty pool with this one and the press is playing along and reporting the story without all of the details. So now the GOP is being painted as uncaring villains.

The tragedy is that the 9/11 veterans won't get the care they deserve, not because the Republicans don't care about them like the press is saying, but because the Democrats loaded up the bill with things they knew the Republicans wouldn't vote for.

It's appalling how politicians treat us citizens, and I continue to say that the single greatest danger to this country isn't terrorists, it's Republicans and Democrats.

"God, please wrap your healing arms around those brave people who put their lives in danger on 9/11. Heal their wounds, and comfort their hearts. Amen."

When Freedom of Speech Attacks

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:28:00 +0000

There's been a lot of press about WikiLeaks lately. Somehow they got their hands on some confidential documents from the U.S. government and decided everyone on the planet had a the right to know what they said. Some of the dispatches were embarrassing, with diplomats painting other heads of state in a bad light, but some of the correspondence details important U.S. asset locations such as dams, communication pipelines, industrial plants, and other things that the U.S. see's as critical assets that could hurt the country if they were destroyed. Thanks WikiLeaks for giving the enemy a target list, with directions.

So where does the line stop between freedom of speech and just plain irresponsibility? I've read article after article on every major news web site about how WikiLeaks was putting soldiers overseas and citizens here in this country at risk, and I thought to myself "Are you kidding? You people do this every day!"

It's true, every time the U.S. does something to capture or kill high ranking enemy combatants the press details exactly how they did it. I remember several instances where coalition forces tracked down the enemy by triangulating cell phone signals, so the press tells everyone how they did it. So now the enemy knows not to use cell phones.

The enemy learns fast, and the press is their greatest asset for information on what we're doing to fight them. They learn troop movements, tactics, and how our technology works simply by logging into any of the news outlets every day.

I think WikiLeaks is doing a disservice to this country, but the news media has no room to condemn them when they are just as guilty. I'm all for freedom of speech, but I'm more concerned about the safety of our troops. I think the press should be held accountable for being responsible with their mandate of reporting events.

The lives of our military members is more important than their ratings.

"God, it's unfortunate that we can't seem to get along here on this planet. Please help us find love for one another. And please keep our troops safe. Thanks."

To Build, or Not to Build.

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:31:00 +0000

I’ve been reading about this religious place some people want to build that has some other people up in arms. The residents are saying they don’t want it there and it’s not an appropriate place for it.

So where do we draw the line between our personal likes and dislikes, and what this country actually stands for? The 1st Amendment of the Constitution reads “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The 1st Amendment seems pretty clear that we have the right to believe whatever we want to believe, and just because you don’t like what I believe doesn’t give you the right to interfere with my freedoms. But people have started a petition to stop the owner of the property from building this house of faith.

On one hand, this happens a lot. Residents in New York once stopped a Wal-Mart from being built simply because they didn’t want it in their neighborhood. They went through legal channels, and they petitioned the right people, and they made the Wal-Mart move. This isn’t an isolated incidence. It happens all the time.

But the fact that this is a place of religion seems to be the biggest deal. People don’t believe in the same faith that is going to be practiced in this building, so they don’t want it near them. Does that mindset make it right? I think I have to say no, it’s doesn’t. We can’t prescribe to freedom of religion for some people, but not for others simply because we don’t like their flavor of faith.

Oh, and by the way, the building of faith that I'm talking about, the one people are trying to block, is a Christian Fellowship Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“God, help us to love one another the way your Son loves us and to realize that we can’t tell people about you if we continually push them away. Amen.”

Rest in Peace

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:58:00 +0000

Earlier this week I had to put my dog to sleep. Lucy was a great pet, she was mild tempered and obedient. She loved to go for walks, and she took great care to sniff out the neighborhood. My wife said it was like reading the newspaper to her.

Lucy had cancer. We did what we could, including chemotherapy, but in the end she wasn’t going to get better. It was a very difficult decision to put her down, but we knew it was the right thing to do. So I loaded her in the car and took her to the vet and they euthanized her.

Having a loved pet die is pretty difficult. For me it brought out a range of emotions, one of which was how bad I felt that I had “killed” my pet. Realizing that I had control of whether this living, loving animal lived or died, and actually naming the day and time she would die made me feel bad.

But then God reminded me of something, he gave us dominion over all living creatures. Genesis 1:26 tells us “… and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” I used to think that all this meant was that we were at the top of the food chain and we could do whatever we wanted to animals.

I see things a little differently now. Now I believe that having “dominion” over animals means that God has placed them in our care. Just like the rest of the earth God created, we are custodians of all living creatures, and how we treat them is important. It also means that we have the right to decide whether they live or die. My wife and I had to make a difficult decision with Lucy, and I was feeling bad about it, but now I realize that it’s part of my custodial rights and duties, and in making the decision to stop Lucy’s suffering I used that right in a humane way.

God has given us great power over the earth. It doesn’t mean that we can abuse it, we need to manage its resources, both animal and mineral with the principles He gave us.

“God, thanks for letting us have Lucy for 12 years. She was a great friend. And thanks for teaching me a lesson in all this. My life with you is a constant classroom. Thanks.”

Reversing Discrimination

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:08:00 +0000

Some firemen up in New Haven, Connecticut filed a lawsuit a while back that was finally settled today. They said they were passed over for promotion because of the color of their skin. One of the plaintiffs scored higher than anyone else on the captain’s exam that year, but his test along with 13 others was thrown out.

I know, you’re sitting there saying it’s typical racism, that black people are being discriminated against as usual. Well, the people passed-over for promotion were 13 whites and 1 Hispanic. Their tests where thrown out because not enough minorities scored well enough to be promoted.

It amazes me how our country bends from one direction to the next. We’re trying hard not to be racist, but we’re not actually stopping the racism, we’re just applying it to someone else.

The thing that bothers me is that every story I’ve read about this over the past few years has referred to the incident as “reverse discrimination.” This ticks my clock because there is no such thing a “reverse” discrimination. There is only discrimination, it's the same no matter who you apply it to.

Saying there is such a thing as reverse discrimination implies that only one race can be discriminated against, and everyone else is racist, like they are the only people who can commit discrimination, and if the minority group does it, they’re just reversing the discrimination they’ve been suffering through.

Discrimination and bigotry are the same for everyone. No matter what race you apply it to it doesn’t reverse it.

God created all of us, and Jesus told us to love one another as He has loved us. He didn’t specify a color.

And yes, I'm bigoted... I love everyone the same.

“God, please help us to see each other as you see us, and love each other as your Son told us. Amen.”

Misunderstood?

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:32:00 +0000

It’s interesting how people think they know each other, when they really don’t. We read papers and articles and watch the news expecting these outlets will tell us the whole story, but then you slowly find out you didn’t really know everything. Take this artist for instance. The Charlie Chaplin picture was drawn when the artist was just 9 years old. Pretty impressive, huh? This artist grew up with art of every type, and became pretty well known for it. Unfortunately he was known for both good and bad things in his life. He was praised for his contributions to art until someone pointed a finger at him and said he did something wrong, then the media vilified him without trial, ultimately turning his life’s work into nothing more than a party joke.

He spent his later years defending himself from accusations that were never proven true, or false. But it was still a struggle, and took its toll. But seeing these drawings made me realize that I never really knew this artist. He was so much more than just a performer. He didn’t just sing and dance really well, he wrote songs that continue to be famous today, and will be part of our culture forever. Here’s a short list of some of the songs he performed that you probably didn’t know he actually wrote himself:

Billie Jean
Black or White
Bad
I Just Can’t Stop Loving You
Beat It
The Girl Is Mine
Remember the Time
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
Wanna Be Startin’ Something
Scream

There are more. A lot more, and I’m sure you’ve figured out who the artist is by now. I guess my point is that people are more than just what other people tell you about them.

RIP Michael Jackson

How to Win the Nobel Peace Prize In 12 Days

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:06:00 +0000

I've been reading about President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize today. To be honest, I was a little shocked. He's only been in office for 9 months, and he hasn't really done anything that has shown results.

I'm not alone, I've read several stories today that gave comments from around the world, and a lot of them are confused too. Even the President of another country said it was way too fast, that Obama hasn't had a chance to really do anything.

It made me wonder just how political this award is. But nothing really said like this article about how the nominations are done for the Nobel prize. It turns out that nominations we due just 12 days after Obama began his term in office.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2009/10/09/tommy-seno-obama-nobel-prize-win/

Is the Honeymoon Over?

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:04:00 +0000

I saw a skit on Saturday Night Live last weekend that really surprised me. Fred Arnison started the show doing his Obama impersonation, sitting in the Oval Office addressing the American people.

He begins by saying he was elected on a platform of change, but that people were saying the U.S. is starting to look like a Socialist country. He said that if we’re starting to look like a Socialist nation it couldn’t be his fault because if you check his record you’ll see that he’s hasn’t really done anything.

He then shows a list of things he was supposed to do with checkboxes next to each item under headings of “Done” and “Not Done”. The list was long, and included closing Guantanamo Bay, pulling out of Iraq, improving Afghanistan, Health Care Reform, Immigration Reform, Gays in the Military, Limits on Executive Powers, Torture Prosecution, and Global Warming. He then went through and checked every single item as “Not Done.”

To see an outlet like SNL spoof the president like this blew my mind. It gave a clear signal that the honeymoon is over, and Obama needs to start getting results or his popularity will suffer.

The one thing they left off the list was Obama’s promise that the $787 billion stimulus package would create 3.5 million jobs. The answer to that is also “Not Done,” and with the worst unemployment in over 25 years this wasn’t a promise I wanted to see unfulfilled.

To further add to Obama’s diminishing star, the Olympic Committee this week took the U.S. out of the running for hosting the 2016 Olympics in the FIRST round. Oy. The indignant shock in Chicago was palpable. They thought there was no way they could lose with Barack, Michelle AND Oprah personally going over there to make the presentation. The Olympic Committee wasn’t impressed though, and it’s a shame because I was really hoping the U.S. would get the Olympics again.

Personally I’m glad the honeymoon is coming to an end so maybe we can get real now. I hope that everyone, conservative and liberal alike will now start holding the president accountable for results. We really need some.

“God, please bless the president and his family. Help strengthen him and guide him during these difficult times in our country, and let your light shine through it all. Amen.”

Shrouded

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:25:00 +0000

I read an article today entitled “Scientist recreates Turin Shroud to show it’s fake.” I chuckled when I read the title because I thought it was pretty stupid to say that just because they can make one that looks like the original that it means the original is a fake. That’s like saying if we can create fire by rubbing two sticks together like they did before matches then the original fire was fake.

To me, the disturbing part isn’t whether or not the shroud is a fake, I could care less, it’s that they’re touting this experiment as a means to take a shot at religion. They know they can’t disprove Christ completely, so they have to go after the next best thing: the religious icons.

Intelligent people understand that even if a religious icon is proven to be a fake, it doesn’t change the message of Christ. Unfortunately there are unsaved people out there that view this revelation to mean that Christians are liars, and now they’ve been found out.

It’s a simple tactic to chip away at the legitimacy of religion and scare people away from seeking God.

If you think I’m being paranoid, then think about the fact that the entire experiment was commissioned and funded by the Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics. Why would they go through such lengths to prove the shroud is a fake? What would be the purpose of an organization that doesn’t believe in God to spend a lot of money just to say “Ha! You’re religious icon isn’t real!”

This of course brings up the inherent problem of people putting stock in a religious icon as something of faithful significance.

Christ stayed away from that kind of stuff. His only ceremony was the last supper, and the only icon he presented, in my mind anyway, was washing his disciple’s feet.

But unfortunately various religions use icons as part of their belief system, and when someone debunks the icon, it leaves a hole in their faith, and brings doubt upon whether or not the god they believe in is truly real.

The Shroud of Turin is just a cloth with an impression on it. No one knows for sure if it was on Jesus or not, so the easy answer is to believe that it is not.

Stick with the things that are real, like the teachings of Christ. You can’t go wrong with that.

“God, the enemy never rests in their effort to keep people away from you. Help those of us who believe in your grace and glory to do a better job of making sure they fail. Amen.”

Reclaimed

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:47:00 +0000

My wife and I are members of the McNay Art Museum and were invited to a preview event for an art exhibit opening this week. The collection of paintings is incredible, and the story behind them is even more astounding.

Jacques Goudstikker was a man living in Amsterdam in the late 30’s who had a passion for art. He spent years collecting works of European old world masters and amassed a collection estimated to be 1,400 paintings which he displayed in his art museum. It included such works as The entrance to a harbor by Simon de Vlieger and Ferry Boat with cattle on the River Vecht near Nijenrode by Salomon van Ruysdael, to name a few.

Life was good. Jacques met and married Viennese opera singer Désirée von Halban Kurz in 1937, and they were the toast of Amsterdam.

Then the Nazis came to town. Jacques hid his family, and for a few months tried to smuggle things out of the country. But he soon felt it was too dangerous for them to stay in the country because you see, Jacques was a Jew.

Jacques and his family managed to get passage on a ship out of the country. Unfortunately most of his relatives decided to stay, and died at Auschwitz. But just as tragically, less than 48 hours after Jacques escaped the country he took a late night walk on the deck of the ship and fell through an open passage hatch and died.

Back in Amsterdam, the Nazis looted his museum. Hermann Göring himself came to the museum and took several hundred paintings.

For over 60 years Jacques family has been trying to hunt down the stolen collection. After WWII the paintings that Göring stole ended up in the hands of the Dutch, but for some reason they wouldn’t return them.

Between 1996 and 1998, Dutch investigative journalist Pieter den Hollander attracted international attention with his exposé of how the post-war restitution of stolen art often ignored the rights of the legal owners. But thanks to the efforts of many people fighting for the family’s rights, 202 paintings were returned to them in 2006.

These paintings are on display at the McNay until January 10th of next year, and they are stunning. Jacques daughter-in-law and grand daughter were there last night to give a presentation about the exhibit. Their story is compelling, and their work is far from over.

Interestingly enough, they said that most of the time when they discover some of their stolen artwork in European museums it is returned almost immediately now. The country that has given them the most problem is… you guessed it… the United States. They are battling several museums in California who refuse to return their paintings even when presented with positive proof of ownership. The one U.S. museum that did immediately return a painting that was discovered in it was here in Texas. It’s nice to know Texans respect other people’s property.

“God, war is never a good thing, and the events of WWII continue to affect us even today. I pray that we never let this happen again. Amen.”

What if it happened to you?

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:37:00 +0000

A judge in Switzerland denied Roman Polanski’s request to be released from prison today. I was amazed he even asked! Here’s a guy who did bad things to a child and then admitted it, but after being let out on bail he fled to France.

What disturbs me about this is how big Hollywood stars are clamoring for his release. What’s wrong with these people? He’s an admitted sex offender who fled from justice, and because he went to France and made some good movies he should get a pass?

I’d like to see how they’d feel if it had been THEIR daughter Polanski molested.

Just my two cents.

To the Moon!

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:15:00 +0000

It was 6:30am when my father came into the bedroom and woke up my two brothers and me. I remember being sleepy and wondered what was going on. He took us into the living room and sat us in front of the black and white television set and told us to watch. It was July 16, 1969, and a few minutes later I sat and watched the Saturn V rocket carrying Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins, and Buzz Aldrin blast off the launch pad and head towards the moon.

Although I thought it was neat to watch the space ship take off, I didn’t really understand the significance of what I was watching. My father did. He knew that history was being made and he wanted his kids to be able to say they witnessed it.

Four days later we all gathered around the television once again and watched as Armstrong set foot on the moon.

Today is the anniversary of that July day when mankind first set foot on another planet. It was a monumental achievement, and showed what we can do if we really set our minds to it. I will never forget that day, just like people remember where they were on Sept 11th.

Fortunately this isn’t a memory I ever want to forget.

The crew members of Apollo 11 are still alive, and they get together every five years to celebrate their trip. They are truly amazing people.

“God, we sit on our little Earth and gaze into the heavens and wonder what it’s like out there. It amazes me that you already know. Thanks for the great view though.”

Unfamiliar

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Wed, 06 May 2009 05:46:00 +0000

I’ve been told that I’m an oddity in this world because I am unfamiliar with death. In the four decades I’ve been on this planet, I’ve been to the following funerals, in the order they happened…

My Great-grandfather.

That’s it. Seriously. My great-grandfather passed away when I was very young, and I barely remember it. That, besides an occasional passing of a pet, have been my only dealings with death. Until this past weekend.

My great-aunt, Syble, was 93 years old. She has been the closest thing to a grand-mother that I’ve had on my father’s side of the family. She has always been there for me, and is one of the sweetest persons I have ever met.

She had been ill for some time and was in the hospital. On Friday she became unresponsive and I left San Antonio in a hurry. It’s an 8 hour drive to El Dorado, Arkansas, and a lot of things should have gone through my mind, but I didn’t know what to expect, for I am unfamiliar with death.

I arrived at a cousin's home where there should have been at least ten relatives waiting, but instead I found an eerie stillness. Everyone was gone. I knew that didn’t bode well, so I went straight to the hospital. I arrived 15 minutes later to find that I was too late; Syble was gone.

I went to the waiting room where a lot of family waited. The tears flowed from everyone, including me. We were allowed to go into Syble’s room, and it’s hard to describe what I felt. There, on the bed was the woman that had spent hours telling me family stories, who had always baked a chocolate pie for me every time I came to visit, and had always loved me unconditionally. She looked frail. The end had taken its toll on her. She had simply had enough. It’s hard to put into words, because I am unfamiliar with death.

The next few days were spent hugging on family. We all told stories about Syble, and hugged each other some more. Friends came by with food. Lots of food. Eating is nature’s way of comforting us.

The funeral was difficult. Walking past her open casket for the last time I realized that it would be the last time I would ever see her, and the tears came once again. I wasn’t prepared for the range of emotions I felt, because I am unfamiliar with death.

I helped carry the casket to the grave site, and after a few words were spoken by the pastor, and people cried and hugged, we all left, leaving the funeral folks to finish their work. My family all met at a cousin's home and once again consoled each other. Some were saying that it was ok, because we would see Syble again in Heaven. That didn’t fill the void in my heart though, because she wasn’t there now.

Today as I left for home I stopped by the cemetery. The casket had been put in the ground, and it seemed like the loneliest place on Earth. How could we leave her there, so all alone?

The answer is in my faith. You see, leaving these bodies behind is just the beginning of a new life with Christ. Syble no longer feels pain, or gasps for breath. She has a new body and a new existence at the side of our Lord and Savior. There is no reason for me to be sad, and in fact I’m a little jealous that Syble is there with Him now. I’m happy for her, even in my grief.

Yes, I am unfamiliar with death, because Jesus broke the bonds of death, and now we have everlasting life.

"God, thank you for letting me be part of Syble's life while she was here. Please take care of her until I get there. I know she has more stories to tell me. Thanks."

Act your wage

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:05:00 +0000

I keep hearing about a recession that is supposed to be crippling America, and most of the world. I looked outside, but didn’t see it. I checked my garage, the cars are still there. I checked my savings account, yup, still something in it. I went to work and I still have a job. I went by the church and it’s still full of people. I got my paycheck and it’s still as much as it was last month. I drove to the Fiesta celebration and people are still participating. Hmmm. I can’t seem to find this recession.

I know I’m making light of this, and I also know that it has touched the lives of many people. I just wanted to make a point that it can be your choice not to participate in the recession.

The reason it hasn’t touched my life is because I’ve recession proofed my life. I live within my means and follow some very simple rules for using my money. Here they are:

Give faithfully. It is not a coincidence that the more I give to God’s work, the more I seem to be blessed with extra money at the end of the month.
Don’t live on credit. Americans have been sucked into the world of materialism so much that they think it’s “stuff” that makes them somebody. It doesn’t, you’re still the same person you were before you bought that cool car. But now you’re totally broke.
Save for a rainy day. The “rainy” days are here in the form of a depressed economy. But even if the business I work for is affected and I lose my job, I’ll be ok for quite some time because I’ve put money away to cover my expenses for several months.
Pay it off! Take steps to get rid of your bills. You can make extra payments on your loans and credit cards, you just make excuses why making the minimum payment is the only thing you can do. Bull biscuits! Just cut back on eating out a few times a month and you’ll have that extra house payment!
Put down the credit card and slowly step away from it! Seriously, either cut up the cards or learn self control. Because the alternative is what you’re experiencing now.

All this isn’t hard. It’s a matter of self control, something we Americans have little of. But I guarantee you’ll feel a whole new sense of freedom that you’ve never experienced once you’ve paid off your credit cards, your car, and even your house. Your view on life will change dramatically, I promise.

So live within your means, not your desires, and act your wage!

“God, thanks for your many blessings in my life. All that I have is yours, and I will do my best to be a good steward of it. Give me wisdom to use your resources wisely. And God, please help those who have been hurt by this recession. Guide our leaders to make wise fiscal decisions so our economy can grow, and give us strength to endure the lean times. Amen.”

The Freedom to Agree to Disagree

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:23:00 +0000

The stink being raised over Carrie Prejean’s answer to a question asked during the Miss USA competition is something I just have to say something about. So hang on.

First, Perez Hilton’s question was loaded. He thought that in the environment of the Miss USA pageant a contestant wouldn’t dare disagree with the gay lifestyle. He was expecting Carrie to say that same-sex marriages should be legalized. It would have given his agenda national coverage and he felt it would be a feather in his cap in the fight to normalize same-sex relationships.

He never expected Carrie to answer the way she did, and what bothers me is that she actually answered his question in a positive way. All you remember is the last thing she said, but do you remember the first part? The first answer she gave was that in this country we have the right to choose between same-sex and opposite-sex relationships. That was her answer related to his question and what she should have been scored on. But Carrie didn’t stop there, she went on to tell Hilton that she was raised in a family that believed marriage was between a man and a woman.

Hilton didn’t score her on the first part of her answer, instead he got mad and scored her on her personal beliefs, which shouldn’t be allowed in a pageant. He gave her a zero on the question and even admitted that before her answer she was the front runner in the competition. Hilton’s score helped push Carrie to second place.

The second thing I want to say is about how California’s state pageant directors Shanna Moakler and Keith Lewis treated their candidate for Miss USA. They both blew up initially and didn’t even greet Carrie after the pageant ended or bother to congratulate her. They said she was out of touch with her generation.

I disagree because over 7 million Californian’s voted against same-sex marriage in their state, so actually Carrie is part of the mainstream majority.

Moakler later twittered against Carrie saying “The MISS CALIFORNIA USA title is NOT supposed to be used to push your own agenda, that is NOT what pageants are about."

That’s funny because Hilton was doing just that! If Carrie would have given the answer he expected, they’d all be cheering for her. But instead Hilton is on his web site spouting hate speech that should be condemned. It was so bad that even CNN did a report on his hate speech and how it shouldn’t be allowed. That’s saying a lot when CNN denounces a gay liberal.

The point to all this is that Carrie Prejean is an American citizen and has the right to her opinion. She answered the question honestly, but now the left is berating her for being true to her beliefs.

I spent 21 years in the military defending people’s right to free speech, and I think it’s a shame when someone is attacked because of what they believe. I think both sides have a right to their opinion and should respect each other’s stance. People should accept that it’s ok to agree to disagree.

“God, give me the strength to endure these days. Help me to continue making a difference where I can, and lead others to you. Amen.”

Reaching across the world

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:40:00 +0000

There has been a lot of talk lately about president Obama visiting foreign countries. He’s taken a lot of criticism for bowing to the Saudi King and being nice to Hugo Chavez. People are saying that he’s running around the world apologizing for America and making us weak.

I’m torn on this. I believe our president should always show strength, but how will relations with other countries change if someone doesn’t offer a hand in friendship first?

Some believe we shouldn’t talk to people like Chavez because he’s a human rights violator and avid hater of America. He should come to us and apologize for hating us first. It’s the old “I’m not saying I’m sorry until he does first” mentality we had in grade school. It’s ridiculous and we need to change our mindset and think about making friends with someone like him, then maybe we could help change the way he treats his own people. It’s basic psychology: if you tell someone who hates you not to do something, they’ll do it to spite you. But if tell a friend, they’ll listen.

So I’m watching our new president with interest, trying to give him some leeway to see what he’s going to do with his turn in office. I like that he’s trying to talk to people who hate us. It’s the only way we have a chance to change how they see us.

For now I say go ahead and reach out Mr. President. Extend a hand of friendship, cautiously. Open doors that have been shut because of hard-headed Americans who think they don’t have to answer to anyone. The world is growing smaller, so we’d better get used to playing nice with others before we’re completely surrounded by countries who hate us.

“God, please give our president wisdom. Strengthen his relationship with you so that he will always turn to you first, and lead our country with a spiritual heart. Amen.”

Are You Ready?

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:03:00 +0000

Every once and a while I’ll catch a line in a movie or song that is very obscure in comparison with the entire movie or song, but it impacts me in a way that the author probably didn’t intend.

One of these moments was not too long ago while watching the movie “Joe Dirt.” I know you’re probably wondering what in the world could that movie teach anyone? It’s slapstick, low-brow humor about a kid who is abandoned by his parents and ends up living an interesting, as well as funny, life.

One scene shows Joe Dirt walking into a town where he encounters several local hooligans who take it upon themselves to pummel him. Its slapstick and they don’t really hurt him, but during the punching and shoving that Joe endures he says “Is this what you wanna be doin’ when Jesus comes back?”

He says it almost subliminally, but I caught it, and wow did it have an impact on me. “Is this what you want to be doing when Jesus comes back.”

That phrase has almost become my Mantra as I go through my daily routine. Is everything I’m doing each day something that would bring glory to God, or would I be embarrassed if Jesus suddenly walked in the room?

This simple line from a movie where a guy eats French fries off a giant ball of excrement he mistakenly thought was a meteor after an over passing airliner did a waste dump, has turned out to be an important piece of my Christian life. It’s amazing what can give us theological insights. Even from Hollywood.

So what are you doing today? Are you glorifying God in your actions and speech? Are the jokes you’re telling ones you would tell Jesus? Do you make excuses about your behavior and say it’s not that bad? Would you do what ever it is you’re doing if Christ was standing next to you?

I know I’m not perfect and I wouldn’t condescend to tell anyone how to live. I’ll just leave it with you to decide – is this what you want to be doing when Jesus comes back?

"For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.” I Thessalonians 5:4

Are you ready?

“Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice and washing away my sins. Help me to overcome the things that make me stumble, and give me strength to boldly act out my faith so when you return I will have no reason to hide my face from your glory. Amen.”

How Facebook killed the Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Bret L) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:11:00 +0000

I’ve been a blogger since 2007. It’s an enjoyable hobby, one that has helped me grow as a writer and given me an outlet for what might be deemed as insights. Of course that is a matter of opinion.

Then I joined Facebook. It’s a very interesting social network, and I find it almost impossible not to check it several times a day to see how all of my friends are doing.

The downside is that I seem to have much less to say on my Blog. I’m not sure why. I don’t write articles on Facebook because it’s not really the venue. But it seems that quickly jotting my thoughts in the box that says "What's on your mind?" has sucked the essayist right out of me. Does anyone else suffer from this? Or is it just my ADD mind needing quick and easy blurbs as apposed to semi-intelligent rants?

I will admit that my schedule has placed me in a position of less time for concentrating on insightful prose. Between work, church, school, and family I find I barely have time to sleep, let alone put together several paragraphs of text.

Or maybe I just don’t have a point to make anymore? Have I spoken my position so ardently that there isn’t anything else to say?

Tune in… I have a feeling I’ll find something worth commenting about that will force me to dance my digits across this keyboard again.

“God, I appreciate all that you give my mind to wonder about. I hope I don’t ask too many questions.”