This is the day!

Just ran across this quote from a very unlikely source and wanted to share it.

Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: “I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today, I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today and I’m going to be happy in it.

~ Groucho Marx

Of course, Groucho Marx was a famous comedian in the mid 1900's. Although he came across as a smart-alec womanizer, he was actually a very thoughtful philosopher. He makes a great point here and references Isaiah 25:9 which states "And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this [is] our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this [is] the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." We sing the chorus, "This is the day that the Lord has made; we shall rejoice and be glad in it". We really want to fight against living in today. Either we want to dwell on the hurts and pains and rejections (or live in the glory of past victories and triumphs and successes) or we want to fret and worry (or sugar-coat our prospects and indulge in wishful thinking) about the future. Jesus had a lot to say about past, present, and future and I want to take a deeper look at each of these. The bottom line is to get free of the past mistakes and to not fret about the future, but to take each day as a gift from the Lord and to be glad in it. Keep a lookout and I will talk to you soon.

Elder Ed

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain

We all remember the "Wizard of Oz". Dorothy is transported by a whirlwind to a wonderful, colorful land, slays a wicked witch, inherits a magical pair of shoes, and finds out she go to the Emerald City to meet the marvelous wizard in order to get back to her roots. She acquires several off-the-wall characters on the road who also need the wonderful gifts the wizard can bestow. After many adventures, they meet the wizard via a loud magnified screen, pouring forth smoke, who lays an almost impossible task before them. When they succeed in meeting the stringent requirement, the wizard tries to send them away as being unworthy of receiving his vast knowledge and power. As they are leaving, the discerning pet Toto sniffs out the subterfuge, pulls back the curtain, and reveals a mere man hiding in a room with a lot of controls making noise and smoke and mirrors. As he was exposed, the wizard tried one last appeal. "PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN. THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ HAS SPOKEN" Of course, we know that the facade was exposed for what it was. Today, Senator Barack Obama has deemed this people he would lead unworthy and cried out, "PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN"! And today, he has been exposed for what he is: a politician who has to do and say whatever he needs to in order to protect his position.

All this stems from the senator's relationship with his longtime pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. There have been murmurings amongst the conservative talking heads for many weeks about their relationship. Rev. Wright is known as a fiery leader of an African-American congregation, the type that permeates much of black American Christiandom. Videos have emerged that have him on record as saying things such as "G__D___ America" over and over, blaming the US for inventing AIDS and contriving the 9/11 attacks, and many other hate inspiring comments. This has caused a problem with Sen. Obama's campaign. After all, the junior senator from Illinois has been all about unity and change. Having his pastor of 20 years speaking of the United K.K.K. of America and calling on the Most High God to damn the country of his birth has made Sen. Obama a little uncomfortable. So much so that the senator did what he does best. He made a speech. "I didn't realize the extent of his rhetoric", Barack says. "I didn't agree with him", sayeth the senator. "I denounce what he has said" Mr. Obama elucidates in such an eloquent way. At the same time, though, he refuses to denounce the right Reverend himself. "We all have ministers and priests and rabbis that we don't agree with."

What to make of this. On the surface, it sounds so smooth and easy. This isn't the issue some are making it out to be. We have to break the loop of hate. All that is well and good. Yes, we have to break racism wherever it rears its head. Bulletin to Black America. Things HAVE changed in the last 50 years. The world is so competitive that no one in their right mind would hold back a person of color who can get the job done. Are there still incidents of racism. Yes. Just like there are sins such as gossip and slander and lying and stealing and every other vice known to man. But to bring it back to our current circumstance, it is contingent on all to not stoke these old embers. And this is where the problem lies.

Senator Obama claims to have not known the extent of his pastor's venom. However, how does someone who says he is a very involved member of this church NOT KNOW what his pastor is teaching after TWENTY YEARS! My current pastor has been in position for a little over 3 years and I can tell you with great precision where he comes down on various issues. The same with his father, who pastored here for over a decade before. Either the senator is not the member of this congregation that he has claimed to be, or he is showing the typical political expediency that he claims to be running against. Or even worse, Senator Obama possibly doesn't have the ability to stand up for what he actually believes in, which doesn't lend itself to successful interaction on the world stage. Or even most worse, he actually does believe and agree with what Rev. Wright preaches and all his talk of unity and change is just a convenient turn of language rivaled only by the convoluted talk of "what the meaning of is is". Pretty speeches can get you so far, but at the end of the day it is your integrity and character that has to carry the day. Where is yours, Senator?

Goodbye, Brett

I'm a big sports fan, and I was shocked as any sports fan on Monday with the report that Brett Favre was retiring. The gunslinger quarterback of the Green Bay Packers was setting 'em down. Even though he was coming off the best season he had in several years, the all time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and even more impressively, games started, one of the legends of the NFL decided that it was time to pass the baton and call it a career. I almost didn't believe it at first. Brett over the last five years had talked off and on of retiring, to the point that the Packers were driven crazy by his indecisiveness on this issue. Even as the reports started coming Monday on the various news sources, part of me wanted to hear this from Brett's own mouth.

Well, today I got my chance. I listened to Brett Favre announce it himself. (There is a link on the home page at espn if you would like to listen to the news conference online.) Although I will miss seeing his exuberant leadership on the field, I totally respect his decision to hang it up. Brett basically said he wasn't willing to do what he had to do to get ready for the upcoming season. He felt like he could still play, but he "wasn't sure I wanted to." Football, especially at the NFL level, takes much more time than putting on spikes on a Sunday afternoon. It takes a physical commitment and also a very great mental commitment. And remember, Brett Favre has started 275 consecutive games. That's over 15 years of regular season games and playoffs. Fifteen years of week in and week out having 275+ pound linemen and linebackers trying to take off whatever body part they can get their hands on. That's over a decade and a half of running and throwing and deciding and having everything you do scrutinized to the umpteenth-most degree.

Some said that he may regret it and try to come back later. Others said he was upset that the Packers had not landed a prize free agent. In listening to Brett's emotion-laden voice, he had no ulterior motive. It was time to go. And so, the Mississippi born-and-bred quarterback is riding off into the sunset, unsure of a specific future, but fully aware that he has given the fans of the Green Bay Packers, National Football League, and fans of clean competition everywhere everything that they could possibly hope for. So long, Mr. Favre, and God bless you.

2 Michelles, 2 Americas

If you click the link, you will land on a column by Michelle Malkin. She is a frequent guest on Hannity and Colmes, the O'Reilly Factor, and other conservative news outlets. I actually got this post as an email forward without any attribution, and had to do some homework to find out where it originally came from. In a political environ that consists of "change you can Xerox" (quote from Hillary concerning Barack recycling quotes without proper credit) I want to be sure that individuals get the proper credit for their ideas. Please click on the title of this post and read this article. Ms. Malkin is a great intellect and has a great counterpoint to the other Michelle's lack of patriotism.

Knowing the hearts of men vs the heart of God

If you are following the news with any regularity, you've heard of John McCain's alleged (by the NY Times only) trysts with a female lobbyist half his age. (You can read the tabloid-like writing here). Basically, the article drags out some unsubstantiated accusations made against Senator McCain eight years ago. They were shown to be false then. Why they would become true almost a decade later is beyond me. You can read Sen. McCain's response and a deeper explanation by clicking on the blog title. What I find interesting in this whole debacle is that just short of a month ago, the NY Times was endorsing John McCain as the Republican candidate for President. (You can read the endorsement here.)

My thoughts today are not so much on Sen. McCain defending himself against these old allegations. They are also not so much on the duplicity of the NY Times. They are more on the account of Jesus in the book of John 2:23-25.

The Discerner of Hearts
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

Jesus was doing wonderful things, and many people were saying they believed in Him because of the miracles they saw. Yet, "He did not commit (give Himself over) to them". How often do we turn our heads to the beat of the accolades, to the aplomb and applause of the crowd. Once, we have trusted in the noise of the world, however, we find ourselves caught off guard when the world turns on us. John McCain just a short month ago reaped the accolades of the very paper that now seeks to slander him. What is ironic about that is that the Times was working on this article two months before it gave its endorsement! He hopefully knows better than to trust in the "chariots and horses" of the Times. Let this whole episode remind us to walk as "wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove", walking not by the wind of approval, but by the rock of principle.

Not Proud of your Country?!?!?!?

First of all, I am glad to be back in the saddle. I took a few days off with my beautiful wife of over 30 years to go and spend some down time. We went to Orlando and spent a day at Universal and relaxed the remainder of the time. Hats off to Universal for having a park that a couple of ** year olds could have a wonderful day and play without feeling like we were going to have an attack.

I get to come home and spend Monday getting my feet back under me at work. Today, I finally have time to pay some attention to the world around me, and what am I faced with? A potential first lady, Ivy League educated, earning in the 6 figures, talking about how she has never been proud of her country as an adult until now. Now, according to her statement, that seems to be that "people are hungry for change". Now I really do believe she didn't mean exactly what she said. I mean, she is a Harvard educated lawyer. You don't graduate from Harvard Law School unless you know EXACTLY WHAT THE MEANING OF YOUR WORDS ARE! Did I just contradict myself? No, I didn't, and that is the point. Mrs. Obama knew what she said. She knew exactly what she said.

I am so sorry that our "sorry" nation of ours hasn't lived up to her expectations. After all, she had the opportunity to attend one of the top law schools in the world. She had opportunity to go wherever she wanted after she graduated to practice her profession. She had opportunity to do so as not only a minority but as a woman! If you look real hard at the nations of this world, we are the ONLY country that has successfully integrated over its history not just one or two, but several races and cultures in this tumultuous melting pot known as the United States of America. All other countries fight against this mixing of difference. Although the U.S. may not at times seem to embrace it, it is the only country that DOES it.

And for that reason alone, Michelle Obama needs to be proud of her country. And also for that reason alone, she needs to apologize to the citizens of this country; the United States of America.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the United States, I say ye, Mitt Romney!

For the good of the party, and to do his part in the war on terror, Mitt Romney has stepped aside. Gov. Romney has realized that he probably cannot win the nomination this time and has conceded the race to John McCain. (You can see the video of his concession speech here. I applaud him even as I am sorry to see him drop out. Mitt Romney is truly the most conservative candidate in this race, and a man that in these current economic times would be extremely valuable to have as the leader of the free world. Governor Romney, I salute you!

So what happened here? Why was this man so sure that he had a shot at winning the nomination to be his party's representative in the race to be President of the United States of America that he spent $40 million (that's $40,000,000!!!) of HIS OWN MONEY to make the attempt? What was Mitt Romney's downfall? First of all, Mitt Romney is coming late to the conservative party, as it were. He has made a lot of comments in the past that tag him as a liberal, especially in social areas such as abortion and sanctity of marriage/gay rights. That already made him a little suspect. Second, Mike Huckabee happened. The little known governor from Arkansas with his Southern Baptist roots was able to energize that group formerly known as the Religious Right to take away the other half of the conservative coalition that was able to put Ronald Reagan and the Bushes in the White House and allow the Republicans led by Newt Gingrich and the Contract with America to hold Congress for 12 years. The result? John McCain, presumed moderate despite his vocal protests, was able on Super Tuesday to forge a lead that looks to be unsurmountable.

My last post noted two things Sen. McCain needs to do. In his speech to the Conservative Political Action Coalition, he proceeded to do just that. He addressed his rhetoric to the Democratic platform and not Mike Huckabee, and he reached out to this very influential conservative group and, though he didn't get all the way back, at least set the stage for a great deal of influence from the conservative side of the G.O.P. I will write more on this later. For now, I want to thank Gov. Romney for a great run, and for his selfless actions today. God bless you, sir.