For years my family has noted and joked at the number of pharmacies, banks, and burger joints on every corner of most intersections. Just this week while traveling, I was alerted to the growing number of coffee offerings (Caribou Coffee, Starbucks, Java this, Java that, Biggby, and Seattles Best). There were even coffee names that made me grin such as Jittery Joes, GrabbaJabba, Mudhen and my favorite – Unibrew).
Why is coffee so popular? Is it we enjoy the taste of the bitter bean? Could it be that the aroma is a better wakeup than a warm shower? To keep up with the Joneses who are running at mach speed we are addicted to the jolt of caffeine?
At a coffeehouse recently I overheard an order: “I’ll take a Kenyan blend, double shot of Expresso, a measure of alertness mix, and a spurt of Hershey’s caramel sap.” I was Thesaurusly confused. The trained barista making this custom concoction didn’t bat an eye. She just scientifically measured this into a marvelous morning 857 calorie beverage.
Coffee seems to be the universal venue. People relax, recline, converse, and read with their favorite beverage in their designer mug. Even with all of the technology especially the pace and presence of social networking, we still enjoy a good conversation with a friend.
A friend of mine invited me to coffee this week. He said we were overdue and needed to catchup on life. I gladly accepted and put it into my calendar.
A recent study came out on U.S. life. It said Americans are more stressed, too tired, overly busy and lonely. I thought “lonely”? How could this be?
Immediately I realized the true value of an $8.57 Kenyan blend coffee isn’t the caffeine volume. It is in connecting with another human being.
Gotta run and connect with the Joneses. Maybe I’ll see you there drinking your Kona blend communicating with your friend through your Blackberry Curve.
That is a famous line from old cop movies. It also is how my retired friend felt after recent double knee replacement surgery. The surgery is very complicated, and the rehabilitation is daunting. Just getting the nerve to slide off her bed and put weight on her knees is enough to pressure a cage fighter to yell “uncle”.
Things have changed. When my mother gave birth, she was in the hospital for 26 days (I’m exaggerating). Today, my retired friend was nearly pushed out of her bed after 48 hours to start putting weight on her new legs. She was in terrific pain and very afraid.
Two weeks later……she is walking, stretching, dressing herself, bathing, etc. This all occurred with the encouragement of others (professionals, family, friends). Many times she shed crocodile tears of emotions, exertion, and exhaustion.
She returns to her own home soon. An amazing feat considering. She is a woman of faith. She also showed many of us she is a woman of strength. She says she couldn’t have done without God and her family and friends. I say she had it in her the whole time. Some of us just served her as cheerleaders.
This made me think – if I was to go through a tough ordeal, do I have enough cheerleaders? Would I have the faith? Would I have the strength? I will have to do some soul searching on that and get back with you.
Many have Martin Luther King Jr. day off from school or work. This is an outstanding way to remember a courageous Christian man. But let’s not stop there. Not only should we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. but study and learn from him.
Here is a brief bio – Born in Atlanta in 1929, Martin Luther King Jr., named after the Protestant icon, Martin Luther. King was a clergyman who played a leading role in the civil rights movement in mid-20th-century America. The inspirational and informational peaceful protests he led on behalf of his fellow African-Americans throughout the South were often met with violence. King said, “Pray as if everything depends on God and then work as if everything depends on you.” King and his followers persisted, and in time the movement gained momentum.
King helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, serving as its first president. King’s efforts led to the 1963 march in Washington DC, where King delivered his famed “I Have a Dream” speech. The interracial event raised congressional consciousness in both parties and paved the way for passage of the 1964 Civil Rights and the 1965 Voting Rights acts.
In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize — for his work in striving to end racial segregation and discrimination through nonviolent civil disobedience. In 1968 he was assassinated. His life may have ended, but his dream did not.
Granted, we have come along way and have much to go. MLK Jr. dreamt big, planned big, prayed big, acted big.
Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. day is prompting me to dream again, dream differently. To dream bigger. To plan for the dream. To pray about the dream. Then act with others on it. How about you?
A new year brings along with it recollection of the past year’s highs and lows. It also provides us with an opportunity to improve, correct, and change. These are not easy because habits are habits and self discipline is difficult to obtain and maintain.
My admittance about being resolute in a new year is that I can be too general with my goals. Such as work harder, work less, play more, exercise more, eat better, take more vacations, pickup a hobby or two, be a better friend, go on a missions/humanitarian trip, read more, relax more, go deeper in my faith, do more with less people, give more and take less, etc…..
But, I started to consider why do I make resolutions and set new goals. Was it because I felt I fell short in the prior year? Did I not like what I was becoming? Is my life less satisfying than I had hoped? Peer pressure?
I am very grateful and eternally thankful for my life. Who I am with. Where I am at. What I am doing. How I am doing.
For 2010, I am free not to be goal resolute. Rather, I will continue attempting to follow Jesus and use my God given talent to be the person God destined me to be.
Much has been written about baby Jesus in the Bible, in other storybooks, and movies produced. Catholicism has focused on Jesus’ mother extensively. But what about Jesus’ father, Joseph?
Let’s go back in time…..after finding out his fiancé was surprisingly pregnant, he went through with his engagement plans even when Mary was miraculously impregnated with the Christ child. He stood by his wife-to-be.
He loved Mary, trusted her and her story about becoming pregnant. He honorably stuck by her side. He didn’t call off the wedding, divorce his wife, require a DNA test or demand an abortion. He was committed to his wife-to-be. He assumedly took grief and razzing from his family, friends and community for having a pregnant wife. He was the reason that Mary and baby Jesus made it to Bethlehem safely to birth Jesus in a lowly manger. He transported his pregnant wife on a donkey and walked beside her all those dusty road miles.
When Jesus was born, he raised Him like his own. In fact, Joseph truly fathered and mentored his Son by teaching Him the carpentry trade that Joseph was well known for. Joseph was faithful and faith-filled. He was trusting, trustworthy and honorable. He was brave and committed. He was an involved father who mentored and guided his Son.
Ironically, God knew exactly who He selected to be Jesus’ mother and father. As Jesus transcended down from heaven to earth, He was given two wonderful gifts: His mother Mary and His father Joseph. Quite a team.
For all of the fathers who are reading this blog, my challenge to you and I is to be the gift that God created us to be and be a “Joseph” to your children (no matter their age or location). Faithful. Faith-filled. Trusting. Trustworthy. Honorable. Brave. Committed. Involved.
When my parents became grandparents , my mom, the consummate shopping deal-finder, would bring over multitudes of gift wrapped Christmas presents for each of their grandchildren. One Christmas gift exchange took over two hours, which meant us adults needed a liter of Mt. Dew to stay alert when our kids opened gift after gift.
Certainly Christmas has become commercialized through the decades. One can hear holiday songs in retail stores even before Thanksgiving now. The holidays seem to be about stuff, gifts, presents.
In the Bible, back a couple thousand years when Jesus was born, He was the gift. Quite a story. Born of a virgin soon to be married. Traveling back to Bethlehem for governmental census reasons. When Mary gave birth to Jesus in a lowly manger, three wisemen arrived bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold representing the most precious, highest value. Frankincense representing a calming, soothing and peaceful affect. And myrrh representing healing qualities.
Jesus was the biggest gift ever. Bigger than any Mattel, Hasbro or Fisher-Price best-seller. Jesus was born to be our Savior.
What is your gift? What are you bringing to your family? Your friends?
May CHRISTmas have more meaning for you and yours this season.
The Tiger Woods scandal has been well covered by the media and has been the topic of many conversations at work, at home, at church, at the coffee shop. The story of Woods has many questions yet unanswered. Some answers best left private. Expectations have been dashed. Images tarnished. People have been hurt.
Although the Woods story is of epic proportion, it is a reminder of our humanity and how flaws, mistakes, sins can destroy if not addressed. Even with my flaws, mistakes, and tendency to sin, I am reminded of my need for another chance, a do over, a mulligan. When I failed in life, I needed forgiveness and help. I didn’t deserve grace and mercy yet received it.
Whether you play golf or agree Tiger Woods is a great golfer but not great at any other aspect of life, all of us have needed or will need a mulligan.
Michigan high school football playoffs just concluded last weekend at Ford Field in Detroit. Eight new champions were crowned of their respective divisions. The crowd’s energy in Ford Field was electrifying. At the end of the each of the eight division championship contests, the two teams were in tears: one of joy and the other full of sadness. They each worked hard in the off season lifting and running. Each team practices in the hot summer. To get to Ford Field, they all had to win enough regular season games to qualify for the playoffs and then win every game leading up to the championship.
Unlike the informercials claiming six pack abs in 13 days, becoming a champion does not happen overnight. You need passion which enables dedication to and effort in becoming excellent.
A champion requires planning. Planning involves goal setting, commitment of time, detailed preparation and team building.
Contrary to teamless Allen Iverson of the NBA, it takes practice practice practice to become a champion. As the old saying goes, “Practice makes perfect.” Well almost perfect anyway. The repetition of practicing grows confidence.
Then comes the payoff for the champion’s passion, planning and practice. Playing on the Ford Field was a thrill for all teams, even the runner ups. Hoisting the division championship trophy is a feeling of a lifetime for players, coaches, trainers, and all others involved.
Much bigger than a high school football game, being a champion in life requires passion, plan, and practice practice practice too.
How does your life look? Do you have what it takes to be a champion? Are you doing what it takes to be a champion? You may not have the youth, muscles, quickness of a high school football player, but start now. It is never too late. You may not hoist a trophy at Ford Field, but being a champion in life will be worth the effort.
My grandma loved pumpkin pie. Doing research on the origination of the Thanksgiving feast, pumpkin pie was not on the menu. Grandma would not have been pleased. My son loves turkey, but in 1621 it is unlikely that turkey was served. My son would have been disappointed. They served berries and other fruit but not cranberries. Without cranberries to go with her favorite turkey and fixins, my wife’s Thanksgiving meal would not have been complete.
Back when the pilgrims landed and established this now famous November holiday, they were deeply religious and prior to the feast they fasted and prayed to God for His blessing and protection.
In America, we clearly have stopped fasting and praying. That might explain the declining state of our once great country as well as why every Thanksgiving the Detroit Lions play on national television and lose.
Hoping all of you will enjoy a family meal this Thanksgiving, some will have turkey while others have ham. And let’s not forget all of the delicious fixins’. I am anticipating that my growing son (almost a teenager) will start off with three portions of turkey and then heap the fixins’ on top of his overflowing plate. But he will need to wave the white napkin in concession and utter, “Dad, I am stuffed. I can’t eat another bite.”
Whatever your favorite food or Thanksgiving traditions are, may I segue toward the meaning of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was a time when people gathered, prayed for their country and each other, shared food together, and identified what they were thankfull for (yes, I realize I spelled thankful with an extra L).
Whether you have turkey or ham, whether the Detroit Lions win or lose, whether you have pumpkin pie or minced meat pie (whatever that is!); might we share with our family & friends what we are thankfull for and even revisit the practice of fasting and praying to God, for our country and each other.
Wishing you and yours a truly meaningfull Thanksgiving holiday. Gobble Gobble!!
When I was much younger, most if not all of the product labels read “Made in America”. Not so today. We have labels from all over the globe. Embarrassingly, on some items I don’t even recognize the country on its label. Countries such as Liechtenstein and the Grenadines.
My family likes to visit various dollar stores. Last month I searched a dollar store in hopes of finding a product or two with “Made in America” on its label. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
That’s okay. I still bought a few dollar items, but that got me thinking. What does my “label” read and how about your “label”? Made in America? Made in Africa? Made in Asia? Where?
If you really think about it, we weren’t made in America, Africa, Asia or elsewhere. We were made by God with heavenly hands and placed here on earth. The Bible says in Genesis 1…..”He created us in His image.” That’s our “label”.
I have heard and read that some claim to be self made. Sort of a Clint Eastwood attitude. You almost can hear Dirty Harry in his own words saying that he got up early, pulled up his boots, dusted off his hat, worked the land, did things his way on his terms, no need for help, don’t depend on anyone, just “git r done”.
Honestly, that couldn’t be farther from the truth for my “label”. My “label” has many people’s influence, impartation, teaching and guiding, opportunities, smiles and words of encouragement, times and places where they chased me down and were instrumental in turning me back on the right track, loved me, graced me, mercied me, and – well you get the picture.
I am not self made. Very far from it. If I had a “label”, it would read: Made by God. Developed and improved by many others from around the globe.
ersation with a friend.
When I was much younger, most if not all of the product labels read “Made in America”. Not so today. We have labels from all over the globe. Embarrassingly, on some items I don’t even recognize the country on its label. Countries such as Liechtenstein and the Grenadines.