No, I am not writing about the colors of my favorite college basketball team. Nor am I discussing recycling or the environment friendly movement of using green products.
It’s all about St. Patrick, a change agent missionary for the Catholic church back in 400 AD who evangelized the pagan Irish to Catholicism.
St. Patrick was captured by the Irish as a boy and made a slave. He escaped at 22 and returned to Britain to study. He became passionate about God and reaching the unsaved, unbelieving world. He focused on returning to Ireland to preach and teach Christianity to the pagan country of Ireland. He had to forgive the Irish for his enslavement and also allow God to fill him with compassion for the Irish.
St. Patrick was largely successful converting the Irish. He established many churches, schools, and charities while preaching the gospel of Christianity in Ireland.
His heart had to change toward the Irish. Their hearts had to change from their pagan ways. His life illustrated purpose, courage, forgiveness, grace & mercy, and commitment.
I am asking myself what does my life illustrate? How about you: what does your life represent?
Seems this March 17 green beer is the most common way to commemorate St. Patrick and his accomplishments. Not sure why green or beer. While you celebrate St. Patrick and contemplate your life’s purpose, let’s give thanks for St. Patrick and his Christianity accomplishments by raising our glass (green beer, Mtn Dew or another favorite beverage).
The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics have concluded. The United States won the most medals beating 2nd place Germany by 20%. Then came Canada, Norway and Austria.
Some of the events required thousands of hours of very physical training and intense exercise such as giant slalom where speed of a skier can exceed 60 mph or the biathlon (cross country skiing and shooting) where the aerobic exertion battles the heartrate needed to breath calmly and shoot with accuracy.
Some events require very little physical training and exercise such as curling. My retired father and his buddies consider curling just shuffleboard on ice.
Regardless of the training regiment or requirements, the Olympic spirit really is noticed in the human interest storylines. The gutwrenching performance of the Canadian figure skater whose mother died just prior to the Olympics. The tradegy of the Georgian luge athlete who crashed during a practice run and died. The emotional collapse of the Dutch speed skating coach who miss counted the laps for his destined gold medal winner. Etcetera…..
I am curious to know what is it about the human interest storyline. Why are we drawn to the human side of extreme, excellent, Olympic level sports performances?
People have an innate need to connect, to be familiar, to understand another human being. That is why social networking, coffee shops, churches, dog parks and the like are addressing the human interest needs of all humankind.
Although I played lots of sports growing up, had plenty of sports success, and continue to play sports even at my age; the sacrifice and commitment to be an Olympic athlete is to be recognized and celebrated, even if one didn’t win a medal.
But the Olympic spirit for many around the globe is clearly the human interest stories of each country represented, each of the varied events and each participating athlete.
I can not wait for the next Olympic games to begin. Until then, I am going to grab a $6.85 specialty coffee, type on my Blackberry, while walking my dog at the park to stay connected to my fellow human beings.
Did you know that during the Valentines holiday season over 8 billion conversation hearts manufactured by NECCO are exchanged and consumed? Over time the hearts have been updated. Back 25 years ago, the hearts did not say “you rock”, “you flirt”, or “email me”.
I pondered what do our actual hearts say and do differently today than in the past? Do we love agape or a lesser level of love? Are we too hurt or too busy to express love today?
Unashamedly, my mother was my first valentines. She actually set the “bar” very high. I am grateful for her example, her effort and her emotions shared. That “bar” was met and exceeded by my wife of 20 years. For her, I am grateful not just for her agape love but for her grace extended.
Admittedly, I have missed opportunities to appropriately communicate love to my family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and associates. If I could write a message on a conversation heart, what would I say? Maybe “I’m sorry”. “I was wrong”. Or “Your cheerleader”. “Rootin’ 4 U”.
What would your conversation heart say if you could write one?
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.
No, I am not writing about the colors of my favorite college basketball team. Nor am I discussing recycling or the environment friendly movement of using green products.
