You've Got to Stand for Something...

As the political race comes down to the wire the news reports seem to repeat themselves...Kerry bashes Bush on Iraq, Bush trashes Kerry on lack of leadership, inability to get stuff done... Quite honestly it's a bit boring and pretty uninspiring on both sides.
However, I am struck by one underlying theme of John Kerry's entire philosphy. He never takes a stand for anything. Every plan, solution, or position he takes is extensively inclusive. On abortion....pro choice, you can have an abortion or not. On the War...voted for it, voted against it. We should be there, but only after pursuing dead leads in negotiations for years on end(Say, until a republican is in the White House and will take the heat for military action). On homosexuality not for it personally, but not against it for you. Healthcare, just pay it out for everyone. Welfare, the bigger the better. Tax cuts...more on high incomes, none on low incomes. This trend shouldn't shock voters though. It began in Vietnam...fought in the war, then returned to the safety of the U.S. and undermined his fellow troops by treasonously speaking against the war effort and the government, who at the time still had authority over him as a member of the military. As a member of the military it isn't your job, or even your right to decide if war is justified. It is your job to go and fight wherever, whenever, and for whoever the commander in chief says. No matter what the topic, Senator Kerry consistently takes a position of complete compromise. There is no logic, no plan, no reason other than say what the voters your talking to want to hear. Forget the idea of being a public SERVANT and doing what is best for the nation. It's all about winning votes to him. Ronald Reagan took some very unpopular stands against the Soviet Union, the United States people(on the economy), and against the world(Iran), but he was decisive and had a positive vision for his country. John Kerry has no vision, he refuses to be decisive. It is impossible to lead if you don't know where your going. (vision) It's impossible to lead if you can't enact your vision, even when it means unpopular choices. (Decisiveness)As you hit the polls on election day just remember...this man has no idea where he is going, and even if he refuses to take a stand for anything... and if he gains office, it could be an intern, terrorist dragging out negotiations, (Sadaam Hussein, Kim Jong Il-leader of North Korea), or huge government spending, but whatever it is John Kerry is all to likely to fall for anything.

Vote Wisely.

For the Love of the Game...

Crisp cool air, premature Christmas advertisements, and homework assignments being doled out faster than welfare payments...It must be October, and this must be the World Series. Tonight, for the first time since 1946 the culminating series of America's pastime will find a home in Boston. Whether your a Red Sox or Cardinals fan, or even if your a Baltimore Orioles fan this year's post season play has been a treat. Not only did we have the excitement and enertainment of yet another New York/Beantown thriller, with more twist and turn then even native Bostonian John Kerry could provide, but the senior league (a nickname for the national league for my reader's who aren't as jargon literate for the sport) for the first time in year's generated some excitement as well. While this year's World Series promises to be just as exciting, when a ton of big bats and a couple of shaky pitching staffs get together, this year's postseason has revealed that in this day of overpriced, overpayed, and underworked athletes an elite few still remain.
This elite group isn't composed of the best pitchers, the batting champ, and the gold glovers. It's made up of the guys that don't play ultimately for the money or the fame. They play for the love of the game. They play because its fun, exciting, and envigorating. They play to live out their childhood dreams of smashing the game winning home run in game 7 of the World Series. They play with one goal above all others...To be World Champion, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to get there. Like a seasoned hollywood cast they know their roles, and whether in the lead role, or as a stagehand they work to achieve perfection.
Whether you love the Red Sox or hate them, whether you admire their goofy hairstyles and pine tarred helmets, or view them as slob team from the street corner, you can't deny their passion for the game. After losing year after year to NY, they refused to quit, coming back year after year, receiving their heartbreaking beating and then coming back next year, only to have the cycle repeated all over again, waiting for that one day when the bounce would go their way, and the party would be in their lockeroom...This is their year, and these are their days.
While their passion and spirit is a rarity in their profession, its all to common among our true heroes--the men and women who dawn the uniforms of the United States Armed Services. Though they play for more than just a game these men and women daily work and fight for a cause greater than themselves. Living in often rough conditions, eating cold meals out of bag, and waking up each day never knowing if it will be their last, they fight on. Relentlessly they pursue those who seek to do us harm, and they do violence on our behalf so that we might be protected. And for a few they pay the ultimate sacrifice, in giving their life not only for their country, but for her people--us. We sleep peacebly at night because of them, we drive on paved roads, vote on election day, and spoil oursleves with luxurious gifts because of their work. They don't get holidays off, and they can't call in sick. But why do they do it?...It's because they love honor and duty, more than they love their lives and their fortunes.
As we go about our daily grind, and enjoy the freedom they so willingly protect may we not only be thankful, but also emmulate their unselfishness--giving ourselves without fear or reservation to causes greater than ourselves. Being willing to participate and give it our all when their is no glory for us, but instead their is good for someone else. May we live and love passionately, give graciously, and live unashamedly not before the audience of the world, but before an audience of one--Our beautiful, majestic Savior who is worthy of our love, our worship, and our lives.

Semper Fi

Straight Talk

During the republican primary of 2000 Sen John McCain from Arizona ran as a challenger to then Gov Bush. Senator McCain's campaign theme was "The Straight Talk Express." While it's expected for a politicians claims of straight talk to be as assinine as Bill Clinton's claim to virtuosity, the often twisted communication practices of politics are not an enigma to the "common man."
Our daily communication often mimics our public officials. How often do you find yourself in a situation where you manipulate the facts to fit your plan or schedule? For example...FACT: I did not recieve a raise. TWISTED VIEW WE TELL EVERYONE: I did not receive a raise because my boss is afraid that if he rewards me to much I'll become a threat to his position. Let's also consider an academic example. FACT: I received a not so hot grade on a paper. TWISTED VIEW: The teacher never even gave me a chance to get a good grade because he/she does not like me... The hidden reality in both these situations,and many others like it that occur everyday, is that we twist the facts so that the outcome is still the same, but we still look good in front of our spouse, peers, or friends even though the outcome demonstrates a shortcoming.
Perhaps a more devastating and common way in which we mirror politicians is in how we deal with problems. Instead of taking action and going to the root of the problem, we try to eliminate the symptoms or , more often then not, we don't do anything. Instead of acting we take the much more highly effective and succesful method--sit around baffled as gossip flys around the synapses in our brains like insults in George Steinbrenner's office. And like our politicians and Steinbrenner, we hem and haw about problems to everyone, but who they deal with, and the end is the same in every situation... NOTHING HAPPENS. And even worse yet we alienate those people that care about us. (Note: Steinbrenner may not actually do this, not because he doesn't chase away his personnel, but rather because they don't actually care about him.)
When we finally get to talking to people that can actually affect the outcome of the problem it often amazes us how well things work out. Why? I'm not sure, other than that facing problems is more foreign to us than the prospect of the Pope at a rock concert. If we'd buck up, accept the risk that someone might not like us, or might get mad, and confront the situations in our lives the result would undoubtedly be a lot less stress and relationships that are greater in number and quality. And afterall, if the only thing that lives on after we die is influence it might me something we should work at. As Nov 2 approaches and its time for us to elect the next head of the world's body politic let's learn from their bad examples. The backstabbing and ferocious world of politics often leads to the destruction of the lives of innocent people, because while politicians fight for position and honor among themselves issues like healthcare, nat'l defense, and the economy get tossed aside. Don't let our smoke screen of complaints allow us to destroy ourselves and our relationships. Follow Captain MacWhirr from Conrad's Typhoon, face the storm, charge in hard, hold on for dear life, and rely on a POWER greater than yourself to land you safe on the farther shore.

Love's a Many Splendid Thing...

We love pizza, we love politics, and sometimes we love people...or do we? We throw the "L" word around like its a common everyday thing we do. It's just like the Braves losing in the playoffs or a liberal politician flipping pancakes at a breakfast shack... it happens all the time. The tragic reality though is that true love rolls around about as often as Haley's comet. We have hideously cheapened the meaning of this virtue and tragically devastated its value.
Thomas Paine said, "What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods..." In our daily lives we say we "love" so many things without ever giving thought to what it means. Our "loves" are many, and our loves change on a whim. Our "loving" relationships constantly go sour...BUT WHY, if we are such advid lovers does this occur? After all we "love" so many things we should have all the kinks worked out right? Unfortunately, we have replaced the heavenly prototype with our own earthly provision. Our concept of love is based on how "nice" and "sweet" someone else is. We fear being alone so much, that it is no longer important who we are with, just so long as we have someone. We sell ourselves short by settling for a cheap imitation.
Occasionally though true love occurs. In a godly marriage is the pinnacle of love, but more importantly it is symbol of the love of Christ for His church. Though His bride crawls down the aisle dirty and disgusting Christ stands with open arms to recieve His bride. That is the heavenly picture, and its pricetag is great, but its reward is unfathomable.
In our relationships the price of love can be great--it will most certaintly cause others to be angry, frustrated, or completly hostile towards us, but its reward is sweeter. The genuine relationships that result and the lasting lifetime impact that we gain restores love's value and promise heavenly rewards.

Executive Phenomenon

Each day a Sun Microsystems executive waltzes into his posh office and sits down to begin another day of decision making, which the success of his company hinges on. Each afternoon he jumps on his laptop to check his email, see how company stocks are doing and....BLOG. For someone reason the word Blog just doesn't fit in with that list. It's not something the "big guys do."...or is it?
This strange new adventure called blogging is no longer just a forum for ambitious amatuers with nothing to do but wax eloquent in the cyberspace cloud. Blogging is rapidly growing into what may become a method of communication as viable as email in the next decade or so. and it's not hard to see why. Company's can rapidly distribute info to hawkish investors on new products, stocks, or the future. Newssites can employ blogging effectively as well. Instead of boring day to day editorials news companies can use blogging to have up to date online discussions on current happenings...creating a massive all out blog-o-rama. But with all this executive talk don't forget the little guy. The computer guy, college goober, and contemporary gunior (yeah I know I misspelled "junior"... play along) makeup the heart of the blogging world. It is our mindless ranting that provides those hysterical late night laughs, pearls of profound wisdom, and everyday talk that thrills our feeble minds.
As I add my name to the many in the blogging world I hope you will enjoy this site. Whether your the man in the corner office, or your career is as lively as Howard Dean's political aspirations, dive in, and enjoy as we go under the cover to explore not only the madness but the mind and the mayhem of a United States Marine!... Let the Posting Begin.