For the past thirty plus years or so there's been a lot of talk in the news and media about Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD). More recently it has even been upgraded to a new term - ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). It is basically a common neurologic disorder that develops in younger children (most often boys) causing them to be easily distracted in school and sometimes unable to pay attention to teachers/adults in certain more structured environments, etc. This is not really something to joke/laugh about or even disregard. It is real. But, I also think it has become kind of the universal diagnosis for a lot of young boys who are just being young boys! But that is not what I am trying to write about here. Attention Deficit is something altogether different.
I remember the times when our children were a lot younger than they are today. Frequently they so much wanted to be with me, and to have me do something with them. Anything! They would persist and persist with the following: "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! Watch me! Do this with me! Help me!" etc. Almost to point of annoyance! (As I think about it now, it would almost be kind of welcome today! Ha.) Anyway, it seemed to occur most frequently on the weekends when I was at home, and usually when I was trying to get a lot of other really important (?) things done. If I chose to ignore them (sorry kids, I did that a few times more than I care to admit), they persisted and maybe even got a little louder in their pleas! Did I say it was annoying? I can't believe that I felt that way now, but I know that I did.
As I got older (and wiser) as a Dad, when our children started off on their quest to grab some of my undivided attention, I started giving it to them sooner rather than later. And you know what? The strangest thing happened. If I gave them five minutes of my time (maybe ten), they were good for awhile and I could go back to what I was doing. Their desire to have my full attention was somewhat allayed just by giving them some attention for a little while. Amazing!
It is not just small children that have Attention Deficit these days. A lot of us do! We so much need/want someone's full attention and we won't give up until we get it (or until they get so annoyed that they walk away from us!). What's worse, if we don't get attention from the first person we "need" it from, we usually transfer that Attention Deficit to the next person (and the next and the next) until we finally get our Attention Deficit taken care of somehow.
Have you ever been around someone with Attention Deficit? Isn't it amazing if you just give them a little bit of personal attention how they soon are satisfied and just leave you alone? But, if you don't ever give them some truly undivided attention, they will mercilessly persist and persist and persist (to the point of being really annoying) until you turn and give them your undivided attention. Just like what used to happen with my kids.
What about you? Do YOU have Attention Deficit? Well if you do, here's something else I've learned through the years. If you take that Attention Deficit and just start investing yourself in other people, it is AMAZING how quickly your own Attention Deficit disipates. Not always, but usually. If I think about the needs of others first, giving them my full attention for awhile, and stop focusing mainly on my needs only, I usually end up in a good place and am not nearly as needy as I once was.
Attention Deficit - it's real. Take care of it. Think about others first.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
The End of an Era (almost?)...
For the past 16+ years at the Ellwood household, our tradition/pattern from early September through to mid-May (basically the old-fashioned school year) is to have a "Wisdom Search" in the morning to start our homeschool. And, I have been the "leader" of this activity. This is my primary contribution to our homeschool. There have been times in my life when I have felt like leading "Wisdom Search" was my sole purpose in life. What could be better than a Dad sitting around the breakfast table with his wife and children at 7:15 a.m. studying the Bible together? It has been a remarkable run! I am so grateful to God for all the sweet memories and for all He has taught me through these "Wisdom Search" episodes.
But, like all good things, sometimes they have to come to an end. We're not there yet, but we might be getting close. You see, we only have one "student" in our household these days (Nathan) and the demands of my job (and business travel associated with it) have been pretty enormous. Our last official "Wisdom Search" was the morning of November 18, 2008. Today is February 8, 2009.
While I am really O.K. with letting this tradition/pattern go (it has served us well through the years), for Nathan's (and Ellen's?) sake I need to replace it with something else. You see, as the spiritual leader of this family, it is my responsibility to God to teach/guide/instruct/admonish/love those in my charge for their benefit (Ephesians 5:25-27).
It used to be quite easy to do these "Wisdom Search" times when my job wasn't quite as demanding as it is now. I would just carve out the 45 minutes of time routinely on weekday mornings before I'd go to work. Now, going to work a lot of times really means "going to the airport" and I am frequently away from Ellen and Nathan two or three nights a week. Not very conducive to consistency in doing "Wisdom Search" preparations and/or teachings.
So, I am soliciting ideas from all of you who read this for how "Wisdom Search" can be replaced in the Ellwood household for Nathan's (and Ellen's) benefit. Perhaps I could just move up to the 21st Century and do my teaching/training on this blog?
But, like all good things, sometimes they have to come to an end. We're not there yet, but we might be getting close. You see, we only have one "student" in our household these days (Nathan) and the demands of my job (and business travel associated with it) have been pretty enormous. Our last official "Wisdom Search" was the morning of November 18, 2008. Today is February 8, 2009.
While I am really O.K. with letting this tradition/pattern go (it has served us well through the years), for Nathan's (and Ellen's?) sake I need to replace it with something else. You see, as the spiritual leader of this family, it is my responsibility to God to teach/guide/instruct/admonish/love those in my charge for their benefit (Ephesians 5:25-27).
It used to be quite easy to do these "Wisdom Search" times when my job wasn't quite as demanding as it is now. I would just carve out the 45 minutes of time routinely on weekday mornings before I'd go to work. Now, going to work a lot of times really means "going to the airport" and I am frequently away from Ellen and Nathan two or three nights a week. Not very conducive to consistency in doing "Wisdom Search" preparations and/or teachings.
So, I am soliciting ideas from all of you who read this for how "Wisdom Search" can be replaced in the Ellwood household for Nathan's (and Ellen's) benefit. Perhaps I could just move up to the 21st Century and do my teaching/training on this blog?
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Separation Anxiety
This post will have two parts. The first part will be primarily for those of you who are parents of a child who is at least +/- 10 years old. The second part will be for those of you who are yet to be parents and/or have children who are still very young...
Those of you who are already parents remember the time when you first started leaving your children with someone else. Maybe it was at church. Maybe it was with your parents. Maybe it was with a babysitter. You did all you could do to prepare your child for "the drop-off." You made sure they were happy, fed and had a clean diaper. You tried to occupy them with one of their favorite toys or some other distraction. And then you began to walk away. Everything was going fine until your child discovered that you were leaving. Most children at an early age experience some sort of "separation anxiety" at that point. They'll cry. They'll throw a fit. They'll misbehave. They'll do anything to try and get your attention so that you'll stay with them. It is really a terrible moment as a parent. You say to yourself, "I need to have some time away from this child. I must leave them for a little while." But then, you have to make a decision. You have to decide who is in charge. Who is going to determine what happens next - You or the child. As many of you know, even though the child is crying and fussing, they usually get over it. It may take awhile and the poor nursery worker at the church or your parents or the babysitter has to listen to loud wailing for awhile until the child realizes you're not coming back right away. It's tough, but you have to do it. You can't always stay with the child. You have to begin the process of breaking away from them, even if for only a little while. Those of you who are parents of older children remember and you know just what I am talking about. Right?
Several years later, your child grows up. Now they are the ones who start leaving YOU. And even though there is a part of you that maybe is all too ready to let them go, deep down inside of you there is a compulsion to fight their leaving with every fiber of your being! You can't wail and fuss like a baby, but you sure do want to! "What do you mean you are leaving? I've cared for you, bought things for you, played with you, built my whole life around you and your activities for the past 18+ years! You can't leave! What am I going to do now?" But, they go. And then YOU are the one with separation anxiety. And it really, really stinks! You know that you have to just let them walk away. You know that they will come back again. You know that they'll be alright. But, for the next several hours, days, months, whatever (?) they will be gone from you. And you have to do all you can to fill the void in your life with stuff that suddenly doesn't involve knowing everything there is to know about the activities of your child. "What if they don't do something right? What if they make a mistake? Why are they leaving me? Don't they realize what this is doing to me?" Agony. It just really stinks!
Nobody told us it would be this way. You get in a groove with parenting and you kind of like that groove. You get the hang of how to care for and raise your children and really like being able to guide all of their activities. You build your life around them and all that they do (their activities and their accomplishments, etc.), and then one day, they're gone. And it's different. And you have to get used to it being different. And you may not want to. You have a bad case of separation anxiety!
But, you have to move on. You need to separate from them (at least somewhat), and they need to separate from you, too. It's really the only healthy thing to do. You gotta do it...
That's all for the first part. If you have been there or are currently going through it, you know exactly what I mean.
Now for the second part. For those of you who are yet to be parents and/or still have really young children at home, this is your WARNING. Your children will someday grow up and move out of your house. That's what they are supposed to do. That is what you raise them to be able to do. But, it is really, really hard to live through and adjust to. It is a BIG life change! My advice to you? Deal with it. Make the changes you need to make and then build new lives around something other than the daily activities of your kids. They'll be fine. You'll be fine. It's all part of life. Oh you'll still participate in their lives (and you should!). But it will be different. And that takes a lot of getting used to...
Honestly, I still long for the days when Andy, Katie, and Peter still lived here in our home. I haven't made the adjustment yet. I want to, but it is taking a lot longer than I ever thought it would.
Praise God that we still have a few more years of Nathan living in our house!
Those of you who are already parents remember the time when you first started leaving your children with someone else. Maybe it was at church. Maybe it was with your parents. Maybe it was with a babysitter. You did all you could do to prepare your child for "the drop-off." You made sure they were happy, fed and had a clean diaper. You tried to occupy them with one of their favorite toys or some other distraction. And then you began to walk away. Everything was going fine until your child discovered that you were leaving. Most children at an early age experience some sort of "separation anxiety" at that point. They'll cry. They'll throw a fit. They'll misbehave. They'll do anything to try and get your attention so that you'll stay with them. It is really a terrible moment as a parent. You say to yourself, "I need to have some time away from this child. I must leave them for a little while." But then, you have to make a decision. You have to decide who is in charge. Who is going to determine what happens next - You or the child. As many of you know, even though the child is crying and fussing, they usually get over it. It may take awhile and the poor nursery worker at the church or your parents or the babysitter has to listen to loud wailing for awhile until the child realizes you're not coming back right away. It's tough, but you have to do it. You can't always stay with the child. You have to begin the process of breaking away from them, even if for only a little while. Those of you who are parents of older children remember and you know just what I am talking about. Right?
Several years later, your child grows up. Now they are the ones who start leaving YOU. And even though there is a part of you that maybe is all too ready to let them go, deep down inside of you there is a compulsion to fight their leaving with every fiber of your being! You can't wail and fuss like a baby, but you sure do want to! "What do you mean you are leaving? I've cared for you, bought things for you, played with you, built my whole life around you and your activities for the past 18+ years! You can't leave! What am I going to do now?" But, they go. And then YOU are the one with separation anxiety. And it really, really stinks! You know that you have to just let them walk away. You know that they will come back again. You know that they'll be alright. But, for the next several hours, days, months, whatever (?) they will be gone from you. And you have to do all you can to fill the void in your life with stuff that suddenly doesn't involve knowing everything there is to know about the activities of your child. "What if they don't do something right? What if they make a mistake? Why are they leaving me? Don't they realize what this is doing to me?" Agony. It just really stinks!
Nobody told us it would be this way. You get in a groove with parenting and you kind of like that groove. You get the hang of how to care for and raise your children and really like being able to guide all of their activities. You build your life around them and all that they do (their activities and their accomplishments, etc.), and then one day, they're gone. And it's different. And you have to get used to it being different. And you may not want to. You have a bad case of separation anxiety!
But, you have to move on. You need to separate from them (at least somewhat), and they need to separate from you, too. It's really the only healthy thing to do. You gotta do it...
That's all for the first part. If you have been there or are currently going through it, you know exactly what I mean.
Now for the second part. For those of you who are yet to be parents and/or still have really young children at home, this is your WARNING. Your children will someday grow up and move out of your house. That's what they are supposed to do. That is what you raise them to be able to do. But, it is really, really hard to live through and adjust to. It is a BIG life change! My advice to you? Deal with it. Make the changes you need to make and then build new lives around something other than the daily activities of your kids. They'll be fine. You'll be fine. It's all part of life. Oh you'll still participate in their lives (and you should!). But it will be different. And that takes a lot of getting used to...
Honestly, I still long for the days when Andy, Katie, and Peter still lived here in our home. I haven't made the adjustment yet. I want to, but it is taking a lot longer than I ever thought it would.
Praise God that we still have a few more years of Nathan living in our house!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Momentum - Being/Getting on a Roll!
When I was growing up in Iowa, there was a very small community in the state (Lisbon High School - Class A) whose wrestling team seemed to win State nearly every year. As a matter of fact, I believe their team won State 14 different times over a span of only 20 years in the 70's, 80's and early 90's. Remarkable! During that run, my sister and her husband moved to Lisbon, becoming teachers in their school system. After a couple of years there, I asked them "Why is it that Lisbon wins the State wrestling championship so often?" What they told me was really interesting and has stuck with me all this time. You see, apparently almost all boys in that school from the time they are in the first or second grade start dreaming about being on the high school wrestling team and becoming a State champion. They actually start wrestling at a very early age, and way before they even needed to think about it, they began determining what weight they would wrestle at (since that's how it works - you are paired against someone of similar weight when you wrestle). These boys saw "success" before them all the time (students K-12 attended classes in the same building). It inspired them to want to be a part of that success at a very early age. That school's wrestling program had momentum! They were on a roll!
Yesterday I attended a Leadership Training seminar at our church. It was just OUTSTANDING! There is a new, young pastor named Jason Williams who primarily put it all together for us and he did a fantastic job (even though he's only been in his current position for about 6-7 months)! These leadership training sessions occur once or twice a year for the small group leaders in our church, and they just seem to be getting better and better. What is it that makes this happen? Well, just like the athletes at Lisbon High School, our church now has momentum! We are on a roll! The young pastors and interns we have on our staff have dreamed about doing excellent ministry because they have seen the other older and more experienced pastors do it before them. When they have a chance to "get in the game" so to speak, they step up and generally have similar (if not better?) successes! They are inspired and propelled to do their best because they very much want to continue the terrific pattern of success set by others before them.
Last night I also had the wonderful pleasure of attending a couples wedding shower for our son and his soon-to-be bride, Kristen. It was a terrific event and touched my heart in so many, many ways! We gave our daughter, Katie, a ride home after the shower. It was interesting to hear her reflections on the upcoming marriage of her brother and witness how excited she really is for him and his fiancee! Peter and Kristen will soon begin their marriage, and will establish a life/family of their own. In the course of discussing what she looks forward to and/or anticipates with regards to marriage, Katie made several references to our marriage and how we've handled things in it. She knows for a fact (because we've told her) that it hasn't always been easy. We've had to work at it, and after a little over 28 years, we are only just now beginning to get the hang of it - to understand what God wants two people to experience in a marriage ordained/blessed by Him, totally sold out to each other and trying to live completely for HIM! But, in a lot of ways that is to be expected for Ellen and me. This past summer, we helped celebrate my parents 60th wedding anniversary in Iowa. Ellen's parents were married for almost 50 years before her dad died. Her maternal grandparents were married for almost 70 years when her grandmother passed away in 1993, and my maternal grandparents had over 44 years together before my grandma died in 1968. You see, we've observed people before us have tremendous success in their marriages (if by no other measurement than longevity!). Our parents (and grandparents) built up some momentum, and got things rolling. Now we are attempting to continue that momentum and keep it going through our off-spring and others in our circle of influence (all by God's divine assistance and grace, of course!).
What about you? Have you experienced some successes in your work, your family, your spiritual life, etc. that you'd like to use to develop momentum to continue? Are you on a roll in any of these areas? It takes a lot of work (and God's blessing) to do it, but there is no time like the present to start. Think about the legacy you could be creating for those coming behind you...
Yesterday I attended a Leadership Training seminar at our church. It was just OUTSTANDING! There is a new, young pastor named Jason Williams who primarily put it all together for us and he did a fantastic job (even though he's only been in his current position for about 6-7 months)! These leadership training sessions occur once or twice a year for the small group leaders in our church, and they just seem to be getting better and better. What is it that makes this happen? Well, just like the athletes at Lisbon High School, our church now has momentum! We are on a roll! The young pastors and interns we have on our staff have dreamed about doing excellent ministry because they have seen the other older and more experienced pastors do it before them. When they have a chance to "get in the game" so to speak, they step up and generally have similar (if not better?) successes! They are inspired and propelled to do their best because they very much want to continue the terrific pattern of success set by others before them.
Last night I also had the wonderful pleasure of attending a couples wedding shower for our son and his soon-to-be bride, Kristen. It was a terrific event and touched my heart in so many, many ways! We gave our daughter, Katie, a ride home after the shower. It was interesting to hear her reflections on the upcoming marriage of her brother and witness how excited she really is for him and his fiancee! Peter and Kristen will soon begin their marriage, and will establish a life/family of their own. In the course of discussing what she looks forward to and/or anticipates with regards to marriage, Katie made several references to our marriage and how we've handled things in it. She knows for a fact (because we've told her) that it hasn't always been easy. We've had to work at it, and after a little over 28 years, we are only just now beginning to get the hang of it - to understand what God wants two people to experience in a marriage ordained/blessed by Him, totally sold out to each other and trying to live completely for HIM! But, in a lot of ways that is to be expected for Ellen and me. This past summer, we helped celebrate my parents 60th wedding anniversary in Iowa. Ellen's parents were married for almost 50 years before her dad died. Her maternal grandparents were married for almost 70 years when her grandmother passed away in 1993, and my maternal grandparents had over 44 years together before my grandma died in 1968. You see, we've observed people before us have tremendous success in their marriages (if by no other measurement than longevity!). Our parents (and grandparents) built up some momentum, and got things rolling. Now we are attempting to continue that momentum and keep it going through our off-spring and others in our circle of influence (all by God's divine assistance and grace, of course!).
What about you? Have you experienced some successes in your work, your family, your spiritual life, etc. that you'd like to use to develop momentum to continue? Are you on a roll in any of these areas? It takes a lot of work (and God's blessing) to do it, but there is no time like the present to start. Think about the legacy you could be creating for those coming behind you...
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Ctrl - Alt - Delete
I am guessing that most of you reading this post are doing so on a personal computer of some sort. Therefore, you know at least the basics of how they work. As a matter of fact, with most personal computers, you can't even "log-in" without doing a "Ctrl - Alt - Delete." It's a curious procedure really, isn't it? Like, why were those three keys (in that exact succession) selected? Why not "Insert - End - Tab" for example? But I digress...
The point is that whoever invented and perfected the operation of personal computers knew that there needed to be some sort of "system" by which a user could command their personal computer to start (that is if they had the appropriate password), and they chose "Ctrl - Alt - Delete" for doing that. In their wisdom, they also knew that there would be times when a user had a need for "escaping" a program or some other procedure when completely bogged down, or when encountering a huge problem, or even for when you are in the middle of something and your computer freezes up and you just need to go back a bit to discover why things aren't working as well as they did at one point in time.
Have you ever hit "Ctrl - Alt - Delete" in your life? I don't mean literally. I mean in a figurative sense. I know I have.
For example, there was a time in my life a year or so after I graduated from college when I just needed to start something new/fresh. The life pattern I was developing was taking me in a terribly wrong direction. I needed to just start over. It took me totally stopping what I was doing long enough to get my whole life system turned in a completely new direction. If I hadn't done that, I couldn't have moved forward. "Ctrl - Alt - Delete."
Then there was that time in my life when I really needed to escape the career/job I found myself in because it was completely bogging me down. I was going nowhere. I needed to take a few steps back and try again. Not throw everything away, just back up a bit to get back to the place where I got off track and try again. This time with the bad experience behind me as a guide to keep me from going there again. "Ctrl - Alt - Delete."
There have also been other times (more frequent than I probably realized until I started writing this) when I've encountered huge problems, things way bigger than what I could ever get through by myself. In those times, I've needed to figuratively hit "Ctrl - Alt - Delete" just to get perspective. Without proper perspective I really couldn't move forward. When life froze up on me, for those times when I just wasn't moving forward at all because of my own bad choices and/or the immense problems I was facing, I sometimes had to just go back a few steps and try to discover why things weren't working very well. What was the cause? What were the reasons? How did I get so far off-track? And then, once I discovered what the problem was, where I had left the track, I sometimes had to take some pretty drastic measures to recalibrate my life just so that I could in fact move forward again. Not easy to do, but definitely necessary. "Ctrl - Alt - Delete."
I believe in a God that designed us and also knew that we would at times mess up our lives. That is why He gave us a "Ctrl - Alt - Delete" to use when we need to start something new, when we need to escape something that just isn't working, and/or when we need to get HIS perspective on things and take some drastic measures to get back on track with our lives. His "Ctrl - Alt - Delete" is achieved through confession (I John 1:9). I'm so glad He created that for us because I've needed it many, many times in my life.
Praise God for His "Ctrl - Alt - Delete."
The point is that whoever invented and perfected the operation of personal computers knew that there needed to be some sort of "system" by which a user could command their personal computer to start (that is if they had the appropriate password), and they chose "Ctrl - Alt - Delete" for doing that. In their wisdom, they also knew that there would be times when a user had a need for "escaping" a program or some other procedure when completely bogged down, or when encountering a huge problem, or even for when you are in the middle of something and your computer freezes up and you just need to go back a bit to discover why things aren't working as well as they did at one point in time.
Have you ever hit "Ctrl - Alt - Delete" in your life? I don't mean literally. I mean in a figurative sense. I know I have.
For example, there was a time in my life a year or so after I graduated from college when I just needed to start something new/fresh. The life pattern I was developing was taking me in a terribly wrong direction. I needed to just start over. It took me totally stopping what I was doing long enough to get my whole life system turned in a completely new direction. If I hadn't done that, I couldn't have moved forward. "Ctrl - Alt - Delete."
Then there was that time in my life when I really needed to escape the career/job I found myself in because it was completely bogging me down. I was going nowhere. I needed to take a few steps back and try again. Not throw everything away, just back up a bit to get back to the place where I got off track and try again. This time with the bad experience behind me as a guide to keep me from going there again. "Ctrl - Alt - Delete."
There have also been other times (more frequent than I probably realized until I started writing this) when I've encountered huge problems, things way bigger than what I could ever get through by myself. In those times, I've needed to figuratively hit "Ctrl - Alt - Delete" just to get perspective. Without proper perspective I really couldn't move forward. When life froze up on me, for those times when I just wasn't moving forward at all because of my own bad choices and/or the immense problems I was facing, I sometimes had to just go back a few steps and try to discover why things weren't working very well. What was the cause? What were the reasons? How did I get so far off-track? And then, once I discovered what the problem was, where I had left the track, I sometimes had to take some pretty drastic measures to recalibrate my life just so that I could in fact move forward again. Not easy to do, but definitely necessary. "Ctrl - Alt - Delete."
I believe in a God that designed us and also knew that we would at times mess up our lives. That is why He gave us a "Ctrl - Alt - Delete" to use when we need to start something new, when we need to escape something that just isn't working, and/or when we need to get HIS perspective on things and take some drastic measures to get back on track with our lives. His "Ctrl - Alt - Delete" is achieved through confession (I John 1:9). I'm so glad He created that for us because I've needed it many, many times in my life.
Praise God for His "Ctrl - Alt - Delete."
Sunday, January 11, 2009
I'm really going to miss him...
In just 9 days, the United States will inaugurate a newly elected leader for our country. To be honest, I did not vote for Barack Obama. He seems like a very likeable, charismatic guy, but I just don't agree with most of his policies and/or the things he says he wants to do in governing our country. So, I'm not all that excited about this man being in office for the next four years (even though his will be an historic presidency - the first black American to be elected to the highest office in the land is definitely historic!). I do greatly respect the office, however, and as an American, I will support our new president. I will also be praying for him. Furthermore, I wish him great success!
But, what about that other guy who has "survived" being in office for the past 8 years? Today's Dallas Morning News features several articles about our current president - some that are "fair" and some that fall into the category of the same old Bush-bashing and media second-guessing that we have become accustomed to for way too many years.
After reading those articles it caused me to think. And, contrary to popular opinion, and contrary to what is currently the politically correct thing to say, I'm really going to miss George W. Bush as President of the United States.
There. I said it. Some of you are shocked right now and saying to yourself, "What an idiot! How stupid of him to say such a thing (especially in a public domain like this blog)!" Well, I'm sorry; just stating my opinion. Last I knew, we still had the freedom to do that in this country. Last I knew, we didn't have to fear retribution for saying something like that. Last I knew...
Political correctness has never been one of my strong suits, or something I'm known for. As a matter of fact, there have been many times when I've been in the seeming minority with some of my opinions. Especially political ones! But in this case, I believe my admiration for George W. Bush as president is for reasons other than political. I admire him for who he is and what he's done. Let me elaborate a bit.
I admire him because he is a fellow Texan and a fellow believer in Jesus Christ.
I admire him because he loves and protects his wife, and has been totally faithful to her.
I admire him because he is a loving dad. In spite of the demanding circumstances of public life including very little family time and "privacy," he has done what he could to shelter and protect his daughters from the sometimes ugly spotlight they were placed in at a very awkward time in their lives.
I admire him because he is not unwilling to leave the presidency in 9 days; he knows that his time in office is completed and that he has done what he could over the past 8 years. Now it is someone else's turn. Good for him! He doesn't need the office like some politicians do. He is more than happy to step back into private life and enjoy it.
I admire him because he is a straight-shooter and has never tried to be something he's not (overly intellectual or "uppitty sounding" in his speeches, etc.).
I admire him because he worked very hard behind the scenes to keep me, my family and this country safe and free from the vicious attacks of terrorists since 2001.
I admire him because he has withstood an unbelievable amount of negatives, slander, untruths, and hatred while doing his job, but hasn't allowed it to either defeat him or cause him to be bitter about life.
I admire him because he has "survived" the presidency for 8 years even when all decks have been stacked against him from almost the beginning. What a testimony of perseverance! Many other lesser men (or women) could not have survived what he has been subjected to. I'd challenge any of you reading this to even try to imagine being in his shoes for just one day; I dare say many (if not most of us) wouldn't even be able to stand it for a half a day! The demands of the office are enormous; the responsibilities overwhelming.
Is George W. Bush a saint? No. Is he the greatest president of all time? No. Has he made mistakes while in office? Of course. After all, he is human. None of us (not even Barack Obama!) is perfect, for goodness sake (See Romans 3:23).
But, let me just leave you with this final thought. George W. Bush is not the devil. He is not the absolute creep many have made him out to be over the past 8 years. He is not the worst president we have ever had in this country. As a matter of fact, "history" may prove that he was in fact a pretty good president after all...
I'm really going to miss George W. Bush as President of the United States.
But, what about that other guy who has "survived" being in office for the past 8 years? Today's Dallas Morning News features several articles about our current president - some that are "fair" and some that fall into the category of the same old Bush-bashing and media second-guessing that we have become accustomed to for way too many years.
After reading those articles it caused me to think. And, contrary to popular opinion, and contrary to what is currently the politically correct thing to say, I'm really going to miss George W. Bush as President of the United States.
There. I said it. Some of you are shocked right now and saying to yourself, "What an idiot! How stupid of him to say such a thing (especially in a public domain like this blog)!" Well, I'm sorry; just stating my opinion. Last I knew, we still had the freedom to do that in this country. Last I knew, we didn't have to fear retribution for saying something like that. Last I knew...
Political correctness has never been one of my strong suits, or something I'm known for. As a matter of fact, there have been many times when I've been in the seeming minority with some of my opinions. Especially political ones! But in this case, I believe my admiration for George W. Bush as president is for reasons other than political. I admire him for who he is and what he's done. Let me elaborate a bit.
I admire him because he is a fellow Texan and a fellow believer in Jesus Christ.
I admire him because he loves and protects his wife, and has been totally faithful to her.
I admire him because he is a loving dad. In spite of the demanding circumstances of public life including very little family time and "privacy," he has done what he could to shelter and protect his daughters from the sometimes ugly spotlight they were placed in at a very awkward time in their lives.
I admire him because he is not unwilling to leave the presidency in 9 days; he knows that his time in office is completed and that he has done what he could over the past 8 years. Now it is someone else's turn. Good for him! He doesn't need the office like some politicians do. He is more than happy to step back into private life and enjoy it.
I admire him because he is a straight-shooter and has never tried to be something he's not (overly intellectual or "uppitty sounding" in his speeches, etc.).
I admire him because he worked very hard behind the scenes to keep me, my family and this country safe and free from the vicious attacks of terrorists since 2001.
I admire him because he has withstood an unbelievable amount of negatives, slander, untruths, and hatred while doing his job, but hasn't allowed it to either defeat him or cause him to be bitter about life.
I admire him because he has "survived" the presidency for 8 years even when all decks have been stacked against him from almost the beginning. What a testimony of perseverance! Many other lesser men (or women) could not have survived what he has been subjected to. I'd challenge any of you reading this to even try to imagine being in his shoes for just one day; I dare say many (if not most of us) wouldn't even be able to stand it for a half a day! The demands of the office are enormous; the responsibilities overwhelming.
Is George W. Bush a saint? No. Is he the greatest president of all time? No. Has he made mistakes while in office? Of course. After all, he is human. None of us (not even Barack Obama!) is perfect, for goodness sake (See Romans 3:23).
But, let me just leave you with this final thought. George W. Bush is not the devil. He is not the absolute creep many have made him out to be over the past 8 years. He is not the worst president we have ever had in this country. As a matter of fact, "history" may prove that he was in fact a pretty good president after all...
I'm really going to miss George W. Bush as President of the United States.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
The Value of "Connection"
Truth is, I am a real loner at heart; I really prefer being alone more than I want to admit. But even I understand the extreme value of being in close connection with others - especially fellow believers in Jesus Christ. We really NEED each other. We were created for "connection."
This life concept has really been driven home to me in several powerful ways during the recent Christmas/New Year holiday celebrations. Let me explain.
First, on Christmas Eve, my wife and I had the happy occasion of seeing some of our really dear Christian friends (and you know who you are!) at church. These friends used to live near us and attend church with us, but have since moved a couple of times and are now about to move yet again! As we spoke, you could tell that there was still a strong desire for "connection" between us. We all felt it. It is something really, really special. And of great value, too. We are still connected, but in a much different way. We long for the day-to-day connection we once enjoyed.
Second, on January 1st we celebrated the new year by inviting many of our family and friends (plus neighbors, co-workers, people from our church, our children's friends, etc.) into our home for a pancakes and sausage breakfast. We've been doing this for 30 years now, and it has become a huge part of our family's holiday tradition. This year a most amazing thing happened. A friend of ours who we had somewhat lost contact with over 15 years ago showed up at our front door. She and her family moved away from the area and experienced way too many trials and life changes. But, unbeknownst to us, she recently moved back to the area by herself. We did not know that she had. So, when she showed up at our annual pancake breakfast gathering, we knew that she also desired connection again.
I'm sure that I could go on and on with other examples of how we have experienced valuable "connection" and just how much we personally value it. But suffice it to say again, we were created for connection and we all need it.
So, who are you connected to these days? Are you even "connected" at all? And if you are connected, are you connected to the right people? Where are the people you're connected to taking you? Closer to the Lord, or farther away from Him?
Since it is the beginning of a new year, I resolve to value "connection" even more so in 2009. I want to make sure that I enjoy all the various benefits that connection with others brings. I want to reach out to those who are not now connected in community and try to help them get connected in some beneficial way. Because without connection, we can become unhappy loners - selfish, self-centered and disconnected.
Who in their right mind would choose that? Get connected!
This life concept has really been driven home to me in several powerful ways during the recent Christmas/New Year holiday celebrations. Let me explain.
First, on Christmas Eve, my wife and I had the happy occasion of seeing some of our really dear Christian friends (and you know who you are!) at church. These friends used to live near us and attend church with us, but have since moved a couple of times and are now about to move yet again! As we spoke, you could tell that there was still a strong desire for "connection" between us. We all felt it. It is something really, really special. And of great value, too. We are still connected, but in a much different way. We long for the day-to-day connection we once enjoyed.
Second, on January 1st we celebrated the new year by inviting many of our family and friends (plus neighbors, co-workers, people from our church, our children's friends, etc.) into our home for a pancakes and sausage breakfast. We've been doing this for 30 years now, and it has become a huge part of our family's holiday tradition. This year a most amazing thing happened. A friend of ours who we had somewhat lost contact with over 15 years ago showed up at our front door. She and her family moved away from the area and experienced way too many trials and life changes. But, unbeknownst to us, she recently moved back to the area by herself. We did not know that she had. So, when she showed up at our annual pancake breakfast gathering, we knew that she also desired connection again.
I'm sure that I could go on and on with other examples of how we have experienced valuable "connection" and just how much we personally value it. But suffice it to say again, we were created for connection and we all need it.
So, who are you connected to these days? Are you even "connected" at all? And if you are connected, are you connected to the right people? Where are the people you're connected to taking you? Closer to the Lord, or farther away from Him?
Since it is the beginning of a new year, I resolve to value "connection" even more so in 2009. I want to make sure that I enjoy all the various benefits that connection with others brings. I want to reach out to those who are not now connected in community and try to help them get connected in some beneficial way. Because without connection, we can become unhappy loners - selfish, self-centered and disconnected.
Who in their right mind would choose that? Get connected!
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