I wrote this back in high school and happen to run across it during a recent garage sale. I was, of course, impressed with myself, and decided to share it. Hope it means something.
The Price
It ended and began again,
It was known from the start.
Any who believes can understand.
By naiveté it was shunned,
And through broken bones and broken hearts
So many saved by one dying man.
A liar who must die
He was a hypocrite.
But only by the mouths of some.
Though from his lips not a lie,
The blood he still bit
In his pain, he was alone.
The cross, an albatross,
Thorns as his frills,
Enduring lashes from whips and tongues.
But over the cross
To which he was nailed,
Angels hovered and sung.
This thing unforgotten,
The divine suffering
Before a perfect death,
His blood in the sod
With salvation lingering,
The price of eternalness.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
A Forced Lesson
I think it’s funny how God will offer you a lesson through the teaching of your church pastor, or an article you read, or your own personal Bible study, and then when you don’t pay attention, he forces you to learn the lesson by guiding you into a certain situation or experience.
I attend church on Sunday mornings. I participate in Bible Study, or Sunday school, and then move into the sanctuary for the sermon. Our Sunday school group is a small one, but our discussions are in-depth and focused on the word of God. It was only a couple of weeks ago, during one of these study times, when I sat, styrofoam coffee cup in hand, nodding and flipping pages in my Bible. We were learning from Hebrews chapter 12. Perseverance and discipline. “What are some ways God disciplines us?” was the question that was posed to us by our group leader. A few answers had been offered up when I chimed in with “He removes our distractions.” I thought this was a very good answer, and I was, perhaps, a little too proud of my insight. My head swelled even more when the others nodded in understanding. Our group leader then recited an anecdote about when his life was too busy for God. God broke his ankle, removed some “distractions,” and refocused his attention. I thought it was a good answer.
As proud of myself as I was, you’d think the lesson behind the question and my good answer would sink in, at least a little bit. Well, it didn’t.
Yesterday was the first game for U.S. national soccer team in the 2006 World Cup. We were up against the daunting Czech Republic, who was heavily favored. The games are being held in Germany, thus, live broadcasts are shown at weird, non-primetime hours here in the U.S. This particular game was played at 10:55 A.M., Central Standard Time. I work typical dayshift hours, so, obviously I missed the live telecast, but was smart enough to have my wife tape it, so I could watch it when I got home. I hate to watch a sports game on tape, but for the World Cup, I would sacrifice. All day I avoided the internet, the radio, any media outlet that might reveal the game’s outcome and spoil my fun. I was so excited.
During the day, as I was thinking about watching the game, I began to mentally list the other chores and tasks that I needed to do that afternoon. Hmmm, I need to do my Bible study, I need to exercise, I need to prepare for Home Group (a small group of peers that meets for fellowship and the study God’s word, and I’m the facilitator), Kelly (my wife) just called and asked me to grill for dinner tonight, I want to read a couple of chapters of my John Grisham novel, and I need to cut my hair (what little I have left). How am I going to fit this all in around my taped World Cup soccer game? And to top it off, I got this really sharp, piercing headache that’s been nagging me all day.
Well, as you probably guessed, I didn’t get all of these things accomplished. I can double up on Bible study tomorrow night. No problem. I’ve really been busting my hump leading this Home Group. This week we’ll just eat, play games, and hang out. We don’t have to have a lesson, and I need a break. No problem. Does it really matter if I cut my hair? In the words of the comedian Gallagher, “Do you really need to prune a dead tree?” I’ll do it some other time. No problem. Ok, I can do the rest; this is going to be a great night.
Then, I felt this tap on my brain. “God disciplines us by removing distractions.” In my head, I answered this reminder, “I know. I shouldn’t put off God, especially for a taped World Cup soccer game. Oh-well.” I think I actually said “Oh-well,” out loud. Jonathan Edwards wrote in his book The Freedom of the Will that, “free moral agents always act according to the strongest inclination they have at the moment of choice.” The apostle Paul speaks of man’s free will by noting that there are times when our desire to sin is greater than our desire to please Christ. That is a chalky pill to swallow, but I’m a shining example of this foolishness.
So, when I got home, I fired up the grill and got some burgers and corn-on-the-cobs cooking. We sat in our respective seats in front of the TV, and I hit the play button, and here we go! Static. Well, maybe I need to rewind. Static. Fast-forward. Static. The whole tape was static. There was no taped World Cup soccer game. I almost cried. Kelly was upset as well, and she apologized over and over for messing up the VCR and tape. I told her I wasn’t mad, because I knew that it wasn’t her fault. Although, she was solely responsible for the recording of the game, I knew she had done nothing wrong. I felt one hundred percent certain that God was behind this. Is he not responsible for everything that happens? God had allowed the game to be overrun with static, and after realizing God’s discipline, I instantly felt very small, and stupid, and sorry. I was embarrassed.
We often become engrossed in our own busyness. Covered up with weights. These hindrances can be sin, but often they are not. It is not a sin to grill burgers, or exercise, or even to watch a taped World Cup soccer game. But these are distractions that divert attention away from God. This is very dangerous, and if you are a child of God, you can expect discipline. His discipline is His guidance, His love. If you are not experiencing any kind of discipline or suffering in your life, you may need to seriously consider if you are, in fact, one of God’s children. We can all at times be very stubborn and bull-headed, and put God off. If He begins to tap on you, answer quickly, or your discipline may be more than just an erased tape.
I attend church on Sunday mornings. I participate in Bible Study, or Sunday school, and then move into the sanctuary for the sermon. Our Sunday school group is a small one, but our discussions are in-depth and focused on the word of God. It was only a couple of weeks ago, during one of these study times, when I sat, styrofoam coffee cup in hand, nodding and flipping pages in my Bible. We were learning from Hebrews chapter 12. Perseverance and discipline. “What are some ways God disciplines us?” was the question that was posed to us by our group leader. A few answers had been offered up when I chimed in with “He removes our distractions.” I thought this was a very good answer, and I was, perhaps, a little too proud of my insight. My head swelled even more when the others nodded in understanding. Our group leader then recited an anecdote about when his life was too busy for God. God broke his ankle, removed some “distractions,” and refocused his attention. I thought it was a good answer.
As proud of myself as I was, you’d think the lesson behind the question and my good answer would sink in, at least a little bit. Well, it didn’t.
Yesterday was the first game for U.S. national soccer team in the 2006 World Cup. We were up against the daunting Czech Republic, who was heavily favored. The games are being held in Germany, thus, live broadcasts are shown at weird, non-primetime hours here in the U.S. This particular game was played at 10:55 A.M., Central Standard Time. I work typical dayshift hours, so, obviously I missed the live telecast, but was smart enough to have my wife tape it, so I could watch it when I got home. I hate to watch a sports game on tape, but for the World Cup, I would sacrifice. All day I avoided the internet, the radio, any media outlet that might reveal the game’s outcome and spoil my fun. I was so excited.
During the day, as I was thinking about watching the game, I began to mentally list the other chores and tasks that I needed to do that afternoon. Hmmm, I need to do my Bible study, I need to exercise, I need to prepare for Home Group (a small group of peers that meets for fellowship and the study God’s word, and I’m the facilitator), Kelly (my wife) just called and asked me to grill for dinner tonight, I want to read a couple of chapters of my John Grisham novel, and I need to cut my hair (what little I have left). How am I going to fit this all in around my taped World Cup soccer game? And to top it off, I got this really sharp, piercing headache that’s been nagging me all day.
Well, as you probably guessed, I didn’t get all of these things accomplished. I can double up on Bible study tomorrow night. No problem. I’ve really been busting my hump leading this Home Group. This week we’ll just eat, play games, and hang out. We don’t have to have a lesson, and I need a break. No problem. Does it really matter if I cut my hair? In the words of the comedian Gallagher, “Do you really need to prune a dead tree?” I’ll do it some other time. No problem. Ok, I can do the rest; this is going to be a great night.
Then, I felt this tap on my brain. “God disciplines us by removing distractions.” In my head, I answered this reminder, “I know. I shouldn’t put off God, especially for a taped World Cup soccer game. Oh-well.” I think I actually said “Oh-well,” out loud. Jonathan Edwards wrote in his book The Freedom of the Will that, “free moral agents always act according to the strongest inclination they have at the moment of choice.” The apostle Paul speaks of man’s free will by noting that there are times when our desire to sin is greater than our desire to please Christ. That is a chalky pill to swallow, but I’m a shining example of this foolishness.
So, when I got home, I fired up the grill and got some burgers and corn-on-the-cobs cooking. We sat in our respective seats in front of the TV, and I hit the play button, and here we go! Static. Well, maybe I need to rewind. Static. Fast-forward. Static. The whole tape was static. There was no taped World Cup soccer game. I almost cried. Kelly was upset as well, and she apologized over and over for messing up the VCR and tape. I told her I wasn’t mad, because I knew that it wasn’t her fault. Although, she was solely responsible for the recording of the game, I knew she had done nothing wrong. I felt one hundred percent certain that God was behind this. Is he not responsible for everything that happens? God had allowed the game to be overrun with static, and after realizing God’s discipline, I instantly felt very small, and stupid, and sorry. I was embarrassed.
We often become engrossed in our own busyness. Covered up with weights. These hindrances can be sin, but often they are not. It is not a sin to grill burgers, or exercise, or even to watch a taped World Cup soccer game. But these are distractions that divert attention away from God. This is very dangerous, and if you are a child of God, you can expect discipline. His discipline is His guidance, His love. If you are not experiencing any kind of discipline or suffering in your life, you may need to seriously consider if you are, in fact, one of God’s children. We can all at times be very stubborn and bull-headed, and put God off. If He begins to tap on you, answer quickly, or your discipline may be more than just an erased tape.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Keep Going and Going
On the first day of spring, not the official first day of spring, but the first day that the weather is sunny and temperature is just right for t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, well, I get excited. As the garage door slowly rises and reveals the newly greening grass, I stand with anticipation of great things. I survey the yard, carefully picking up and sticks, rocks, trash, and anything else that might impede the year’s first mowing. I wheel my trusty green Toro to the edge of the lawn and responsibly clear away the cobwebs and dust and all other evidence of a long boring winter. I feel so motivated and the sun feels so good that I think to myself, after I mow, I’ll weed-eat, then I’ll wash my car, and then I’ll even get the garage cleaned out. It will be a great day!
Well, then I realize that I don’t have any gas for the mower. No problem, just a small delay. So, now half and hour behind, the little engine coughs and complains and then finally roars to life amid a bluish cloud of smoke. As I traverse the yard, I notice that the grass is still slightly crunchy under my feet, and the sun seems to be getting hotter on my reddening neck. No matter, I’m a man, I’m supposed to sweat and cut grass.
As I finish the front and move on to the back, I begin to dream of air conditioning and iced tea. I reason with myself that the garage is not really that bad; it can wait a few weeks. Also, it would a mistake to wash the car today, because it is supposed to rain in few days. It would be a waste of time and water! I should wait until after it rains. An hour later, the lawn is finished. It’s short and level and has those perfectly parallel stripes across it. I am proud of the way it looks, although, my clothes are all wet and clinging to me. There are little green grass clippings stuck to my legs and collecting in the crevices between my socks and shoes. I look at the weed-eater and then I look at the door to kitchen. I easily convince myself that mowing is a big enough job for one day. I take my shoes off and run inside.
Unfortunately, this can easily resemble our Christian lives. The enthusiasm and motivation of doing good and suffering in the name of Christ can turn into a sinking sense of futility when it seems that nobody cares or even notices. Paul, in 1st Corinthians 9:24, likens the Christian life to a marathon race. It’s not a sprint, it’s not about speed, or looks, it’s about endurance, it’s about finishing. And it can’t be done without discipline and training.
How can you persevere when you’ve “hit the wall?” Hebrews 12: 1-2 tell us to “throw off our weights” and to “fix our eyes on Jesus.” Jesus is our example. He endured all the way to cross, he despised its shame, and he triumphed by sitting down at the right hand of the throne of God. If you find yourself struggling with endurance, consider what the writer of Hebrews tells the Hebrew people in chapter 12, verse 4; “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” What have you had to face in your life that would stack up to what Jesus experienced? This should be motivating, this should give us security, and this should be humbling. Christ has gone before us, he has blazed the trail, he has set an example. Fix your eyes on Jesus and He will give you the strength to persevere to the finish.
Well, then I realize that I don’t have any gas for the mower. No problem, just a small delay. So, now half and hour behind, the little engine coughs and complains and then finally roars to life amid a bluish cloud of smoke. As I traverse the yard, I notice that the grass is still slightly crunchy under my feet, and the sun seems to be getting hotter on my reddening neck. No matter, I’m a man, I’m supposed to sweat and cut grass.
As I finish the front and move on to the back, I begin to dream of air conditioning and iced tea. I reason with myself that the garage is not really that bad; it can wait a few weeks. Also, it would a mistake to wash the car today, because it is supposed to rain in few days. It would be a waste of time and water! I should wait until after it rains. An hour later, the lawn is finished. It’s short and level and has those perfectly parallel stripes across it. I am proud of the way it looks, although, my clothes are all wet and clinging to me. There are little green grass clippings stuck to my legs and collecting in the crevices between my socks and shoes. I look at the weed-eater and then I look at the door to kitchen. I easily convince myself that mowing is a big enough job for one day. I take my shoes off and run inside.
Unfortunately, this can easily resemble our Christian lives. The enthusiasm and motivation of doing good and suffering in the name of Christ can turn into a sinking sense of futility when it seems that nobody cares or even notices. Paul, in 1st Corinthians 9:24, likens the Christian life to a marathon race. It’s not a sprint, it’s not about speed, or looks, it’s about endurance, it’s about finishing. And it can’t be done without discipline and training.
How can you persevere when you’ve “hit the wall?” Hebrews 12: 1-2 tell us to “throw off our weights” and to “fix our eyes on Jesus.” Jesus is our example. He endured all the way to cross, he despised its shame, and he triumphed by sitting down at the right hand of the throne of God. If you find yourself struggling with endurance, consider what the writer of Hebrews tells the Hebrew people in chapter 12, verse 4; “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” What have you had to face in your life that would stack up to what Jesus experienced? This should be motivating, this should give us security, and this should be humbling. Christ has gone before us, he has blazed the trail, he has set an example. Fix your eyes on Jesus and He will give you the strength to persevere to the finish.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Two Down and One Out
Two down and one out. This has been a tough week in sports, at least for me. My Pistons got closed out by the Heat on Friday, Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals injured himself on Sunday, and I fear for the Cowboys’ season ahead. The Pistons are now in the past, and the Cowboys are the future, so, I’ll try to focus on the frustrating present.
Albert Pujols is batting .308/.442/.751 (batting average/on-base/slugging) and leads the Major Leagues with 25 home runs, 65 RBIs and 52 runs scored. Well, he was anyway. He is a gold glove first baseman. Well, was. Sunday, while chasing down a foul ball, he strained his oblique abdominal muscle. This has forced Tony LaRussa to sit Pujols on the 15 day Disabled List. I’m sure I’m just being a little pessimistic, but let me tell you why this injury is a big deal.
First, it’s a big deal to the Cardinals of course. They are leading the National League Central Division and Pujols is their captain. They have become perennial playoff participants, and don’t intend to miss this year. Even with injuries to Jim Edmonds and Albert Pujols, the Cardinal lineup still packs a potent punch and should keep them on top until the big boys can play again. But it still hurts.
This is a big deal to Albert. This is his first trip to the DL due to a real injury in five years of play at the Major League level. I know that he will bounce back and be better than ever, but, better than ever is what he was already this season. He was batting at an unbelievable level. He has to be disappointed that most of the records he was potentially going to break, are most likely out of reach if indeed he misses 15 or more games.
This is a big deal for baseball. Baseball, in the past few years, has noted many great, historic moments. But most of these moments seemed to be veiled by controversy. Of course, I refer chiefly to the use of steroids. The culture of baseball and its fans really need Pujols to make a run at the single season homerun record. We, the fans, are pleading for a legitimate slugger to rally around. We long for a guy who has a pure reputation and represents everything that’s good with the sport. Pujols is that man. Albert is also MLB’s most likely candidate to be a Triple Crown winner. This is, behind the homerun record, probably the most exciting achievement to watch unfold during the course of long season.
And finally, this is a big deal to Barry Bonds. Barry has, as you probably have noticed, commanded the majority of media attention so far this season. And rightly so. He has just passed the unshakable Babe Ruth. The most famous baseball player of all time, the unmovable Bambino, has just been bumped from his runner up position for career homeruns. But now the anticipation is over. Barry has hit 714 and 715. Now, he’s just a steroid user again. An proud purple stain on baseball’s freshly vacuumed carpet. MLB would welcome any distraction from the Barry Bonds circus, and Pujols was it. Pujols was going to make everything better. Bonds himself instructed the press and everybody else to “go watch Albert Pujols, He’s doing some amazing things.” But now, with Pujols on the bench, the media pendulum may swing back to Barry. I know he, and me, and everyone else hopes it won’t, but it probably will.
So, the Cardinals will be fine. Albert is not going to rush his return, which is smart. He certainly does not want to make a chronic condition out of this simple strain. Mr. Pujols, we wish you a speedy recovery, our thoughts are with you, and work on your enunciation. You say good words, it’s just hard to understand them.
Albert Pujols is batting .308/.442/.751 (batting average/on-base/slugging) and leads the Major Leagues with 25 home runs, 65 RBIs and 52 runs scored. Well, he was anyway. He is a gold glove first baseman. Well, was. Sunday, while chasing down a foul ball, he strained his oblique abdominal muscle. This has forced Tony LaRussa to sit Pujols on the 15 day Disabled List. I’m sure I’m just being a little pessimistic, but let me tell you why this injury is a big deal.
First, it’s a big deal to the Cardinals of course. They are leading the National League Central Division and Pujols is their captain. They have become perennial playoff participants, and don’t intend to miss this year. Even with injuries to Jim Edmonds and Albert Pujols, the Cardinal lineup still packs a potent punch and should keep them on top until the big boys can play again. But it still hurts.
This is a big deal to Albert. This is his first trip to the DL due to a real injury in five years of play at the Major League level. I know that he will bounce back and be better than ever, but, better than ever is what he was already this season. He was batting at an unbelievable level. He has to be disappointed that most of the records he was potentially going to break, are most likely out of reach if indeed he misses 15 or more games.
This is a big deal for baseball. Baseball, in the past few years, has noted many great, historic moments. But most of these moments seemed to be veiled by controversy. Of course, I refer chiefly to the use of steroids. The culture of baseball and its fans really need Pujols to make a run at the single season homerun record. We, the fans, are pleading for a legitimate slugger to rally around. We long for a guy who has a pure reputation and represents everything that’s good with the sport. Pujols is that man. Albert is also MLB’s most likely candidate to be a Triple Crown winner. This is, behind the homerun record, probably the most exciting achievement to watch unfold during the course of long season.
And finally, this is a big deal to Barry Bonds. Barry has, as you probably have noticed, commanded the majority of media attention so far this season. And rightly so. He has just passed the unshakable Babe Ruth. The most famous baseball player of all time, the unmovable Bambino, has just been bumped from his runner up position for career homeruns. But now the anticipation is over. Barry has hit 714 and 715. Now, he’s just a steroid user again. An proud purple stain on baseball’s freshly vacuumed carpet. MLB would welcome any distraction from the Barry Bonds circus, and Pujols was it. Pujols was going to make everything better. Bonds himself instructed the press and everybody else to “go watch Albert Pujols, He’s doing some amazing things.” But now, with Pujols on the bench, the media pendulum may swing back to Barry. I know he, and me, and everyone else hopes it won’t, but it probably will.
So, the Cardinals will be fine. Albert is not going to rush his return, which is smart. He certainly does not want to make a chronic condition out of this simple strain. Mr. Pujols, we wish you a speedy recovery, our thoughts are with you, and work on your enunciation. You say good words, it’s just hard to understand them.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Family Ties
Ever wondered why you look like your parents? Or maybe why you have the same personality as your aunt, or the same balding pattern as your grandfather? Well, some of it is nature and some of it is nurture. We are not about to get into that, but we are about to learn just how much alike we are as far as breaking the law.
It’s called kinship analysis, or familial searching: Comparing the DNA fingerprint of crime-scene samples to the relatives of known criminals. That doesn’t make much sense at first, but let me explain. CODIS is a national database consisting of DNA profiles of convicted felons and samples from unsolved cases. So when a crime is committed and the police do not have a suspect, any DNA from that crime-scene gets compared to this national database to see if, by chance, the person who committed this crime happens to have his or her DNA profile already on record. The match must be exact, throughout the entire profile. If it is, it’s called a ‘cold hit.’ In kinship analysis, however, the match does not have to be exact, only similar. This strategy is based on two central facts: According to research studies, close relatives of known criminals are more likely than others to break the law, and because these two individuals are related, their DNA fingerprints will be similar. So, that suggests that if a DNA specimen, found at a crime scene, has a profile that is close to, but not exactly the same as, that of a known criminal, then a close relative may be the culprit.
This is not illegal in the United States, but it is rarely acknowledged and utilized by state law enforcement. In Britain, where DNA laws are more relaxed, the approach has been the turning point in several cases, and proven itself a vital element in crime-fighting. For example, in 1998, a DNA specimen was obtained from a murder scene, but with no suspect, the police had nothing to compare the profile with. However, they were able to use the murder-scene profile to search for familial matches. They found that the profile was similar, but not exact, to that of a 14 year old boy’s, whose DNA was on file with the police. Investigators obtained samples from the boy’s uncle, and found a perfect match. He was convicted and the case was solved.
A 1999 Justice Department survey found that 46 percent of prison inmates had at least one sibling, parent, or child who had been incarcerated at some point. And, computer models forecast that ‘cold hits’ (perfect matches) might increase by 40 percent if they were to check the DNA patterns of criminals’ family members when searches generate near misses.
Civil libertarians say “It’s an infringement on our rights. If I give up a DNA sample, does that mean I’ve also committed all my blood relatives to a search?” That is an important and valid question. That’s where the lawmakers must look closely at the possibilities of this new technology, and American citizens must decide if they are willing to be included in DNA searches, or if they are ready to take their chances with more criminals, at large and on the street.
It’s called kinship analysis, or familial searching: Comparing the DNA fingerprint of crime-scene samples to the relatives of known criminals. That doesn’t make much sense at first, but let me explain. CODIS is a national database consisting of DNA profiles of convicted felons and samples from unsolved cases. So when a crime is committed and the police do not have a suspect, any DNA from that crime-scene gets compared to this national database to see if, by chance, the person who committed this crime happens to have his or her DNA profile already on record. The match must be exact, throughout the entire profile. If it is, it’s called a ‘cold hit.’ In kinship analysis, however, the match does not have to be exact, only similar. This strategy is based on two central facts: According to research studies, close relatives of known criminals are more likely than others to break the law, and because these two individuals are related, their DNA fingerprints will be similar. So, that suggests that if a DNA specimen, found at a crime scene, has a profile that is close to, but not exactly the same as, that of a known criminal, then a close relative may be the culprit.
This is not illegal in the United States, but it is rarely acknowledged and utilized by state law enforcement. In Britain, where DNA laws are more relaxed, the approach has been the turning point in several cases, and proven itself a vital element in crime-fighting. For example, in 1998, a DNA specimen was obtained from a murder scene, but with no suspect, the police had nothing to compare the profile with. However, they were able to use the murder-scene profile to search for familial matches. They found that the profile was similar, but not exact, to that of a 14 year old boy’s, whose DNA was on file with the police. Investigators obtained samples from the boy’s uncle, and found a perfect match. He was convicted and the case was solved.
A 1999 Justice Department survey found that 46 percent of prison inmates had at least one sibling, parent, or child who had been incarcerated at some point. And, computer models forecast that ‘cold hits’ (perfect matches) might increase by 40 percent if they were to check the DNA patterns of criminals’ family members when searches generate near misses.
Civil libertarians say “It’s an infringement on our rights. If I give up a DNA sample, does that mean I’ve also committed all my blood relatives to a search?” That is an important and valid question. That’s where the lawmakers must look closely at the possibilities of this new technology, and American citizens must decide if they are willing to be included in DNA searches, or if they are ready to take their chances with more criminals, at large and on the street.
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