Manners and common courtesy
Ξ August 25th, 2007 | → 0 Comments | ∇ My thoughts on... |
Our society has changed a great deal in the last few years, and not for the better. Conduct, speech and lifestyles that were considered shameful not all that long ago are now apparently being considered normal, and a walk through any shopping mall reveals just how low our standards of decency have actually become. “Normal” isn’t normal anymore, and “freaky” is well on its way to replacing it.
I could go on and on about the way our young people are dressing and presenting themselves to the world these days, but I believe the root of the problem lies in their parents and grandparents - the people who are supposed to be leading them by example and teaching them how to live decent, moral lives. Case in point: I was standing in line at the pharmacy the other day when a lady who was probably in her 50’s just walked right up and jumped in front of me and about a half-dozen other folks who had been patiently waiting for quite some time. We were all a bit shocked and saddened, but not surprised.
Of course I realize that “skipping line” isn’t a grave sin or anything, but it is a pretty good indication of a general lack of moral grounding and consideration for others. Sadly, this type of rude behavior is becoming quite common among adults, and our children and young teenagers are picking up on it.
I witnessed another disturbing occurrence at the grocery store a few nights ago. A young mother was pushing a toddler around in a shopping cart while an older child followed her around the store on foot. Of course the kids were begging for everything they saw, and when the older one began whining about “not getting anything” his mom turned around and yelled at the top of her lungs that he was just like his “stupid daddy”. She stood there berating the poor child for what must have been a good thirty seconds or more, using plenty of off-color language to help get her “points” across. The other shoppers in the vicinity just stood there as well, looking on in disbelief as she completely humiliated the child.
I can certainly understand how a kid can get on a parent’s frazzled nerves, but surely she could have chosen a more civilized and level-headed way to address the problem - especially with the scene unfolding in such a public place. When her little tirade was over, she turned to the “audience” and apologized - but the damage had already been done. It was actually quite a sad thing to watch, and a handful of impressionable youngsters witnessed the entire thing.
I remember how my own mom used to deal with me in similar situations: She would give me a stern look and say “if you don’t stop that right now, you just wait till we get home”. And I would stop immediately because I had been down that road before and I knew just exactly what “just wait till we get home” meant. There was no yelling, cursing or public humiliation involved, just a simple, barely-audible warning that my actions were unacceptable, and if they continued the consequences would be quite unpleasant. Mom “ruled” us kids with a stern hand, but we knew what she expected of us and she never had to resort to “making a scene” to get us to do what she told us to do.
I have a theory about why our society is losing its moral foundation, common courtesy and mutual respect, and it all goes back to the much-hyped “separation of church and state”. I believe it is no coincidence that things started “going downhill” when they took prayer and the Bible out of our schools. For many children, the only moral training they ever received came from their school teacher, and ever since the 1970’s that void has gone unfilled.
How can we expect a child to grow up respecting others and treating them with kindness if he/she is never taught why and how to do so? Learning manners, common courtesy, and a sense of right and wrong is no different than learning math, science and history. These attributes must be taught in order for children to learn them, and when parents don’t know how to conduct themselves in a proper manner, how can they possibly teach their kids to do it? Until we as a nation wake up and realize that the status quo is leading us down a path to destruction, things are only going to get worse and worse.
“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” –Luke 6:31
If that scripture sounds familiar, it should. It’s the basis for what many of us know as “The Golden Rule”. How much better would our society be today if that verse were taught in our classrooms right along with math, science and history?
Letters To Mom
Ξ August 21st, 2007 | → 0 Comments | ∇ My thoughts on... |
Note: The following ”letters” are completely fictitious…
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Sept. 3, 2001
Dear Mom,
Well, I finally got moved into my new apartment, and just in time since classes begin tomorrow. It’s hard to believe I’m finally starting my senior year! I’m a little nervous about my chances of getting into law school even though I’ve managed to maintain a 3.7 GPA so far. I plan to start applying to the ones I’ve decided on in a few weeks and I hear that getting into all of them is pretty tough. But I know the Lord will see me through. Well. I guess I’d better go for now because I still have to pick up a few things at the bookstore. Talk to you again soon!
Love, Me
PS. Tell dad I love him.
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Sept. 11, 2001
Dear Mom,
I guess you’ve heard the news by now. A bunch of guys hijacked a couple of airplanes and flew them into the World Trade Center towers in New York. I don’t have any morning classes today so I decided to lounge around on the sofa and watch TV for a while, and all of a sudden the news guy broke in with the news. Smoke is billowing out of the tops of both towers and traffic in Manhattan is a real mess. I guess the world is full of idiots.
Anyway, I got my grade back on my first test. It was in ”Public Speaking”, and I aced it! It’s a good thing too - after all, a future lawyer had better be able to get his points across, right? So far everything is going great this year and I hope to finish the semester with a 4.0.
Tell Billy I miss watching him play football but I hope to catch a game when I come home for a visit next month. It’s a little lonely here since I spend all of my time studying and working so it’ll be great to see you all when I come in. Gotta go hop in the shower now, so take care.
Love, Me
P.S. Tell dad I love him.
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Sept. 14, 2001
Dear Mom,
Now they’re saying it was terrorists who knocked down the twin towers and smashed into the Pentagon and that field in Pennsylvania. I knew there were people in the world who hated us, but this is ridiculous! The sad thing is there’s nothing we can do about it because the morons are dead! Oh well, at least they won’t be able to harm anyone else.
Mom, I met a girl at the restaurant the other day. It was her first day at work and the boss asked me to show her the ropes. She’s really nice and we have become good friends. If it’s ok with you and dad I’d like to invite her to our house for Christmas dinner. Just let me know. I think you’ll like her a lot! Oops, gotta run or I’ll be late for class!
Love, Me
P.S. Tell dad I love him.
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October 17, 2001
Mom, I have something to tell you. Please don’t be upset but I’m dropping out of school. Yeah, I know it’s my senior year and I have law school to think about about, but the terrorists aren’t gonna stop until we stop them. They attacked us once mom, and they’ll do it again whenever they get the opportunity. I love my country and I’m gonna do whatever I can to make sure they don’t get that opportunity.
I’m going over to the Army recruiting station in the morning to sign up. I know this is probably going to upset you and dad a lot, but I’ve mulled it over for several days and I know it’s the right thing to do. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be just fine. Great-grandpa fought in France and Italy in WWII and he made it through just fine. And so will I. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think about joining the Army, but I know that my country needs me so that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I’m gonna be a soldier. I’ll call you when I get everything sorted out and give you all the details. Bye for now…
Love, Me
P.S. Tell dad I love him and to try not to worry. I really will be fine!
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February 18, 2002
Dear Mom,
I don’t think I’ve ever been so cold in all my life. Afghanistan is nothing but rocks, dirt and mountains, and the Taliban could be hiding around every corner. We’re heading out first thing in the morning to check out a bunch of caves where they think Bin Laden might be hiding so it might be a while before I can write again, but don’t worry. I read the 23rd Psalm a little while ago and I know that Jesus will be patrolling right alongside us. And besides, I’m a well-trained fighting machine - I’m an American soldier and I know how to take care of myself!
Oh, tell Billy I said to keep his eye on the ball this season. Man, how I miss playing baseball! Anyway, you all take care and pray for me. Hopefully we can get the job done here and I’ll get to come home soon.
Love, Me
P.S. Tell dad I look forward to going fishing with him again someday soon. And be sure to tell him I love him.
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July 4, 2007
Dear Mom,
Summertime in Iraq must surely be the closest thing to hell that I’ll ever experience here on earth. Between the 120 degree temperatures and the constantly blowing sand there isn’t a single moment of the day when I’m not in misery. Sometimes I think I was a fool to re-enlist, but then those horrible images of September 11 come flooding back into my mind and I realize that I have to force myself to keep on going. We have to complete the mission here and win the war on terror or we’ll never be able to enjoy our way of life again. Besides, I stood at attention and cried when they raised Old Glory above the camp this morning.
We lost two guys today when their humvee was hit by sniper fire and it ran off the road and rolled over several times. One of them had just three weeks left in country and a baby on the way. But I guess that’s just the way it goes here - we get up each morning and go to work with the knowledge that today might be our last. Such is the life of a soldier during wartime I suppose. But don’t worry about me mom - next week I’m being transferred to a unit up north where it’s relatively safe so things will definitely be a little better for me after that. Keep praying for me now, I really need it!
Love, Me
P.S. Tell dad I’m sorry for hurting his feelings when we spoke the last time. No matter what, he’ll always be my dad and I’ll always love him. I look forward to seeing you and him again real soon - just 84 more days and I’ll be coming home for a 30 day leave before heading to my new duty station in Korea. This soldier has done his part in the sandbox and it’s about time for me to move on out and let some young whipper-snapper take my place!
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August 8, 2007
Dear Mom,
I don’t know what happened. All I remember is seeing a bright light, and the next thing I knew, I was here. This place is even grander than I ever imagined mom. Everyone is so happy and I got to meet Great-grandpa for the first time just a little while ago. Can that man ever tell a story!
Mom, I heard about Billy being sent to Afghanistan and I don’t want you to worry about him too much. Trust me when I say this - he’s gonna be fine. He’s a well-trained fighting machine - an American soldier who knows how to take care of himself. Besides, I just talked to Jesus a little while ago and He told me that He’ll be walking with him every step he takes and He’ll keep him safe and sound. I don’t know how He does it, spending quality time with everyone up here and looking out for everyone down there at the same time. Talk about multi-tasking! But He is Jesus after all.
Well, we’ll talk again real soon mom, but right now I’m gonna go find Uncle Ernie. He passed away before I was born, but I heard so many great stories about him that I just have to meet him! Take care.
Love, Me
P.S. Tell dad that the Father sends His love - and so do I.
The Sad Legacy Of America’s Pastime
Ξ August 8th, 2007 | → 1 Comments | ∇ My thoughts on... |
The game of baseball has long been known as America’s Pastime. After all, more than any other sporting event it represents everything that has made our great nation the bastion of power and freedom that it is today: Hard work, dedication, and the possibility of tremendous success regardless of one’s station in life.
Ever since the end of the Civil War, a young boy could step onto a baseball field and chase a dream that would stay with him until his dying day, even if it never became a reality. And he knew that in order to fulfill that dream he would have to work hard every day and practice hitting and catching that elusive little white ball, giving his all on an individual level while doing his part to ensure the success of the team.
And just maybe, someday, all of that hard work and determination would pay off with a trip to the Major Leagues where he could play every night in front of thousands of adoring fans, and maybe, someday, even set a record that would stand for decades, inspiring countless other youngsters to follow their dreams as well. For well over a century, the game of baseball was held in the highest regard by most Americans - even by those who didn’t consider themselves to be “fans”.
In a nutshell, baseball was a game of dreams and possibilities, rewarding those who played by the rules and understood that it was just a game that offered a lifetime of pleasure and fond memories. But in recent years things have gone terribly wrong…
In the latter part of the 20th century, Major League Baseball came to a grinding halt when the players union decided to go on strike on two separate occasions. I guess it wasn’t enough that they were already making millions of dollars a year playing a game that most of us “kids” would gladly play for just enough money to “pay the bills”. But I digress…. All of a sudden, Major League ballparks all across the country fell silent and the dreams of countless youngsters were squashed like a bug on a windshield. America’s Pastime lost much of it’s luster because of those childish strikes, and the tarnish has never completely been removed.
Then, as if the strikes weren’t bad enough, along came the steroids scandal that still rocks the baseball world to this day. Apparently many of the players were no longer satisfied with the tried and true method of working hard to build upon their natural talents and asking God for favor on the playing field. Instead, they decided to look for an easy path to success, a “fast track” to getting their names printed in the record books. And they found it in the form of “Performance Enhancing Drugs”. They soon discovered that they could more easily and quickly find success in a syringe than in the weight room - and things have never been the same since. And sadly, they’ll never be the same again.
If there was any honor and dignity at all left in Major League Baseball, it vanished yesterday evening in San Francisco. With one swing of the bat, Barry Bonds rendered the most cherished record in all of sports meaningless and irrelevant when he hit his 756th career home run. With the help of a little “juice”, he demolished a record that had been held for the better part of a century by first the great Babe Ruth and later by Henry “Hammerin’ Hank” Aaron.
The sad thing about all of this is the fact that Bonds isn’t just some run-of-the-mill player who wanted to transform a mediocre baseball career into one of stardom. He was already a shoe-in for induction into the Hall of Fame before he even began hitting the juice! Blessed with amazing natural talent and the speed of a gazelle, he began his career fielding, hitting and stealing bases as well as anyone who ever played the game, and he had the stats to prove it. But apparently he wasn’t content with being a great baseball player - he wanted to be the very best.
Well into his thirties, it became clear that even though he was on a direct path to Cooperstown, breaking the game’s most hallowed records wasn’t in the cards. If he wanted to surpass Roger Maris’ single-season home run record of 61 and the holy grail of Hammerin’ Hanks 755 career homers he would have to step it up a notch. The problem was, he was already at the top of his game and in the prime of his career. Without a little help, his performance and the growth of his stats would soon begin to decline, squashing forever his hope of becoming the greatest baseball player who ever lived. That would never do, so he turned to the magic syringe…
And it worked like a charm. Virtually over the course of a single off-season, Bonds transformed himself from a lean, mean, base-stealing machine into a hulking home run virtuoso with arms the likes of which ”Popeye” could only dream about. Instead of his usual 20-40 homers a season, all of a sudden he began cranking out 50, even 60 or more a year, finally peaking at the record-setting level of 75.
And of course with all of those baseballs flying out of the park and into the next state, it became only a matter of time before he would find himself knocking on the door of Aaron’s 755 career home runs. Well, it all came to a head last evening with that one infamous swing of his bat. Bonds has now stolen the all-time home run record away from Hank just as easily as he had stolen all those bases back when he was playing the game armed with nothing more than his amazing talents. And the game of baseball will never be the same again. The tarnish has turned to a dirty shade of gray, and no chemical on the planet can ever hope to remove it.
As for Hammerin’ Hank, he is still nothing but class. Even though he knows in his heart that his record of 33 years was surpassed with plenty of help from “the juice”, he still offered the following statement which was played during the 10 minute celebration following Bonds’ record-breaking home run:
“It is a great accomplishment which required skill, longevity and determination. Throughout the past century, the home run has held a special place in baseball and I have been privileged to hold this record for 33 of those years. I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historic achievement. My hope today, as it was on that April evening in 1974, is that the achievement of this record will inspire others to chase their own dreams.”
I hope Hank is right about the new record inspiring others to chase their dreams, but I believe it will only inspire our youngsters to seek fame and fortune by whatever means they deem necessary; to always take the path of least resistance in a never-ending search for a shortcut to success and happiness. And that’s the saddest thing in this whole sad saga. America’s Pastime has become a thing of the past, and America will never be the same because of it.
Disclaimer: For the record, Barry Bonds has never failed a drug test. I base my opinions as stated above solely on the overwhelming mountain of circumstantial evidence that has been presented in various articles, books and news reports along with my own ability to comprehend what is possible under a given set of circumstances. Your opinions may vary, and if they do I’d love to hear them!
The Awesome Power Of A Thunderstorm
Ξ August 2nd, 2007 | → 0 Comments | ∇ My thoughts on... |
Like my wife Cheria, most people think I’m off my rocker when I tell them that I have always been fascinated by thunderstorms. Even as a young boy I would run to the nearest window every time I heard that first tell-tale rumbling of thunder emanating from somewhere in the distance. I just loved to watch the refreshing winds blow the leaves on the trees around ”backwards” as they turned the sweltering heat of a sultry mid-summer afternoon back into spring for the rest of the day.
And then, as if by magic, a magnificent lightning bolt would streak from the sky to the ground, lighting up the boisterous skies like never before. God was setting off yet another round of His spectacular fireworks, and as always it took this little boy’s breath away and gave me a new-found appreciation for the power of nature and the Creator who controls it at His whim.
Now that I’m approaching the half-century mark, I certainly realize the dangers that lurk within each passing thunderstorm, especially since Cheria and I lost almost $4,000 worth of “stuff” to a lightning strike just about a month ago. But even though it’s been decades since I stared out the window with a little boy’s eyes and imagination, I must say that I still love a good thunderstorm every now and then to remind me of just how awesome nature and its Creator really are.
These days we can literally send a man to the moon and converse in real time with someone on the other side of the planet, but we can neither prevent nor control a single bolt of lightning. And in my opinion that’s the way it should be. God is still the one who is ultimately in control of His most awesome creations, and that’s the way it shall remain until He sees fit to change it.
“The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.” — Psalm 77:18Â
