A Stress Free Christmas?

Sounds rather idealistic doesn't it? A stress free Christmas seems to be way out of reach! Who believes Americans can experience the Holidays without stress? While it may be impossible to enjoy a stress free Christmas wouldn't it be great if we could at least reduce the level of stress? Who wouldn't love a lot less stress during these hectic days? Black Friday, long lines, credit cards, buying the wrong gift and a host of other items clutter the experience we know as Christmas Time. What is an American to do? Some suggestions I hope will prove helpful along this line.

First, simplify the experience. What do I mean? Don't get so caught up in buying stuff that you miss the joy of the season. Keeping up with the Jones' reaches a fever pitch when this season of the year strikes. Every year we read or see stories where people are trampled or pummeled in a department store all because of crazed and covetousness folks who want the best deals! If we could de-emphasize the materialism of the season, maybe...just maybe we would feel less stress.

Second, remember that the Season of Giving is about being with your family and friends. This is the time of year when people think of the Christ Child in Bethlehem. Biblically speaking there is no evidence for Jesus being born on December 25th. The idea of gift giving originated with the Magi bringing gifts to the baby Jesus months after He was born. But let's remember it is not about stuff but rather people. We need to get back to emphasizing spending time with those we love. Laughing together and getting caught up with our family members makes for a rich experience during Christmas Time. Your stress level will definitely lessen if you keep in mind that the season is about family.

Third do something kind for a person(s) that cannot repay you. One year when all of our children still lived at home we served a meal at a local homeless shelter on Christmas Eve. It is one of the more memorable Christmas' the Confers ever celebrated. Use your imagination. If there is an elderly neighbor that could use a meal? Maybe there is a needy family that would benefit from some basic items. When we serve others Jesus statement clings to our hearts. "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

My hope is that you and your family have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Be safe and enjoy the ride!

Villans, Victims & the Media

Those of you who read my blog know that I am a Penn State Football fan. So what I am writing about needs to be taken into consideration in that light. I grew up twenty five miles from State College. After all sports is often associated with geography. Joe Paterno has been a hero of mine. I have his book Paterno by the Book with his autograph in it. So when the news exploded onto the pages of the headlines about the sexual abuse scandal involving former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky I was shocked, angry & deeply grieved. It is a sad, disturbing time for all of those who followed PSU football. A friend of mine sent me a text last week saying, "This is surreal!" We struggle to know what to think & feel. It seems so unbelievable!

First, I don't know all the facts. At first there seem to be a rush to judgment about Paterno and others named in the grand jury presentment. Even now I don't think we know everything that happened. The experts in the media paint the picture of secrecy and cover-up at Penn State. JoePa being swept up in this storm of controversy. Paterno reported to the Athletic Director about the one incident that was brought to his attention. Many have suggested that he should have done more. He was quoted as saying that in hind sight he should have done more. So it is hard to argue with that suggestion. People will discuss and debate for years about the board's decision to fire Paterno. I definitely have an opinion. Franco Harris disagreed with the board as I do. It would have been better if Paterno had finished the season and then retired as he had previously announced. Instead a firestorm erupted on campus and the scandal deepened.

The victims in the sordid, ugly mess are the ones the media and sports experts overlook. Child sexual abuse is the real storyline here. I don't discount the role administrators and coaches may have played in allowing Sandusky to prey on these kids. If this is true it sickens me! More of us need to do more to fight this insidious disease that blights our culture. I will continue to pray for the victims and their families as they attempt to find healing and peace for their lives. The victims need all the support and love we can give them. If you have ever counseled or talked with a person who has been sexually abused then you have some idea how devastated these people are. The pain, confusion, hurt and loss of innocence can be overwhelming for the victims.

The villan in the scandal is Jerry Sandusky. While there is presumption of innocence in our legal system the evidence in the grand jury presentment is substantial. Most of the discussion on the sports networks, talk shows and in sports media print was directed at Coach Paterno. After listening and watching these experts it became clear that Paterno is the culprit. The media needs to sell advertising and make money so many acted like sharks with blood in the water. I believe there have been a number of people out to rid the college ranks of Paterno. "He is too old. The game has passed him by. He is a figure head." I have heard most of the arguments for "Joe must go." The board now had a good reason to fire Paterno. Maybe they did the right thing. Perhaps I am too loyal to JoePa. But let's keep in mind who the real villan is in this mess. The villan is Jerry Sandusky, not Joe Paterno.

So many faces in the sports media have lost my respect. While JoePa has his faults I see the experts in the world of sports as revealing their true identity. Jesus said, "Out of the abundance the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34) It is my view that I learned much more about the sports media from what they said than I did about Joe Paterno. Referring to Paterno as a "dirty old man in a trench coat" does not say much for the sports writer. Calling State College a cult and Joe Paterno a cult leader is no place in sports journalism. The sort of sensational sports journalism hit the airwaves and print media in tsunami proportion last week. It is time for folks to report the facts and let the National Enquirer do the gossip journalism.

Moral Courage in Crisis

My son loaned me the biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I knew of Bonhoeffer due to his book on discipleship. While I was aware of his death at the hands of the infamous Nazi regime I did not grasp his faith in God and how it led him to join the conspiracy to assassinate Adolph Hitler. As a person who claimed faith in Christ that might seem misguided. But when you learn the character and thought process of Bonhoeffer you begin to get your head around why he took the stance that he did in the face of unimaginable evil. It would be tempting for me to just be quietly opposed to the Nazi heresy but do my best to go unnoticed.

I respect Bonhoeffer's commitment to right and truth. Whatever he did was to be based upon whatever God was telling him to do. He would read the Scriptures to discern an answer to his prayer. While others either didn't understand his decision or disagreed with it once committed there was no turning back. Even before it was apparent to most Germans that Hitler was a nemesis to the country Bonhoeffer articulated the dangers with Hitler's antisemitism. Early on he recognized evil for evil's sake. While many Germans hailed Hitler was their "messiah" Bonhoeffer was able to see fraud & duplicity of the new regime. Isaiah 5:20 reads, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter."

I have not finished the book but I know that Bonhoeffer died at the end of rope just weeks before the Allies liberated Germany. But he knew the risks. What is amazing to me knowing the stakes were high Bonhoeffer obeyed his conscience. There was no way he would stand by or join the army while Hitler slaughtered the Jews and anyone else who stood in his march for world dominance. With such a madman on the loose Bonhoeffer believed God had called him to join the conspiracy to assassinate the sadistic, psychopathic leader of the Third Reich. Most of us would shrink from this dangerous mission. Everyone must given an account to God. (Romans 14:12) But the question, "What would I have done?" keeps rolling over in my mind.

If presented in the modern context with such a dilemma what would I do? Evil exists in the world and will continue until Christ comes again. But what are God's people to do when an Adolph Hitler appears on the world stage? Do we simply run and hide? Do we hope and pray that everything will get better on its own? These thoughts and questions need to be asked. There are moments in history when people who call themselves Christians are required to work through these questions and reach the firm conviction to do the right thing.

Now when I think of Bonhoeffer the memorable moment when Mordecai challenged Esther comes to mind. "And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

Freedon of Religion, Really?

I read today on the Drudge Report that a couple in Orange County, California have been fined $300 for hosting a Bible study in their home! I kid you not! Evidently the city of Mission Veijo has an ordinance barring private meetings in people's homes. Their claim is that the Bible study violates this ordinance. I might be wrong but I was under the impression that we have freedom of religion in the United States of America. But if this horrible policy stands my impression is completely off base. According to the U.S. Constitution we have the freedom to assemble. This is nothing more than the secular, godless state attempting to dictate and control the religious practices of the people. Chuck and Stephanie Fromm are going to fight this religious persecution. For this I am thankful. Please pray for this family as they press on to simply have a Bible study in their home. Who does the city think they are?

My dad would suggest "they are too big for their britches." But it goes further than that. Mark Levin's book Liberty & Tyranny addresses this type of serious problem staring our nation in the face. I for one do not plan to sit idly by while this kind of tyranny snowballs. People of faith must band together and defend one another. Some will argue the early Christians did not fight the government. But they continued to preach the gospel and practice N.T. Christianity in spite of opposition and persecution. When emperor worship became the dominant theme in the Greco-Roman World Christians refused to call Caesar their Lord. Jesus was their Lord. We live in a free society at least in theory. The Founding Fathers guaranteed that Americans of all religions would be free to exercise their beliefs. I recognize that they never intended for people to hurt others in the name of religion. However, if a person sought to practice Christianity in whatever form or Judaism or Islam they are free to do so.

I never thought a family would be fined in our nation for holding a Bible study in their own home! What I now believe is that this is just the beginning. I have been reading the biography Bonhoeffer. The Nazis led by the psycho-path Adolph Hitler started slowly. But one of the first moves he instigated was to create the Reich church where German Christians were under the thumb of the National Socialist Party. Eventually people were compelled to swear allegiance to Adolph Hitler as part of their religious faith. Bonhoeffer and others fought this outrage from the beginning. Once the government can dictate to people what to believe and how to practice their faith religious freedom has vanished.

If a community, state or national government has the authority to limit the religious practice of one family where does it stop? You may be thinking, "It will never happen here." I am sure the Fromm family in Mission Veijo, California believed that as well at one time. While it is an historical certainty that religious persecution has been around for thousands of years who could have predicted this kind of behavior from a city in the USA? How long will it be before the state at some level dictates to preachers and and churches that is unlawful to preach against homosexuality? When will it be against the law to stand for traditional marriage because it is considered discriminatory?

Folks it is time for people of faith to wake up! Prayer will be essential to winning this fight. But actions are also necessary. We better put Christian behavior into positive actions to defend folks like the Fromm family. If you recall Jesus overturned the tables on the moneychangers because they had abused for personal gain the purpose of the temple. (John 2:11-17) Righteous indignation can be a good thing if used for the glory of God. We can no longer afford to ignore the problem. Religious persecution has raised its ugly head. What are you going to do about it?

When Our Heroes Fall

Everyone has a hero. For many of us the world of sports provide faces and names we look up to and often view in a hero-like way. When I was a kid playing Little League Baseball Roberto Clemente was my hero. He played right field for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Being from Pennsylvania made it natural to follow the Pirates and Clemente. I was fortunate enough to watch him play twice. Once against the San Francisco Giants and the next year against the Atlanta Braves. Clemente died tragically in 1972 in a plane crash. His death hit me rather hard at the time. Thankfully I never heard of anything that would have crushed my hero image of him.

But what happens when a hero falls? Every sports fan I know has lifted up some personality into the status of icon only to have his/her vision destroyed due to some failure. At first you shake your head in disbelief. Then you walk w/ disappointment. You almost feel betrayed. In some cases, depending upon what they have done you might feel a bit of disgust! For baseball fans the "steroid era" created a number of fallen heroes. The worship of competition and an apathetic attitude on the part of the commissioner's office led to several great players to cheat. It is hard to respect those athletes who live outside the lines of integrity.

College Football has been the hub of scrutiny and criticism because of players breaking rules and parents bribing schools. Coaches want to win so badly that they try to skirt the system. I hear all the time how the NCAA has too many and confusing rules. That is probably the case. But that does not justify lying to the NCAA. While coaches cannot know everything their players do while off the field some are so out of touch w/ their program that it is beyond pathetic.

Heroes are going to fall. Human beings fail. We are all sinners. I get it! But what is happening to those who we hold up as heroes? It has always happened. Yet, it seems to me that there has been an increase in these incidents. The answer in part is to realize that our heroes may not be worthy of the title. Perhaps we (I include myself) should be more cautious in placing so much faith and admiration in these folks. Just because a guy can shoot a basketball or hit home runs or throw touchdown passes does not make them immortal. Maybe we should be more realistic in our appraisal of people.

At the end of the day let's realize people will always disappoint us. It is not the end of the world. Life goes on.

Trying to Improve

You know it is difficult to improve your life. It is so easy and tempting to go through the motions. Maybe you have a bad habit. Or your attitude toward your job is in the tank. Perhaps you need an attitude adjustment toward your mate. So how do you change?

The first thing you have to do is decide. Once you reach that "come to Jesus moment" then you are ready to proceed. Do not focus on the past! Paul encourages us to reach forward to what lies ahead. (Philippians 3:12-14) Dwelling on the past is a dead end. It will keep you from truly transforming.

Second, you have to examine your inward life. Sometimes the Bible calls it your mind. (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:23) Other texts talk about the heart. (Romans 6:17) It is that seat of your affections and the place of your thought process. If you are going to change then it must begin here. You can address behavior. There are things you can do that will help but unless you are truly transformed inwardly those "things" will only last for so long.

Third, as you begin to transform inwardly then you will notice behavioral changes in your life. The thought process is transformed and that brings about an inward change that causes your behavior and character to improve. That is why Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes. Attitudes direct and impact so much of our lives.

God intends for us to improve ourselves. Complacency is not a Christian quality.

Have a great week!

The Switch

Isn't interesting that most people of have an internal switch? Similar to a light switch this internal switch changes a person's attitude, demeanor and actions in a flash. Something is said or done that triggers a reaction that is unanticipated. Perhaps the person becomes angry. Or they go from laughing and talking into a shell of distance. When this happens you think to yourself, "I wonder what happened?" But this dynamic acts very much like a switch.

I have seen it over the years with Christian people. You might think this applies only to those outside the blessing and confines of God's church. But Christians struggle with the internal switch just like others. One day at church a brother corrected a couple of teenagers when the father of one of the teens came around the corner. The two adults argued about what was going on with the teens in the foyer during services. There was nearly a punch thrown. Fortunately the brother who attempted to challenge the teens walked away. Perhaps you have witnessed similar scenes. Maybe you struggle with controlling your inward switch.

I do at times. In certain situations I am severely challenged. My competitive nature is part of the reason why my switch gets thrown. That does not excuse or justify anything that I might say or do. That inward switch stands at the ready. A thought hits my mind and bingo...the switch is thrown! Then I end up saying something I regret. Next I have to apologize. Isn't that fun?! Not really! I was being a little sarcastic. But that is how it happens.

Your spouse, your boss, your best friend, your neighbor each has this internal switch. For some you never know when or what will trigger the internal switch to go off! You say something to your spouse and boom! The switch was triggered and now you spend the remainder of the day in silence because he/she has retreated into a shell. Or you honestly tell your boss what you think about a decision he made and the next thing you know he is yelling at you. At that moment you wish you had not said anything.

My point is a simple one: each of us has an internal switch. At the end of the day we are in charge of the switch. Self-control is something that the Holy Spirit produces in us. (Galatians 5:22-23) God expects us to learn how to control the internal switch. Otherwise you end up hurting others and alienating those you care most about.

A Super Bowl Lament

The Steelers lost, the Packers won,
Talk about feeling undone!

Now the talk is about next year,
Which most often brings a tear.

When Big Ben threw the two picks
And Mendy lost the ball on a fumble,
I began to wonder about any more tricks,
About that time I began to feel humble.

When your favorite team loses a Super Bowl
You really don't know what to say
It is kind of like having to clean the toilet bowl,
And standing out in the field baling hay!

But questions continue to linger,
What happened to the D?,
Where was the #7 for the index finger?,
And what happens next year we will have to see?

The only thing I know to do is to tip my cap to the Pack,
And pray that the Steelers regather their steam,
For the dream to the Super Bowl we hope to get back,
So here's to next year with visions for a championship team!

If you are a Steeler fan let's stop the crying,
And get on with cheering, hoping and planning,
Instead of what might have been with all the sighing,
To regain our confidence, optimism and fanning!

One thing is certain as we review the last year,
Steeler fans we will ever be while we live here!

Go Steelers!

A New Year

New Years resolutions, goals and objectives find their way onto our personal agendas. Some of us hope to get back into shape physically. Others want to draw closer to their loved ones. Many seek to improve their careers. Churches review what went right in the past year and how to improve for the new one. Whether it is the goal of losing a few pounds or enriching our families or growing at work a new year brings the opportunity for growth.

Interestingly the apostle Peter's last exhortation was to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior." (2 Peter 3:18) His second epistle is filled with the spiritual growth theme. (See 2 Peter 1:5-9) Yet, if you are like me growth becomes a struggle. I lose sight of my goals. After a few weeks we allow the motivation and momentum of the new year slip away. How many times have you started out with good intentions only to end up with few if any resolutions kept? Maybe the problem is our approach. Perhaps we need to take a new tact.

Yesterday (1/12/11) I read from Psalm 67:1-2. The ESV renders those verses as follows. "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth saving your power among all nations." More than anything else we need God's gracious hand to bless us. We require His face to shine upon us. Whatever resolution or goal we set forth we must first seek God's hand and help when it comes to accomplishing those. God's face shining upon us is the psalmists poetic way of emphasizing we need the Lord's Presence and power working in our lives. Goals, objectives and resolutions will only be accomplished if God is leading our lives. If we take the "me-first" agenda we will ultimately fail.

Something else we to bear in mind as we approach these issues. "This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it." (Psalm 118:24) Seize the day for Christ! Live in the moment! I know those are cliches. But if we pursue every day with same level of vigor and purpose God will surely guide us in the paths of righteousness. Goals and objectives remain just one slice of the pie we call life. They find fulfillment in a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. If goals or resolutions are simply self-improvement devoid of connection to God then they will most likely be short-lived. Live today for Christ. (Philippians 1:21) He is the reason we get out of bed and pursue what lies before us.

To God be the glory!