Answers Republicans need to have

The Republican Party has set itself in opposition to President Obama’s current agenda, the stimulus and budget in particular.

Make no mistake, these are good things to oppose. However, the Republicans aren’t putting forward anything that is convincingly an alternative. I understand, of course … It remains my belief that we’d be better off doing nothing than the current stimulus bill.

Of course, I wasn’t droning in my obedience to the Bush administration, either. THAT is where the Republicans have to answer some important questions.

“Terminating” (even hypothetical) children

Last Friday, I had NPR on all day while I was home with Eagle. As happens every Friday, the program Radiolab came on. That particular week, they were discussing the evolution of morality and the concept of self-sacrifice, the sacrifice of others, and the relative behavior of chimpanzees and humans.

It was a reasonably-good episode, but there was a segment that hit me hard. When I say it hit me, I mean that almost literally.

The host posed a question that had apparently been the plot of an episode of the series “M*A*S*H.” A group of villagers was hiding in a basement, knowing that they would be killed if the enemy soldiers found them. One of the villagers was a young child with a cold.

The question was asked: In that situation, would you risk all of the villagers’ lives or would you cover your child’s face, knowing that that would smother him?

Christian Carnival CCLXV

This week’s Christian Carnival is up at Chasing the Wind.

There are some participants this week that I don’t recognize, and a lot of familiar favorites. As ever, I’d encourage you to check it out.

Sunday: Overflow or Refill?

This is a question that we pose at my church sometimes, and fairly often. Those of us on the Worship Team, especially, deal with the matter of what role Sunday plays in our lives: Do we go to church on Sunday to get a refill on some kind of spirituality tank, or do we go to pour out the overflow from a week spent worshipping God?

The difference is fairly dramatic. To put it simply, the question is whether Sunday is the only time of the week that we give to God, or do we really give the whole week to Him?

The worship team spends a lot of time during our rehearsals not practicing songs, but rather doing devotions, talking, praying, and getting our hearts in a place of worship. What we want is for us to spend every day in that kind of worshipful attitude.

I’m not going to pretend that I’m completely there, but I try. When I wake up, I should be thankful and praise God. As I go through my day, I should do everything in worship. God gave me a really great life. More than that, He’s given me an eternity!

What we hope is that by the time the congregation gathers on Sunday morning, we’re bursting with praise that we just have to let out, and once we’re assembled with our brethren again, there’s nothing for it but to let that praise out and celebrate, to pour out our hearts and show our love to the Lord for the week that He gave us.

Some weeks, I’m closer than others to living this. On the Sundays after I have really spent the week in worship, it’s an amazing experience once I get back in the company of my church family.

So, what’s the purpose of your Sunday worship? How do you see it? I’d love to see some thoughts here, suggestions for how you keep your spiritual focus through the week, or whatever else.

“Healing Magic” by Cindy Davis and John Richters

(Disclosure: John Richters is my father-in-law, so I’m not entirely objective.)

I have just finished reading Healing Magic by Cindy Davis and John Richters, the first book of the Desert Magic trilogy. It’s a newly-published piece of Young Adult fantasy, and a good read.

I love my wife

That title might not seem like a particularly-dramatic statement, but I think it’s worth mentioning. I say this especially because of the sorts of things I’ve heard lately. Some of them, I suppose, not so much lately as just having heard them in general.

Men make fun of their wives, complain about them, and say all kinds of things. I don’t care to make a lot of specific examples, because I’m not trying to call anyone out right now. Just to give you a sense of what’s got me going, though …

Racism in Cartoons?

So, this is what brings me back to the keyboard … (cough, cough!)

The New York Post recently ran a cartoon showing police gunning down a chimpanzee, and one of them remarks, “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.”

Predictably, Al Sharpton has come out and accused the NYP of racism in running this ad, portraying President Obama as an ape, an old racial image that hasn’t entirely gone away.

The cartoon? Right here …

What I’ve Been Doing

Sorry I’m not around a lot this week. Eagle has been sick. Today, my wife is also sick. I’m sick.

Yesterday came to a rough point in the sickness area … I’ll spare you the description I used in telling Chris that I wasn’t going to make it to rehearsal this evening.

Anyway … I started the week planning to read and review Healing Magic, which I’m still trying to do. I’m about 2/3 of the way through … Honest, I’ll let you know about it soon. On the other hand, I can tell you that it is good, and you might as well order your own copy now.

Take care, and I’ll be back ASAP.

The Five Love Languages

Sure, I’ll put up a Valentine’s Day-sort-of post.

One of the best books I’ve ever read is Gary Chapman’s The Five Love Languages. If you haven’t read it, you should. Even if you’re not in or looking for any kind of romantic relationship … it’s worth the read and gives some great insights.

The premise of the book is that there are five languages in which we express love for others:

• Acts of service
• Quality time
• Words of assurance
• Gifts
• Physical touch

The idea is that each of us has certain preferences in how we express and receive love. A lot of problems come about because we aren’t using the right languages for other people. To use the stereotype … A father might not get why his son feels unloved. The father buys his son the best toys, games, a computer, etc. (Gifts). What the boy wants is for his dad to say he loves him (Words of assurance).

Yes, it seems obvious. But as you work your way through the book, it becomes more and more profound. The book also offers ideas on how to learn other languages, how to identify languages of loved ones, and so on.

The original version of the book is targetted at marital relationships. Later versions focus on dating, friendship, kids, pets, cars, aliens, and … wait, … maybe there aren’t that many later versions. Seriously, though, it’s worth checking them out. I’ve read three or four of them over the years, and have read The Five Love Languages itself at least four times.

If you’d like some real, good, practical advice on how to improve relationships — even good ones! — pick up a copy.

The book is a Christian work, but its principles apply perfectly well in a secular environment, too. An employee of mine several years ago, a Buddhist, said that he learned a lot from the book. (I’d argue that he missed a lot, too, but that’s a different issue.)

Enjoy! And whatever you’re doing, have a great Valentine’s Day (TM).

An open letter to Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH)

(Sen. Gregg has received a great many letters from me over the past few years, running about 50-50 between positive and negative. This is the first one I’ve made open.)

Sen. Gregg,

I hadn’t yet finished writing a letter to you regarding your acceptance of the position as Pres. Obama’s Secretary of Commerce. I hadn’t decided how I felt about it.

Part of me thought that you were willing to take the position just so that you wouldn’t have to face another re-election bid. Considering how much NH has turned blue over the last few elections, it doesn’t look good, after all.

Now, however, I commend completely your decision to withdraw. I am pleased to see that you chose to take a stand over the fact that you disagree with Pres. Obama on commerce policy, that you disapprove of the reassignment of the Census, and that you disapprove of the stimulus bill and how it was marketed.

This is why I have supported you over the years, and why I look forward to doing so in the future. You are, whether I agree or disagree with you at times, a statesman of good character. I remain proud to call you my Senator, and I’m glad that you’ll be around with us for a while longer, at least.

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