Ok, here we go...
1. Where did they come up with the idea of using a little guy pretending to be Scottish whipping people with a metal dipstick and calling everybody "Jimmy"? That's supposed to sell more oil?
2. I saw where our President says he's going to cut the deficit in half at the end of his first term. Wait a minute, didn't he just spend a bunch of money? I know in my checkbook the more I spend the BIGGER my debt becomes. Maybe I missed something in economics class.
3. Gas prices (see my first list..I still don't get it)
4. How they get that kid on the E-trade commercials to do what he does. If I could figure that out I'd have LOTS of fun using our church's projector.
5. What happened to Taylor Hicks? (Since we look so much alike).
6. Why don't the Dodgers just sign Manny and get it over with?
7. McDonalds now offers apple slices as a side. That's like eating a fried chicken with a diet Coke.
8. Women who have little dogs in their purses. Dogs leak ladies, think about it.
9. Why I wasn't born closer to the ocean (okay I really know why, but it doesn't make it easier).
10. Facebook, I'm mean it's great to see different people, but then what do you do?!?
There you go..enjoy!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
2009, The Year of the Apology or Can I get a Do Over?
I'm sorry.
Well I'm not sure I did anything, but I'm trying to be relevant in today's society.
As far as I know, I have heard apologies from, baseball players, elected officials, coaches, stock brokers, both honest and dishonest, CEO's, and a certain swimmer, the list just keeps on going.
What does this tell us?
First, we have become more self-focused. It's about us, our money pile, our ego, our legacy, our greed. Get what you can for yourself and who cares about anyone else.
For the most part you can get away with that, but even that isn't enough. People see a blurred line between right and wrong. If it makes me richer, faster, better, one of the guys, and nobody catches me, why not?
I can always say "I'm sorry".
In most of the apologies I've seen, I'm not sure their sorry about what they did, just sorry they got caught.
None of the apologies I've seen were offered before they got caught. Only when their deeds were brought to light, did they want forgiveness.
Second it seems that we weigh the consequences with what we stand to gain and decide it's worth it. To cheat and make more money is worth the risk. To have an affair is worth the risk that the wife will find out. To do drugs is worth the risk that it could become an addiction.
That's what scares me the most, people are willing to give up so much for something that in all likelihood they can't hang on to anyway.
A very good friend of mine once told me how he handles the temptation of cheating on his wife. "I look at her and say, would this relationship be worth me losing my wife, my kids, probably my home, everything I've worked for?" When you look at it that way, you find you can lose far more than you stand to gain. And yet it happens every day, people trade away everything for a moments pleasure, or a little more money, or to be part of the group.
God offers us something eternal, a life that has purpose and real meaning, peace and a network of friends that care about you and love you. And yet many trade this free gift for the slavery of our desires, greed, ego and addictions.
Let me end with this, I've had to say I'm sorry. I have made mistakes, and at times I've taken the easy way. Most of us have, but with God the slate gets rubbed clean, I start over working even harder not to repeat the same mistakes. Jesus loves me even when I fail, and through Him I'm a better man. I've also learned to forgive people, even people that have cheated me, lied to me, hurt me. I can forgive because I know that God has forgiven me.
So when you come to a crossroad in your life, and you will, and you have to decide on a path you will travel, take the one that you know God would want you to take.
It will be worth it.
Well I'm not sure I did anything, but I'm trying to be relevant in today's society.
As far as I know, I have heard apologies from, baseball players, elected officials, coaches, stock brokers, both honest and dishonest, CEO's, and a certain swimmer, the list just keeps on going.
What does this tell us?
First, we have become more self-focused. It's about us, our money pile, our ego, our legacy, our greed. Get what you can for yourself and who cares about anyone else.
For the most part you can get away with that, but even that isn't enough. People see a blurred line between right and wrong. If it makes me richer, faster, better, one of the guys, and nobody catches me, why not?
I can always say "I'm sorry".
In most of the apologies I've seen, I'm not sure their sorry about what they did, just sorry they got caught.
None of the apologies I've seen were offered before they got caught. Only when their deeds were brought to light, did they want forgiveness.
Second it seems that we weigh the consequences with what we stand to gain and decide it's worth it. To cheat and make more money is worth the risk. To have an affair is worth the risk that the wife will find out. To do drugs is worth the risk that it could become an addiction.
That's what scares me the most, people are willing to give up so much for something that in all likelihood they can't hang on to anyway.
A very good friend of mine once told me how he handles the temptation of cheating on his wife. "I look at her and say, would this relationship be worth me losing my wife, my kids, probably my home, everything I've worked for?" When you look at it that way, you find you can lose far more than you stand to gain. And yet it happens every day, people trade away everything for a moments pleasure, or a little more money, or to be part of the group.
God offers us something eternal, a life that has purpose and real meaning, peace and a network of friends that care about you and love you. And yet many trade this free gift for the slavery of our desires, greed, ego and addictions.
Let me end with this, I've had to say I'm sorry. I have made mistakes, and at times I've taken the easy way. Most of us have, but with God the slate gets rubbed clean, I start over working even harder not to repeat the same mistakes. Jesus loves me even when I fail, and through Him I'm a better man. I've also learned to forgive people, even people that have cheated me, lied to me, hurt me. I can forgive because I know that God has forgiven me.
So when you come to a crossroad in your life, and you will, and you have to decide on a path you will travel, take the one that you know God would want you to take.
It will be worth it.
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