Mother's Day is coming!

A Tribute to Mothers

I certainly hope all you children and Father's don't forget to express your appreciation to your Mothers this Sunday!

The first celebrations in honor of mothers were held in the spring in ancient Greece. During the 17th century, England honored mothers on "Mothering Sunday," celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent. In the United States, Julia Ward Howe suggested the idea of Mother's Day in 1872. Howe, who wrote the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic, saw Mother's Day as being dedicated to peace.

Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia is credited with bringing about the official observance of Mother's Day. Her campaign to establish such a holiday began as a remembrance to her mother, who died in 1905 and who had, in the late 19th century, tried to establish "Mother's Friendship Days" as a way to heal the scars of the Civil War.

Two years after her mother died, Jarvis held a ceremony in Grafton, West Virginia to honor her. She was so moved by the proceedings that she began a massive campaign to adopt a formal holiday honoring mothers. In 1910, West Virginia became the first state to recognize Mother's Day. A year later, nearly every state officially marked the day. And in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed Mother's Day as a national holiday to be held on the second Sunday of May.

Today, because of Miss Jarvis' efforts, many celebrations of Mother's Days are held throughout the world. Although they do not all fall at the same time, such countries as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia and Belgium also celebrate Mother's Day on the same day as the United States.

With it being Mother's Day, we are encouraged to remember the instructions our Mother gave us. Think with me this morning of the many things we have learned from our mothers. My mother taught me:
•Medicine - If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they're going to stay that way!
•And Humor - When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me.
•And Logic - If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me.
•Genetics - You are just like your father!
•She also taught us Anticipation - Just wait till your father gets home!
•And the reality of receiving - You are going to get it when we get home!
•And the Wisdom of the Ages - When you get to be my age, you will understand.

Oh to think of what our mothers have taught us in every realm of life. May our lives be the better for having listened to and having lived by, the wisdom given by mothers.

The Mom's ministry is one of the toughest assignments God ever gave any body. She's got to be:
•as insightful as a psychologist,
•tough as a marine corp drill instructor,
•gentle as a nurse.
•She has to be a labor and management negotiator, a teacher, an electrician, a plumber and a carpenter - not to mention a chef.
•Being a Mom requires an endless supply of energy, a massive amount of patience, an iron will
•and recognition of the fact that if she gets sick, she's got to get well before the end of the school day.

Mothering has been de-valued by people in recent decades. The glamour and materialism of a career have deceptively out glittered the seemingly drab and repetitive tasks of bearing and nurturing the lives of children. Perhaps one of the most urgent needs of our time is the restoration of the high value of good mothering. Those of us who are mothers must see that responsibility as a high privilege - a divine calling. We must reclaim the role of mothers as the shapers and supporters of the next generation of leaders and parents.

Mothers, don't let the world conform you to think your role as a mother is not worth it. Don't let the success stories of the women in the world deflate your divine calling. Your status is with the Lord and with your husband and children! Abraham Lincoln once said, "No man is poor who has had a godly mother."

Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." So much of that training and building process is caught rather than taught. The purity, compassion, conviction and love in your life for the things of God will be captured and lived in the lives of your children.

I am so thankful to be able to say that, even though my mother is not perfect, I had a mother who taught me, admonished me, and built in me a foundation of faith in Jesus Christ.

Men, be sure to show love and honor for your mothers and your wives Sunday - and the other 364 days of the year.

Children, do something nice for Mom this Sunday and be sure to tell her how much you appreciate her and how much she means to you. Give her a big hug and do something to show her how much you love her. And by the way, you can do that on any day of the year - you don't have to wait for Mother's Day!

(I found this on my hard drive this morning and thought I would share it - at least as a reminder for all us guys out there - MOTHER'S DAY IS COMING!!!

Can you be a biblical Christian anymore?

I know that sounds really bizarre to say. But lately I have become so unhappy with my own spiritual journey - mainly because I just feel SO busy all the time. I am tired. I think about God so much less than He deserves. And I KNOW my behavior has slipped alot since my early days as a disciple. I am just mentally weary. I have a hobby or two that I flee to sometimes after work because I feel I could just use a little bit of a good time, you know? I suppose I give them too much time some days (and I KNOW the TV gets way too much of my time) but I think I am beginning to think it is more than that.

It isn't just that I am busy earning a living in a new field (and having to start taking 24 credits of classes to maintian my standard credential - ouch!) and have 3 kids and a house and 2 cars to take care of. I think I have become complacent in my faith. I SAY I want to grow spiritually but I guess I don't really want to as much as I say I do. After all, if it really was that important to me, I would find a way to make it happen. I used to!

Now, I am just prone to settle and soothe my conscience by midly chiding myself that I need to get going and stop playing games with God (which I have always loathed).

And I begin to wonder. Is our culture SO consuming, so materialistic, so hostile to genuine discipleship that its almost impossible to be a biblical Christian anymore? I certainly hope not -but American materialism and the American dream are powerful drugs that are SO easy to be addicted to. Most people I know are addicted to materialism in some way (they may dress it up in funny clothes to feel good about it but it is still there). Maybe the monastic movement pegged it correctly. If we only spend 80 or so years in this world and the rest in eternity then why should it matter that we have a big house, 3 cars, fat bank accounts and investments and TONS of stuff crammed into our closets and shelves. None of it matters. It will all burn or fall apart - no one has a Uhaul behind their hearse! Why aren't our pastor's preaching about this much anymore? They seem resigned that this is the way things are so they have to work around it as best as they can. And while it's certainly not their fault, it sure would be nice if they would "afflict the comfortable" a little more often!

Anyone have any land for a commune??? :o)

Has Everyone in Govt Taken Stupid Pills!

It is Cinco de Mayo (sp!?) today here in California and I am bracing for another round of rhetoric about our country's border and illegal immigration problems. It is really so sad. Our state and federal government seem to be paralyzed and incapable of doing ANYTHING. And I have long since concluded that no matter what we do, the hispanic community (at least the part that is screaming right now about eliminating border security and the illegality of illegal border crossings) isn't going to like it too much. And I find that I am getting angry about the whole stupid mess. Angry because it isn't that complicated - even now after ignoring the problem for 20+ years (just like Social Security - hmm...). Some of what needs to be done may be difficult, but it's not that complicated.

Now, don't get me wrong - I am NOT anti-immigration. In my studied opinion, immigrants (legal or otherwise) are NOT stealing US jobs or ruining our country or culture (though it is disheartening to see some who seem to hate our culture - talk about biting the hand that feeds you!). The fact is, our country is populated by one-time immigrants. And our country is blessed tremendously and I do not resent anyone wanting to come here to have a better life. I am not a heartless jerk! I DO care about the poor who come here because they can't survive in their own dysfunctional, screwed up countries. My family makes a monthly effort to support the poor in other nations. People matter to me! My whole career has been helping people and serving them. So please don't write me off as some heartless armchair critic who isn't looking at the personal dimension of this issue. That simply isn't true.

But that doesn't mean I am OK with lawlessness. We have immigration and border control laws. For cryin' out loud why are they not enforced all the way! Impractical some say - then fix them so they get the job done. Build some stinking walls for crying out loud - it worked pretty good in Europe for a few decades! Have the National Guard or US military patrol that wall. By all means, treat violaters humanely - put the emergency water stations out in the deserts - I don't want anyone to die! But ignoring the problem while tens of millions of people violate the law seems to be the equivalent of taking stupid pills.

If our country comes to the conclusion that the immigration laws are too big a hurdle for most poor people to deal with (and they are), then change the laws, policies and fees. I'm OK with that - as long as it is orderly and legal. And if the Mexican government continues to be uncooperative with our efforts to enforce our border laws - then deal with them! Why be so gentle with a country that is SO uncooperative? Find some way to twist their arm and twist the snot out of it until they respect our laws and cooperate. Notice I did NOT say go to war, I don't think that will be necessary. As one of the greatest economic powers in the world right now, we can certainly find some other way to help them see it would be in their best interests to cooperate.

It is also downright stupidity not to keep in mind the huge economic drain the millions of illegal immigrants have on our social systems. This REALITY has to figure into any long-term solution. Legal immigrants are more likely to have better jobs, buy homes and thus support public schools with their property taxes etc., and have some form of health care. Notice I said MORE likely! Illegal immigrants often end up working for minimum wages with no benefits and own no property. The unbiased, nonracist conclusion then, is that because we are a country of compassion and care for the poor, they end up heavily utilising our social systems. Their children are put in school where they receive a free education (though they pay few or no taxes to help offset the cost), they end up getting assistance for food and housing and health care. Do I want to take those things away? Heaven's NO! What kind of barbarian would I be to want people to starve to death, live in cardboard boxes and die of easily preventable health problems. That's the Mexican government's shtick - not mine. However, only a moron would conclude that we can KEEP doing that for tens of millions of immigrants. Even our wealthy country can't sustain that for much longer. Now, we could cut back on foreign aid and use those funds here at home (sort of a domestic foreign aid program!)... And socking it to the rich to pay for programs to the poor always seems tempting but it is incredibly short-sighted. The wealthy ought to pay their fair share of taxes. But it is an unfortunate fact that the poor do not employ people - those who already have means are the ones that initiate that and their resources make that happen. And people need jobs if they are going to thrive. Cutting off one of their (those w/ means to employ others) hands only makes them crippled it doesn't make everyone else better off. Only typical American short-sightedness could see that as a good thing. Geesh!

But do we hear ANY of this stuff from our government or the media? NO! Instead we hear how immigrants DO pay taxes and support our economy? Sorry - prove it! And when you tabulate your facts, don't forget to calculate the huge costs to our schools, hospitals and welfare system before you get an end figure as to how much they help our economy. If you are going to make an economical argument - use real numbers and a little bit of economics! OR worse, we hear how mean spirited we are because we actually ask such questions. I believe that's called a "Straw Man" logical fallacy - create a caricature and then kick the stuffing out of him instead of actually answering the question. It is a CHEAP SHOT and I am SO TIRED of watching people get away with it I could scream! Our wealthy country IS capable and generous enough to provide a better life for many more. But if we are not careful, that can change and EVERYONE (300+ million) will be hurt and then no one further will be helped.

And please, no more talk about reconquering California and the Southwest for Mexico! First of all, it just inflammes a portion of our population that DO own lots of guns (that can't be a good thing!). Secondly, the United States won the war with Mexico (and yes, I am aware that the U.S. may have provoked Mexico in Texas) and under the standard practices of nations for millenia, reserved the right to occupy the border area between the former agressor and the homeland. This was NOT a new practice. BUT THEN, because we aren't heartless jerks as a nation - we PAID the Mexican government for the land we already had a right to occupy after winning the war and then, did so again (the Gadsen purchase) to make the border easier to define. Bottom line- the U.S. PAID for the Southwest. So if you are going to try to reconquer it - you are planning on stealing it or making war. Neither of which can be allowed. Now if you are speaking metaphorically - that's better - but please stop! Your words are too easy to take literally and you are stirring up a hornets nest. How can that help your cause??

The problem is succinctly summed up:
1. We have laws that are being violated and our border security is a mess.
It needs to be fixed! Build some walls and use some troops to patrol the border for a while. This really is a no-brainer. We MUST stop the gangs, drug rings and terrorists from streaming across our borders so they can victimize the people that live in the U.S. (both legal citizens and illegal immigrants)

2. We have a neighboring country that encourages illegal border crossings and hampers our efforts.
It needs to be fixed! Find a way to make them see fit to cooperate (short of war).

3. We have immigration laws, policies and fees that are too big of a hurdle for the poor.
That needs to be fixed! Allow more people to immigrate, reduce paperwork and fees.

4. We have 11+million illegal immigrants.
Their status needs to be made right - either by asking them to go through the new immigration policies and take an oath to love and protect their new country and be good voting citizens (#3 above) or having them go back to their country of origin.

5. We have businesses and industry that want things to stay as they are.
They should be punished or have to pay hefty fees to help reimburse our social welfare system. If that means higher prices for lettuce - so be it. But I for one, know of several teenagers who would love to have summer jobs even if it means being out in the fields. We don't have to eliminate agricultural laborers by tightening immigration laws (not if we do #3 above).

6. We have a social welfare system that is massively burdened with so many new people needing help each year.
Reducing illegal immigration will certainly help that. But we also need to find better ways to fund social services. I suggest cutting back on some foreign aid, taking most pork barrell spending money and redeploying it to social services. But for heaven's sake don't cut the military budget or hike taxes. Such solutions are VERY problematic and only provide a short term solution. And in a post 911 world, cutting our military budget will be disastrous for at least a decade or two.

That's the way I see it.