Dreams Can Turn To Ashes

From My Perspective - - -

Have you ever had a dream that you felt became more of a nightmare? Has that dream given you a sense of hopelessness and despair? Did it leave you with a feeling of frustration and helplessness? Did it make you wonder if there was anything you could aspire to and achieve? Is it reasonable to try?
Years ago, Frank Sinatra sang - - -

What now my love, now that you've left me
How can I live through another day
Watching my dreams turn to ashes And my hopes turn to bits of clay…

At about the same time-frame, an inspiring quote was shared by Robert Kennedy:

Some men see things as they are and say, Why?
I dream of things that never were and say, Why not?

From a Biblical perspective, Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote:

If there ever were dreams That were lofty and noble
They were my dreams at the start
And hope for life’s best were the hopes That I harbor down deep in my heart
But my dreams turned to ashes And my castles all crumbled,
my fortune turned to loss
So I wrapped it all in the rags of life And laid it at the cross.
Something beautiful, something good All my confusion He understood
All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife
But he made something beautiful of my life.

From the anti-Viet Nam War era, John Lennon’s Album in 1971 shared this feature lyric:

Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try
No hell below us Above us only sky
Imagine all the people Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too
Imagine all the people Living life in peace...
Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one…

These words share several things, among them are: emptiness of soul, unrealistic idealism, a quest for a type of Utopia, an alternative to reality, no eternal focus and no moral compass, an impractical philosophy of life, an irreligious solution for mankind.

Adding to the confusion of our time, the present Administration is misconstruing what is and isn’t a “Top Priority” matter. By definition, the dictionary defines top as a singular entity: "the part of anything that is first or foremost." However, we have been introduced to at least 16 “Top Priority” issues. Among theme are: a) $600 Billion Border Security Bill; b) to Recover and Rebuild from this Recession; c) creating jobs in our country; d) Free Trade Agreements; e) Energy Security; f) Education Reform; g) Student Loan Reform; h) Exports by Small Businesses; i) Health Assistance to 9/11 First Responders; j) End Homelessness Among Veterans; k) Hurricane Preparedness; l) h1n1 Flu Vaccinations; m) Support for Military Families; n) Strengthening Ties with Canada and Mexico; o) Environmental Protection…

Nowhere in the Top Priority List is any reference to God, and God Alone. The Basic Spiritual Principles should be: 1) Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness… 2) Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people…” 3) Jeremiah 29:13-14, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord…” Obviously, there is a choice – spiritual or secular! Alternative fixes/remedies will fail! Choose the Spiritual solution! Consider these things with me!

No Place Like Home

From My Perspective - - -

There is a common thread in each of our lives – regardless of where one is whether a Soldier in Battle in some designated war zone; or a missionary trying to reach a people and language group with whom there has been no previous contact; or an adventurer attempting to do what few have done before (or never done at all); or a person on a journey of necessity – the heartbeat is the same – there’s no place like home.

In 1939, a film was released that has become a Classic over the years. The title is: The Wizard of Oz. It features Dorothy Gale, a 12-year-old Kansas farm girl who is knocked unconscious during a Tornado. The film begins in Black and White with the Tornado moving towards the Farm House. Dorothy fails to make it to the Storm Cellar in time. She, her dog Toto, and the farmhouse are transported to the magical Land of Oz and the film shifts into brilliant Technicolor. Dorothy sets out on the yellow brick road journey to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard of Oz to return her to Kansas. Many events occur in her “dream” but when her wish is finally granted, two things occur: (a) the film transitions back into Black and White, and (b) Dorothy begins to regain consciousness muttering the words: “I want to go home!”

At a recent Funeral, the Minister addressed the hope of those embracing Biblical Christianity and the ultimate sense that to be “absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” He incorporated the Lyric from a contemporary anthem written by Walt Harrah describing the Eternal Home for Biblical Christians. The Anthem is – “No More Night” and the lyrics are:

The timeless theme, earth and heaven will pass away.
It’s not a dream, God will make all things new that day.
Gone is the curse from which I stumbled and fell.
Evil is banished to eternal hell.
No more night. No more pain. No more tears. Never crying again.
And praises to the great "I Am."
We will live in the light of the Risen Lamb.

See all around, now the nations bow down to sing.
The only sound is the praises to Christ, our King.
Slowly the names from the book are read.
I know the King, so there’s no need to dread.
No more night. No more pain. No more tears. Never crying again.
And praises to the great "I Am."
We will live in the light of the Risen Lamb.

See over there, there’s a mansion, that’s prepared just for me,
Where I will live with my Savior eternally.
No more night. No more pain. No more tears. Never crying again.
And praises to the great "I Am."
We will live in the light of the Risen Lamb.

In John 14:2-3 (NLT), Jesus states: “There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you…When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” In Revelation 21:3-4 are the words (NLT): “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever." Have you prepared yourself to go to this eternal home? Make it your destination! Embrace it as your only hope! Consider these things with me!

Kids In Konfusion

From My Perspective - - -

Why do children behave as they do? Are they concluding there is no hope for them – no way out in terms of the box in which their lives are being lived? Are they living in a context lacking in love, direction, standards, discipline and motivation? If parents are not at home and/or fully engaged with their children, what role model will they have or choose to follow? Are children “left on their own” to cope with their lives while parents are out of the home for employment or other reasons? Do we think of children as people with emotional and psychological needs – and - pain? Are children suffering as a consequence of over-indulgence? Is there a failure to allow children to be children and to develop in a more normal fashion? What is “normal” for children in the 21st Century? Have you ever seen or dealt with a child having a temper-tantrum? Have you ever dealt with a child who is totally frustrated?

KidsHealth.org states the following: “Depression is the most common mental health problem in the United States. Each year it affects 17 million people of all age groups, races, and economic backgrounds. As many as 1 in every 33 children may have depression; in teens, that number may be as high as 1 in 8. Major depression is a serious condition characterized by a persistent sad mood, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and the inability to feel pleasure or happiness. Major depression typically interferes with day-to-day functioning like eating and sleeping. A child with major depression feels depressed almost every day. In kids, depression can appear as bad moods or irritability that persists even if a child doesn't acknowledge being sad. They can have low self-esteem, feel hopeless, and even have problems sleeping and eating…Bipolar disorder, another type of mood disturbance, is characterized by episodes of low-energy depression (sadness and hopelessness) and high-energy mania (irritability and explosive temper). Bipolar disorder may affect as many as 2% of kids. More than 2 million adults have bipolar disorder, which often develops in the late teen years and early adulthood. Research in kids is not comprehensive, but experts believe that kids and teens with bipolar disorder can experience a number of problems, including attention deficit disorders, oppositional behavior disorders, anxiety, and irritability in addition to changes in mood from depression to mania.” Some of the above is assumption, but enough of it is factual to call for alertness to the needs of those with whom we have contact.”

How one deals with symptoms and tell-tale indicators is vital. In the same way, how one faces experiences and issues with Pain – mental, physical or spiritual – is of great importance! Pain afflicts the body, soul and spirit – impacting the mind, emotion and will. Most wish for a remedy from the various pain experiences, but the quest is often in vain. Why? Pain has a way of recurring in ones body, emotions and mental state, as well as spiritual issues (measured often by the level of commitment). One can get a sense of the opinions regarding Pain and some form of management for it by looking at - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain. Mental Pain often results in one sliding into Depression. It can be caused by frustration due to life’s situations and circumstances; or the inability to cope with the immediate; or the sense that there is no way out; or the conclusion drawn that no one cares or understands his/her plight – which leads to a conclusion that there is no need to be alive anymore – and suicide becomes the possibility or viability and option.

Proverbs 22:6 gives this guidance: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” A Psychologist many years ago commented on this verse and said: “Training up a child in the way he should go is an Adult Decision…” Proverbs 29:15 states: “The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.” As crime rates and behavioral issues increase with our children, parents need to be more in tune with their God-given role regarding their children. The role of the Father is also a vital factor. Note the instruction of Ephesians 6:1-4, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother…that it may go well with you…Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” You can and should have a meaningful impact and influence upon the Kids In Konfusion. Consider these things with me!

Pain and Suffering

From My Perspective - - -

Pain is one of life’s inevitables. Since the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden, “pain” became part of the curse for disobedience – pain in childbirth; pain from working the fields and having to cope with thorns; pain in the body from extended labor; pain in sorrow when Cain killed his brother Abel. Pain became a continuum for all from that point and place forward.

Yesterday’s Blog on Gnarled and Knotty did not have space to add some personal vignettes of people and how they approached pain. In my thoughts was a woman I knew almost 50 years ago who would sit on her front porch every morning to read her Bible. She was in her 80s and her body had considerable arthritis and she experienced daily pain. As she sat on her porch she began each morning with this prayer: “Lord, Your Word promises – as thy days, so shall thy strength be – I need that strength to see me through this day – I claim that promise as my own.” I also thought of another elderly lady in her 90s who had been involved in music all of her life. She would come to church every Sunday and sit at the piano – her knuckles were swollen and her bones would grind as she was assisted to that place. She had constant pain but would sit at the piano and stretch her fingers as best she could, and would then play some lovely songs as a prelude and accompany the Hymns. Medications that give some relief today were not always available 50 years ago.

Yesterday, my wife and I traveled to a Surgical Center where many people had gathered to get some relief from their pain. It takes days and sometimes weeks to get a slot for an outpatient treatment to get a Nerve Block (Steroid Injection) to give some relief for the pain. Most people are there because on a scale of 1 (least pain) to 10 (most severe pain) they are measuring it as 8 to 10. They limp in and shuffle along, sometimes requiring assistance or a wheel chair, because their pain is so intense. Do they get relief? Yes! However, the relief they receive is temporary and the procedure can be repeated up to three times in a calendar year.

From a Legal point of view, for Physical or Psychological “Pain and Suffering”, Punitive Damages are often sought and many times granted. A Definition is: “Pain and suffering is the legal term for the physical and emotional stress caused from an injury…Some damages that might be under this category would be: aches, temporary and permanent limitations on activity, potential shortening of life, depression or scarring…it is common for someone to seek money both in compensation for actual money that is lost and for the pain and stress associated with virtually any injury…The amount of money damages a claimant gets for pain and suffering will first depend upon the amount claimed in a lawsuit if such is filed or the amount demanded to the responsible party in the underlying claim if it is an insurance claim… Wrongful Death Suits are also part of the Punitive Damages that can be sought. Despite the reasoning for Punitive Damage Lawsuits, money can never and will never alleviate Pain and Suffering.

Pain and Suffering are rampant in our world – injury, disease, sorrow, starvation in many places of our world, homelessness caused by war and natural disasters, lives being destroyed from the habitual use of drugs and alcoholic beverages – is there any relief in sight? Is there any hope?

Revelation 21:1-4 (Selected from NKJV), “I saw a new heaven and new earth…the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” In verse 27, “And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” We’re not there yet but if we endure we will be – the time of “no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying…and no more pain.” This is Hope you can really believe. Hebrews 4:11 (NKJV) urges” “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,” By Faith, you can rest with confidence in this full assurance of hope. You can make it – others have – and you can too! Consider these things with me!

Gnarled and Knotty

From My Perspective - - -

Pain Hurts is an understatement! If one walks in the woods, the chances are that a Gnarled and Knotty Tree will be observed – a tree that has been part of a tract of land for many years – withstanding many storms and much wind – and in the course of its existence has grown with marks of age that has left it gnarled and knotty. It has been left there because people involved with Lumber want trees that are able to be cut into long boards with grain that is attractive (rather than twisted and less desirable). Some day it may fall of its own accord, or be cut down to be used as firewood – but it will never achieve the desirability for beautiful furniture or flooring.

Human life has some parallel with the Gnarled and Knotty Tree in the forest – those who started out as an adorable child – but time and the storms of life – perhaps sorrow or injury – or some inner physical malady – has left one with a body distorted by the ravages of age or pain. Some whose hands were once creative and skilled and possessing strength have now become gnarled and knotty due to arthritis and no longer have the grip of strength or the ability to perform any longer. The definition of arthritis is: “acute or chronic inflammation of a joint, often accompanied by pain and structural changes and having diverse causes, as infection, crystal deposition, or injury.” Some medication can bring temporary relief; some therapy can give limited, but increased mobility – although there is no long-term remedy for this pain and malady. Pain Management Clinics and the Practice of Physiatry have focused on this area of need and the goal is to enable people with such a malady to gain greater mobility and function. The focus of Physiatry is Physical Medicine and Physical Therapy. It is “the branch of medicine that deals with the treatment, prevention, and diagnosis of disease by essentially physical means, including manipulation, massage, and exercise, often with mechanical devices, and the application of heat, cold, electricity, radiation, and water.” There are some procedures used to bring relief such as Nerve Blocks, Ultra-Sound or Acupuncture – but these are temporary and can be utilized only on a limited basis.

The simple statement – “Pain Hurts” – is a reality that more and more people experience and endure. There is a positive aspect of Pain - although pain is not pleasant, it does alert one that something is wrong in the body and medical attention should be sought. Pain is an indicator of a toothache, or touching something excessively hot, or a bone that has become injured or broken, etc. No one looks forward to having Pain nor would one necessarily desire it for others. In the death of a loved one – a friend or family member – there is the Pain of sorrow and separation, a deep sense of emptiness and aloneness. There are the “what if” moments; the things left unsaid; things said that are now regretted; the circumstance of being unable to express one’s love to his/her mate whose life ebbs and slips away. Yes – pain hurts!

A Commentator discusses Bible References to “Pain” (70 references) and states: “Spiritually speaking, one of the benefits of pain is expressed in James 1:2-3, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance…when we endure painful trials, we can take joy in knowing that God is at work in us to produce endurance and Christ-like character. This applies to mental, emotional and spiritual pain as well as to physical pain.”

There is the nagging question regarding endurance of pain, sorrow, affliction, etc. How does – how can one do it? How can a goal of endurance be achieved? In II Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul touches on this when he writes: “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh…to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” It’s good to know that God cares for each one particularly and that He will provide both endurance and strength for the journey. Some may limp across the finish line a bit scraped, gnarled and knotty – but by His grace alone we’ve endured and finished our course. Consider these things with me!

Taxing Times

From My Perspective - - -

The Daily Headlines are a microcosm of the interactions between people and nations. IF anything, the Headlines demonstrate global tension and frustration. Recent Headlines – Week of August 2nd, 2010 – indicate that for us - - -
• Joint Chiefs Chairman: US has Iran strike plan...
• Israel fears Turks could pass its secrets to Iran...
• Five rockets fired towards Israel...
• Mexican drug cartel puts $1M bounty on Sheriff Joe's head...
• Lebanese and Israeli Troops Clash
• 45 Die in Revenge Attacks in Pakistan N. Korea Threatens South Over Drills
• Mexico: 28,000 killed in drug violence since 2006 – President Felipe Calderon said he would consider a debate on legalizing drugs Tuesday as his government announced that more than 28,000 people have been killed in drug violence since he launched a crackdown against cartels in 2006.
• Political violence rages in Karachi, 12 more killed
• Report: Blast occurs near Iranian leader's convoy

Not every event or action is Headlined for us. In terms of personal economics, if one takes the time to read several reports at www.kiplinger.com regarding the increased taxes Americans will experience in 2011, most will be shocked and many will be angered. One that stood out is: “The Medicare Part B Premium will remain at $96.40 for about 75% of Social Security Beneficiaries thanks to a Law that prevents Part B increases when there is no cost-of-living adjustment.” Why is this bothersome? Simply – the Congress votes for their own cost-of-living salary increase in the post-midnight hours. Additionally, the taxpayers are providing all who serve in Congress with a lavish pension for their retirement. How did this provision occur? The Congress voted it for themselves (along with a Cadillac Health Care Plan). Other tax changes are - - -
• Personal income tax rates will rise. The top income tax rate will rise from 35 to 39.6 percent (the rate at which two-thirds of small business profits are taxed). The lowest rate will rise from 10 to 15 percent. All the rates in between will also rise.
• Itemized deductions and personal exemptions will again phase out, which has the same mathematical effect as higher marginal tax rates. The 10% bracket rises to an expanded 15%; The 25% bracket rises to 28%; The 28% bracket rises to 31%; The 33% bracket rises to 36%; The 35% bracket rises to 39.6%
• The child tax credit will be cut in half from $1000 to $500 per child. The standard deduction will no longer be doubled for married couples relative to the single level. The dependent care and adoption tax credits will be cut.
• For those dying on or after January 1 2011, there is a 55 percent top death tax rate on estates over $1 million.
• The capital gains tax will rise from 15% this year to 20% in 2011. The dividends tax will rise from 15% this year to 39.6% in 2011. These rates will rise another 3.8% in 2013.
• Also - there are over twenty new or higher taxes in the Healthcare Law.

Most people grumble about taxes and try to shelter what is taxable. Jesus faced this tension and taught His followers (Matthew 17:24-27) “After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax ? Yes, he does, he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes - from their own sons or from others? From others, Peter answered. Then the sons are exempt, Jesus said to him. But so that we may not offend them…Take…a four-drachma coin…and give it to them for my tax and yours.” In Matthew 22:21, Jesus states: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's.” Follow Jesus’ example! Consider these things with me!

Your Detergent May Be Stalking You

From My Perspective - - -

In a marketing ploy, “Unilever's Omo detergent is adding an unusual ingredient to its two-pound detergent box in Brazil - a GPS device that allows its promotions agency Bullet to track shoppers and follow them to their front doors. Starting next week, consumers who buy one of the GPS-implanted detergent boxes will be surprised at home, given a pocket video camera as a prize and invited to bring their families to enjoy a day of Unilever-sponsored outdoor fun. The promotion, called Try Something New With Omo, is in keeping with the brand's international ‘Dirt is Good’ positioning that encourages parents to let their kids have a good time even if they get dirty…The GPS device is activated when a shopper removes the detergent carton from the supermarket shelf. Fifty Omo boxes implanted with GPS devices have been scattered around Brazil…teams in 35 Brazilian cities are ready to leap into action when a box is activated. The nearest team can reach the shopper's home ‘within hours or days,’ and if they're really close by, ‘they may get to your house as soon as you do’…Once there, the teams have portable equipment that lets them go floor by floor in apartment buildings until they find the correct unit…” The Prize Offer is a free Video Camera.

In a similar way, a story that first appeared on July 25th indicates: “In an attempt to better manage inventory, Wal-Mart plans to use electronic identification tags (smart labels) on merchandise. Wal-Mart…is putting electronic identification tags on men's clothing like jeans starting Aug. 1 as the world's largest retailer tries to gain more control of its inventory. But the move is raising eyebrows among privacy experts.The individual garments, which also includes underwear and socks, will have removable smart tags that can be read from a distance by Wal-Mart workers with scanners. In seconds, the worker will be able to know what sizes are missing and will also be able tell what it has on hand in the stock room. Such instant knowledge will allow store clerks to have the right sizes on hand when shoppers need them…Wal-Mart's goal is to eventually expand the tags to other types of merchandise but company officials say it's too early to give estimates on how long that will take…Before the rollout, Wal-Mart and other stores were using the tags, called radio frequency identification tags, only to track pallets or cases of merchandise in their warehouses. But now the tags are jumping onto individual items, a move that some privacy experts describe as frightening…”

Google already has the ability to zoom to the location of your home address; the use of “cookies” on a computer reveal what websites one accesses; your PCs are programmed in such a way that Microsoft (and others) can routinely and automatically “update” one’s computer; the government wants greater control over Internet use so they can monitor and/or block data they deem inappropriate or detrimental. Sixty years ago, “Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell was published. It is about the totalitarian regime of the Party. The novel depicts an oligarchical collectivist society where life in the Oceanian province of Airstrip One is a world of perpetual war, pervasive government surveillance, and incessant public mind control. The individual is always subordinated to the masses, and it is in part this philosophy which allows the Party to manipulate and control humanity. In the Ministry of Truth, protagonist Winston Smith is a civil servant responsible for perpetuating the Party's propaganda by revising historical records to render the Party omniscient and always correct, yet his meager existence disillusions him to the point of seeking rebellion against Big Brother, eventually leading to his arrest, torture, and conversion…” Is it possible this is where we’re heading today?

It is vital to have a fixed focus – especially in times of clear and present danger. We need to maintain the discipline of King David in Psalm 27:1-5, “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?...Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.” It is wise to be prepared. What some deem to be fiction may be the forecast of what is to come! Consider these things with me!