The America I Believe In

 “Get into the habit of practicing hospitality." ~ Romans 12:13

His family's is a common story told by millions of Americans.  Colin Powell was born the only son of Jamaican immigrants who married in New York City, became citizens and raised a family.  By their hard work and their love for this country, they enriched our nation while instilling future generations with that same spirit of service and optimism.

Colin Powell, the trailblazing soldier-diplomat, rose from humble beginnings to become a 4-star General and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs during the 1991 Gulf War.  He worked for 6 presidents including serving as Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005.

We’re a nation that’s been touched by people from every country.  We, in turn, touch them back.  We’re influenced not just by our immigrants but by the foreigners who return home to tell of their impressions and experiences.

Among Kings and Presidents, Powell loved meeting with visiting with international student groups about their opinions of the USA.  In one such encounter, he learned that a group of 12 Brazilian students travelled by car through mid-America. 

They stopped for dinner at Outback Steakhouse.  When the bill came, they realized they’d miscalculated what currency they had and couldn’t pay the full bill.

They were not even close.  Imagine a dozen scared, Portuguese speaking kids in a chain restaurant worrying about all the horrors that could befall foreigners who can’t pay.

Fearing the worst, they finally told the waitress and asked what they could do.  She looked at them, gave a slight nod and walked away.  They didn’t know what to expect. 

She returned a few minutes later with her manager and full pot of coffee.  “I am immigrant myself,” he smiled proudly. 

Pouring each of them a fresh cup of coffee he added, “Don’ worry about check.  I hope you enjoy meal on me tonight.  I glad you visit this country I love.  Have good time and learn all about us."

They students never expected such kindness.  It was a powerful experience for all of them.  They’d met members of congress, other dignitaries and even the President.  But a restaurant manager in Chicago made the strongest impression on them and gave them their most lasting memory of Americans. 

That's the America I believe in.  That's the America the world wants to believe in. 

Undoubtedly, that’s a story those Brazilian kids told hundreds of times.  Powell added, "We're still a trusted nation; one that’s still the beacon of light to the darkest corner of the world.  We're a people of hopes and dreams ... you must never forget that."

So long as we have principled leaders of humility and grace … and generous restaurateurs in America, we’re going to be just fine.

God of all nations, we pray that those who seek to make a home in this country may find us welcoming and willing to help them find a path toward citizenship.  Give us courage to open our doors to our neighbors and grace to build a society of justice.  Amen

The Keepers

 “Sweet friendship refreshes the soul." ~ Proverbs 27:9

I grew up in the 50s with practical parents.  My mother reused aluminum foil.  My Dad was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.  I saved the wire from spiral notebooks.

Families like ours had little spare money for treats like cinema trips and vacations.  Before most homes had televisions, people listened to the radio or read the newspaper; they played board games rather than computer games; and instead of fast food we had fresh food from local fish markets or butcher shops.

People did their washing by hand instead of in a machine; laundered items hung to dry outdoors.  Refrigerators were still a luxury item for many people, so food had to be bought daily.  It was less common for married women to work outside the home.

Church was as much a social center as it was a sanctuary.  Going there offered the opportunity to talk to neighbors; to create and build friendships.  It was somewhere to pray, worship and study the Bible.  It was a place where family values were formed; amid times of joy and sadness.

Extended families gathered there.  Older generations were respected there.  Charity, acceptance and hope ruled there.

My parents placed little value in acquiring material things. Like most, they were hardworking people whose priorities were family, God and country.  They believed their handshake was a binding contract.  They took all the negatives in their lives and lived above them or with them. They didn’t complain because, in many ways, they didn’t know any better.

All of these puzzle pieces formed my future, in little, almost imperceptible ways.

As a child it sometimes made me crazy.  All that re-fixing, eating leftovers, reusing.  I wanted just once to be wasteful.  Waste meant affluence.  Throwing things away meant you knew there’d always be more.

But then my mother died, all alone on that winter’s night, in the warmth of her hospital room.  I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn’t any more.

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away never to return.  So, while we have it, its best we care for it, and fix it when it’s broken, and heal it when it’s sick, and love it.

That’s true for marriage … and old cars … and misbehaving children … and dogs losing their eyesight … and aging parents … and lonely grandparents.  We keep them because they’re worth it.  Like a friend we grew up with or a colleague that changed jobs or a cousin that remembers your birthday.

These are the “KEEPERS” in our lives.  They’re like stars - you don’t always see them, but you know they are always there.  Keep them close!

Lord, thank You for the friends in my life; those who love, encourage, and support me through all the twists and turns of life.  I'm so grateful that I don’t have to do life alone; that you’ve shown me examples of Your love through my dear friends.  Amen

"Pity the Fool"

“The Lord gave and has taken away.  Yet I praise His Holy name." ~ Job 1:21

Once crowned the “Toughest Bouncer in America,” (Yep there’s a $10,000 prize for that), Lawrence Tueraud grew up in a 3-room apartment with his mother and 11 siblings on Chicago’s south side.  He learned to be tough in school, where children constantly ridiculed his mother's piety.  He was suspended from elementary school 17 times for fighting to defend her.  

Tureaud attended vocational high school where he played football, wrestled, and studied martial arts.  A college football scholarship was revoked for fighting after his first year.  So, Laurence enlisted in the US army and served as a MP Officer.  Once discharged, he tried out for the Green Bay Packers but failed to make the team due to a knee injury.

Tureaud next worked as a bouncer at the Rush Street’s Dingbats Disco.  That’s where he created the persona of Mr. T, wearing the gold neck chains confiscated from customers leaving them behind after a fight.  Along with controlling the violence as a doorman in over 200 fights, Mr. T was mainly hired to keep out drug dealers and users.

He won the “Toughest Bouncer” contest two years in a row and gave the winnings to his church.  Yes, that Mr. T - the one-time pro-wrestler, A-Team operative and Rocky Balboa opponent.

He’s older now.  The chains are gone. (He stopped wearing them after Katrina, feeling it would be a sin against God to do so while so many people were suffering).  But he’s every bit a tough!

The A-Team member and boxer Clubber Lang in "Rocky III" has a new show, "I Pity the Fool."  He motivates workers to be better at their jobs, reunites families who've grown apart, and helps inspire people to be better human beings.

The show is dedicated to his Mom; about how he loved and respected her; how she taught them to pray, thank God for what little they had, and to actively live their faith.

Those beliefs drove him during his battle with (ironically) T-cell lymphoma.  He survived the mental anguish of chemo, radiation and a crisis of faith by studying Job’s biblical lessons.  “No matter what challenges confront me, I’ll not turn away from God, because,” said Mr. T said, “God will never turn from me!”

Never known for his timidity, Mr. T is definitely not shy about being a Christian.  Today he uses his Twitter @MrT to almost exclusively promote thoughtful, scriptural reflections.  

Unlike many Christians on Twitter, he doesn’t tweet to insult culture, “take back America for God” or any such nonsense.  No, while he once spent all his time pitying fools, now he seeks to bless and educate them with biblical wisdom stronger than his biceps and a commitment to spreading love, courage and hope.

“Father, give me strength today, not the strength to lift 500 pounds, but the power that my words might motivate, might inspire somebody, might draw someone closer to You.  When they hear me, Lord, let them hear You.” Amen ~ Lawrence Tueraud

"Scrubby"

 “A joyous heart heals like medicine.” ~ Proverbs 17:22

A Christmas miracle in August?  Wait!  Whaat?

Amid the parched scrub of northern Arizona, a tree grows proudly in the median of I-17’s freeway.  The 20-foot juniper is nearly as wide as it is tall.  They're common in these parts, but this one stands alone; surrounded only by low grasses and rocks.  It looks out of place, as if waiting to cross the highway in search of its brethren.

For over 30 years, the juniper mysteriously transforms itself into a symbol Christmas cheer.  Huge ornaments, candy canes, and even a giant star mysteriously appear on its branches.  No one knows for sure who does it.  One evening before Thanksgiving the decorations appear.  After New Year’s Day they’re quietly removed.  A crude rain barrel irrigation system is also suspected to have been installed by the unknown tree guardian(s).

Some decorations remain year-round.  Since the time of Operation Desert Storm, it became memorialized with American flags and yellow ribbons for troops serving abroad.  Purple ribbons were added for the 19 "Hot Shots" firefighters who lost their lives in Yarnell.  New ones are added periodically after fading in Arizona’s harsh sun.

Northern Arizona’s ‘badlands’ aren't known as a Christmas destination.  Rather, they’re known for wildfires.  The tiniest spark can spread angrily, destroying all in its path.  Flames whip the sky, launching embers that ride the wind until they cling to something flammable.  A juniper tree is an easy target.

In August 2011, a wildfire broke out 200 feet south of the “Mystery Tree” forcing the highway’s closure.  Onlookers watched in horror as flames crept closer to their beloved tree. 

The fire burned surrounding vegetation and scorched some of the tree’s lower branches.  It got close enough to melt the tree's plastic irrigation tubing. 

But the flames died within a few yards of the "Mystery Tree."  It survives today.

Some claim it was protected by nearby rocks or by wind currents.  Maybe it was just dumb luck. Surely God has more important things to worry about than some tree in a very secluded spot.

But for locals, their juniper tree was a sign of hope.  If its survival wasn’t a miracle, it definitely gave them something to smile about during challenging times.

The state’s official balladeer even celebrated the kindness of the person or persons decorating the scrub tree by writing a ballad called "Scrubby” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XUdyws_1aI bringing themes of peace, love and even the birth of Christ into the last verse:

“Hopefully the mystery of Scrubby will never be solved.  Let’s let it be, the identity of whomever is involved.  For it shows the joy of giving, in a pure and selfless way.  Like the baby Jesus gave to us, on that first Christmas day.” ~ Dolan Ellis (2013)

He nailed it!

Heavenly Father, thank You for the tidings of great joy and peace that floods the hearts of all who are called by Your name.  Help me to share this joy of knowing Jesus with all those who You place in my path.  Amen

Boys With Purpose

“Don’t be deceived: “Bad company and poor examples ruin good morals." ~ 1 Corinthians 15:33

Dionne had trouble remembering the days when men jumped to their feet when a woman entered a room, or when they skipped ahead to open the car door.  “It was a matter of respect,” she told her 10-year-old grandson, Ayden.  “Unfortunately, these days with single or both parents working, and such busy family schedules, the emphasis on manners has faded.”

It’s even more difficult when the kids don’t have role models at home to look up to.  Not having positive role models can lead kids to figure things out on their own, which often ends up with them making bad decisions that could hurt them in the long run.

Over the past several months, Ayden and dozens of his 5^th grade classmates attend a popular after-school program and learn how to properly shake hands, open doors, make eye contact and address someone older with respect.

Raymond Nelson, a support specialist for at-risk kids, started the “Gentleman’s Club” to provide attendees with life lessons on etiquette.  To emphasize the point, the students show up each week for the meeting in suits and ties.

Nelson asks local businesses to donate suit coats, blazers, ties, bow-ties, dress pants/shirts/shoes, to his club for kids who don't have their own so no one would be left out. 

The purpose of creating the club was to instill in the boys the principle of “look good, feel good, do good.”  He teaches the boys not only how to look and feel good; but to be respectful to each other, their classmates, and teachers.

Many of these boys don’t have a dad living with them so Raymond became a father-figure to them.  He earns no extra pay for this; only the joy of seeing the improvements in their self-esteem and discipline.  It doesn’t hurt that the girls frequently comment on their style and manners too.

Due to its popularity and success, the idea quickly spread.  Nelson renamed it “Boys With Purpose.”  However, the family environment and encouraging lessons haven’t changed.

Gentlemen’s Club Pledge

Today I pledge:

·   To be the best me I can be, to demonstrate integrity in all that I do, treat others with respect, remembering always that I must respect myself first.

·   That I and I alone am responsible for making good choices.

·   To demonstrate those behaviors that are consistent in following my own dreams and aspirations.

·   To be grateful for this opportunity to be led by those I admire.

Please do your part in teaching our children the manners that God our Father would want all of us to display in our living.  Remember, “Today our children are our shadow . . . tomorrow they’ll be our reflection."

Father God, O God, help me never to allow any habit to get such a grip of me that I cannot break, especially those that would injure my body, my mind or my relationship with You.  Help me keep my body fit and healthy and my mind clean and pure.  Amen

The October of My Years

 “Even to your old age and gray hairs, I will sustain you." ~ Isaiah 46:4

I can’t remember the first time I saw the sun. Memories only go back to when I was about three years old, and by then I was only about three feet tall. Our home was small, our neighborhood was quiet, my parents were busy.

I’m much older now. It shows in my face. I feel it in my bones. No part of my body performs the way it did when I was twentysomething. My reflexes are slower, I have more aches and pains and I do all my own stunts – but never intentionally.  (laugh please) 

Yet, choosing the right roads into senior-ity matters far more than birthdays or the bumps we encounter. The Bible (Job 12:12), reveals that old age “brings more wisdom and understanding;” wisdom that allows me to see the obvious, or to use common sense without second-guessing myself or the outcomes.

I’m actually gaining time.  More time?  Seems like it should be just the opposite. But, now at this stage of my life, I’m not as hurried as I used to be. I’m not dashing out the door to make it to school or work or the gym.  

Instead, I have time every morning to read and meditate on the Word. I can kneel and pray for as long as my rickety old knees can stand it. I have time to really listen to God.

I now have time to really listen to people. I'm at a point where I have more empathy for others; providing a leveling perspective to the chaos often churning around them.

As a younger man, most of my ministry was in raising a family. Now my ministry extends into other areas as God opens new doors and opportunities. Even though my hearing is not as good, I’m more in tune with His voice. My mind isn’t as sharp, but I’m more grateful for His blessings. My reactions are slower, but I’m quicker to rely on Him. My eyesight might not be perfect, but I view God’s enormity more clearly than ever before.

I guess you could say, that as I'm growing old, I am also growing up. 

Every season of our lives has purpose. God doesn’t cast us off in our later years just because our vigor is fading. He uses us, no matter our age, to continue His work. 

I stand closer than ever, at the edge of eternity’s pool. As I begin to walk out on the creaky diving board of advanced adulthood, I have no fear. God stands with me, holding my wrinkled hand with a strength that only the love and focus of His grace, and my experience, bring.

Almighty Father, we know that old age comes from You, leads to You, and will touch me at Your will. Grant me to serve You, proclaim You, and glorify You through all the time that remains in my earthly life. Amen