Hot Air Balloom

Good-bye Liberty, Hello Utopia

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:02:00 +0000

I’m always telling my kids that school is their job and they should always work hard and do their best. But what if the grades they earned were treated like the wages we earn at our jobs...

Billy was always a good student. All through school he worked hard and earned all A’s except for one B in sixth grade P.E. and ended up finishing middle school as the third highest in his class. It was a sad summer day when his parents announced that they were moving in August from their home in Liberty, Texas to Utopia, just east of San Antonio. They would be settled in just in time for Billy to start high school.

As the school year started, wanting to make a good first impression at the new school, Billy really hit the books hard. The other students didn’t seem to take school too seriously. Billy thought perhaps this would give him just the edge he needed to graduate first in his high school class. He studied every night and always completed his homework assignments on time. On every paper, every assignment, every test he scored 100 percent. That’s what made his parents quite perplexed when after the first grading period his report card showed straight C’s. His parents scheduled a meeting with his teachers to discuss his grades. They took every scrap of paper he had produced showing he had received the highest scores possible on everything.

At the start of the meeting one of the teachers opened stating that after he had spoken to Billy’s parents he did decide to review his grades, as did all the other teachers. All of them realized there was a mistake on Billy’s report card. They presented the revised grades to Billy’s parents. His grades had been changed to all D’s.

“What is the meaning of this?” Billy’s father asked. “I’m holding all Billy’s papers and they all show he received 100 percent on everything. How could he get all D’s with scores like that?” he demanded.

“We had another straight A student, but she transferred out before the end of the grading period. That’s how we mistakenly had given your son a C.”

Perplexed, Billy’s father asked, “Why on earth would the transfer of another student have any impact on my son’s grade?”

“Oh that’s right. You came here from Liberty. You’d don’t understand how the grading system works here in Utopia.” The teacher began to explain, “To make things fair for every body, points are taken away from the ones who have earned more and given to those students who haven’t. The harder you work and more points you earn, the more you have taken away for the benefit of the rest of the students. Isn’t the Utopian school system wonderful? We all hope Billy will keep working hard and getting these wonderful grades.”

I bet if you were Billy or his parents you’d be very ticked off that he is having the fruits of his hard work taken away from him. As crazy as it sounds, this is just how wage earners are treated under the tax system.

July 4, 1776 - Change We Can Believe In

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:02:00 +0000

“When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government.”

So starts the document we celebrate each July fourth. Have you ever read it for yourself? A majority of the body of this Declaration lists specific grievances about which the Representatives of the Colonies had repeatedly petitioned the established government. The response from the King had been only greater tyranny. So fifty-six brave and bold men, “with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,” signed their names and pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to bring about the change that they believed in. This was their duty. Not a plot to gain political power or great personal riches. If only we had real leaders and statesmen like that today.

I can only imagine what these Founding Fathers would have to say about the current tyranny we now live under. What would their response be to a government that takes over private companies, that allows property to be seized before a trial in which guilt has been proved, that passes legislation in the middle of the night which hasn’t even been read? Governments are instituted among men to secure our unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Not to erode or strip those rights away. Our present day government seems to have more in common with that of the King of England from 1776 than it does to the one established in our Constitution.

"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God." Thomas Jefferson

"Any people that would give up liberty for a little temporary safety deserves neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

"Government is not reason; it is not eloquence. It is force. And force, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." George Washington

“A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicity.” Thomas Jefferson

“I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Thomas Jefferson

"God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty.... And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."
Thomas Jefferson

Know what you celebrate this July Fourth. Understand how this Nation was brought into being and the cost to those who made it happen. Remember, as Thomas Jefferson says, that lethargy is “the forerunner of death to the public liberty.” Don’t just light a sparkler, reignite the fire of Liberty!

Personal Bankruptcy Crisis Solved

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:52:00 +0000

I heard this on a network news story yesterday. "Every thirty seconds in the United States, someone files bankruptcy in the aftermath of a serious health problem."

Being a numbers kind of guy, I thought I'd see just how many bankruptcies that was in a year. Here's what I came up with. Using the "every thirty seconds" number, the total medical related bankruptcies for one year would be equal to 1,051,200. (2 filings x 60 minutes = 120 an hour, x 24 hours = 2,880 a day, x 365 days = 1,051,200 a year) According to the Financial Post, the total number of bankruptcies in 2008 were 1,117,771. The Financial Post further states that of the 2008 bankruptcies, 45,546 are business filings. This means there were only 23,025 filings for reasons other than "serious health problems" if this news story's claim is true. Really? Only 2% of bankruptcies are due to financial irresponsibility or circumstances other than unpayable medical costs?

In a way I feel much better, knowing that there aren't a bunch of people out there living beyond their means and misusing credit, buying houses, cars, boats and other toys they can't afford. Maybe the government should just write checks to all the doctors and medical facilities to pay off all these health related bills that are causing the personal bankruptcies of these otherwise responsible citizens. It sure makes more sense than the billions and billions of dollars spent to bail out the banks and other companies. This simple plan would eliminate nearly 98% of the personal bankruptcies IF the numbers from this news story are correct. I saw it on TV. It's got to be true, right?

Fast Thoughts on Fast Food News

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:51:00 +0000

Ok, I know they don't like the "Fast Food" term and they are supposed to be called "Quick Serve Restaurants" now. But But QSR just didn't sound right in my title. Anyway, after a month off, I'm here commenting on the following.

I was watching Fox and Friends the other morning and saw an ad for Popeyes. What struck me as funny is their new ad slogan. "Louisiana Fast" Just think about that. I know, stereotyping isn't nice. But really, have you ever been to Louisiana? That slogan appears to be more of an oxymoron, doesn't it? I'm just saying, the pace of life down in that part of the country seems, um, well a bit more "relaxed" than other places I've been.

Then there was Reed Harris from New Mexico who came up with a memorable way to propose to his girlfriend. He hid the ring in her Frosty from Wendy's and then challenged her in a Frosty eating race. Having invited friends to watch the event, I'm sure he didn't quite plan on the way it turned out. His girlfriend, Kaitlin Whipple, must be very competitive. She won the race and never even noticed there was a ring somewhere in the midst of the all the Frosty she had swallowed. But it all turned out all right in the end. They are planning to wed in May or June. It made me think of Melissa from the Bachelor. I'm sure she wanted to tell Jason to stick the ring he gave to her where the sun don't shine.

And finally, we have the McNugget meltdown of Latreasa Goodman. She ordered and paid for a 10-piece, but then was told they were out of nuggets. When she was only offered alternate food items rather than a refund she called 9-1-1. Not once. Not twice. But three times. Maybe she called 3 times because she expected the police to respond in a New York minute and they were responding Louisiana Fast instead. When told by the 9-1-1 operator that 9-1-1 was for emergencies she said, "this is an emergency, my McNuggets are an emergency." I guess QT isn't the only place that has serious food.

Quote for the day

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 02:41:00 +0000

"in the end we have a choice: burnout & cynicism vs. being true to what God has called you to, regardless of what change that brings to your current situation."

This is from Kim's Blog. She the very gifted worship leader (Sorry to short change you, Kim. I know that doesn't even begin to describe how wonderful you are.) at my church who just attended the 2009 re:create conference. It's some kind of worship leader get together thingy. And from what I've gathered, it's pretty cool. I'm sure this quote came in the context of being ministry. But it really has been making me think.

As some may know, I've been in kind of a restless, wrestling stage lately. Got those big "What? Where? When?" questions bouncing around. But I do find that, even if I'm not sure where I should be tomorrow, if I determine for now that where I am is right where God wants me, I am much less cynical or prone to feel burnt out in my job.

The hard part will be if/when I clearly know what God calls me to, can I embrace the "regardless of what change that brings to your current situation" part? It just makes me think about the Casting Crowns lyrics, "Reckless abandon wrapped in common sense. Deep water faith in the shallow end." One never really knows for sure until the time comes to act. I'd so like to think I could do something "regardless." But really, would I? Much like my youngest in the pool. She's so brave when she can touch the bottom. But take her out deeper, even when I reassure her that I will let nothing happen to her, and she is very afraid. I know she knows I love her and all. But still, her fear is greater than her faith that I won't allow any harm to come to her. One thing that does happen when I take her out deeper (other than the screaming), she clings more tightly to me.

Cling more tightly. That's not such a bad way to handle when we're in the deep end of life, is it?

What would DayVee do?

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:59:00 +0000

How can you tell that I'm having a bad day at work? How about when it's after 4:00 in the afternoon and I'm still downing coffee. And it's not even very good coffee. Why do I let myself get so stressed about my job at this time of the year? I'd go seek some professional help about it. But in the end I know they'd tell me it was just my parent's fault. You know, that being raised with a good work ethic kind of stuff and trying to live up to their expectations.

Not that I mind hard work or doing my best. And I do like what I do. But it is just a job. Like I told them when I interviewed here the decade an a half or so ago, a job isn't who I am. It's just a necessary evil because things cost money. I have a job to earn money with which I provide for my family. Hmmmm. If money was not an issue, meaning I had no debt and didn't have to worry about having to pay for a place to live or food, clothing or transportation, my basic needs, what would I want to do?

That's a question I've been pondering for a few weeks. Perhaps with a little twist or two. Like not what would I want to do but what would/does God want me to do? Couple that with Philippians 4:19 - "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

Realistically, I have no unmet material needs. In fact, like most Americans, I have far more than I need. And in my heart I know God is faithful. But if God clearly said to me quit your job and do "X" could I? Would I have enough trust in Him to "drop my nets" and follow Him? Would you? Do you?

Just thinking....

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 04:10:00 +0000

This will be a post in which I have very little to say. I have so may thing bouncing around in my brain and have so many more questions about the will of God than answers at this point in time.

If one has to, which does one choose, making a living or making a difference?

When is something confirmation of God's leading and when is it just a reasoned intellectual decision?

on the flip side...

How does one know when God is really closing a door or it's just a rationalization of why not to do something that might be hard?

Is there such a thing as something being the wise thing to do even when it seems crazy?

Is it because I am too close to myself that I seem to have such little clarity and discernemnt?

Whatever You’re Doing

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:17:00 +0000

Sanctus Real - Whatever You’re Doing
From the album We Need Each Other

It’s time for healing, time to move on,
it’s time to fix what’s been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong;
it’s time to find my way to where I belong

Chorus:
There’s a wave that’s crashing over me, and all I can do is surrender
Whatever You’re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but somehow there’s peace
And it’s hard to surrender to what I can’t see, but I’m giving in to something heavenly

Time for a milestone, time to begin again, re-evaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will or just climbing aimlessly over these hills?
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything – I surrender

Chorus:

Time to face up, clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out that I’ve wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You’re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but I believe …
You’re up to something bigger than me
Larger than life, something heavenly

Whatever You’re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but now I can see
This is something bigger than me
Larger than life
Something heavenly, something heavenly

Time to face up, clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out

Today in worship...

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 03:27:00 +0000

I was overwhelmed today in worship. The thing that caught me off guard was the way it all hit me and what song prompted this. The hymn was written about 175 years ago by Edward Mote;

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

The message is so simple and is so where I'm at these days. I've been prompted by my daily Bible reading these past few months to re-examine the things in my life through the filter of am I trusting in Jesus or other stuff in the way I live my life. All other ground is sinking sand, save building on the hope of Christ.

Then the sermon containing Philipppians 1:6 "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus."

Am I really confident that He'll complete it or am I still trying to force how I think things should be? Surrender, complete and unconditional surrender, that's what it takes. God is faithful. I am not. Solid ground or sinking sand? What's it going to be? I choose The Solid Rock.

Then to close with "From the Inside Out."

A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out Lord, my soul cries out

This song always gets me. But today. Boy I had a hard time containing myself. I just tried to tune out everybody else and sang this wholeheartedly like I never had before. I know I'm so flawed and have failed a thousand times a thousand. But there is no half-way with God. We either submit to Him and let Him consume us or we don't. His will above all esle, my purpose remains the art of losing myself in bringing Him praise. My purpose is not to live my life my way. But to let Him live through me in a way that brings glory and praise to Him. I just read earlier this week that it profits a man nothing to gain the whole world but lose his soul. But whoever loses his life for the sake of Christ will save it. I don't know what's next. But I guess I shouldn't be too concerned. I'm not driving anyway, And the One who is, knows where He's going.

Just words about words

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:45:00 +0000

When I'm working in a couple of applications at the same time or surfing on the web and I type but my cursor doesn't seem to be anywhere, where do all those letters or words go? I know I typed something. And sometimes they were log ins and passwords. Is somebody collecting all that somewhere? Does it all end up in a dead letter office somewhere?

Dead letters. Hmmm. Were they ever really alive?

I'm so glad I learned English as a child while my mind still had room to keep track of all the odd things in the language. Like the words to, too, two or do, dew, due. Or what about the word live. Casting Crowns played live in the house where I live. The word looks the same but I bet you read it two different ways in that sentence.

How did I ever learn which way to spell the "f" sound. The rough, fat philanthropist from Philadelphia had enough funds. How does somebody know when hot and cool mean the same thing or are opposites? Does every language have these kinds of issues?

Or what about when a word changes. My kid were reading an older book and it used the word "gay" as in happy, joyful. But somewhere it came to mean a person who is attracted to another person of the same sex. Oh, and what about the word marriage. It's defined as a legal union between a man and woman as husband and wife. You think I'll get stares from people if I announce that my parents have a gay marriage? Some people might think they are very progressive. That is until they find out I have a male father and a female mother and they are happy together as husband and wife. I guess I've just determined I'm all for gay marriage.

One Single Moment in Time

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:49:00 +0000

One event at a single moment in time can alter a life, impact the lives of countless people, change the course of the future.

My family spent this past weekend on a little get away to Oklahoma City. We just wanted to escape to someplace different. Besides shopping elbow to elbow with every Oklahoman in the state, we went to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. In the museum visitors walk through different "chapters" in the story ranging from the history of the site for the Alfred P. Murrah Building, the events on April 19,1995 when the bombing occurred and on through the stories of the victims, the families, the rescuers and others whose lives were impacted. It's a very moving exhibit.

Outside where the Murrah building and street used to be is a field of chairs representing those whose lives were lost in the building and a reflecting pool which is flanked on each side by two "Gates of Time." The wall-like gate to the east bears the time 9:01, the moment before the bombing. To the west the time displayed is 9:03, the moment after the bombing.

9:02 - That is the moment in time that changed everything for so many people. I can't imagine what some of those people have gone through and still go through. The final chapter in the museum is "Hope."

Tonight and tomorrow we will celebrate a moment in time when everything changed for the entire world. The Hope of Nations came to us. The angels sang in a glorious choir, the stars even declared the event. In spite of the hustle and bustle of the "holiday season" we can't escape knowing that Christmas is really about is the birth of Jesus Christ.

Though that event, the birth of Emmanuel, God with us, has impacted the history of the world, we must each choose how it will impact our lives. The moment one kneels at the manger and accepts all Jesus offers in His coming will be one of those moments that will alter their life, can impact the lives of countless others, and might very well change the very course of history.

Please, take a moment and change everything.

Random stuff 12/19

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:48:00 +0000

I really, REALLY need to get my hair cut. I kind of like the way I look when it's at the current length. But it's so easy when it's short. No blow drying, no comb needed, less static electricity. Hmmmm. I wonder which will win out, my vanity or my laziness. I suppose, looking around at the tops of the heads of so many other men my age I should just be glad I have hair.

My teenage daughter is always saying, "SNAP!" What's up with that? Do you think Crackle and Pop feel left out?

If when you're at The Olive Garden you are supposed to be family, why do they make you pay for the meal? I guess I'd better bring my checkbook with me to my folks' for the Christmas Eve dinner. I just hope the service is good. I'd never hear the end of it if I stiffed my mom on the tip.

I feel very disenfranchised by Nyack College. When I was there we were the Fighting Parsons and purple and white were our colors. In 1998 they changed to the Purple Pride. That only lasted until 2004 when they became the Warriors and changed the colors to crimson with navy blue and gray accents. I'll NEVER wear anything that has the Nyack Warriors on it. YUCK! I am proud of and passionate about my perfect, precious, purple, Parsons. Bring 'em back!

Driving home yesterday the person on the radio said Christmas was right around the corner. Well, then I turned right, around the corner and it wasn't there. Just goes to show you can't believe everything you hear.

Should I be concerned that my 13 year-old was reciting complete scenes of dialogue from Finding Nemo (which we haven't watched in a long time) to me in the van yesterday yet can't remember his mother telling him to bring up his dirty laundry five minutes ago?

I think I would be fat if it weren't for the Internet. I used to spend my lunch hour eating. But now I have so much fun surfing and reading stuff that I forget to eat.

Misc Christmas Pics

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:05:00 +0000

Is it a sign?

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:51:00 +0000

I've just come off a really good week. Sure I still had all the normal everyday stuff going on like stressful deadlines at work and the evening family shuttle bus routes. But on the inside it's really been great. I started blogging my daily Bible reading journal and didn't miss a day. I also listened to K-LOVE all day at work in place of the normal news/talk station.

Anyway, early last week I was really praying about(hey, now don't snicker about this) my minivan. It's about 8 years old with 112,000 miles on it and is at that age where it seems every few months something else really needs to be fixed. We've thought about buying something else. But it really isn't in the budget. And a major repair bill wouldn't be fun to deal with either.

For about a month (okay, maybe longer) it's had this irritating light come on and stay on that says "service traction system" whenever a sharp turn is made. This also prompts the "ABS" light to come on. I'm sure (well, fairly sure. I'm no mechanic and I didn't learn a thing about cars in any of my New Testament Greek or world missions classes in college.) it really doesn't affect the driving or braking ability of the vehicle. And I've been driving on ice and snow without the aid of a traction control system in other vehicles for years.

Well, the "reminder" (That sounds so much nicer than "warning.) lights haven't come on again. I know it may seem silly. And I know God does really care about everything in our lives, even the little things. But do you think maybe Jesus healed my van? Sure, I know He can and we hear stories all the time about miracles like this that God does for missionaries when something breaks and stuff. I'm very torn between feeling like I'm somehow being disrespectful of God, thinking He would bother with such a trivial thing as healing my van, and being very convicted because I lack the level of faith to believe that He would do such a thing.

Just Random Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:26:00 +0000

I've spent waaaaaaaaay too much time this week thinking about serious things. So I'm going to take a brief mental vacation with no set itinerary and no garmin to tell me where to turn. Let's hit the highway, shall we.

I have somewhere between 200 and 400 albums sitting in my basement. (Those are those big black "CDs" for those of you born after the Carter administration.) One of my pre-Christmas purchases is a USB turntable. Though I don't want it to consume all of my spare time, (You know, the hours between 11:00pm and 6:00am.), I am really looking forward to converting much of that to a usable form. Back in the day I was quite... um... compulsive about my records. I had a directory of every album; what song, which track number, when produced. I had the same kind of directory for my alphabetized comic book collection. Hmmmmm. Maybe I really was a nerd or geek or whatever the term as way back then.

I used to be a very picky eater. No, really. I mean even more picky than I am today if you can imagine that. I don't think I would have ever tried broccoli if it weren't for wanting to be polite and impress Lesly's mom when they had me over. I never ate mac & cheese until my sophomore year of college. I had my very first orange the winter of my senior year of college. Oh but I did love (and still do) my M&M's. I figure I averaged over half a pound a day my freshman year. Then I put all the M&M's "Pounder" bags on my dorm room wall like wallpaper, alternating between plain and peanut in a beautiful yellow and brown checkerboard pattern. And I didn't even gain any weight! (You can see the skinny me on my facebook wall)

Why is it that when there's ice on the side of the road people drive thirty miles under the speedlimit. But when the ice is covering the road the seem to go 30 MPH above it?

I always get confused. Does a westerly breeze mean the wind is blowing out of the west and to the east or out of the east and to the west? And when it's already raining outside, why does the weatherman come on and say something like, "There's an 80% chance of rain today." If it's raining right then wouldn't it be a 100% chance of rain?

How unfair is it when the city tells us we should use less water and then complains that their revenue is down because people aren't using as much water so they need to raise the rates? Why is crabgrass called crabGRASS and not crabWEED? I'd feel so much more inclined to try and rid my lawn of it if it were a weed and not just another form of grass.

And finally, since my cat poops in the litterbox should I throw my litter away in a poop can?

DayVee Goes Retro

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:03:00 +0000

Thanks to my teenagers I’ve recently discovered Facebook. It’s been really fun tracking down people I knew decades ago and renewing old friendships. It’s like playing a combination of my own private versions of “Where are they now?” and “This Is Your Life.” But this stroll down Memory Lane has brought several interesting things within me to the surface.

Obviously to start with, I am getting OLD! Sure I don’t feel like it most days. (I can still run faster than any of my kids!) But I see a name that I should recognize and it takes me several moments to place them and dust out the cobwebs to really remember anything about them or a shared experience. I haven’t seen or spoken to some of these people over half my lifetime ago.

Which of course brings up the fact that I am such a terrible “keep-in-toucher.” There is but one person from my high school years on my current Christmas card list and the same goes for my college years. And I can’t even remember when the last phone conversation I had with either of them was. And it’s not like I was a real loner way back then. I think I was kind of fun and very social. I wish I had the “gift” my dad has. I call him Mr. Friendly. He is so good at all the people kind of stuff.

And though I have many fond memories of past things and people, the first thing that usually pops into my brain as I reconnect is a regret about some way I recall in which I was not as nice to them as I should have been or some other such way in which I think I may have wronged them. Then I feel silly because if I do bring it up the other person doesn’t even have a clue about whatever it is I’m making an apology for.

I understand that who I am today is such a mixture of my past experiences and those who touched my life in small and big ways. Somewhere along the line I suppose I got this warped idea that living in the now and not in the past means never, ever looking back so that’s pretty much what I’ve done. But in doing that I’m sure I’ve missed the many blessings these past friendships may have produced. Now I’ve got A LOT of catching up to do. This should be fun!

Rescue

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 05:06:00 +0000

This Advent my pastor is doing a series call "The Great Rescue." A week ago he started with God's creation of man for relationship with Himself, the fall, and the promise of the rescue to come.

I used to think Adam and Eve were so stupid. How could they, after experiencing perfect fellowship with God before the fall, make the choice to throw that all away by violating the only boundary they had? But as I mature I've become much more sympathetic and less critical of their situation. I guess I see myself so much more in Adam than I used to. I know the thousands of times I've failed to stand firm against temptations or chosen to listen to the voice that tells me "Surely you won't die." What is it within us that makes us want to stand right on the edge of a boundry, getting as close as we can to crossing the line? Shouldn't we be smart enough to know boundaries are for protecting us? Why don't we just avoid walking by the tree that tempts us so it won't even be on our mind?

It really makes me long for heaven. I'm so greatful for The Great Rescuer.

How I Spend My Lunchtime

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:36:00 +0000

My youngest son will turn 10 this month. All he's been begging for is a hamster. His older brother had one and his older sister currently has two. So we yielded to his wishes and got one for him this past Sunday. But something didn't seem quite right with this hamster from the very beginning. I don't know, maybe it's because my son named her Snowball even though she was dark colored, speckled and long haired. She also made these terrible noises when you tried to pick her up. And she had this odd odor. Much more stinky than just your normal hamster odor.

**

Once we got the little critter home and in her spanking new cage she just didn't seem very interested in exploring like every other hamster I've ever known. At first I thought she was just traumatized by the whole process of being in a new environment. So we all let her be for a day to allow her to acclimate to her new home. On day two she still didn't seem very hamster-like. No real running on her wheel. No stuffing her pouches full of food and hiding it in her bedding area. Not much activity at all.

Well, I knew something more was wrong than just being the new fur ball on the block. So last night (that would be Wednesday and we got the hamster on Sunday) we decided we would return the little animal, get a refund and look for a suitable replacement at a different store. Today I decided I would save my son from any odd feeling he might experience in taking the pet back so I went home over lunch to make the return. Boy am I glad I did. Poor little Snowball had gone on to that giant running wheel in the sky. So, doing my duty as a dad I hurried up and cleaned the cage as thoroughly as I could to rid it of any remaining health hazards and prepare it for a new occupant. (I wonder, do hamsters worry about things like living in a house where a death just occurred? Do I need to have the new animal sign a disclaimer that I've disclosed the history of their dwelling to them? Help me any of you animal attorneys out there.)

Then I put "the remains" back in the little box in which we brought her home and proceeded to the pet store. Here's a recap of that exchange.

"I need to return this hamster."

"What's the problem?"

"It has expired. I only bought it Sunday."

"Hmmmm. It seems we've been having a lot of bad luck with our hamsters lately. So do you want to exchange it or get a refund?"

"I'll just take the refund."

Needless to say, we'll get our replacement at a different store that is having better "luck" with their hamsters.

** Not an actual picture of the deceased hamster.

The Strange Change Machine

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:24:00 +0000

The family I grew up in wasn't very affluent by any standard. My mom was, and still is, a great budgeter. I can remember the ritual each payday of going grocery shopping with my parents and getting to run the "clicker" to help keep track of how much we were spending. In those days you paid cash or you didn't buy it. Some weeks we'd even have enough left to buy chips or some other luxury item. As a matter of fact, we were pretty poor I guess. Though I never really knew it or felt that way. Sure I knew lots of other kids who had more toys or neater stuff than I did. But I was content and happy so it really didn't matter.

Christmas was always such a highly anticipated day. It was always the one time of the year when something amazing happened. Somehow I'd waken and find things under the tree I'd been wanting so badly but was almost to scared to hope for because I didn't want to be disappointed. One of the items that to this day is on the list of my best childhood gifts ever was the Strange Change Machine by Mattel.

It was so cool! You'd take these plastic squares and place them in the heated chamber. Like magic these squares would morph (no a word they used back in the 60's) into creatures. Once cooled the creatures were hard forms that you could play with on the plastic mountain-like surface that came with the set. Then at any time your could place the creatures back in the heating chamber. This would soften them up so you could put them in the compressing chamber, turn the crank and remold them into the square they started as, complete with the Mattel logo imprinted on it.

I have no idea how much this cost my parents. I don't even know if they realize what a treasure that gift seems to me even now, evoking all the warm memories. It makes me wonder what things will my children remember from a childhood Christmas. What's on your list of best Christmas gifts received as a kid?

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:12:00 +0000

Yesterday was a really good day. Yesterday was also a very tough day. I tend to be a very introspective person. These past few months my head has been quite the high traffic area. I have so many seemingly random things firing off between my ears. Yet somehow I sense they are interrelated. I just haven’t been able to fit all the pieces together to know what the big picture of my life looks like. Just a glance at the front of the box would help. I think I at least have most of the edges in place. Well, here goes.

The details of what’s printed on the first side of the cardboard doesn’t really matter all that much. It only helps us understand the extent of God’s grace and how far He’ll go in order to write on the other side of our cardboard. And as a matter of perspective, side A is just a blip compared to eternity spent experiencing the reality of side B. So can we please spend more time celebrating everybody’s side B rather than needing to see some one’s side A to somehow make us feel like our side A is less bad?

To what extent will God go to get my attention? Will I or others I love suffer because that was the only way God could get through to me? I hear stories on know people who go through terrible, tragic events. But it is through those events they refocus their heart on God. I’d like to think my reaction to losing my spouse or a child, or of having a disease would be to still sing ‘Blessed Be the Name” with the same gusto I do now. But those words are so easy to thoughtlessly sing when He seems to be in the “give” mode. Will I be just as convicted to sing of His blessings when “take away” is the status?

Okay, here’s a big one. At first I thought I shouldn’t put this here online. But then I realized, I only get like one hit a week so who’s gonna know anyway. The sin I struggle with most, the thing that rules over me and that I hate most about myself is pride. I don’t mean it in the sense that I think I’m better than others or that I look down on other people. And I don’t mean that I think it’s wrong when I know I’m doing some things well, like trying to raise good kids or having a good work ethic.

But so often I know I lock God or others out of the equation because I’m “smart enough” to figure things out on my own. Or I decide it’s just easier to depend only on myself because I’ve seen far too many people bearing the lifelong scars, mental and physical, from relying on the wrong person(s). And besides, I am dependable so you can rely on me without ever having to reciprocate because I don’t need to rely on you! I am also very good at rationalizing that God has gifted me with the brains so isn’t that close enough to relying on Him that it counts?

I really hate to stop here. But I’m out of time. I hope I can continue this soon. We may be getting close to a breakthrough.

Lost Vegas

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:11:00 +0000

Last week I was in Las Vegas for a few days attending a business related conference. Since I don’t indulge in most of the activities that are available to those making “Sin City” their destination of choice, (Okay, I confess, I did drop a few dollars into a slot machine. But that’s it.) I was afforded a lot of time to walk around and make some observations. Don’t mind me while I just note some of them here, in no particular order.

I was reminded anew of just how blessed I am to not have an addictive personality and have some measure of self-control. Oh how many have made just one or two bad choices that have reaped an avalanche of consequences that could have been averted with a simple “no” before it all got started.

The reality is far different than the image. As I landed and took the shuttle to the resort at night I could see all the bright lights advertising all the fun that awaited the visitors to Vegas. Sure there are some very interesting themes to the casinos and in the architecture. But it’s all a façade, a scheme to draw you inside where the real theme is “give me lots of money as I fool you into thinking you are being entertained and you have a slight chance of winning a little bit.” Overhearing some conversations during breakfast at the conference, there were people who had lost more money the night before than all the expenses my company incurred to send me and two others there for three nights and four days. And it’s as if these people were bragging about losing that much. Hmmmm. Since they like just giving it away, I wonder if they’d go for just handing the cash over to me. I’ll let them brag all they want. And I’d even double tithe on it!

It’s not just the image versus reality as it relates to the casinos. The explicit sexuality on display just makes your feel defiled by simply walking down the street. There are groups of people on seemingly every corner trying to pass out pornographic advertisement for either bars or “services” of all kinds. (I’m not talking “classical” or “contemporary” worship service styles either.) It seems almost any depravity can be found if the price is right. After all, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?

But in addition to the disgust it was all very heart wrenching and sorrowful. What could drive somebody to sell their bodies like that? Did they run away from home because they felt unloved? Were they trapped in that lifestyle due to addiction or something else? Had they come, drawn by the bright lights and promise of success, only to find themselves making one “temporary” compromise after another to make ends meet? It made me want to get home and tell my wife and kids, especially my daughters, how much I love them and how special they are.

The whole time I was there it was like there was just this dark, icky sensation that enveloped everything. Almost as if I was the only one who could even see the real evil that lurked behind the glittery false fronts. Or if others could see it, they just didn’t care. People are funny that way. Most of the time they really do know right from wrong. But often it’s easier to rationalize why wrong isn’t so wrong than it is to take a stand and live in a way that is different from the world around us.

I’m still unpacking the many things I’ve been contemplating after my Las Vegas trip. So I don’t really know all of what I’ll take from that experience yet. Jesus loves the world and the world desperately needs Him. What is my part in His plan? What's yours?

Lousy Bloggers Anonymous

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:51:00 +0000

Hello, my name is David and I am a lousy blogger. (“Hello David,” comes the echo of the gathered crowd of other members in the twelve step LBA program.) We know who we are. Those who think it would be fun to create a blog to express our thoughts on things and share the happenings in our lives. We start off with good intentions of logging in at least every couple of days. But then the couple of days become once a week, then two weeks. And before we realize it a month has passed and we have hardly thought about posting on our blog.

Don’t take this as any sort of apology to you, the reader, for my lack of staying current. (It’s not like there are even very many who read this blog.) I guess I’m more disappointed with myself, as though I’m shirking my responsibility and neglecting the obligation I assumed when I decided to have a blog. Will I start posting on a more regular basis? I hope so. But I’m not really going to promise that.

Here’s what I think is really going on that has made me hesitate to blog as of late. I’m a bit of a political junkie. This being election season, there are so very many issues and candidates about which I have strong opinions. I know one function of a blog is to be a forum which allows people to post their views unencumbered by the worry about equal time or edittorial review. That’s one of the things I love about reading other blogs, the chance to read another’s opinion and get into their head a little. And there is so much I would love to blog about.

However, I also realize my true citizenship is in the heavenly kingdom. As such, there is also an obligation to promote unity and not division within the body. Does posting just for the sake of feeling good about spouting my political views in this heated climate serve any real eternal purpose?

Does that mean I won’t discuss politics with fellow believers if asked? Not at all. I’m more than happy to have a civil, rational and open political discussion provided I am certain the parties involved and I will still be able to walk away without injury to the relationship. And let’s face it, we do live here so what happens in our government does effect us. Will I vote? You bet. Though I know our problems cannot truly be solved apart from the hearts of people being changed, I can cast a vote for those whom I think will create a climate which will better reflect my own values.

I don’t know. I’ve really been trying to get my head around what “being in the world but not of the world” should look like in a situation like this election and the world of politics. Maybe I’m a bit misguided here about the whole not posting political opinions. I’d like to think that readers who know me would give me the benefit of the doubt and be mature enough to perhaps allow my views to differ from theirs without it getting personal. But I guess for now I’ll err on the side of caution and not risk becoming a stumbling block.

$700,000,000,000.00 is a huge number!

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:15:00 +0000

How far would $700,000,000,000.00 be in Balloom Dollars? Let's see. I would have to work for about 11.3 million years to earn that much. It would pay off my mortgage nearly 61,950 times over. My kids could attend Tabor, including room and board, for around 5,833,333 years each. It would purchase a new Balloom family minivan every day for the next 66,150 years. At $3.50 a gallon, it would purchase 200,000,000,000 gallons of gas for said minivans which would enable me to drive to Disney World and back 6,755,555,555 times. And if my family of six wanted to stay at Disney World for a week at the most expensive time of the year in one of the high end resorts including meals, we could stay for 110,414,100 weeks. If we wanted to give the $700,000,000,000 away, we could pay for our church to build 127,272 sanctuaries. We could pay for 100 Billion Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. We could fun K-LOVE radio in Wichita for 2,663,622 years. We could fund the TLC $40,000project in Chonburi, Thailand 17,500.000 over. We could give over $100 to every person on the planet. (A huge sum in thrid world countries.)

Hmmmmm.

Olympic Fervor

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 02:55:00 +0000

I've been watching the Olympics quite a bit these last few evenings. Amid the coverage of the actual events the network throws in all these stories about the different athletes and how they have trained and prepared for the games. Many of them have sacrificed years of being away from family and have given up living a "normal" life. And relative to the number of athletes present and the quality of the competition, the odds for most of them of winning any medal at all are very slim. Yet still they press on, making their bodies be faster and stronger and more enduring, just for the chance to compete while the world watches and cheers.

Then it hits me, what a pathetic, slothful Christian I am. I can hardly keep consistency in my daily walk and devotions. A simple thing like getting out of bed early often seems like too big a sacrifice to make. The athletes' lives are consumed by their passion for their sport. And even after years of training they have no assurance that they will even make the team. But anyone who calls on Jesus will be saved. And victory is already secured. The prize I strive for is so much better than some medallion awarded every four years. I need to beat my mind, my body and especially my will into submission in a more fervent pursuit of godliness and righteousness. Just think what a difference it would make in our world if all Christians were consumed with Olympic-like fervor.

Back in 1969...

noreply@blogger.com (DayVee) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:24:00 +0000

I'm not sure how many of you out there were even alive back on July 20, 1969 when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Did you watch it on your family's black and white TV? It seemed the whole world was marveling at this feat. However, something even more dramatic took place just three days later. As the Apollo 11 crew were making their way back to earth the angels were celebrating. Not due to the accomplishment of these astronauts. But it was on July 23, 1969 that I became a Christian. Of course, being only five, I can't say there were many dramatic changes in my lifestyle. But looking back over these past 39 years I can clearly see God's hand in guiding and protecting me through the circumstances of my life. Neil may have played an important role in the history of man's encounters of the heavens. But the kneel of most import is the one done at the foot of the cross in surrender to The Maker of heaven and earth.