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During the 250th birthday year of the United States, many are taking up the challenge of family exploration for the first time. If one's immigrant ancestor arrived early, there was a likelihood one would be related to a founding father or mother. Many of my family immigrated early to America, so I have discovered many surprises. For example, my 10th-generation great-grandparents came over on the Mayflower in 1620. Before you think that's special, there are probably at least 30 million Americans related to at least one of those Pilgrims, though many don't know it. Two fell overboard. My cousin drowned. One was recovered alive. Because he escaped from death, we have had two Presidents Bush.
The Mayflower voyage is significant for several reasons (Thanksgiving dinner, etc.), but of great importance was the Mayflower Compact that the men signed before they landed in what would be Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Compact outlined Self-government and the rule of law. This became the first working governmental document in North America, a forerunner to the later U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
I'm not fond of water, especially large bodies of H20. The scientific name is aquaphobia, or fear of bodies of water. For medical reasons, I have to avoid water in my nose. I could explain why, but trust me, you don't have the time! If I were with my Pilgrim ancestors and their friends, and someone asked, "Who would be willing to go to the New World?" my hand wouldn't shoot up.
There were 37 Separatists (people who wanted to separate from the Church of England) on the Mayflower, along with the ship crew and non-Separatists, for a total of 102. Half would die that first winter, including my 10th Great Grandfather, William White. Imagine the stories each could tell! They endured hardships to find a place where they would be free to practice their faith and way of life.
America is full of such stories, both good and bad. As a nation, we can learn so much and not repeat some of our earlier mistakes. Remember, "Those who forget their past are doomed to repeat it." "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." by Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana. It's hard to remember our past if we aren't aware of it. That is the challenge of the education of our youth. They can't remember the past because they haven't been properly taught it. The core meaning remains the same: a society or individual that fails to retain the memory of past mistakes and their consequences is likely to repeat those same catastrophic mistakes over again. If we don't know history, we will forget the lessons of socialism and communism. That is an easy trap for our young who want a cause to be sucked into.
The Mayflower experiment was not a perfect example, nor were our founders. After 50 years of relative peace, the colony and Native Americans engaged in King Phillip's War. The Indians lost, which set up the impetus for further incursion into Native lands. Slavery started long before the Pilgrims, with the Spanish in 1526. The British would follow suit by bringing 20 slaves to Virginia in 1619. It seems no one's hands were free of guilt. Some tribes in Africa would sell blacks from other tribes to white slave traders.
One reason for such division with other peoples was that they didn't bother to know each other's story. Stories build connections. When you don't know another's story, conflicts and misunderstandings grow. It is important to know each other's story.
During this quincentennial anniversary of America, let us pause and hear the stories around us so our differences become our strengths.
NEXT WEEK...we continue with our series, "Looking For America 250", with a look at "An American Experiment."
See you soon!
We just got back from a family vacation to Disneyland. By "we," I'm talking about our son and daughter-in-law, and their two kids. They wanted the kids to experience having their MeMaw and BePaw share the experience with them. Did we ever share the experience with them? It was quite a push for our bodies to cooperate (after all, I'm old enough to have had coffee with Walt Disney himself!).
I noticed something about the crowd walking around the place. Most were friendly and seemed to go out of their way to be nice, as you would expect at the happiest place on earth. Amid all this goodwill, I had a surprise. C.S. Lewis wrote SURPRISED BY JOY. I was surprised by grief. As we were going through the line at Flight Across California, I was telling some interesting facts about the photos displaying the history of aviation. I asked them to look for a photo of the world's largest wooden plane, the Spruce Goose. My dear friend, Dr. Lloyd Mitchell, was on the team that engineered the hydraulic system for the massive plane. Sure enough, we found it. I also saw a biplane and explained how my dad flew in one of those early contraptions. As a boy, he had a deal with a local biplane pilot. For every 10 paying customers he got to ride in the plane, he would be given a free ride.
Then it hit me. I felt this sudden surge of grief. I could feel it coming, but could not stop it. I tried to fight the tears because of frequent nosebleeds. The tears won. I used all I had to stop the grief of my father and eventually made it to the ride. I thought that was behind me, but as we left, the grief came back in a fury. There was no stopping the flood as I moved ahead of my family and turned my back on the crowd. That is when this late middle-aged woman came up to me.
"Are you going to be all right?" she asked with such concern in her eyes.
"That last ride triggered this deep hurt of grief," I replied.
By that time, my family realized something was happening and moved in to help. The woman faded away. I wish I could see her again to thank her for her compassion.
Why did people care so much for each other at Disneyland? It was an artificially controlled environment. Everyone was there to have safe fun. You could leave a stroller or wheelchair parked with your belongings in it as you went on a ride.
I lived in a similar environment in New York City following the terrorist attack in 2001. I was a recovery worker (see footnote). That attack brought people together like a caring family. The unimportant, small things didn't matter. Caring for each other did. It is no surprise that I felt culture shock when returning home near Portland, OR. People were still more involved in their own world than in caring about Americans on the other side of the country. Soon, the waving flags would disappear, and it would be business as usual.
Does it have to take tragedy to bring people together? Perhaps if we make an effort to care for those around us, we could make this country and world a better place. The truth is that we need to embrace the Prince of Peace. He is the Prince of lasting peace. In the Bible, the Book of St. John, chapter 14, verse 27, Jesus said:
"I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27 NLT).
And...
"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:24-35 NLT).
Are you searching for a better America?
I encourage you to invite the Prince of Peace into your heart and life.
*Learn more about my experience by reading my book, "Sent to Serve...The Chaplains of 9/11"
When someone in the US is learning to drive, they must memorize traffic signs and learn the mechanics of driving. The symbols on those signs are very important. If one doesn’t follow them, they may cause an accident and end up in a serious predicament (like the man who didn’t obey the “Road Closed” sign and drove into a foot of fresh cement on an off-ramp). and even receive a heavy fine from a law enforcement officer.
What would happen if road symbols were suddenly changed and
drivers didn’t know what they meant? You
might end up in chaos.
A Sign of Peace showing that
God would never again flood the earth.
A Reminder for God and Humanity:
The text states, "I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the
sign of the covenant between me and the earth." [Genesis 9:13]. It acts as
a visible, physical reminder of God's faithfulness to His creation. For me,
when I see a rainbow, I’m thankful. I am
thankful for God’s goodness, grace, and mercy that He has shown me.
Different thin line flags represent others who serve us,
including fire, EMS, forestry, dispatch, etc.
The thin blue line flag is a noble cause and symbol. The current narrative claims this as a racist
symbol to SOME. The SOME are saying to
this flag, “We know better than you what you stand for.” Really?
In the U.S., we believe in the freedom of expression only if
it fits the current narrative. I live in
the Portland, Oregon area. It is
considered a very liberal city (ex. “Keep Portland Weird”). We had a small decal on a car window, showing
support for fallen officers. My wife
parked in a public lot. When she got
home, I noticed the decal had been hit with something, and the window had
shattered. We can’t support officers who
have died in the line of duty! A
Sheriff’s Deputy told me, “You probably shouldn’t fly your Thin Blue Line flag
at home. It may not be safe.” This is America, right?
In many ways, symbols have become confusing because people
look at them subjectively and decide what they want them to mean. Check this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0QvUwxndzs&t=253s.
In the movie “What About Bob?”, starring Richard Dreyfus
(Dr. Leo Marvin) and Bill Murray (Bob), Dreyfus is a psychiatrist, and Murray is
a mental health client. Dr. Marvin drops
Bob off at a mental health facility, but his college calls him back to say
there is nothing clinically wrong with him.
Bob is found in the library telling the staff this story:
“There was this Doc who was showing
a patient various Rorschach ink blots.
He asked, ‘What do you see? Patient says, “Sex.” How about this one? “Sex.” Okay, what about this one? “Sex.” The Doctor says, “Sex, sex, sex. Your problem is sex! Client replies, “You are the one with the
problem. You have the dirty pictures.”
Why are symbols important? They identify a group or movement. It’s a way for people to express
themselves. Freedom of expression is
vital to the rights of all Americans.
Let’s let others have their interpretation of their own symbols of
expression, as long as they let others do the same and don’t resort to
violence. We may not agree with them, but we should respect their right to
other ideas and beliefs. That is the
American way.
Many of our words and phrases today
come from our history, including the Bible.
“Feet of clay” is one such example. In the Book of Daniel, King
Nebuchadnezzar (AD 600) dreams of a magnificent statue with a head of gold, a
chest of silver, and legs of iron, but its feet are made of a fragile mix of
iron and clay. Because the base is weak, the entire statue is easily smashed. The
only one who could tell the king the meaning of the dream was Daniel, God’s
prophet. He was telling the king that
his kingdom would someday topple. Over
time, the phrase evolved to describe an idolized figure (like a leader,
celebrity, or hero) whose hidden flaws are eventually exposed, causing their
respected image to topple. (See Below)
“Virtually all the Founding Fathers went to their graves realizing that slavery, no matter how intractable, would become the largest and most permanent stain on their legacy. And when Abraham Lincoln eventually made the decision that, at terrible cost, ended slavery forever, he did so in the name of the Founders.” (History News Network, December 17, 2007)
Yet another example of our clay
feet: I was riding with a friend in his car as he turned into a store's parking
lot. “You have to be careful when
driving in here. Some people dash across
lanes,” he remarked. Within seconds, he
was dashing across lanes. I learned
where the phrase “white-knuckling” came from! One thing consistent about us is
our inconsistency.
Though our Founding Fathers
disagreed, they were able to come together to form America. What can we do to honor them? We should guard our foundation. The Nebuchadnezzar statue looked mighty, but
it only took smashing the weak feet, or foundation, to make it fall. What comprises
America’s foundation? Some claim that
the United States was formed like Israel. Israel was ruled directly by God,
what we call a theocracy. America is a
democratic republic, governed by the people through elected
representatives. Others claim that
America was and is a Christian nation. Christianity
is not the official religion of America.
The Bill of Rights made sure religion was protected by the First Amendment,
stating, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
Though America is not a theocracy,
its foundation was, in part, built on Christian principles. Others believe our Founders were greatly
influenced by Enlightenment thinking.
Not totally the case!
Some historians claim the overriding
view of God by the Founders was Deism, that God created man and then stepped
away without any help from Him. If that
is the definition of Deism, then none of the Founding Fathers were deists. For
example, Ben Franklin called upon Congress to pray. Here is part of his speech:
In this situation of this assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in the room for the divine protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard and they were graciously answered…or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance?... I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth that God governs in the affairs of men.” (See https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/evangelical-history/why-ben-franklin-called-for-prayer-at-the-constitutional-convention/).
I can get quote after quote on this from
the other leaders, but space and time do not permit.
WHAT, THEN, SHALL WE DO?…to see our
foundation as a nation remains strong? Abide
by the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, despite
our differences and our clay feet.
Remember our principles, greatly influenced by the Bible.
(Please interact with this material by clicking on the pencil below and leave a comment, and don't forget to share! Thank you.)
We recently celebrated my wife’s
__?__ birthday in April. She used to
celebrate a normal birthday. But thanks
to her friend, who put a bug in her ear.
“We celebrate my birth MONTH!” You guessed it: we now celebrate my wife’s Birth Month annually. That makes things more costly. I’m retired, but now I’m thinking of taking a
part-time job to pay for the added celebration. Some things are worth
celebrating, especially when they are 250 years old.
I would
especially like to have you, our readers, contribute to this 250th
Birthday of America. Do you have someone
in your family, ancestry, or a friend who contributed to making America
great? Maybe you have an interesting family story. Then please share that in the
“Connect” box in the upper right of the home page. Please try to keep the word count to
700. Your contact information will be kept
confidential.
From now through July 4th, each weekend, I’ll be sharing some tidbits of American history and culture. I believe you will
find them entertaining and educational.
I know this dates me, but I remember the Bicentennial of America. (Yes, I was born in the 1900’s.) My wife made us colonial period costumes that we wore in a July 4th parade and church. There was a covered wagon that crossed America, and a now-defunct restaurant gave out wooden coins that offered free coffee (see photo).
Below is a picture of the 200th birthday issue of Time magazine that I kept:
How does one “find” America? Obviously, we must look at our
past, but also the present, and consider the future. It’s interesting and
frightening that immigrants today who want to become American citizens know
more about our history than our current citizens. A course that all high school students took at
one time was Civics. It taught us about
our country and how to be good citizens.
Today, you would be hard-pressed to find any school, especially a public
school, that has such a course. Our
young people are worse off for it. The
famed actor, Richard Dreyfuss, has an initiative to bring back Civics to
schools. He said, “Teach our kids how
to run our country, before they are called upon to run our country…if we don’t,
someone else will run our country.” I guess you can say, “A good
citizen is an informed citizen.” Many of
our public schools are cranking out uninformed citizens. Put “students can’t answer simple questions”
in your YouTube search. Be ready to
laugh and cry.
Okay, people, let’s get informed. We’ll continue to learn
about our country and the people who made America great in the weeks to
come.
Have you, like me, come
across something that reminds you of an event or person on your journey? It happened to me…again. We live in the Pacific Northwest, where it
rains a lot. I grabbed an umbrella from
the car to go into the house. Later, I
was putting it away, and I saw on the bottom of the handle “Mr. J.” That is what my middle school students called
me when I was teaching many years ago. Just
as dominoes tip over and contact the next in line, that umbrella brought memories
back to me. It nudged me to remember other
memories. My first thought when I saw
“Mr. J.” on that handle was my eldest son.
I taught history, and a year after I left the school, my son took over
teaching the same topic in the same room.
What did they call him? Yep, “Mr.
J.” The first time I substituted for
him, a student came up and asked, “Are you the original Mr. J.?” My name had been stolen, or at least
borrowed.
One day, while I was subbing, a student came up to me and asked, “Mr. J., how old are you?” I smiled and said, “I’m so old that when I was born, the Dead Sea was only sick." His eyes got big as he exclaimed, “Wow!” (If you heard that joke before, you’re better off than my poor wife, who hears them repeatedly. It’s a small sacrifice to be married to me). I smile as I think about that encounter, and I am grateful to have many more.
Life is a mixed bag;
sometimes the memories are sad or difficult.
I call those “The Growing Kind.”
Reminders can trigger us, especially in grief. It could be a sight, sound, smell, or even touch. When the stories are good, we sometimes like to have a physical item to help us remember. They are part of our collective story.
_______________________________________________________
What about you? Do you see reminders occasionally that bring back
memories? Care to share one with our
readers? Just email me, Wally, at journeyintostory@gmail.com. 500-700 words. I’ll get back to you if we can use your
story.
Have you heard of Plenne L. Wingo? He was an American man who walked backwards from Santa Monica, California, to Istanbul, Turkey, about 8,000 miles (13,000 km), from April 15, 1931, to October 24, 1932, at the age of 36. He remains the Guinness World Record holder for "greatest extent of reverse pedestrianism". (Click here to read further about Plenne Wingo).
We just finished the first month of 2026. We often wonder what a new year has in store for us. Seeing ahead may not be as important as looking behind.
At most graduations, a speaker will say something like, “And as we face the future ahead of us…” What would you say if I told you we step backwards into the future!
I heard a preacher named Dennis Kinlaw share an illustration that should help. He said that to ancient Hebrews, a man faces east. That represents the past. North is left, South is right. West is back or behind. A person faces his past and steps back into his future. This messes up all the graduation speeches you might have heard. We see our past as we gingerly step back into our future. Does that sound scary? It would if we didn’t trust our journey to God, who sees the future.
Here are some things to consider:
Look at the past:
The past can be painful. If you live long enough, life will provide the pain. I was once asked to do a critical incident stress debriefing for some missionaries in Malawi. A Critical Incident Stress Debriefing is a process whereby all of those involved share what they experienced, their thoughts, and feelings around the incident. This helps them step back into the situation and reframe it so they can begin to grow out of the experience. One of those missionaries was killed when his car swerved off the road. His wife, kids, and fellow workers were traumatized.
Many of us would like to change the story of our past. We somehow believe we would have been better off not having to experience the pain. In reality, those incidents prepare us for the future and can enrich our lives.
My grandkids help me to step backwards. Sometimes when my grandkids hug me, they turn backwards. So after we hug, they say, “Grandpa, you have to walk backwards now!”
Anticipating the future:
If little is known of the future behind us, we might do well to step backward and hope for the best with God’s help.
There is a Wii game where the character is traveling in the dark and can only see a couple of feet ahead to stay on the path. Sometimes God gives us just enough light to see one step behind us into the future.
That reminds me of the movie, WHAT ABOUT BOB, starring Richard Dryfus. Bob is told by his shrink to take baby steps to overcome the fear of moving. We must trust Him to be there for the next baby step.
Think about the life stories of those who intersected with yours in 2025. What have you learned from those encounters?
We went out for a post-Thanksgiving breakfast. Geo, our friendly waiter, greeted and seated us. A young couple occupied the table behind us. Our “neighbor” got a phone call. One could easily hear that he was congratulating and encouraging a co-worker. He got a second call later from someone else and was just as encouraging. I certainly was impressed.
On my way back from getting to-go boxes, I walked up to them
and said, “Excuse me, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I couldn’t help but hear your
last two phone calls.”
“Oh, was I speaking too loudly?” he asked.
“No”, I responded.
“Being inside and next to each other, it was hard to miss.” I continued, “It sounded like you were
talking to a friend or fellow employee.
You sounded very encouraging and complimented them on their recent
accomplishment. You did the same with
the second caller.”
“Yeah,” he added, “I like to encourage others. It encourages them, and me.”
“Well, I’m very impressed.
We need more people like you,” I concluded.
I told him about this blog, Journey into Story. I explained that the purpose is to learn
others’ stories. The more we know each
other’s stories, the more we take steps towards mutual respect. In the end, as it spreads, peace is passed
along.
His friend, a young woman, is maybe 20 years
old. She is a drift car racer. (What is
“drift racing?” When finished with this
post, click the link at the bottom of the page.)
As I was leaving, I shook her hand and said, “Be
careful. You are too pretty to get into
a wreck.”
After they left, I spoke with Geo. He said, “Your bill has been paid by the
couple you sat next to.” Nice, it made
my day, so I put my arm around Geo’s shoulder and put a nice tip into his hand.
Please consider listening to others’ stories and sharing your
own. In the process, everyone receives
benefits.
My wife said to me while I was putting on a shirt, “I
wouldn’t wear that shirt, it has a gorilla on the back (see photo at the top of
this article). You guessed it, one of
our grandkids put it there. After they
visit, I’m always cautious as to what I’ll find. Once I climbed into bed, I hit a cowbell! I have discovered action figures, stuffed
animals, and socks, among other things.
Years down the road, we will remember these times and smile.
These kinds of remembrances become part of our story. They are the threads in the fabric of our
lives. They help us embrace our
memories. Yes, there are some memories
we might rather forget, but they are still part of the fabric. Without them, we end up with holes in life’s fabric.
What are the surprises in your story? Perhaps you can share
them with us by tapping "Comment" below.
Remember...If we tell our story in a vacant woods, does anybody hear
it? The way to be heard is to share.
What would happen in our daily lives if people couldn’t communicate well? It would probably end up like the movie, “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” Good communication is vital. We need to speak, listen, write, and think about what is being communicated. Unfortunately, in today’s climate, that doesn’t happen often.
Our first communicator, Jesus, 33,
was a great communicator. He communicated on a human level, which is pretty
good considering the Bible says He is God.
He wanted the listeners to think about what he said, and sometimes spoke
in parables. A parable is a simple story illustrating a religious or moral
lesson.
The Pharisees thought his words
were inflammatory and wouldn’t listen to reason. They were afraid of losing their power
base. They killed him.
This is similar to our second communicator:
You are probably aware that Charlie
Kirk was the 31-year-old man who travelled countrywide, visiting college
campuses, and was assassinated at a Utah campus on September 10, 2025. He
politely encouraged young people to think through their positions. Some have said that he used inflammatory
language, but I’m not sure they actually ever listened to his debates. It’s kind of like the guy who said, “I
thought I knew a lot about the Bible, until I met someone who read it.” Charlie was polite, unlike some of his
questioners. He gave people a chance to
share their viewpoint and then shared his.
Many times, when people didn’t have an answer, they got upset and said
Kirk was inflammatory. Inflammation is
an emotional reaction rather than a thought process. In America today, many react. They killed
Charlie.
It seems that we Americans get
offended when others hold differing views and we can’t prove them wrong. Then it turns to name-calling and a shouting
match. It’s no wonder we can’t
communicate.
Some colleges cancel speakers
because of their stance. I thought
college was supposed to be a place to share ideas. One can have their ideas as long as they align
with the institution's agenda. A few
years back, there was to be a debate between an evolutionist and a creationist. Shortly before the event was scheduled, it
was cancelled. What was there to fear? The truth?
Is it possible to talk to each
other and listen to what the other has to say?
In the end, we may not agree, but we can respect the other's right to do
so. If we can’t, we may resort to
violence. Can our nation survive without good communication and listening
skills?
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. III said, at the 50th anniversary of his father’s “I have a dream” speech:
“We
must learn non-violence, or we may face non-existence.”
Communication can be a weapon or a
tool. Will you join me in practicing
good communication without taking offence? Isn't that what our nation needs right now?
We once stayed with friends while
visiting Kansas City, MO. They had the
habit of always keeping their blinds closed.
It drove us batty, so when they were away at work, we opened them up and
let the beautiful rays of the sun enter the room. We made sure the blinds were fully closed
when they came home from work. After
all, we had no other place to stay.
Our present home has a full wall of
windows from overhead to nearly the floor.
That’s great for the backyard.
Our living room faces the street, with my lounge chair completely
visible, so I raise the curtains enough for others not to see us. I don’t like living in a fishbowl. My wife isn’t bothered by open shades, so she
opens them more than I feel comfortable with.
I’ll come in and see the big center blind open, and I raise it, only for
my wife to come by and put it down. This
happens so much, I think the neighbors across the street are probably thinking
we are sending some kind of coded message!
Am I being unfair? After all, the blinds are fully open that
face our beautiful backyard. Isn’t that
enough? Not. We do have a mutual friend who is a
mediator. Perhaps we should hire someone
from his office to assist us.
We have been asked by several
people, “How have you stayed married so long? What’s the secret?” Here is the secret: Are you ready for this?
There is no secret. It’s out in the
open. The answer lies in two words: love
& commitment. Most believe they have
the first word down, but what kind of love are we talking about? It’s not, “As long as you keep me happy, I’ll
love you.” In other words, “What’s in it
for me?”
As a couple’s therapist, I would
ask couples if they agreed with this statement:
“Marriage is a 50/50 proposition?”
Most agreed. The answer is “Marriage
is a 100/100 proposition.” If we only go
halfway and draw a line, we can say, “I did my part, now you do yours.” We get rid of the line if we both give 100%
to the other. There may be a time when someone
can only give 60% because of illness and personal struggles. That’s when the other partner is there for
them.
Back to the blinds. We have both accepted that we each want something
different. Whomever uses the room positions
the blind. If both are in the room, we leave
it where it is presently located or ask the other if they don’t mind us moving
it. We can live with that, after all, we
are giving at our best…usually.
I grew up in an inexpensive
house. I knew we were poor when we
visited my Uncle Dave. They lived in a
beautiful two-story home with immaculate furnishings. The style of our furniture was Early
Goodwill. My father and a friend built
an addition onto the kitchen. At the
time, it looked big, but it didn’t look so big when I came back as an adult.
Many of you may have seen the
Canadian comedy show, “Red Green.” Red
fixed everything with duct tape. My dad
fixed everything with Liquid Nails. It
often didn’t look that pretty, but was sometimes functional.
The house had a forbidden
corner. It was where a water pump once
stood, so the floor sagged in that corner.
It wasn’t good for anything except storing bathroom linens. My dad would say, “You kids don’t get too
close to that corner, you might fall in!”
We were scared to get near it, except to retrieve a bath towel and wash
cloth. I would stand at some distance
and reach as far as I could without falling into that chasm where I would
disappear for all eternity. If you ever
dropped any change in the kitchen, it would probably roll down there, and the
rescue of that coin wasn’t worth the danger.
Fast forward to the present. We bought a house that had problems we
weren’t aware of. The house is not
level! Our ground is clay near a drainage
ditch. When it rains, the clay acts like
a sponge, expanding the foundation.
Now, if a friend falls indoors, we only have to go to the Northeast
corner of the room to find where they rolled.
Well, it’s not that bad, but you get the point.
FOUNDATIONS ARE IMPORTANT for
houses and for nations. Friday is
Independence Day in the U.S. Our nation has certain foundational principles and
ideas. Those principles came from four basic sources. The four major
influences were ancient thought, Enlightenment philosophy, the English
tradition, and Protestant Christianity. (1)
Ancient world thinkers and their failures taught the Founders a lot when
constructing the American republic. (2) Enlightenment
thinkers emphasized that the people should rule themselves through a limited
government that would protect natural rights and secure the liberties of the
people. (3) The British protected basic rights, such as the right to
trial by jury, property rights, and no taxation without consent. The government
would be limited, especially the monarchy. (4) The writings
associated with the Protestant Reformation emphasized individual
liberty from civil and religious oppression. Protestant ideas, based on Scripture,
of resistance against tyranny were generally consistent with the other three
strains of republican thought. (For further reading on this, click here.)
If you start to erode any of these
four building blocks of the foundation of America, it causes instability. If enough is chipped away, the nation can
fall. The one area that has most eroded is
the Biblical principles because they are the easiest to attack and misinterpret. We have gone on a witch hunt for Christian
teachings that were used to build our original foundation. After all, it was Jesus who told the story
about the foolish man who built his house on a foundation of sand. The winds and rain came, and the house was
destroyed. The wise man built his house
upon a rock, and it withstood all that came against it. (Matthew 7:24-27). We know how we built our foundation. If we let it erode, we only have ourselves to
blame.
As we consider these things, let’s be thankful for the wisdom of our founding fathers. They gave us a great start. It is our responsibility to preserve it.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Americans
spent $33.5 billion on Mother's Day-related gifts and activities in 2024. The
numbers for Father's Day were $22.4 billion last year. There are some reasons for this with guilt
being a top motivator. We’ll leave it at
that.
Mothers
fulfill an important role in our lives, as do all women. A woman doesn’t have to be a mom to be
a mom. My friend, Donna, has made a couple
of trips to Nepal to help out the churches there, where Christians are
persecuted. The person in leadership of over
100 churches there calls Donna, “Mom.”
It would not be proper to call her by her first name, so she is given
that title. She has made a great impact on
his life.
We have a
friend from Tanzania, Africa. His home
language is Swahili. We don’t speak
Swahili. Our language is Hoosier (look it up).
In their country, they show respect to an older woman or man as “Mama”
or “Papa.” Linda is Mama, and I am Papa. These are terms of endearment.
When Jesus
was on the cross, he looked down at his mother and the Apostle John standing
with her.
25 Near
the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the
wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus
saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby,
he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and
to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this
disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27 NIV)
Jesus was
asking John to take care of his mother.
He was also asking his mom to take care of him.
Women who
play a significant role in someone’s life can be a mom, mother, or mama. They become our nurturers, cheerleaders, and inspirers
in our lives. They are there for us, love
us, and guide us. (Check out my story
about Grandma Frye in the February 16, 2024 post, “Circle of Friends” to illustrate
this).
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO YOU!
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Ignorance is a misunderstood word. One might be called ignorant, but we somehow hear “stupid.” They are not identical twins or even distant cousins. Ignorance does not mean a lack of intelligence, but of knowledge. For example, what is hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia? You don’t know? You are not stupid, but ignorant. You don’t have the information.
I have to remind myself that there are people around me that
act unkindly or out of sorts. My
reaction might be, “What a selfish individual.”
How much do I know what that person is facing. Perhaps they are ill, recently had some bad
news, are hungry, or ate something that makes them nauseous.
I have hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (known as
HHT). It is a genetic bleeding disorder.
Over 95% of us have frequent severe nosebleeds. You would look at me and
probably say, “I don’t see anything wrong.”
First of all, thank you for saying that.
There are plenty of disorders that people can see. They get the attention. That’s not to take away from the other
ailments, it’s just a fact. If I ask for
a seat on a busy transit train, people might say, “What’s his problem?” If I
were on crutches, they would understand.
We never know what others are facing, so it’s important not
to jump to judgement. This is especially
handy in traffic. Avoiding road rage is
a good thing.
Jesus was going through a tough Friday. The calendar calls
it “Good Friday,” not because it was good for Jesus but because it was good for
us. He took our burdens, mistakes, disorders, and imperfections on himself so
we would not have to carry them around the rest of our lives.
This was brilliantly portrayed in the movie, “Mission,” starring Robert De Niro as a priest who formerly enslaved the natives of Paraguay, but also killed his brother in a duel over a woman. I invite you to see the clip below. He carried a heavy weight in a net, up a mountain as penance. It reminds me of what Jesus did for me while carrying his cross. Because he took my load, I didn’t have that burden. Later, true forgiveness came amidst the wave of emotions and relief. (especially look at timestamps 146-259).
Suffering is difficult, but it can become our mentor regarding life, character, and relationship with others.
My
new neighbor, Joel, owns a construction business. He has a wife and three girls. They are Hispanic. All of his workers speak Spanish, with half being
bilingual in English. I am bilingual,
and I speak Hoosier. At the end of the
workday, they huddle at his house to talk about the day and shoot the
breeze. I like to venture over to tell
them a story or a joke. They listen to
me because I often give them some mint candy.
The great part is the punch line. At that point, the bilingual guys
laugh. That’s the first wave. Then they
tell the others in Spanish. That is the
second wave. Not every comedian gets a two-wave laugh.
In
college, I had a choice of taking Greek or Spanish. I felt Spanish would be more practical. What a year that was! It was a struggle for me and at times it made
me frustrated. Do you know how far a
Spanish-language book flies across a room?
It would have gone further if it hadn’t hit the wall. It was probably at that time that I learned
to cuss in Spanish! I shouldn’t
complain. Most people say English is the
most difficult to learn. English doesn’t
make sense. They have different rules
that contradict each other. One word
means many things and we have idioms.
Language
is a gift. Without it, our stories could
not be shared unless we used stick figures. That would leave much to be
desired. Kind of like a Rorschach ink psychological test. That’s the test where they show what looks
like ink spilled on paper, then ask you what comes to your mind. People have different
ideas as to its meaning. Have you seen
the movie, “What About Bob?,” starring Bill Murray. He is in a mental hospital,
sitting on a cafeteria table with several patients and staff around him.
“I
saw a doctor who showed me an ink spot and asked me, “What comes to your mind?”
I
said, “sex.”
He
showed me another. “Sex.”
A
third time, “sex.”
The
Doc announced, “It seems you have a problem with sex?”
I
told him, “You’re the one with the dirty pictures.”
Some
may think that God didn’t do any favors when he destroyed the tower of Babel
and caused people to speak different languages, yet the nuance of the language
brings such wonder and beauty to a story.
You
can tell a story in a different language, but it doesn’t seem to have the same effect.
My
wife and I are from different galaxies. We communicate differently. I’ve often
thought we should try out Google Translate to get our ideas across, but I don’t
think it works. “No comprenda.”
Language
is important to storytelling. I have
gained an appreciation for stories through the ones that communicate, and
translate them.
I try to embrace new
technology. I have found that sometimes
new technology gets it wrong.
When traveling, we use GPS to get to
our destination. Sometimes, we run into detours, taking us longer to get there.
We were to meet another couple for dinner. We put the address in the GPS and
headed out. We found ourselves in a sparsely populated area. While driving by
an empty field, the voice said, “You have arrived.”
Sometimes, detours lead to a street
full of potholes, which is not the quality of the original highway. Had we
stayed on the original road longer, we would have reached our
destination earlier. Yogi Berra said, “When you come to a fork in the road,
take it.”
That’s a metaphor for life. The
roads we take make up the material of our stories. Without journeys, we have no stories.
I think God looks at detours
differently. It’s probably because of His
viewpoint; His perspective is broader and more complete. Have you walked through a junkyard? Put that on your bucket list. Bent metal, broken glass, rust. It’s not exactly a scene you want to
paint. Now, fly over that junkyard on a
sunny day. You discover a mosaic of
colors surrounded by sparkling flashes of light. The yard hasn’t changed, your perspective
has.
As younger people, we haven’t traveled
long enough for many detours. When you reach my age, well let me say, I’ve seen
more than I can count. What are some of
the detours of life? Detours of addiction, estrangement, betrayal, health,
grief, loss. Not all detours are
bad. I was working in a church when I
was handed a detour. The next thing I
knew, I was a police chaplain. I didn’t
see that coming, and neither did the officers.
That department never had a chaplain before and I never worked with
cops. We cautiously looked at each other
for a while, until I had opportunities to show my value. As a result of that detour, I have had
lifetime experiences that most people haven’t.
When reaching our destination, the
detours don’t matter when destinations are places and people we love. They are valuable installments to our
stories.
Ultimately, heaven is my
destination. Until I get there, there is
still a lot of material, and detours, to teach me about life.
Each
Christmas time, we kids in the neighborhood would go caroling. It was a fun and constructive time, and it
got us out of our parents' hair. We
lived up in Indiana near Lake Michigan, so there was snow and cold. Often, when we performed at a neighbor's
house, they would give us candy, cookies, or hot cocoa. We appreciated the cocoa. It kept us going to
our next gig.
One
year, we heard about a family from France who moved into the neighborhood at Christmas
time. They were professionals in
balancing and juggling. They had
recently appeared on the Bozo the Clown TV show. We also heard they were on hard times. The cost of moving and little work added up
to a sparse Christmas.
We
had an idea. When we went caroling, we
could ask for money for this family rather than the other treats. We collected a big chunk of change and got
the goodies anyway.
We
planned our last stop at the French family's rental home. They opened the door very cautiously. As we began to sing, they opened the door wider. They enjoyed the music and the very idea that
we would come and sing to them made them smile.
After we finished with, “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” we handed them
the card with the gift funds. They had
smiles and tears. Their gratitude was
evident, even with the language barrier.
Somehow,
it didn’t seem so cold outside as we made our way back home. I’m sure it was the warmth we felt in our
hearts as we gave to others in need.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
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