What To Do With 9/11

 Nearly 25 years ago, I took a trip I didn't want to take.  However, I was convinced to go, and it had one of the biggest impacts of my life.  

I am a law enforcement chaplain, and I started my day by turning on the TV morning show.  That was my first glimpse of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in NYC on fire, sending out billows of smoke.  I thought, "What could have happened?  A mechanical failure?"  I would find out soon when I saw the second plane hit the South Tower.  We were under attack!  I woke my son to confirm what I was thinking.  

My thoughts went quickly to our officers, so I made my way to the police department. Flags were in every patrol car window.  I talked to a number of our employees.  I felt restless, like I should be doing something to assist with what was going on back East.  My first duty was to my home department.

Eventually, five chaplains from our group, including police and fire, went to New York the first week of December. (I'm on the far left in the red shirt.)                              

I have many stories to share, but  I refer you to my book, *SENT TO SERVE...THE CHAPLAINS OF 9/11.  It's a book about chaplains and what they do every day in your community, promoting a spirit of volunteerism and a message of hope.  If you like visuals, it has pictures!

It was a privilege to assist in NYC.  Check out this video on our local CBS affiliate about my time there. 

Many struggle with how to commemorate 9/11.  Perhaps that includes you.  While serving in NYC, I saw a poster on a bulletin board at a police precinct.  The NYPD was hosting a blood drive in honor of fallen officers.  When I returned to Oregon, I thought, "We should have such a drive at our department."  This coming 9/11 will be our 16th consecutive year! We say, "Give blood to honor those who gave their lives."  I spoke with a young mom.  She said, "I've never known what to do with 9/11.  This drive gives me purpose and context to remember this day."

I hope you find something to do this Patriot Day.  Perhaps volunteering or serving others.  Maybe pay it forward to a stranger or someone in your own family.  Each 9/11 from now on, you'll know what to do with 9/11.

*My book, SENT TO SERVE ... THE CHAPLAINS OF 9/11, is available on Amazon.

 

THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT

 It's amazing what one finds while searching through their family tree.  I got an early start when I was in high school.  I like history, and genealogy is similar to detective work.  Perhaps your family experienced a more recent emigration to the United States.  

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.

THE POWER OF SYMBOLS

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.

Sometimes people or groups steal symbols.  One example is the rainbow:

Many recognize it as the symbol of the LGBTQ+ movement.  Guess where they got it from?  For Christians, the origin is taken from the Bible as: 

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.

Below is another symbol that hasn’t been stolen, but misinterpreted:

The Thin Blue Line flag is a symbol of pride and honor. It originated in the United Kingdom.  It is to commemorate fallen law enforcement officers and symbolize the relationship between law enforcement and the community.  The black stripes are a constant reminder of the fallen brother and sister officers. The blue line in the center represents the officer and their courage.  The black stripe immediately above the blue line represents the public. The line just under the blue line represents crime.  The blue line stands between the two black lines, a metaphor for standing between the public, protecting them from crime and danger.

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.

THE FOUNDERS' FEET OF CLAY

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)

In the same sense, the founders of the United States had clay feet.  They were imperfect, petty, and difficult.  Kind of like us today.  Want an example?  Tomas Jefferson, the main architect of the Declaration of Independence, wrote, “All men are created equal.”  I guess some men are more equal than others.  Jefferson owned slaves until his death on July 4^th, 1826.  How can a man who opposed slavery on principle make such a statement while continuing his participation in it?

“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.)

 

LOOKING FOR AMERICA

 

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 250^th 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 4^th  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 200^th 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. 

 

Stepping Back Into The Future

Plenne L. Wingo

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?

Strange Things In Unusual Places

 Have you found anything that seemed out of place or unusual?  If you have kids or grandkids, you probably have.  Years ago, Anne Murray sang a song, “Hippo in the Driveway.” Talk about things that are out of place! Take a couple of moments and listen to this song, then we’ll talk...  

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.

The Tale of Two Communicators

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 50^th 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?

FOUNDATIONS OF INDEPENDENCE

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!

Language As Story

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.

Dysfunctional and Blessed Thanksgiving

 

Thanksgiving is a time for families.  That can be good or difficult, depending on the situation.  When I was working as a law enforcement chaplain, I often saw families at their worst, especially during the holidays.  The Norman Rockwell painting of the family gathered around the Thanksgiving table doesn’t fit for all Americans.  We want to think it applies.  

I have been watching a series called, “The Secret History of Family,” produced by the BBC.  The episodes are based on three young women sisters who grew up in East London in the 1800’s.  It is not a nice place.  You wouldn’t want to rent a B&B there.  They live in poverty and all end up spending time in prison for their imaginative ways of making money that happen to be illegal.  

The story is a look back from the perspective of their decedents.  Some ended up well-to-do and others much dysfunction and estrangement.  It is a journey into story as one views each episode and realizes how knowing one’s story can bring understanding and healing.

My family has a long and short story in America.  My grandfather on my mother’s side, came to the U.S. in the late 1800’s.  My mother’s other side were Pilgrims who came on the Mayflower in 1620.  My father’s family came from before the American Revolution.  At least one was a Patriot who fought in the Revolution and his son in the War of 1812.  So I guess you could say they had plenty of  time to mess up!

What is your story as you gather around the table this Thanksgiving?  Mine includes estrangement, addiction, betrayal, chronic illness, along with other challenges.  It is also mixed with love, blessings, and hope.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  No gifts or expectation of gifts are needed.  It is simply time for families to gather and be thankful.  If it becomes a gripe session or political wrestling match, that isn’t being thankful.  Let’s put all of that aside and breathe a sigh of thanksgiving.

______________________________________________________

What are you thankful for and why?  Please share with us all by clicking on the pencil icon below to reply.  We look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Not The Mama!

 

My mother loved the TV show, "Dinosaurs."  It was a show about an everyday dinosaur family made of up costumed characters.  The brother and sister were teenagers.  The baby would usually sit in a high chair.  When addressing his father, he would say, "Not the Mama!"  Mama would be the foundation for the home, and dad was a dufuss.  Do you notice in comedy shows that the father is often portrayed as an appendage to the family, appearing not to know much?  

Men have been taking the wrap for a long time.  First, there was the Women's Lib movement.  Women felt they had to be as good or better as a men.  They were taught that women didn't need a man. Right.

I have the unfortunate situation that my granddaughter and me have birthdays just a few days apart.  My son, her father, told me a few years back, "You know Pop, who is getting the attention in August?  Yep, your granddaughter."  It came as no surprise to me, because I'm not the Mama or Grandma!  By the way, my wife and I own a house.  When my son tells anyone that he is coming over, he says he is going to "Mom's house."  Hello!

I actually don't mind the birthday thing.  If I have to share birthday limelight, I don't mind the other celebrant is my beautiful granddaughter. There has been mostly boys in my family, so we secretly hoped our first grandchild would be a granddaughter.  We got what we hoped for and now she is the "Princess" of the family.  Her younger brother, who was smart to have his birthday in July, is her understudy to royalty.

When in comes to family, we really do need each other!    

IT'S BEEN ONE OF THOSE DAYS

Do you know those kinds of mornings when nothing seems to go right?  Today was my turn!  It was painful.  I got out the door late for a retina exam...no breakfast.  Traffic was terrible so I got there late.  I asked the office person if I had time to go downstairs to get a coffee and grab a bite.  She said, "Possibly."  That's when they came out into the waiting room, "Wally."  I was whisked into a room where they tested my eyesight, and then put in the dilation drops.  I was sent down to a different waiting room.  I waited for a while, then asked the desk person, "Now do you think I have time to go downstairs?"  "Well, you are number two on the list. If you are late we will take the next patient."  I told her, "I'll take my chance."

I get to the coffee shop, and you guessed it.  I had to wait in line.  I  finally ordered a coffee and pastry.  When I took the lid off of the coffee to add cream, it was filled to the BRIM.  I looked up at the barista, and she said, "Just dump some of it in the trash."  I grabbed the cup but the slight squeezing effect spilled hot coffee on the counter AND my hand!  After praying to the Patron Saint of Burns,  I made my way back up six floors.  

When I walked in, a patient asked, "Are you Wally?"  "Yes," I cringed.  "They just called your name," he announced.  Fine.  I had some time to eat.  after a couple of bites, they called me, so I packed up everything and moved to another examining room.  While waiting for the doctor I FINALLY finished my coffee and pastry.  

When the Doc came in, he asked, "How are you doing."  I said, "Fine, but I'll get over it."  He liked that one.  When we were done he said, "Well go out and have a bad day," with a smile.  I told him, "Some people have bad days, I have bad decades."  I left him laughing. He dilated my eyes, took a look, and said, "Looks good."

As I was leaving the office, I thought, "I don't need those little sunshades they give you.  After all, My glasses were photo-grey.  When I hit the outside, I realized I probably should have taken the sunglasses, but hey, I can do this.  I entered the parking structure and questioned myself about what floor my car was parked on.  I wasn't seeing well, so I could not find my car, even while holding my key fob and pressing the alarm button.  

Okay, I made my way back up the sixth floor to the doctor's office and got the sunshade.  I headed downstairs to the lobby.  I told the information person I was having a hard time finding my car.  She said, "I can call security for you." With twenty-six years in law enforcement, I couldn't imagine asking a security officer to drive me around to find my car. Thank God, I am retired!  I told the hostess, "I'll go check again for my car." She replied, "You might miss the security officer."  "I'll take my chances," I replied.  

This time, armed with sunglasses and clearer eyes, I found the car...FINALLY! I did make it back home with minutes to spare before my wife needed the car.  I was exhausted, but thankful to have doctors to take care of me and a car to make it to appointments.  This is especially helpful since most of the names in my directory start with "Dr."

 

Have you had one of those days you would like to share?  Hit to pencil below to place a comment.  It would be nice to know I'm not alone with these kinds of experiences.

HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU!

 

My wife and I recently went through the same medical procedure; cataract surgery.  Because I'm a gentleman, I let her go first (she claims I had another reason for doing so).  The surgery wasn't so bad.  The tricky part was remembering to put in the eyedrops 4, 3, 2, times a day that differed for each eye.

They took the patch off the next day.  It is amazing how bright the lights and colors are now.  When I compared them to the untreated eye, they were yellowish in one eye and brilliant in the other.  I looked in the mirror and realized, "I don't have renal failure after all!"

Many things in life can color our vision of the world around us.  We may see others through the lens of opinions or prejudices.  The problem is that we think we are seeing things clearly because the lens has been tainted for so long.  Don't let anyone tell you they see clearly on every issue.  While you are at it, don't claim the same pronouncement.

There is only one person who walked this earth who didn't need his lens cleaned...Jesus Christ.  If he saw something and made a claim about it, it was clear and true.  He hung around some sketchy figures.  He didn't see them as sketchy, but people with needs.  He saw what they could become. I wish I had those kinds of lenses!

I read about a man who wanted to see others as Jesus did, so he took a grease pencil and put a cross on each lens of his glasses.  He then stated, "I now see the world through the cross of Jesus." 

We will always have some discoloration as we look at others and the world, but if we allow Christ to help us see more clearly, it can make a difference.  That's the kind of “different" we all can use.

Here's looking at you!