Sports vs. the Front Page

I don't post a lot about parenting here. I remember when I didn't have kids yet, thinking to myself that parents seem to be obsessed with the topic of parenting, and I didn't want to join that crowd. I haven't changed my mind. Don't get me wrong: I love being a dad. I love Abby, Jacob, and Zachary with all my heart, and I also know that I have a lot to learn about my role as a father. But I don't want to be one of those people who talks about my kids, or about parenting, all the time.

Having issued that disclaimer, I must say, as a dad, i am saddened at what I see on ESPN.com today. See, my 8-yr-old son Jacob, while not being allowed to surf the entire internet yet, is free to go to the ESPN website. He also gets to read the sports section of the local paper. He likes sports, and I've seen some good things in his life as a result of his role as both a spectator and a participant. Thanks to baseball cards and the stats and standings listed in the paper, he has learned a lot of math that I didn't get till I was at least 4 years older. He embraces good role models like Josh Hamilton and Michael Young. He gets the concept of teamwork and trying hard to accomplish a goal. He sees what's wrong with being a selfish team member.

But there's a dark side to sports, too. When I look at the headlines, I see a bunch of stories he isn't ready for yet. Just today, for example, I see, on the front page of ESPN.com, stories about:

--a college football player's stabbing death after a party

--another college football player's suspension for lying to authorities

--an NFL running back referring to fans and reporters as "fags"

--a pro tennis player using crystal meth

and that's just today. In a few days, the list of disturbing, not-for-kids stories will be replaced by new ones.

Ideally, I'd like the sports page to be a place where my kid can read stories which have more to do with...I don't know, sports, maybe? I know that he will be exposed to the realities of ife, and the failures of humans, in time. I'd just like to be able to put off that exposure a little longer, if possible. I would like to know there's one section of the newspaper I can plop in front of him and not have to worry that he might be reading something he's not ready for yet. But this is the world we live in, so I have to watch everything and assume nothing is safe. And that's a shame.

Cleaning your own house

I recently heard a liberal who I like saying some things about how mean and ridiculous Glenn Beck is. I’m not defending Beck. I don’t have cable so have never heard him say anything, the sole exception being except a youtube clip where he misinformed about the cars.gov site. However, the comment about him, similar to what I have heard about Rush, O'Reilly, Coulter, and other commentators from the Right, all have one thing in common: they come from people on the Left.

It’s my view-–and this is a view I cannot support with Scripture or anything else–-that people should be more prone to cleaning their own house that the house of others. In other words, liberals should be slamming the rude people who are in line with them politically before they go off on conservatives who draw their ire. And conservatives should do the same.

It’s incumbent upon us on the Right to let Rush, Beck, Coulter, etc. know that their tactics are unacceptable, and it’s up to those of you on the Left to concentrate on communicating the same message to Al Franken, Jeanine Garafolo, Maureen Dowd, Bill Maher, and Jimmy Carter. All in that list have said things as uncalled-for as anything Beck has ever said.

For instance, why did I not hear anyone on the Left bashing Carter for his statement equating disagreement with Obama’s policies with racism? That accusation is revolting, extreme, inflammatory, and untrue. But it wouldn't surprise Carter or his supporters to hear any conservatives point this out. However, if a liberal, or several of them, said something, it would carry some weight. To his credit, Obama did publicly disagree with the statement somewhat. It would have been nice if other voices from the Left joined in.

It’s easy to slam the guy you don’t agree with; it's like shooting fish in a barrel. Be different. Do the brave thing. This world would be a better place if we concentrated our complaining to those those with whom we are more closely aligned politically.

Would Beck listen to his own party members if they spoke up about this? If enough people said something, the answer is yes. (Note: if the answer is no, then what good does it do for anyone, including the ones on the Left, to complain about him?)

Book Review: What Difference Do It Make?

"What Difference Do It Make", by Ron Hall, Denver Moore, and Lynn Vincent, is a follow-up to their best-seller "Same Kind of Different As Me". And when I say follow-up, that's exactly what I mean. It isn't a sequel; it's a continuation. It's a way to reveal the bountiful fruit yielded by the first book.

If you have not read the first book, I don't recommend this one. It might be understandable, but it won't pack a punch. That said, for those who have completed SKDAM, the new piece is a valuable read.

In summary, WDDIM is made up of vignettes; we get to hear Denver and Ron speak through chapters individually, in one or the other man's voice. While the book as a whole doesn't have a real defined structure, each chapter does, and each is filled with stories that tell us the effects of the first book on various readers. Some are heart-warming, some heart-tugging, and all are inspiring. In many cases, SKDAM served as a catalyst in the life of someone who needed a jump-start. Ministries were formed, lives were impacted, and hearts were turned to God.

It's a very good book, and I am glad I read it.

Disclosure: Thomas Nelson, the publisher of What Difference Do It Make, provided me a free copy of the book in exchange for my review. I am free to give a positive or negative review.

If you really want results....

I have to say, this is one of the most exciting passages I have ever seen. God answers people who have confronted Him because their prayers and fasts haven't impressed Him, and haven't yielded the kinds of results they have been looking for. He responds by saying that the problem is that they have been fasting according to their criteria, not His. Their idea of serving God kept them in their comfort zone. In contrast, here's what will please Him:

Isaiah 58
v.6 "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed ones go free, and that you break every yoke?
v.7 Is it not to break your bread to the hungry, and that you should bring home the wandering poor? When will you see the naked and cover him; and you will not hide yourself from your own flesh?"

And check out the results!

v.8 "Then shall your light break out as the dawn, and your health shall spring out quickly; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of Jehovah shall gather you.
v.9 Then you shall call, and Yahweh shall answer; you shall cry, and He shall say, Here I am. If you take the yoke away from among you, the pointing of the finger, and speaking vanity;
v.10 and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall your light rise in darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday.
v.11 And Yahweh shall always guide you and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make your bones fat; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters fail not.
v.12 And those who come of you shall build the old ruins; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in."

I want to let God do the speaking, so my only comment will be that the above passage doesn't just apply to helping the poor financially, although that certainly is included. It's broader than that. The afflicted and the oppressed mentioned above are people caught up in sin, or some sort of hurts resulting from sin that is present in this world. We are to be ready to bear the burdens of others who are going through something tough, and the list of possibilities is a long one.

Be ready, listen for His voice, in order to be there for someone; to allow God to use you as His relief agent.

2 Corinthians 1:4 "[God is] comforting us in all our trouble, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in every trouble, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Book Review: Donald Miller's A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

I could be easily convinced that the phrase "I just couldn't put it down" was coined with Donald Miller's "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" in mind. Whereas I typically require a month to read a book of this size (250 pages), I started this one on a Saturday and was done by Monday night. (My wife upstaged me: she read it in one day.) From the beginning, this book had its hooks in me and wasn't interested in letting go.

The premise is simple, but unique: some time ago, the author was approached about making a movie based on "Blue Like Jazz", his best-known work. "A Million Miles" is an account of the personal revelation that his own life could be more interesting, and that revelation's aftermath. The result was a number of valuable lessons learned by Miller as he explored the story-creation process, with the main lesson being the importance of making sure one's own life story is a meaningful one.

"A Million Miles" is filled with seemingly unrelated anecdotes, not only from Miller's life, but from the experiences of others, each determined to make sure that their life makes a difference. He weaves the varied stories together masterfully and seamlessly. The author's narrative style seems more focused this time, especially when compared to the free-for-all that was "Blue Like Jazz". Although the trademark Miller humor is there, the stories are more serious, and at least one is heartbreaking. All are instrumental in getting Miller's point across: make your life count.

While this book stands on its own, it continues a theme common to most of Donald Miller's work. In "To Own a Dragon", "Blue Like Jazz", and "Searching for God Knows What", Miller introduced us to several real-life characters who understand the importance of having an impact on our world; here, he adds to the list of stories of those remarkable people.

From the young woman who gets water wells built in poor African villages, to a man who restores his connection to his almost-lost daughter, to a family who starts a New Year's Day neighborhood parade, we see just how powerful the combination of gumption, a genuine love for people, and a good vision can be.

This is not only an enjoyable book; it's an important one. I highly recommend it.

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Aside: Although their writing styles are very dissimilar, the ideas of Donald Miller and John Eldredge echo similar themes. In this case, Miller seems to be inspired by Eldredge's exhortation to believers--contained in "Desire," "Waking the Dead", and especially "Epic"-- to make your life a great story. The result is an inspiring message, as well. Although their voices are very different, I would love to one day see a collaboration between the two.

Underappreciated voice

I love music. I love quality music; not fluff, not ear candy. Sadly, many music snobs who pride themselves on their musical taste fall into the trap of not liking most music which actually sells, and that's sad. There are a few vocalists who truly deserve to be described as "artists", whose music leans toward the commercial side, not by choice, but because that's who they are.

One such singer, who gets very little positive critical press, is Ronnie Milsap. Poll any group of pop or country music critics, and he doesn't make the top 20 for most of them. And that's sad, because he's actually quite incredible. I have spent some time this week reaching back into more obscure parts of my music collection, and have been reminded of how powerful this man's talent is.

I found his soul-era (before he became a country singer) rendition of "House of the Rising Sun" and am convinced it's as good as any version out there. I offer this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-MXj9o_RpI (start around the mid-point). I offer this as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbFLHtGAkWE

I could offer more examples, but this isn't aimed at selling anyone on Ronnie's importance. That's not the point. And I acknowledge he has, like many artists, had moments of selling out which have resulted in some embarrassing stuff (there's a 1984 duet called "Night by Night" which is beyond bad). But his talent cannot be denied.

It's amazing that the likes of Vince Gill, Roy Clark, and Mel Tillis have been inducted in the Country Music Hall of fame, but Ronnie Milsap has not. Maybe it's not that amazing. Maybe it's just more evidence of how underappreciated this man is. No matter. There are a few of us who know.

If you want to hear a criminally underrated singer perform a criminally unknown song, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNo5CHlecYc and close your eyes and listen as he tells the story. Listen to the whole thing, and you'll wonder, like I do: where's the love for Ronnie Milsap?

Book Review: Max Lucado's "Fearless"

Max Lucado's "Fearless" comes along at an appropriate time for our nation and, I suspect, for many individuals. In his latest work, Lucado lays out Scripture after Scripture which demonstrate that fear of circumstances is ungodly, unwise, and harmful to us. In other words, when God tells us "do not fear", He is doing so not just to pat us on the back reassuringly; His command, when followed, will keep us from doing damage to our souls.

Lucado identifies various areas of our lives in which we commonly let fear have its way, (usually one per chapter). Some, such as death and change, are fairly obvious. Others, such as the fear of disappointing God, were off my radar. In each case, though, the author provides modern and scriptural examples.

As with most Lucado works, the illustrations are the thing. He is a gifted parable composer, and the analogies that he employs are masterful, especially when he personifies Worry in Chapter 4: Woe Be Gone--The Fear of Running Out.

The topic that Christians are not to fear is nothing new. Where "Fearless" sets itself apart is perhaps the most valuable contribution that this books makes to the discussion of the subject of fear. He methodically illustrates that fear is the root of many of our sins. We fear that we won't matter, so we follow fads and try to keep up with the Joneses. Fear of alienating our kids makes us into permissive parents, doing the kids more harm than good.

Lucado's most solid point, though, is that fear of anything except God is rooted in a lack of trust in God. I like the way he put it in Chapter 4:


"Seek first the kingdom of wealth, and you’ll worry over every dollar.
Seek first the kingdom of health, and you’ll sweat every blemish and bump.
Seek first the kingdom of popularity, and you’ll relive every conflict.
Seek first the kingdom of safety, and you’ll jump at every crack of the twig.
But seek first his kingdom, and you will find it. On that, we can depend and never worry."