Obituary -- Death of Common Sense
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intended but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using a mouthwash after lunch; a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student; and a librarian fired for reporting to the police of a patron viewing child pornography on the libraries computer, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a Band-Aid to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Commons Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your home and the burglar can sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little on her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone, apparently assuming that the persistent deterioration of the American way was just fine.
"Author unknown"
Monday, March 31, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Eliot Spitzer
When news first hit the floor of the New York Stock Exchange that a scandal was brewing involving Eliot Spitzer and a high priced call girl -- a cheer went up. Trading stopped for a second or two and the floor erupting in cheering. Eliot Spitzer who had zealously pursued justice at the cost of many Wall Street firms had fallen. His sin had been exposed. A lot of people were elated.
Why is that?
When someone falls, why do we rejoice? I'm no Spitzer fan - he took his role as Attorney General of New York to an extreme. He viewed himself as a modern day Eliot Ness and went from company to company, industry to industry threatening corporate death unless Boards of Directors gave in, wrote huge checks and fired their CEO's. Spitzer threatened many a man with total humiliation including threatening to arrest a corporate executive in front of his wife and small child unless he gave in to Spitzer's demands.
In hindsight, it is very clear that the power went to his head. He became invincible, untouchable and as we now know, above the law himself. So I am no fan, but why is it that some of us rejoice in his fall? Take him out of this ... why do you rejoice when your enemy falls?
Why aren't we on our knees praying for that enemy or Spitzer and shuddering, "My God, that could so easily be me. If the world saw what lurked in my own dark heart, I'd be taken out too."
We are hypocrites. It is so easy to make Spitzer or Bill Clinton or that guy in your office who fools the bosses year after year and finally gets exposed, out to be the bad guy. We love to say, "what goes around, comes around". But what about that which is due to come around to us? How quick we are to judge others and slow to see our own sin.
I'll admit, I was glad the "SOB" Spitzer got exposed. He was cocky, he was a super ego, he thought the rules didn't apply to him, he thrashed others to build his own stock to help fulfill his ultimate ambitions. I was glad until I put this back on me. On my knees, I proclaim, "My God how easily that could have been me!"
Every time I see Chuck Bradshaw and say "How are you doing?", he always (I mean every single time) says, "Better than I deserve." How true.
Soar!
When news first hit the floor of the New York Stock Exchange that a scandal was brewing involving Eliot Spitzer and a high priced call girl -- a cheer went up. Trading stopped for a second or two and the floor erupting in cheering. Eliot Spitzer who had zealously pursued justice at the cost of many Wall Street firms had fallen. His sin had been exposed. A lot of people were elated.
Why is that?
When someone falls, why do we rejoice? I'm no Spitzer fan - he took his role as Attorney General of New York to an extreme. He viewed himself as a modern day Eliot Ness and went from company to company, industry to industry threatening corporate death unless Boards of Directors gave in, wrote huge checks and fired their CEO's. Spitzer threatened many a man with total humiliation including threatening to arrest a corporate executive in front of his wife and small child unless he gave in to Spitzer's demands.
In hindsight, it is very clear that the power went to his head. He became invincible, untouchable and as we now know, above the law himself. So I am no fan, but why is it that some of us rejoice in his fall? Take him out of this ... why do you rejoice when your enemy falls?
Why aren't we on our knees praying for that enemy or Spitzer and shuddering, "My God, that could so easily be me. If the world saw what lurked in my own dark heart, I'd be taken out too."
We are hypocrites. It is so easy to make Spitzer or Bill Clinton or that guy in your office who fools the bosses year after year and finally gets exposed, out to be the bad guy. We love to say, "what goes around, comes around". But what about that which is due to come around to us? How quick we are to judge others and slow to see our own sin.
I'll admit, I was glad the "SOB" Spitzer got exposed. He was cocky, he was a super ego, he thought the rules didn't apply to him, he thrashed others to build his own stock to help fulfill his ultimate ambitions. I was glad until I put this back on me. On my knees, I proclaim, "My God how easily that could have been me!"
Every time I see Chuck Bradshaw and say "How are you doing?", he always (I mean every single time) says, "Better than I deserve." How true.
Soar!
The Good Life
The good life - the one that truly satisfies exists only when we stop wanting a better one. It is the condition of savoring what is rather than longing for what can be. The itch for things, the lust for more - so brilliantly injected by those who peddle them - is a virus draining our souls of self contentment.
Have you noticed?
A man never earns enough. A woman is never beautiful enough. Clothes are never fashionable enough. Cars are never nice enough. Houses are never furnished enough. Gadgets are never modern enough. Food is never fancy enough. Relationships are never romantic enough. Life is never full enough.
Satisfaction comes when we step off the escalator of desire and say, "This is enough. What I have will do. What I make of it is up to me and my vital union with the Living Lord."
Are you satisfied? What are you reaching for? Can you reasonably hope that this world can fulfill you?
No. It is only in the Lord. In the Lord.
Soar!
The good life - the one that truly satisfies exists only when we stop wanting a better one. It is the condition of savoring what is rather than longing for what can be. The itch for things, the lust for more - so brilliantly injected by those who peddle them - is a virus draining our souls of self contentment.
Have you noticed?
A man never earns enough. A woman is never beautiful enough. Clothes are never fashionable enough. Cars are never nice enough. Houses are never furnished enough. Gadgets are never modern enough. Food is never fancy enough. Relationships are never romantic enough. Life is never full enough.
Satisfaction comes when we step off the escalator of desire and say, "This is enough. What I have will do. What I make of it is up to me and my vital union with the Living Lord."
Are you satisfied? What are you reaching for? Can you reasonably hope that this world can fulfill you?
No. It is only in the Lord. In the Lord.
Soar!
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