The Smoot Blog

Busy as a bee

2006-11-09T15:43:00.000-08:00

If I was a blogger addict and I attended group meetings for bloggers anonymous then I could confidently announce, "It's been over a week since my last post."

This week has been busy. I only work four days due to receiving Friday off to celebrate Veteran's Day but it has felt like the never-ending week of torture. I've had one thing after the next arrive on my desk, which was already full to begin with, and most of it was completely unnecessary - but what can one do.

And just as I begin to see the daylight again I was subtly informed that I have things this weekend to complete, such as getting the Christmas tree out and assembled. I won't complain too much because the fact remains that I love Christmas.

Well, I didn't mean this post to be a post just for sake of blogging but as it turns out, it is. Oh well, life goes on.

Sign on the dotted line

2006-11-01T15:47:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year for political campaigns and once again every major intersection is trashed with campaign signs, which has sparked a question in my mind - what do campaign managers and politicians actually believe will come from all their signage? Do they actually believe that John Doe will walk up to the polls and think to himself, "Oh, I think I will vote for **** because I saw his or her sign at that popular intersection?"

What a joke! Politicians are so full of it. They actually believe we are that stupid to vote for them because of a sign on a street corner. Or because so-and-so endorses them. Or because they have all the answers and we believe them.

Take Phill Kline and Paul Morrison, who are running for Kansas Attorney General. Kline is such a nut job that he's actually using evil to fight evil. Morrison doesn't even know what he believes. He changed his political party just to run for AG. He doesn't even know what he believes on the hot topic of abortion. Isn't that so like politicians? To be as vague as possible in order to win the majority of votes and then not even do a damn thing because they either don't know what they believe or who to offend.

It's a toss up between the two because Kline fights for values and Morrison fights crime. I'll more than likely vote for Kline because who are we kidding when we say we can eliminate crime? If we we're winning that war then we wouldn't be needing a new courthouse and a new jail. We definitely are in high need for values.

The erosion of our topsoil

2006-10-31T22:39:00.000-08:00

Ask any farmer what the three most important attributes of valuable land and you'll more than likely get the following response: the amount and condition of topsoil, the proximity of water and the type of vegetation growing on the land (e.g. prairie grass).

Now ask any real estate developer the same question and you'll get an entirely different response: the proximity of resources (schools, roads, sewer lines, police, etc.), the current state of the land (debris, current housing, etc) and the location (low-crime, taxes, etc.).

I have always been perplexed why real estate developers will take a piece of virgin (undeveloped) land that might be filled with oak trees, remove all the oak trees and replace with houses, and then name the new subdivision something like "Oak Tree Estates." And it really jerks my chain to think about how real estate developers will remove all the natural beauty from the land (streams, trees, topsoil, etc.) and replace with cardboard cookie-cutter homes, roll-out sod and man-made waterfalls.

So, as you may have already guessed, this blog post is about the real estate development community and a comparison of their practices to the current moral state of our American society.

There seems to be a correlation between the habits of the real estate development community and the moral state of our country. I'll explain:

Developers strip virgin land of everything that is seen as pure, natural and beautiful. Our current society (which I am generalizing to be the collective of what is presented in the media, current politics, and in the entertainment industry) strips the pure, natural and beauty from our youth.
Developers then cover the hardened, rocky and abused land with deceptive housing, false landscaping and temporary eye-candy. In the same, our society attempts to cover problems arising from the removal of what was pure and moral by distracting our eyes and minds with deceptive marketing, superficial fluff and artificial beauty.

Some may say I am being harsh here or that I am completely off base but let's evaluate the mound of evidence. In our current society:

Current stats show church attendance is declining (and by church I am referring to that place where people go for community, guidance and moral instruction), all while we continue to build larger stadiums to hold the crowds attending sporting events (and by sporting events I mean those useless, mind-numbing events where people gather to worship millionaires).
Current popular television shows glorify adultery (e.g. Desperate Housewives) and immorality (e.g. The L Word). The average sitcom is so offensive and NOT funny that they add their own canned laughter (have you ever watched your favorite comedy on mute or truly listened to what they think is funny?)
Trends among youth today include school violence (Columbine, etc.), demands for offensive music and violent video games, and promiscuity, not to mention drug use.

Maybe I'm crazy here but isn't it a big sign something is wrong in our society when underwear for 7-year-old girls is made with lettering on the back that says things like "sexy" or "hottie?"

Will we continue to erode the land as well as our morals? We look to so-called celebrities as role models who are nothing more than hollow shells of their formal selves who have traded everything, including their moral values, to be famous and rich. They are nothing more than deceptive cookie-cutter homes built on barren land (without topsoil). They are posers.

We need to once again see the value of having rich topsoil. We need to return to the value system this country was founded upon. We need to stop stripping all the goodness in the world and pretending that it is being replaced with something better, more appealing.

Speaking of money

2006-10-25T06:10:00.000-07:00

Since I've been on topic of money, greed and envy recently, this article seemed perfect to share.

In my free time

2006-10-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

Currently I am listening to the following:

Glen Phillips - Mr Lemons, which also led me to pull out my albums for
Toad the Wet Sprocket - especially Fear

Currently I am reading:

A book on tennis
A book on billiards
A book on playing the card game Bridge
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
And of course, What to Expect When You're Expecting

I'm looking into reading:

Two books by Dallas Willard - The Divine Conspiracy (2nd attempt) and Hearing God
Wild at Heart by John Eldridge
Winner Take All Society by Robert Frank and Philip Cook

For the love of money

2006-10-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

I had an interesting discussion last night with my small group (a.k.a. bible study group) on the topic of money. We all had read the book The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn, which is a book on money and giving. The discussion took two directions because the bible is not exactly cut and dry in regard to saving and giving of money.

We looked at five versus supporting saving money for the future and then we looked at five that said to give it away to the poor and needy. We even looked at an article from Time Magazine on the topic, which was rather surprising (since they are not exactly the most reliable source).

Some felt as though saving was more important that giving and others felt the other way around. I took the middleground. I feel it is smart to save money for the future but with caution. Money, in all truth, is the root of all evil and it's very easy to slip and let money own you (e.g. where you store you treasure there your heart will be also). It's also possible to fall into the habit of looking to money to solve your problems rather than seeking out God and giving Him the chance to work in you and through you.

I also feel it is important to give of one's self, whether it's money, time or energy. With each passing day I see more and more how life is not me but about you, and by giving we exercise that idea. We move beyond ourselves and the rewards are endless when we give.

The pursuit of money is life a marathon. You have the runners, the fans and then the rest of world who are either ignoring the race, or are unable to compete, or have more important things to do with their time.

The runners are people who regularly think about money, work toward gaining more of it and enjoy showing off their money. They even form private clubs that are exclusively for other runners. Occasionally they will offer free advice to amateur runners but mostly they charge for their time, for money is so ingrained into their lives.

Then there are the fans. These are the so-called friends of the runners. They have little or no money but follow those who do, for they want to be near money and enjoy the benefits of it. They also attempt to gain money by running in mini-marathons (get-rich-quick schemes, playing the lottery, etc.) or by stealing it.

And finally, you have the rest of the world - the 97 percent of the world poorer than the average American. They simply have no money and have learned to live without it. Most are content with their standard of living and are truly happy - that is until they are somehow influenced by the other 3 percent (for reference watch The gods must be crazy).

I always thought my own mother was a little crazy when she would tell me in my youth that she wished our family was poorer so we all would learn to appreciate the things we had, and now today I can honestly say I see where she was coming from with those speeches.

Envy

2006-10-19T15:40:00.000-07:00

Envy can be a real pain in the arse. It strikes without warning and it can ruin a man. You can be minding your own business and then wham - you're selfworth, your standard of living, or what you have can completely be devastated by a look, a thought, or a few words.

Symptoms of envy include sleepless nights, low self esteem, feelings of inferiority, and countless others - all of which leave you wanting.

One could be completely satisfied in their current condition - content in every way, and then by the power of a simple temptation they are thrown into complete turmoil. It happened with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They had everything except the tree of good and evil.

The only cure is to learn to be thankful and content with what God has provided for you.

Oh yeah, and this isn't exactly easy - especially here in Johnson County.

Floating in a virtual world

2006-10-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

There are three basics to survival in this world but lately there seems to be some confusion as to what they may be. I have always been under the assumption that those items were food, water and shelter, but there seems to be a contender lately - time, money and pills.

We, generally speaking, have moved from a physical world to a virtual world. No longer are we tied to a world governed by sunlight. No longer are we bound to face-to-face communication. And no longer are we confined to work the land in order to provide means of survival for ourselves and for our family.

We have advanced and we now live by a clock versus the sun. We have moved beyond an exchange of goods to an exchange of money - a system in which the value of the dollar is dictated by an artificial syndicate we call the economy. And no longer do we create - we simply regurgitate.

And in this new advanced world we make it each day by chasing time, material wealth and possessions, and the latest drug or pill that promises to cure all our problems. Isn't it ironic that we're so-called in need of these pills because we're stressed out and overworked due to chasing time and money?

What would happen if we slowed down and re-entered the physical world where food, water and shelter were our main concerns? What would happen if we once again became one with nature and worked the land? What would happen if we once again became a community who cared and who shared rather than competed and cheated?

It would be nice if we returned to such simpler times.

What's that you hear?

2006-10-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

I am currently listening to:

Blue on Blue by Leigh Nash (solo album)
Good Monsters by Jars of Clay

I will soon be checking out:

Mr Lemons by Glen Philipps formerly of Toad the Wet Sprocket
The Fray
Chris Tomlin

Movie fever

2006-10-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I love movies. I love going to the theatre and I love watching movies at home, and typically I have an equial mix of the two. That is except for lately.

It's been months since I have been to the movies. I'm having withdrawls. I think the last movie I saw at the theatre was Superman Returns. There have been countless movies released at my local theatres that I haven't found the time to see, including a recent one with Jason Stratham called Crank. And it's no longer showing.

So what I am saying here is that I have got to go to the movies. There are at least five out, including the Jack Nicholson flick, that I'm dying to see.

The funny thing about family

2006-10-09T16:15:00.000-07:00

Honestly, what keeps a family together? There are no physical bonds that tie each family member to one another, nor are there emotional, spiritual or mental bonds. Most would say the answer is love but do we all truly love our family members? Divorce is rampant in our society and two people who swore to love each for all time suddenly pack up their bags and walk away from marriage.

So, really, what ties a family together? Is it money? Nope. Money is a proven evil that tears families apart - just ask any lottery winner. If it's not love or money then what in the heck keeps a family together?

Is it commitment? It can't be. Does a child commit themselves to their parents? Do siblings commit themselves to each other? Heck no! Siblings actually attempt to physically end their relationship with one another.

After spending the weekend with my own family I asked myself these very questions. What keeps my family together? We continue to get together on the holidays and special occasions and each time I wonder if it's all in vain.

For example - this weekend was my sister's wedding, which in our society is typically seen as a huge event. My family came together for this grand event, along with some close friends, and I hate to say this but most of us we're only there in the physical form.

Our minds and our hearts were else where. We had our own hidden agendas and merely out of duty did we attend. Whether it was saving face or something else we mustered up just enough to be present for my sister's wedding.

And then I realized what keeps families together - it was love afterall but it was a selfless love. The answer to my question was sacrifice. When a mother sacrifices her time, her energy and perhaps even her body to bring in a child into this world - a family is created. When a father sacrifices his time, money and perhaps his mental state in his devotion to his children - a family is maintained. When a sibling sacrifices his or her room, toys and perhaps even his or her coolness by allowing a sibling to tag along - a family is strengthened.

This past weekend with my family was okay but it would have been great had we all pushed aside our differences, buried our hidden agendas and made the self-sacrifice to give my sister all she deserved on her day. There would have been no mention of any OU-Texas football game! Full attention would have been given to the bride and her groom. There would have been a lot of other things present that weren't.

The glue that holds families together is self sacrifice. It's selfless giving. It's putting others before your self. It's holding your tongue and sharing a hug. I wish my family had a little more glue this weekend. I wish families today has a little more glue.

The option to cruise

2006-10-09T15:40:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Tiffany and I drove down to Oklahoma City for my sister's wedding and while on the road I was amazed at how many people do not take advantage of cruise control. The feature is available in most cars today, and not only does it increase fuel efficiency but it also allows for drivers to navigate much easier.

I was beginning to get frustrated because to me the most logical thing to do on an open stretch of road is to find that perfect niche and then set cruise. And then I started thinking about how the idea of cruise control plays out in life.

Just as Toyota manufactured my vehicle and gives recommendations on how to run it, our Creator has provided us with guidelines, namely the Bible, for living life. We can choose to follow and obey his recommendations, thus cruising for Jesus, or we can choose our own way, such as living life in the fast lane or living life in fear and keeping to a snail's pace along the median.

Neither will prevent life obstacles but by aligning our wills with God's will we essentially turn over the wheel to Him. We still do the driving but He's in control.

The option to cruise is simply up to us.

Taking a risk

2006-10-05T16:24:00.000-07:00

Life involves taking risk, especially when it means following your heart and/or your dreams. In one hand you have the safety and security of remaining in one's comfort zone of what you know and what you understand, and in the other hand you have the danger and adventure of heading into the unknown and unfamiliar.

Two people in my life have recently taken rather-large risks - these being the ones that are above and beyond the typically day-to-day risks. These risks involved tough decisions and large sacrifices in hopes of achieving something greater.

I have to commend both of them for their courage and their determination. One is pursuing a dream and the other is following her heart, which are both noble in cause. I can honestly say I am filled with excitement and fear at the same time for these two friends.

I do hope the best for them, and I pray for strength and peace for them both as they struggle to overcome.

In front of the line

2006-10-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

Generally we all want to be in front of the line. And for the most part, we want to have front-row seating, be behind home plate and get the closest parking spot we can find at the grocery store, the mall or wherever. Even if it means requesting our doctor sign a piece of paper stating we are physically handicap so we can park in the prized handicap parking spots.

We are looking out for #1 - our self. We will lie, cheat and/or steal and possibly even kill so that we can get ahead in line, or rather ahead in life. Beat out the competition. Get the juiciest piece of meat, the biggest slice of cake and the best of the best.

We are selfish beings. When we share our selves, our time and our money, typically it's on our own selfish terms - on what we get out if it - whether it be recognition, self achievement/satisfaction or a tax deductible.

If we were not such selfish beings then it would clearly be evident in the parking lot. Rather than circle the lot looking for the closest spot to the entrance, we would head toward the back row allowing others behind us to park closer. If we weren't so selfish we wouldn't have to label handicap parking and we wouldn't see the system being highly abused (Note: I'm sorry but being fat does not make you handicap - it makes you lazy).

It wouldn't be such a "me first" society but rather we would have a "you first" attitude. We wouldn't have road rage or road hogs but rather we would share the road, always use turn signals to inform other drivers of our intentions and we would pull to the right when someone needed by.

It seems we have all become Sooty Terns (seabirds) from the Pixar film Finding Nemo and we simply refuse to stop barking, "mine, mine, mine."

How dare you steal my parking spot?

A miracle in the sky

2006-10-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

This is a great story, even though it comes from the NY Times.

The power of asininity

2006-10-02T16:13:00.000-07:00

There are some really far-fetched, idiotic and lamebrain ideas, policies and regulations out there but some really steal the cake.

For example:
- storing a firearm in a lockbox or with a trigger-lock
- paying sales tax on a used-vehicle
- and for issuing strict drug and alcohol policies at work when there's no history of abuse

Oh, yes, this last one has really rattled my chain. They, the suits, say they're being pro-active but how can one act on a solution when there is no problem? But let me back up here.

It all started when training was introduced at my work for supervisors so that they would be better-educated on recognizing drug and alcohol abuse from their employees. The suits decided to enact a policy similar to Med-Act that requires an employee to take a urine test after being involved in an auto accident while in a work vehicle.

If an accident were to occur, the employee would immediately be taken to be tested for drugs and/or alcohol and placed on paid leave until the results were available. If they clear it, then they are reinstated; if they fail then they are either reprimanded or fired. At this point the suits did discuss the possibility of "false postives."

To go a step further, the suits also decided to require all new employees to take the urine test and gave authority to managers/supervisors to require current employees to take the test if certain symptoms were observed in their behavior.

This was all put into place without a single account or history of drug and alcohol abuse in my office. But what really boils my britches is the waste of taxpayer dollars this will create.

For example: it's 4:30 p.m. and employee John is in a work vehicle heading back to the office. He's at a stop light and is rear-ended. He is taken to a testing clinic by either a cab or his supervisor and a urine test is performed. It's Thursday and the results will not come back until Monday afternoon. John is placed on paid leave until Tuesday morning. He spends his weekend worried to death that his poppy-seed bagel will create a false positive. The results come back negative for drugs or alcohol. John is back to work Tuesday afternoon.

The cost involved:
$50 transportation
$750 urine test
$500 salary and benefits
$X time lost due to asinine policy
$1300+ Total

What a complete waste of money and resources! It just sickens my stomach to think about all the stupid policies, laws, rules, regulation, or what-have-you out there in order to prevent a so-called problem. So many morons out there are scared to death of firearms because every now and then a dumb kid blows his friend's head off, all while thousands of kids drown each year in their backyard pool. Where's the freaking pool-lock?

And talk about double-taxation with paying sales tax when you buy a vehicle that already contributed to the sales tax fund when it was first purchased. If I a buy a donut and pay sales tax, eat half of it and then sell the second half - should the buyer pay sales tax? No because that's asinine!

Why do we allow such stupidity? Why do we continue to elect politicians to office who in turn create more dumbass laws rather than fix the bad ones already on the books? Why do we put our faith in management and pay them enormous salaries when they continue to make the workplace a crappier place to work? They don't even come up with new or original ideas - they merely repackage previous works or ideas and present them as their own.

Please, somebody put an end this insanity!

Gold diggers

2006-09-27T22:26:00.000-07:00

Here's something I've been chewing on lately...

There are three social classes of people in America - the lower class (working class), the middle class (professional/business class) and the upper class (the elite class). Now it's simple logic that for a wealthy class to exist there has to be a poor class, otherwise there would be no classes because everyone would be financially equal. Also, within these classes are tiers, such as the poor middle class and the rich middle class.

Now, for the most part, all of us want to be wealthier. I must give credit to the lower class, however, because I have met a lot of nice people who do not have a lot of money and who seem the most content with their financial status. As for the rest, including the middle and upper class, they simply want more money, and sometimes they will steal (cheat) or kill for it.

There's a highly-quoted survey result that states that most people claim that would be happier and more financially sound if they had 30 percent increase in salary. But really, what does it take to make someone feel secure and content financially?

Let's say, for instance, that someone in the middle class gets a financial bump into upper class. Suddenly this person goes from being in the lower middle class to being into the lower upper class. Does this person then live richly in the middle class or do they assume the same poor role but in a different social class (the poor level of the upper class)?

Chances are they continue to be poor but in the new social class. Rather than live in a nice but average home and spend time traveling or immersed in hobbies and relationships, these people choose to live in a fancy home and continue to be poor by purchasing over-their-budget items due to the keep up with their new found social class (an all too common trend).

So, why is this? Why do we, when we reach a new level of financial status, continue to have discontent, and rather than sit back and enjoy the achievement, we instead entertain feelings of unhappiness and disappointment?

The answer is simply the emptiness in our lives that we have yet to fill. A yearning we can't explain or even identify, although we attempt to satisfy this craving with money, power, success, and selfish pleasures. We're gold diggers living in a gold mine and we can't seem to get below surface level to discover the treasure that is not visible to the naked eye.

The fact remains:

We will never be financially content. Donald Trump is the perfect example of this.

We will never be content in our social class. We will continue to want.

We will never fill the void in our lives with material possessions, worldly pleasures, depthless relationships, or our .

The void in our lives is a calling. A calling to be something more, something amazing and something more than ourselves. It's a calling from our Creator who is knocking on the doors to our hearts and asking for us to accept this love and grace.

With Him there are no social classes. No discontent. No wanting. No emptiness. No gold digging.

By answering this calling we can learn to accept our place on earth for which God placed us in, knowing confidently of the riches in store for us in heaven.

- - - - -

And yeah, I came off a little preachy with this post...

Music to the ears

2006-09-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul.

I highly enjoy listening to music. I enjoy the gentle or energetic rhythm of music. Sometimes I can listen to a song without even hearing the lyrics because the rhythm is so captivating, which is often a good thing since songwriters can nearly ruin a song with poorly-written lyrics.

In my books, for a song to be considered "good" certain criteria must first be met, such as:
1. I must be able to discern at least 80 percent of the lyrics on the first few go-arounds
2. The lyrics must have sort of value or virtue
3. The rhythm has to move me in some way
4. The musician/band must have some talent
5. And lastly, the singer has to be able to truly sing, or at least the backup singer(s)

For example, two albums recently released caught my attention. The first was by Evanescence, The Open Door, and the second was by Paris Hilton, simply entitled Paris. Now before you completely blow me off after reading the latter, bare with me. Amy Lee first caught my eye, or should I say ear, when I first heard Evanescence's hit, Bring Me to Life. I enjoyed several of her other hits and so when I got a chance to hear a pre-released version of her latest, The Open Door, I was excited, but that soon faded after hearing it. Not only was her voice absolutely horrid but I still have no idea what she was ~~singing~~ about.

About the same time I had come across Paris and decided to give it a chance because I had enjoyed her single, The Stars Are Blind. I was half-way right. She cannot sing. It's like a sexy whisper over a backup singer who can sing. But throw in some hooky beats and some comprehensible and catchy lyrics and you have yourself an album. I had to give her credit; it has more hits on it than most albums by highly-talented artists.

But getting back on track here, I really do appreciate good music. I have to say my all-time favorite album in by my favorite band, U2, with Joshua Tree. I listen to music in my truck (mostly off of CDs), at work and at home while on the computer. Sometimes I will even listen to music while just laying in bed either reading or gazing into space.

Currently I'm listening to the latest album by Jars of Clay, called Good Monsters. It's less rock n roll than on previous albums but it still has great rhythm and well-written lyrics. For example, from the song There is a River:

So, give up the right To control the waves that empty out your life Above wild skies Are the rays that break the shadows we design Give it up, let go These are things you were never meant to shoulder Give it up, let go

These words are about aligning our wills, or our plans, with God's will, or God's plan for our life. There's our way and then there's God way. So, give up the right.

Such powerful lyrics. The words speak, as well as the music. What a great combination. It's why I love music.

Electronic parents - RCA and Sharp?

2006-09-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

This is an unsettling article but somewhat expected - read

Or read the summary below:

Average U.S. home has more TVs than people now, Nielsen says

NEW YORK (AP) - The average American home now has more television sets than people.

That threshold was crossed within the past two years, according to Nielsen Media Research. There are 2.73 TV sets in the typical home and 2.55 people, the researchers said.

It's a boy

2006-09-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

After 14 weeks of anticipation Tiffany and I finally found out this morning the sex of our baby - he's a boy. He's a little over six inches long and he weighs slightly over 10 ounces. He looks adorable and it appears he has all the correct parts.

Tiffany and I are both elated! It seems more real now, but at the same time, even more surreal. Is this really happening? Are we really having a baby? I just seems too good to be true. God has truly blessed us.

Now we just have to wait 20 more weeks until we get to hold him...

Big trouble in Lil' Tino

2006-09-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

There's another sleeping giant in our country and their offspring are about to infilitrate and shift the market - Latino style: read article

Is it ignorance or is it arrogance?

2006-09-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

A few months ago my office packed up and moved to a new facility about two and a half miles away, which meant my joy of walking to work was over. I would now have to leave several more minutes earlier and commute to work, thus joining the rest of the working adults.

I pondered several routes to choose from, ultimately deciding on the most straight-forward one that would take me directly by the courthouse. Even though there are several stop lights and the speed limit for a portion of the drive is very low, I chose this route for several reasons - one being there would not be people crossing the road unless at a crosswalk with a light.

However, my thinking was wrong. I did not factor in the ignorant and/or the arrogant, which completely have thrown me for a loop. With crosswalks in either direction there are people who completely ignore them, and while they're at it they completely ignore traffic as well. They simply just start crossing the street, ignoring the risk of death, to shave off a minute or two of time to either get to the courthouse or to leave.

And the thing about it - these people, aside from the expected thugs, crazies and losers, are the worst. They walk as though moving vehicles are to swerve around them - that they're too good to be hit by cars. And just when I realized how ignorant and how arrogant these people were being the answer hit me - these too-good-to-use-crosswalks people were LAWYERS!

The same a-holes who will steal you blind, chase your ambulance and twist and manipulate our legal system to their own advantage, AND the same a-holes who would dedicate their life in suing your ass if you dared hit them with a moving vehicle when you had the right-of-way were the arrogant pricks in the middle of the freakin' road!

They won't even attempt to look at the vehicles, let alone make eye contact. They just simply step one foot in front of the other and cross the street blindly with complete faith that any and all vehicles will stop and allow them to cross. They even do this in plain view of sheriff deputies.

It's just ludicrous the amount of arrogance these egotistical pricks possess. And I'm not saying they are the only dumbasses ignoring the crosswalks, for there are plenty of low-lifes who I can only assume want to lose their life rather than face a judge and jury, but the lawyers take the cake.

On one final note - one female lawyer did make eye contact with me today while I was returning home for lunch. She gave me such a go-to-hell look that I literally felt my irises burning. I honestly believe that if the demons that walk this earth took human form they would show up as laywers.

Taking one for the team

2006-09-11T22:20:00.000-07:00

Life is full of choices. From the moment you wake up you have to decide whether or not to get up or to hit the snooze button. And at that moment thoughts race through your head as to what you can sacrifice in order to stay in bed for those precious few extra minutes. You either run the risk of getting to work late or you sacrifice your morning coffee, shaving or the opportunity to apply makeup w/o having to do it in a moving vehicle (that one's for the ladies).

Just as life is full of choices, life is also full of opportunities for sacrifice. In sports, especially in baseball, players are occasionally told to "take one for the team" by getting to base any way possible so that the next batter with better odds of hitting a homerun can bring the team to victory.

Sacrifice: taking a loss for either your own advancement or the advancement of others.

Recently I have heard from several of my friends who are making sacrifices for the advancement of their careers. One is returning to school so she is sacrificing time spent with her family and friends, her hobbies and possibly her sanity (jk). Another friend is putting in more time at work in order to attempt to become manager, as well as to make more money. He is sacrificing time spent with his wife, going to church and quite possibly his walk with God as he pursues the American dream of capitalism and material wealth.

These are what I would call outward sacrifices, which are apparent. They are sacrifices made for external gain and they are typically observed by others. But for this blog post I want to focus on another type of sacrifice.

On the other side of the coin there are inward sacrifices, which are from the heart. They are sacrifices made for internal gain and they are rarely seen by others, although the effect might be felt or perceived by those close to you. They may be sacrifices made for one's own advancement or they may be for the advancement of others, but the benefits are enjoyed by both.

For example, the simple act of allowing a friend to pick their favorite restaurant rather than insisting you try the new Tai place you've been eyeing would be an inward sacrifice. Taking time off work to work a soup kitchen rather than attending an entertainment event would be an inward sacrifice.

These examples are more along the lines of taking one for the team. They are not for your pleasure. They are not for your advancement. They are not for ownership of bragging rights. They are simple, and at times difficult choices/decisions that are part of seizing one's divine moment.

According to Erwin Raphael McManus, "divine moments oftentimes require us to put our own well-being aside for the well-being of others, to relinquish our safe places for the sake of others." He also adds, "We can touch only those within our reach and can change only the world in which we live."

Life provides opportunities for sacrifice - just be sure you are making sacrifices for the right reasons, and more importantly, that you feel good about it. Whether they are outward sacrifices or inward sacrifices, be sure you are seizing your divine moment and not missing an opportunity for spiritual growth.

For the kids

2006-09-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

I love children but I especially adore three to five-year-olds. They can speak, they can play and they're very entertaining. I get a big kick out of playing with them and observing their age of innocence. I guess it all comes from time spent with my two younger sisters.

With that said I recently took a step out of my comfort zone and volunteered for the first time at church - in the children's ministry. I have felt the push to do so for some time now but never acted on it, until this past Sunday.

So, on Tuesday evening I will be attending a training course at church on working with the kids and I will receive my assignment of where and who and all that. I told them I would like to work with the "fun group," meaning the three to five-year-olds but I also said I would go where I was needed, so I could end up with a different age group.

I'm slightly nervous due to the following facts that could very well be perceived as creepy:
1. I'm a guy
2. I'm not a father (not yet that is)
3. I will be solo, meaning Tiffany will not be with me

I'm praying this will all be overlooked and that I will find my place, and that I will be able to make a difference in these childrens' lives. Or at least put a smile on their face and tell them Jesus loves them.

At a stand still

2006-09-08T08:03:00.000-07:00

Why is it that we often make the wrong choices in life when the right choices at times are as clear as day? It's ironic that we can want change in our life, knowing full well the benefits and good that will come of it, and yet we won't change, for reasons we rarely take time to identify.

For example:

:: We want to eat healthier. We eat a second cookie instead.

:: We want to lose weight. We continue to eat the same amount of food.

:: We want to read more. We turn on the television instead.

:: We want to enjoy more out of life. We put in more hours at work.

:: We love our families and friends. We fail to truly know them.

:: We want to go to heaven. We know nothing of heaven or its Maker.

:: We want to please our spouses. We put ourselves first.

:: We desire to know Him. We fail to let Him in.

:: We want to feed the hungry and clothe the poor. We hoard our money. Or worst, we cheat the poor.

:: We are relational beings. We don't know our neighbors.

We continually are faced with these choices and we come to a stand still. Will we make the effort for change or will we take the easy route and not change? Sometimes I feel as though I have all the power to make the change but when it comes to taking action I feel powerless at times. This is where the internal struggle begins and where God's grace can overcome.

God is here for us; He wants to help, and all we have to do is ask; but when we ask we have to come on His terms and not our own. As author Donald Miller put it in his book, Blue Like Jazz, God is not Santa Claus awaiting our wish list; He is our heavenly father awaiting for us to call out when we fall so that we can learn to get up.

We are all given choices; let's start making better decisions. Let's identify the reasons why we are making the wrong choices and overcome them, and let's change for the better.