The Smoot Blog

Busy as a bee

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 23:43:00 +0000

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

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 23:47:00 +0000

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

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 06:39:00 +0000

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

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 13:10:00 +0000

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

In my free time

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 22:44:00 +0000

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

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 22:48:00 +0000

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

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 22:40:00 +0000

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

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 17:28:00 +0000

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?

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 17:24:00 +0000

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

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 22:09:00 +0000

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

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 23:15:00 +0000

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

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 22:40:00 +0000

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

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 23:24:00 +0000

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

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 22:50:00 +0000

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

j_tsmoot@yahoo.com (Jeremy) — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:55:00 +0000

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