Dreams do come true...

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you.

Way back in 2010, the Robinson family made our pilgrimage to Florida, and the land of Disney. (Man, that feels weird to type.  For me, the words "way back in should be immediately followed by a year before 1980.  But I digress...)"  For most of us, it wasn't our first trip, but for our three kids, it was their first.  After being raised on Disney Channel, Kim Possible, and Hannah Montana, there was more than a few of us that were looking forward to the place "where dreams come true."  And, considering that LucasArts and Disney had just started working together, some of the newer Star Wars attractions (especially the Jedi Training Academy, held my interest.  One thing that took up more than a little photo space on my iPhone were some of the numerous quotes from Walt Disney that I found particularly enlightening and motivating, such as "If you can dream it, you can do it," and my favorite, "Remember, all of this started with a dream and a mouse."

When it comes to Disney, it's a pretty safe bet that it's going to be good entertainment.  They've done a great deal of business on telling great stories.  The sad thing is that when it comes to actual life lessons, they leave out quite a bit.  Yes, "it's kinda fun to do the impossible, but there's not going to be a genie in a bottle or some fairy godmother to help you out. You're not going to receive a visit from a fairy godmother or find a genie in a bottle to grant your wishes. Motivation is one thing -- it helps us get off the launchpad.  What keeps us going when adversity comes along is quite another thing entirely.

People with a little experience outside of Orange County, Florida know that there's quite a bit of ground to cover between belief in one's self, and what they've actually done.  Waiting around for some wizard or fairy will only result in a life wasted in waiting.  After the dream comes the work -- often hard work and in ample quantities.  It also requires a plan -- an organized direction in which way to focus your energy.  Without that -- all you're left with is stories and fairy tales.

And, of course, Walt Disney knew that, too.  Right along all of his oft-cited quotes about the powers of dreams and imagination are ones such as "The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing," and "I like to look at the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter."  And then, of course:

"All our dreams can come true
if we have the courage to pursue them."

Develop your dream and passion.  But don't sit and wait for magic to happen. 

Pursuing happiness

Yesterday on the campaign trail...



You mean...you mean...the Constitution guarantees us the right to free stuff?
Stuff I want but don't have to pay for?!?!?!?

Uhhhhhhh....no.

Firstly -- Just a point of fact, the line (arguably the most consequential and powerful sentences in the English language) "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" comes from the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution.  While the Declaration has often been used as a lens by which to interpret the Constitution by giving us an insight into the intent of the Founding Fathers, it is not law.  Hence, the Declaration doesn't guarantee a thing.  That's the Constitution's job.

More importantly - when I explain this sentence to others, I start off by saying that the Founders started with the most important and worked their way down -- life being most important, then liberty, then pursuit of happiness being the least of the three.  But, it's best explained by starting off with the smallest.

PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS :: I have the right, given to us by God (and hence, can only be taken away from Him), to pursue my passions, calling, and mission in life with all my energy.  I have the right push away from the dock, unfurl my sails and set off after my dreams.

LIBERTY :: Above this, I have the right to make my own choices in life, to determine what my mission, calling and purpose is in this life.  No man or government has the authority to determine this for me.  I have the right to choose my boat and course.

Most importantly, LIFE :: the sovereign and God-given right to exist.  Bear in mind, that it wasn't in the distant mists of history where a king or queen would have the right to decide if you lived or died, either through execution, war, or ignored plague or famine.

Pursuit of happiness.  The right to run after my dreams and ambitions.  At the time, a bold proposition.  That man was capable of not just governing himself, but had the sovereign right to set his stars, and change them if necessary (h/t Chaucer, via Heath Ledger in "A Knight's Tale.")  The ability to fly or fold.  Succeed without limitations, or fail miserably and lose it all.  It's one of the things that truly makes America exceptional.

"Pursuit of happiness" doesn't mean free birth control
It doesn't mean free health care.
It doesn't mean free housing or food.
It doesn't mean free money.

It means you have the freedom to do what needs to be done to not need them.
It means you have the freedom to set your course, and follow it mercilessly and relentlessly.

It will not be easy.  But being American has never been easy.
But that's not been a problem before.
And "Pursuit of Happiness" can never be reduced down to just "free stuff.

More thoughts to chew on...

Afternoon, y'all ::


Apparantly, someone is trying to get a message to me.  Yesterday, I had several events come together (actually, collide might be a better word!) that gave me some insight on a quote from Mother Teresa:

"I know that God won't give me more trouble than I can handle...
but sometimes I wish he wouldn't trust me so much."

So, I did a little typing, and came up with yesterday's blog posting, focusing on how God never gives you more than you can handle, and when you think he does, a few ways to find out that you have more than just your plate at the buffet line.


Pulling into church this morning, I saw on the marquee the sermon text for this morning's message.  Immediately, I could tell that we'd be hearing about Jesus and the feeding of the 5000. (For those who'd like a refresher on the story, head here to BibleGateway.com and read up.)  Aside from the Resurrection, it's one of the few (if not the only) miracle performed by Jesus that appears in all four gospels (others may appear in one or two, but rarely in all four.)


The focus on the sermon wasn't on how God takes care of us, and provides our needs, exactly.  The disciples get it wrong at the outset, just like we do from time to time.  "There's no way I can do it.  It's only me.  I'm not enough." Note the words in bold -- they focus in on me.  Head back to yesterday's blog posting, more specifically, the second tactic on how to keep your plate from getting too full:

2.  Get a second plate.
If "many hands make light work," having a "wing man" help out in carrying a drink or (if you really, really trust her) your dessert can be invaluable.  Even better, getting a helping hand in carrying a second plate full of food the two of you can share is worth the food's weight in gold.  So, if you need some help in handling what life is scooping on your plate, go to a trusted friend or advisor, and get some help!  Of course, turning to God and asking for a little help is a great start.  But don't forget those friendships and fellowships that you've been blessed to be a part of.

The right answer was hidden in that one line: Give Jesus what you have, and let Him deal with the solution.  In this parable, God's purpose wasn't to feed people with fish and bread.  He looks for opportunites to test our faith.  In this context, "test" doesn't mean to prove, but more to strengthen and temper.  From Hebrews 11:6 (Message paraphrase)

It's impossible to please God apart from faith.  And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that He exists and that He cares enough to respond to those who seek Him.

Hudson Taylor said, "Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith." We have to go beyond knowing.  If you look at any ancient map of the seas, there'd be a point where no explorer had gone yet.  There, a phrase that would often be written would be "Beyond this point there be dragons."  It's also where our knowledge and understanding ends and where our faith in God lies.  We have to go beyond knowing how much we can do by ourselves, because God never intends for us to go solo on this!  God does give us more than we can handle, but He never gives us more than the two of us (God and I) can't handle.  God doesn't ask us to do anything that He's not ready to help us out with.  In the Feeding of the 5000, Jesus asked His disciples to be HIS PARTNERS in ministry.  Today, He asks us to partner with him in doing great and (seemingly) impossible things!


If you're interested in hearing the sermon, head right here to download an audio version of the sermon.  If you'd like some notes to fill in, head here.


Take care! :: Greg

Thoughts from Mother Teresa, a car collision, and Aunt Ernie's deviled eggs...

Good morning, y'all:

"I know that God won't give me more trouble than I can handle...
but sometimes I wish he wouldn't trust me so much."

The above is a time worn quote from Mother Teresa, and about lunch time, I was thinking my plate was pretty full.  It's hot, it's humid (which means the house we live in is hot and humid, the kids were nipping at each other, Ellen and I were getting a few things done before we both headed into work for the evening, and right before I walked out the door, Ellen gave me some information that added yet a few more things to ponder and think about.

Walking into Lowe's, that Mother Teresa quote ran through my mind.  My first thought after that was: What do I do when I run out of room on my plate?  Second thought -- get a bigger plate!

Since then, what was a full day turned into an ugly day.  I had just gotten home for lunch, when I get a phone call from Ellen.  She's been involved in a three-car accident right in front of the mall.  The next couple of hours were spent getting a few pictures, getting Ellen to St. Francis to be checked out, making a few phone calls making sure that the kids and Ellen's mom would be taken care of, getting prescriptions filled at 8pm on a Friday night, and (most importantly), getting the both of us dinner.  Fazoli's always tastes this good, but the breadsticks were extra yummy.

Now that all of this has stewed around for a while, here's a little insight I've picked up over the past 24 hours.  And of course, the analogy involved uses some of the best food around -- that found at a family reunion.  Or, more precisely, the plate involved.

My family reunions typically are great fun.  Cards and Rummikub are typically played, kids spend most of the day outside running around, but when the dinner bell rings, the feast is typically pretty vast.  And an informal challenge goes out -- who can best pack and stack their plate so that there's room for everything.  From fried chicken to turkey and gravy, to mostaccioli, to chicken and dumplings, AND still have room for corn, some sweet potato casserole, green beans, sweet potato casserole, potato salad, cole slaw, sweet potato casserole (trying to send a message to Ellen...).  We won't even talk about dessert.  The simple truth is that no matter how big of a plate that you have, it's just one plate.  So, what do you do when you run out of room on your plate before you get to the sweet potato cassarole?  Let me give you a few tips from a veteran of many a reunion.

1. Get picky.
   First of all, let's use a little common sense.  Do you really want THREE chicken legs?  FOUR deviled eggs?  TWO HEAPING SCOOPS of dressing?  You can either get a lot of a little, or a little of a lot.  If you go with the former, you'll find out that you're probably going to miss out on a lot of variety in life.  In the same way, be careful what you dish up for your life.  Don't let your rabid hunger for Uncle Butch's Famous Fried Chicken get in the way of the delicious seven layer salad, or cole slaw a little bit further down the road.  In the same way, don't let things you enjoy grow to the point to where you can't do the things you need to do.
   
2. Get a second plate.
   If "many hands make light work," having a "wing man" help out in carrying a drink or (if you really, really trust her) your dessert can be invaluable.  Even better, getting a helping hand in carrying a second plate full of food the two of you can share is worth the food's weight in gold.  So, if you need some help in handling what life is scooping on your plate, go to a trusted friend or advisor, and get some help!  Of course, turning to God and asking for a little help is a great start.  But don't forget those friendships and fellowships that you've been blessed to be a part of.
   
3. Be careful on who's scooping.
   Like I've mentioned before, there's plenty of choices of really good food on the buffet table, and there's more than enough to go 'round.  And when my kids grab a plate, and start dishing up their favorites, sometimes, their choices aren't the wisest.  "No, let's not take 4 scoops of Ice Cream Delight.  How 'bout some corn instead."  "Let's save some room for some baked beans!"  "Let's get some ham or turkey first, then we'll  make our way to the cookies..."  You don't think that the Devil is over there at the dessert tray, saying "Forget about that healthy stuff, here, you can have a few extra cookies.  You're big enough for a BIG piece of pumpkin pie.  You don't need any room for that ham sandwich, or that fried chicken..."  Be careful on who's putting what on your plate.  The Devil seeks to distract and divide us.  And dangling tasty treats out in of us is the basic definition of temptation.  Be sure that the person scooping the potatoes and gravy on your plate has your best interests in mind.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm hungry for some reason.  And I think there's some leftover Fazoli's still in the fridge...

Until later :: Greg

Some thoughts on this Independence Day...

Some random thoughts from the quotation book.

I've 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. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that except the Lord build the House they labor in vain who build it. I firmly believe this, — and I also believe that without his concurring Aid, we shall succeed in this political Building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our Projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a Reproach and Bye word down to future Ages.

Benjamin Franklin,
Speech to the Constitutional Convention, 28 June 1787

Thought -- It is often said that "with God, all things are possible."  Is it also true, then, that without God, all things are impossible?  From Alexander Hamilton:

The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments or musty records. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself; and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power.

Alexander Hamilton,
The Farmer Refuted, 1775

This to me is critical.  No document grants me liberty or freedom; no man ordains me to be free.  The rights of man are given to us by God Himself; rights that no mortal has the authority to take away.  This fact was among the first that made America truly exceptional -- the fact that our founding documents prescribe exactly what our government can and can't do.  Our government is designed to be limited, not limitless as was typical of the kingdoms and empires of the day.  And to be truthful, I doubt that any entity would be successful in keeping these freedoms from us.

Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation — not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." That is the true genius of America — a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles.  

Barack Obama,
speaking at the Democratic National Convention, 27 July 2004

Who'd think I'd quote Obama in a posting on Liberty? But in all seriousness, it's this faith that enables anyone to do anything in this country.  Want proof?  Look at the 43 men who have served as President.  None enabled by title or birth.  How else could you get a collection such as that!

This just occurred to me -- in most of the historical quotes about the Declaration, or the Constitution, or in talking about our liberties -- there's a reference to God's existence.  That must drive some people absolutely mad...  (Good!)

And for those who need reminding -- this is what we're celebrating...

And another thing...Another song that says a lot...

Hola, y'all.

Really quickly, I've started to see a new holiday surfacing -- Festivus.  Here's what Wikipedia says about it.

My attitude. Festivus is Christmas with out the whole "Christ" part. Sooooo....it's just another December party with no real reason other than to eat, drink, wrestle, and be merry. All the party, none of the "guilt" of Christianity.

Which leads me to this song. And this video. Lyrics below. Enjoy.

"It's Called Christmas With A Capital 'C'"

by Go Fish

(Comedy by Brad Stine in italics -- I've transcribed it as best as I can  Check out http://www.bradstine.com/ for more good stuff!)

"I remember when people used to say things like 'Merry Christmas' to each other.  Everybody said 'Merry Christmas!  Hey, Merry Christmas to you, Mr. Lowenstine!'  You know why?  'Cause it wasn't about a religion. It was about something as a culture that we thought so valuable that we'd all do it together even if I disagreed with the religion behind it, because it was good for all of us instead of just me.  But what do we say now?  'Happy Holidays.'  'You see, I say 'Happy Holidays' 'cause I don't want to say Christmas because you don't believe in Christmas and I don't want to offend you...'

Well I went to the coffee shop to get myself a mocha
When the lady at the counter said “Happy Holidays”
I said, “Thanks lady. I am pretty happy
But there’s only one holiday that makes me feel that way and…”

It’s called Christmas
What more can I say?
It’s about the birth of Christ
And you can’t take that away
You can call it something else
But that’s not what it will be
It’s called Christmas with a capital C

God’s got a law and we’ve pretty much destroyed it
We’re gonna get judged, there’s no way to avoid it
Jesus came down to take the punishment for me
He did it for you too, so now maybe you can see why…

It’s called Christmas
What more can I say?
It’s about the birth of Christ
And you can’t take that away
You can call it something else
But that’s not what it will be
It’s called Christmas with a capital C

It's called Christmas...

Oh, yes, we want to say "Happy Holidays" because we don't want to leave anybody out.  Really?  How come there's a ton of holidays in February, but we never say "Happy Holidays" in February, do they?  No, they way what it is. "Happy Valentine's" -- ooh, do you believe in love?

It's called Christmas...

But nobody wants to say "Christmas"...why?  I know why, you do too, it's because it's got Christ in it.  And after 2000 years, He's still intimidating people!  You see, when a religious person says 'I am the way,'  people don't want to hear it...

It's called Christmas...

I say you've got to say "Merry Christmas" 'cause it is!  If you don't believe in it, fine.  But I've got a flash for you.  Christianity is the religious heritage of my country whether you like it or not!

It's called Christmas...

So if you're not a Christian or you don't like it, and you don't want Christmas celebrated, God bless ya, but let me tell you something, if you think you're gonna stop me from saying it because it offends you, here's a newsflash...PUT A HELMET ON!

It’s called Christmas

What more can I say?
It’s about the birth of Christ
And you can’t take that away
You can call it something else
But that’s not what it will be
It’s called Christmas with a capital C

Merry Christmas, y'all.  Happy Hanukkah.  And Happy Kwannza.  I think that covers it.

Greg

ANNO DOMINE!

Hola, y'all.

On this night of hope and salvation 
One child lies embraced in a dream
Where each man regardless of station 
On this night can now be redeemed
Where every man regardless of his nation,
Ancestral relations
On this night the past can fly away
And that dream we’ve dreamed most
That every child is held close
On this night that dream won’t be betrayed

All as one!
Raise your voices! Raise your voices!
All as one On this Christmas Day!

All rejoice
Raise your voices! Raise your voices!
All rejoice! Anno Domine!

On this night when no child’s forgotten
No dream sleeps where he cannot see
No man here is misbegotten
And this night’s dreams are still yet to be
Where every man regardless of his nation,
Ancestral relations
On this night the past can fly away
And that dream we’ve dreamed most
That every child is held close
On this night that dream won’t be betrayed

All as one!
Raise your voices! Raise your voices!
All as one On this Christmas Day!

All rejoice!
Raise your voices! Raise your voices!
All rejoice! Anno Domine!

"Anno Domine"

from the album The Lost Christmas Eve

by Trans Siberian Orchestra
Emphasis mine

A few weeks back, while listening through one of my more favorite Christmas albums, this choral piece really stood out for me.  Partially because of the way it's sung -- sounds like it's a men's choir, but sung strongly, confidently.  Not wishy-washy nor dramatic, more of an unrepentant proclamation of what has happened.  But as I kept listening, and read the lyrics, it really struck me as to the personal importance of Christmas.  Regardless of who you are, what you are, whose roots you can trace back to, or where you come from, the birth of a little baby starts the process not just of forgiveness, but redemption.  Beyond "I forgive you," to the point of "It never happened."

Your (sinful) past -- gone.
Your (redeemed) future -- assured.
Your fears of being alone -- baseless.
The presence of a constant companion -- confirmed.

Don't forget -- Christmas is only half of the story, half of the prophacy fulfilled.  The rest of the story comes on Easter morning.  But in the meantime, revel in all the presents under (and on) the tree.

Merry Christmas, y'all.

Greg.

Greg votes...

Good afternoon, y'all

Thought I'd offer some views on the bubble sheet I'll be filling in on Tuesday.  I don't think my precinct will have the touchscreen, but if they do, here's where my index finger will/would be pointing. (I know the title is lame, but it's the best I can do without sounding like Kevin Costner in "Swing Vote."

MISSOURI SENATE = Roy Blunt
Sorry, Robin Carnahan.  Both "Blunt" and "Caranhan" are well known names in Missouri politics, so no one can claim "outsider"status here.  And you've both done your share of mudslinging.  I just have no desire to see more of what I've seen over the past two years.

MISSOURI REPRESENTATIVE (8th District) = Jo Ann Emerson
Two years ago, Tommy Sowers could have REALLY made this interesting.  But, after the past two years, why reward the Democratic party with more ability to pass multi-thousand page bills at 11:30p.m. CST.  It'd only be hyperbole if they hadn't already done it TWICE...

STATE AUDITOR = Tom Schweich

CAPE COUNTY PRESIDING COMMISSIONER = Clint Tracy
I think his experience in Jefferson City as Cape Girardeau's representative will serve the county well.  Pat Wissman (D) has also voiced opposition to using the old federal courthouse as a replacement to the Common Pleas Courthouse, which would not make me want to vote for him regardless.

CAPE COUNTY RECORDER OF DEEDS = Janet Robert
About the only Democrat I'm voting for.  She's done the job admirably while she's been in that office.  I see no reason to chance something that's working well.

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH :: over in Illinois, I'd be a supporter of Republican Mark Kirk over Democrat Alexi Giannoulias for the U.S. Senate, and Republican Bill Brady over Democrat Pat Quinn for Governor.  In a state that is MONTHS, bordering on YEARS paying it's obligations to schools, counties, and doctors, why would I want to reward the powers/party in charge with another term?  Take one good look at Alexander County, and tell me how things have improved over the last couple of years.  Can't run a sheriff's department with the squad cars (you can't buy save for some charity from another department in Florida!) that you can't afford to keep gassed up.  The city of Cairo, IL, is a whole set of depressed and forgotten about from the folks up in Chicago.

Those in Cape Girardeau will be asked (for the third time) if they support the licensing of gambling/gaming operations in the city.  A yes vote would allow the city to pursue the final gaming licence available in the state.  For what it's worth, I'd recommend a YES vote on this one.  Put simply, if Isle of Capri's operation puts 400-475 people to work in an area with unemployment bordering up against 10%, why not allow what would be SOUTHEAST MISSOURI'S 6 to 8TH LARGEST EMPLOYER?  The two hospitals, Southeast University, TG-Missouri (Perryville), Mary Lee-Gilster, and Noranda (I think) would be the only bigger employers.  Morality aside, it is legal in this state, and my libertarian side, seeing the pros outweigh the cons, says go for it.(See editorial, Sunday, Oct. 24, for a full perspective.)


Those in Jackson will also be asked to approve a 1/4 cent sales tax in order to allow the construction and manning of a new fire station to cover the east side of the town.  Jackson, you've been growing by leaps and bounds over the past two decades.  Part of being a bigger city is making sure you can effectively serve your population.  I'm surprised that Jackson is STILL a one-fire-station town.  I'd vote YES.

MO Proposition A would prevent cities and counties in Missouri, other than St. Louis and Kansas City (who already have them) from imposing an earnings tax, and would require the voters of St. Louis and Kansas City to hold separate votes every 5 years to determine if the earnings tax remains or is phased out over a 10 year period.  Once gone in those two cities, it could not return.  At first, I was very much in favor of this proposal -- it's no secret that I'm in favor of anything that makes it tougher for taxes to be increased, and easier for taxes to end.  And I see the success of Cape Girardeau's Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) taxes (now in it's FOURTH rendition) as proof of the effectiveness of sunset clauses.  But I'm a little concerned that the entire state is being asked to vote on something that most directly affects the two largest cities in Missouri.  Why aren't the citizens of those two municipalities making that decision.  Of course, if it were just a vote of those two cities, many of those who work in St. Louis city and Kansas City wouldn't have a say in things.  A little split on this one, but I'm thinking this will get a YES vote from me.

MO Proposition B would prevent large-scale dog breeding operations from neglecting dogs, establishing new baseline handling and care standards, and would put limits on the number of dogs available for breeding at each operation.  Also creates a new misdemeanor of "puppy mill cruelty."  My question is "why?"  Outside of seeing cute fluffy puppies horribly mistreated, the arguement that current law fully enforced wouldn't correct the situation hasn't been made.  It hasn't even been offered.  Plus, considering the anti-agriculture and anti-hunting stances of the Humane Society of the United States (not to be confused with the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri or your local animal shelter) and the ASPCA, the fine print worries me.  Voting NO on this one.  Try again.

MO Constitutional Amendment 1 = Require County Assessors to be elected from all counties.  Why is the state dealing with something that is best handled at the county level?  More importantly, why are people wanting to make a position that handles how much your property is valued in regards to property taxes an elected position?  Since I can't tell why this is on the ballot, voting NO.

MO Consitutional Amendment 2 = Exempt former prisoners of war with a disability that is the direct result of their service in our armed forces from property taxes on their homestead.  Granted, if anyone deserves a property tax exemption, it's those who've served in our military, especially POWs.  Only problem with this is that I can easily see a slippery-slope on this one.  What about police/firefighters/military killed in action...    Kinda SPLIT on this one.

MO Constitutional Amendment 3 = Prevent state, county, and other political entitites from imposing any new tax regarding transfer of real estate.  Property owners already pay property taxes every year.  Plus, I'm all for eliminating any additional paperwork, fees, delays and taxes when I'm buying the largest item most people own in their life.  Voting NO on this one.