It's Friday, but Sunday's Coming
Have you ever tried to see how long you can hold your breath? You shut your mouth, you quit breathing, you hold on for a long time, and then, when it seems that you are about to burst at the seams, you expel the air in your lungs and you gasp for more. Then you take a deep breath and try it again. This time, you see how much longer you can hold it.
I've been struck this week at how trying to live a life like God, is like holding your breath. God is a giver. I am by nature a taker. And it seems like when I try to focus on God, and really offer myself for the sake of others just like he does, I can do it for a while, and then my fallenness takes over and it feels like I'm about to burst at the seams. I then do something selfish and self-centered. I release the spiritual air and inhale the selfish, but the only thing to do is try again. This time, I see if I can be like God just a little bit longer than I was last time.
It is fun and even heartening to look at God's provision for us. It is just so hard to imitate him.
The Inauguration
I love politics and history. I have to be careful, in such a politically charged age, to not play favorites. Still, I enjoyed observing what is going on in our government. I join former President Bush in appreciating the fact that we have elected a black man to serve in our nation's highest office. I hope this will spur more people on to reach their potential, as well as serve as a tool of God to improve relationships between races and cultures.
Having said this, I could not help but be amused at the gaffe that occurred when Chief Justice Roberts administered the presidential oath. Here you have two of the smartest people on the planet, and both of them fumble on this occasion that symbolically is so important.
I have been fortunate enough to have learned many things through the years performing weddings. Should I ever be called to administer the presidential oath, here are two things I will do:
1. Write out everything. I am normally not a manuscript guy, but I write out all wedding vows, phrases of instruction, and even the names of the bride and groom. Memory is a disloyal follower, and he threatens to abandon you at any time. Not only have I heard preachers stumbling over wedding vows, I have even heard of them forgetting the names of the bride and groom, even when they were good friends.
2. Shorten the phrases of the vows. Typically, it is good to pause every few words and let the other person repeat. For example, "I, Tom, [pause], take you, Teresa, [pause]…"
I noticed that the chief justice and the new president did a do-over on Wednesday night. That, in itself, is fascinating considering that constitutionally, President Obama became president at noon on Tuesday, regardless of whether or not he took the oath. Still, in a litigious society, not to mention a society that places a great deal of importance upon symbols, it is notable that they felt compelled to perform the ceremony again.
After all has been said and done, I love the human factor here. Even the best and the brightest make mistakes on important occasions. It's okay. The American flag still flies, and civilization survives.
The Most Dangerous Place in America
What is the location of the most dangerous place in America? Is it the inner city? That's a good guess. A lot of people die there. But that is not the most dangerous place.
Is it a drug infested neighborhood? Certainly danger runs amok there, but that is not the most dangerous place.
Upon initial investigation, you would not think that the most dangerous place in America would be a beautiful place. You would think that because it promises warmth, shelter, and food it would be a safe place to dwell. But that is where you would be wrong. Out of every five that enter into the most dangerous place in America, only four leave alive.
Think about that. What if an airline crashed and killed all its passengers, one out of every five flights? What if one of the big three automakers manufactured a car that crashed and killed one out of every five passengers? Don't you think the media would be letting us know about these odds? Don't you think Congress would have hearings investigating these deaths?
In 2005, 4,958,500 children entered into the most dangerous place in America. 820,151 did not make it out alive. The most dangerous place in America--is the womb of a woman.*
* In 2005 (the most recent figures available), the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 4,138,349 births (Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention-- http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/births.htm) and 820,151 legal abortions (Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention-http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5713a1.htm)
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