Howdy!, Welcome once again. This week, I'm pretending to be a radio disc jockey, and what I mean by that, is I guess I'm taking taking "A" request . I'm emphasizing "A" request, so we don't start a trend here. I was recently talking to a very dear friend and I'm not totally sure how we got here, but we did. Well, you are here now, so probably this is the best time to tell you that this has very little to do with the Dallas Cowboys, or even football for that matter. I think that I would much rather blog about the Cowboys, because I'm sure that it would be much more entertaining . I don't want to chase away readers, by dumping all over their favorite sports franchise, but I'm sure that they can find some humor amongst all of the frustrations that goes along with being a fan of that team. One last thing before moving on and it's that title " America's Team". I know how they claimed that banner, but it has to do more so with another franchises humbleness to reject that honor and the Cowboys, stepping up and saying sure, we will be. Since it wasn't based on merit as in , what they do on the field , perhaps they should give it a rest
This friend of mine and I were discussing cheer leaders and it lead to Dallas, because they probably have the most iconic brand when it comes to cheerleaders. I have to tell you that I was a little surprised to find out that cheer leading was created in America, but that it's uniquely American as in it doesn't exist in much in the rest of the world, and perhaps that's fitting as well, since American Football is not played much outside of here and Canada. We exported it and did it without tariffs . I don't know if it's really fair to say that we were talking about cheerleaders as much as we were talking about who stands in your corner with you, and encourages you. Who has your back per se ? That " corner" thing , brings to mind the imagery of being in a ring and mixing it up with an opponent. I get that sometimes we can be a little over dramatic and we will frame something such as trying to keep the neighbor's dog from pooping in our yard as the battle of a lifetime, but it's not. We should probably reserve that for actual battles where death hangs in the balance, such as fighting cancer or something along those lines.
Now!, I'm a little bit old school, so I remember a time when the world was just slightly gentler and neighborhoods were made up with large families. When you got in a scuffle, it was with the whole family and it was us against them, but there was no use of deadly force. We may have had a brawl, and yes black eyes, some contusions and a rare broken bone, if we really went nuts , but no one ended up in the morgue. It really wasn't a time of exchanging mean and dark barbs online in the dark somewhere. It was a put up or shut up era, but you always knew who had your back and who was in your corner.
It appears that the world is evolving and not so much in a good way. I think that I really first noticed this some forty years ago, when we actually got involved in what became known as " The War on Terror ". I remember the bombing of a Marine barracks that killed some two hundred and fifty people, mostly American service members. We could always argue the point as to whether we should have been in Beirut or not, but it was just the beginning of a long line of cowardly acts and misadventures. We got away from fighting a known enemy, to just anyone at anytime could be a potential threat. No notice, no warning and things that had long been off of the tables, such as schools and hospitals, were now, sadly in play. It's not so much a war of words or combative differences, but over ideology . One side fights to defend and the others side clearly willing to sacrifice themselves with a bomb vest to try to influence change through scaring the world at large... terror!
I see tale tale signs of this in our everyday lives, and honestly it's just disheartening. People not standing up for what is right and doing the right thing. Yeah, yeah!, that has always been the case to some extent, but it's at an epidemic level now and we are just suppose to be ok with it. Things that just cry out in the worse way that the world is just broken. The basic family unit, use to be the people that You could count on no matter what. Often, now families are just a hot bed of dysfunction and abuse. How does a father sexualy abuse his own daughter? Even worse, how does a mother stand by and let that atrocity take place? I have documented before about how partners violate and abandon vowels, just because it's inconvenient to stand next to those promises made before God, or just simply refusing to put in the work necessary to be successful. My head just explodes when we become the very thing that we hate. Growing up without a dad in the home and watching a mom struggle to put food on the table, why repeat that ,the very next generation? , knowing that it subjects your kids to poverty and a life of less security and chances for success.
I wrote a post before about bugs, not specifically about roaches but most are familiar with how they scatter, when someone turns the light on. I feel a little bit like that's how we are when it comes to trying to find someone who is faithful and will stand behind us in our corner. Scratch that!, maybe musical chairs might be a better representation and we don't want to be the one without a seat , when the music stops playing . We will take it, anywhere we can find it , when it comes to support and someone who says that they care , and backs it up with actions. Institutions are all flawed and broken, because they are all a representation of us. It doesn't matter how you slice it, homes, churches , schools and the government round out the top four , but not limited to. The world is just returning to its roots of the wild wild west. Everyone is packing and wants to be the baddest just simply because you looked at them just slightly to long or in a what they perceived as a disrespectful manner. The part for me that is missing is that people use to be about their word. People use to say what they meant and meant what they said, even if it was that they were going to gun you down in the street at high noon. People just say all kinds of flipped things with no intent or force behind their words, ... and the lawyers have made a fortune off of it. It's just probably more of that emotional feeling based logic. When I said it, I meant it, but I just don't feel that way any longer.
We sometimes, frantically search for that rare jewel, in a person who's words and characters line up with who they say that they are. Sometimes we do it cautiously and we will keep the good ones out of our circle and then turn around inadvertently , and allow the wolf in sheep's clothing to compromise us. This usually leaves us somewhat disheveled and heart broken and we decide it's just better to go it alone, which leaves us right back to square A. I have said many times before that I won't excuse , inexcusable things, or people's bad behavior and attitudes and yes, I'm included in that. I'm so grateful that I have people in my life that will call me out on my crap, especially when I don't want to own it.. That being sad, being disappointing and letting others down is just part of the human condition. We don't set out to intentionally hurt others for the most part , or to disappoint them, but we are human and flawed, so sometimes we get tired, or we take on to much, and there is always our predisposed default setting of just being selfish. There always seems to be that one friend or acquaintance who always seems to find themselves in the deep end of the pool, without something to keep them a float. They just seem to suck the ever living grace right out of you. They can become a special project that will sometimes make us wish that we were walking in the opposite direction .Honestly it's kind of hard to continue to pour into others , if no one is pouring back into you.
I'm not referring to myself as the best of the them, but even the one's that we hold in high regard and esteem can drop the ball from time to time and we feel just a little devastated, because for some reason we thought that they were better than that or somehow beyond screw ups. I think that we want people to be Billy Graham or Mother Teresa, but everyone can't be that kind of generational talent, we just mostly lack the discipline to throw our hats in the ring and are completely comfortable telling ourselves that they are a rare breed. They are, but I believe that they put their pants on, one leg at a time just like everyone else . There is that what the heck thing, when we just act out of a brain fog or more or less stupidity. Just last Sunday I was serving with a group of people at church and it was this one lady mixed in with several guys. We were joking around and out of the blue, I said that dealing with her was like putting in hours for community service. It was a jab and I got laughs, but I don't know where it came from. I just blurted it out and I serve with her and her husband and she really is the sweetest lady. I feel like there are just things inside of all of us that is just itching to get out, but its not always a good thing . So we all fall and are prone to making mistakes , so is there a trustworthy "One" among us? Is there truly someone who sticks and stays? Sticks around and stays through it all ?
I was talking to someone the other day and we were having a philosophical debate of sorts and I resulted to my formal education as an accountant . Despite what you may think about the stereotypical pencil pusher, we basically are really good at recording history and what has already taken place. If I had to give a brief synopsis on accounting, reviewing history is a huge part of it . We are often tasked with reviews and oversights about things that have already taken place and from there we can make several recommendations about practices and things that could be more efficient, and yes, it's often about how to pay less in taxes.
I don't believe that this makes me an obvious choice for pointing towards the obvious, because what is so clear to some, is a misunderstood mystery to others. I will speak from the first person experience and tell you that some of my deepest wounds, hurts, and scars have come at the hands of family members and people who say that they love me. Not once has Jesus ever left me broken and abandoned. Even when God has disciplined me, looking back , I realize that it was for my own good and done out of love. I will say that since I've been divorced over a decade now, that I have been involved in relationships which have proven to be very to somewhat disappointing, for various reasons, but I've never been disappointed in my walk with Jesus in that way. Even in the aging process , which I'm not always been a fan of, God has patiently stood by me and took my hand and let me know that things are going to be okay. If and only if, I'm reporting on what has taken place, then Jesus is that friend who will stand in your corner and encourage you. It's one thing to have someone in your corner, but they have to speak life to you, for them to be solidified as a true friend. Who wants to have someone in their corner who tells you that things are bad and you aren't going to make it. ? Don't get me wrong, things may indeed be bad, but a trusted friend will reaffirm their commitment to you and outline how we are going to get through this bad time and every other bad time to come, and only God can make a corner standing promise like that. So, if the question is still is there one worthy,? Then the answer is yes, there is one, and only One , that is faithful, true and worthy of your* allegiance and trust.
God as the ultimate Cheerleader. I've never seen God do a cart wheel , a back flip, or any tumbling move whatsoever, but I'm sure that He could if He chose to. As for the shouting part, I'm sure that there have been incidences , especially when dealing with thick headed persons, such as myself . God isn't the frantic parent screaming at the top of His lungs for use to not do this or that, but is always calm and ordered in dealing with us. He remembers that we are mere dust, only here for a little while, much like the morning fog just burning off, and then we are gone. We are His creation and He loves us and He desires for us to always be with Him and to spend time with Him. As a parent of kids , who now have their own kids, I completely understand the wanting to spend time with them, especially if you did your job in raising them well. It's kind of like seeing things from God's perspective and sitting back and admiring your handy work. Sometimes the biggest blessings are the ones that they reproduce, yes grandkids are a new heart beat and a joyous phase of life, again if you put in the work in and raised them well.
We don't always think of God in terms of being approachable, but He totally is. I mean do you have any real and true friends in your sphere who aren't approachable? If you do, might be time for a little re- examination and maybe a little shuffling of the deck. It's not just from an accountants perspective, but God has proven His place at the top, time and time again from every possible perspective and has faithfully executed His place as the best corner person of all times. We may question or want to argue that point, but nothing can or ever will trump the sacrifice of His Son for a person like me. Totally undeserving at every point, but He chose me and just said loved....period! I know that for some of the audience, this will just fly by you for one reason or the other, but only God can make the guarantee of security for this life and the one to come. He is the author of life, not just life, but your life specifically. He knows all of your days and He wants to have all of the rest of your days honored by walking with Him. It's way beyond mind boggling just how much He loves us, but He absolutely does. Grasp the invitation to be a part of His family and allow Him to cheer you on for the remainder of your days and for the life to come.
. I was recently talking to a very dear friend and I'm not totally sure how we got here, but we did. Well, you are here now, so probably this is the best time to tell you that this has very little to do with the Dallas Cowboys, or even football for that matter. I think that I would much rather blog about the Cowboys, because I'm sure that it would be much more entertaining
Peace!
