Life Series

Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes.

Seen and Unseen

Some people have visible disabilities. Others have invisible disabilities. Then there are those of us who have both.

Rules for Living

No. 902: You won't find any gentlemen at "gentlemen's clubs."

Rules for Living

No. 378: When you can start caring about the major American sports:

Football: Draft Day;

Baseball: Opening Day;

Basketball: The Playoffs;

Hockey: Never mind.

Rules for Living

No. 16: You can never have too many mock turtlenecks.

Rules for Living

No. 361: When the doctor says your cure was a "miracle," ask for a discount on the fee. God doesn't charge.

Bumper Stickers Not Seen III

He who dies with the most toys is still dead.

Pain at the Pump

What's worse than paying $3 a gallon (or perhaps $4 this summer) at the pump? Knowing that your contribution is helping to fund Iran's "peaceful" nuclear program.

When Dreams Disappear

When faced with the possible loss of a long-cherished dream, what's a Christian man to do?

Well, he can hold to that dream ever more tightly even as it slips from his grasp. He can pound on God's door, demanding access and results. He can turn bitter over the hand that life has dealt him. He can refuse to do his best because he is angry over the unfair treatment he feels others have given him. He can wrap up his entire self-worth in his dream and not feel like a man unless he attains it.

Or the man of God can loosen his grip, even open his hand, and allow the dream to go where it will. He can continue asking God about the dream, but with a willingness to accept God's answer (whatever it is) and follow God's will. He can use the disappointment as an opportunity to learn humility and trust, and to explore other opportunities he may not have considered while the dream burned bright, possibly blinding him to other paths. He can do his work heartily, as unto the Lord not men, knowing that God is the proper focus of all our dreams anyway. He can realize his worth does not depend on the dream and that he is loved no matter what he does, or doesn't, accomplish with his life.

Which way will you choose?

A Case of Indigestion

Yesterday President Bush gave Hu Jintao, China's hardline leader, a 21-gun salute and apologized after a Falun Gong adherent screamed for Beijing to stop killing members of the group (reports have surfaced that the government is harvesting the organs of some group members). Dining on an exquisite lunch of halibut, Hu was flattered by a long line of U.S. captains of industry, hats in hand (while our trade deficit continues to soar). Meanwhile, Google has agreed with communist demands to allow the government to keep electronic tabs on its citizens.

What must the Chinese communists who run that great country think of the United States, the leader of the free world?

Dazed by Da Vinci

Reacting to the blasphemous premise of the blockbuster movie The Da Vinci Code (that Jesus Christ married and had children with Mary Magdalene), Christians around the world held angry protests. American embassies were torched in Toronto and London, and 12 people died in a stampede in New York. In Hollywood, Christians seeking to settle old scores dragged the movie's director out of a cocktail party, tarring and feathering him.

Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, pronounced a fatwa on Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code. Williams said Brown had "offended the sensibilities of the Christians." The pope, asked to quell the violence, simply shrugged and muttered something about "yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater." Billy Graham, reached at his mountain retreat, said, "This was a deliberate provocation of Christian people, and turning the other cheek only goes so far."

Fearing to Fail

Don't fear to fail. Fear not to.

City of Winners

It's been quite a year for sports fans in Chicago, known for decades as the city of losers. The Bulls, woeful for years after Jordan left, have made the playoffs for the second straight season. The Bears returned to the playoffs. The White Sox won the World Series, and they and the Cubs are contending for first place in their respective divisions so far this year.

The Blackhawks, who end their season tonight? Uh, how about that Chicago deep-dish pizza!

The Word of Sam

In 1955, Uncle Sam's tax code was about 744,000 words, or similar to the length of the Bible. In 2000, the tax code was 6.9 million words. Can anyone, other than tax preparers and attorneys, deny that we need to simplify?

He Lives

Because He lives,
His own will rise.

Because He lives,
we have the skies.

Volcanic Boys

Trying to keep boys quiet in the early morning so your wife can sleep is like sticking your finger into a volcano.

Trashing Jesus

South Park, the edgy comedy show, is in the news again. Remember that several weeks ago its network pulled an episode lampooning Scientology under threat from Tom Cruise. This time, the creators were planning an episide depicting Muhammad, Islam's prophet, but the network told they couldn't do it (presumably because they didn't want to spark violence and murder from adherents of the "religion of peace").

So to protest the censorship, the creators took on not Islam, but Christianity, depicting Jesus Christ indecently (and during the most solemn week in the Christian calendar, no less). So brave!

Not sure what this proves, except that Christians remain the one group that can get trashed with impunity in our ultra-"tolerant" society. On one level, this was smart. The show's brain trust knows Christians won't burn down embassies or target the show for jihad. We're used to this kind of treatment.

And we believe Jesus can take care of himself just fine, thank you.

Moussaoui

Normally I would have no problem with sentencing Zacarias Moussaoui, the so-called "20th hijacker," to death for his crimes related to September 11. Certainly he deserves it, but his execution would simply give the militant Islamists one more "martyr" for their totalitarian cause. I say let him live, and let him do manual labor for the rest of his life for the families of those he helped to murder. Perhaps he will learn something.

No. 2

While one could be forgiven for hoping that Iraq would be squared away before the United States had to deal with Iran, the next "Axis of Evil" member, we have not been dealt that good a hand. With Tehran's terror-supporting, Holocaust-denying, Israel-hating radical Islamist regime on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons, doing nothing is not an option.

Rules for Living

No. 98: Better a book in the hands of a friend than on the shelf gathering dust.

Aliens in Our Midst

Before we can discuss guest worker programs, amnesty, or anything else with illegal aliens, we must secure the border. There are issues of national security, crime, and basic economics to consider, but if we can't control who comes into the country, then everything else is just talk.

Dunking on the Money God

On Friday the University of Florida's Thrilling Three sophomore hoopsters–Joiachim Noah, Al Horford, and Corey Brewer–defied conventional wisdom and announced they would forego certain millions in the NBA draft to go for another NCAA championship. The super sophomores said they enjoyed being teammates and playing for the Gators.

Yes, they could be rich by the summer, but money isn't everything. How much is a year of your life worth, after all? Priceless. Once you turn pro, basketball becomes more of a business and less of a joy. Give these guys another year (at least) in Gainesville to shoot for their dreams together.

Who says the money god rules America?

Rules for Living

No. 357: If Mike Wallace and a 60 Minutes camera crew show up on your doorstep, it probably isn't good news.

Rules for Living

No. 432: If it's the end of the world, don't bother locking your door.

Security Leak

All the talk about the Dubai ports deal and securing our southern border has reminded me of the charge raised during the presidential campaign about our lax port security. Apparently only 5 or 10 percent of the containers entering our ports are checked. I thought John Kerry (of all people) scored some points saying the president wasn't doing enough to secure the ports. But have I heard either party since then make a serious effort to redress what looks like an obvious security problem? Nope.

Why not?

Rules for Living

No. 612: If you post anything on the Internet, don't be surprised if people actually read it.

Dunking Gators

Who says gators can't dunk?

Tainted Victory

Better a tainted victory than a tainted defeat.

Under Duress

Former captive and Christian Science Monitor freelance journalist Jill Carroll on Saturday disavowed earlier comments she made that criticized the U.S. military, saying they were made under duress. Carroll also criticized the Islamists who held her hostage for 82 days: "I will not engage in polemics. But let me be clear: I abhor all who kidnap and murder civilians, and my captors are clearly guilty of both crimes."

Remember, these are the people who will take over if the U.S. cuts and runs.

Happiness and Circumstances

People often think that if they change something about their current circumstances (house, job, etc.) that they will be happy. Not necessarily. If you can't be happy now, there's no guarantee you will be happy later. You may indeed need to change some circumstances, but the most important thing you might have to change is your reaction to them.