Like Mike–Not

Last week Michael and Juanita Jordan announced they are divorcing after 17 years of marriage. I have no idea what precipitated this decision, but after winning six NBA championships and uncounted big-bucks endorsement deals, MJ's stock has inevitably fallen amid reports of marital infidelity, a bad gambling habit, indifferent work as a basketball executive, and revelations of what a jerk he was to teammates who didn't measure up to his standards.

Yes, Jordan set a great example as a player, but not as a man. No, I don't want to be like Mike.

Saddam's Death

Saddam Hussein was hanged yesterday for crimes against humanity. The "Butcher of Baghdad" was responsible, directly or indirectly, for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in his torture chambers, unjust wars, gas attacks, and U.N. sanctions. While few today are inclined to credit an embattled President Bush for bringing Saddam to justice, I believe history's assessment will be more generous. The task remains, of course, to stabilize Iraq's new democracy, or the just punishment of Saddam will have been for nothing.

Ford's Silence

It turns out that former President Gerald Ford objected to President Bush's Iraq policy. He never shared his concerns publicly, following the custom of former presidents never to undercut the current commander in chief. Unfortunately, one of Ford's contemporaries, Jimmy Carter, never learned that lesson. Ford, not a great president, nevertheless was a good and decent man. May he rest in peace.

The Godfather's Soul

James Brown, anointed "the godfather of soul," died on Christmas Day. Commentators have been waxing eloquent how Brown, who had an ugly drug conviction near the end of his life, "changed music forever." One of Brown's signature songs was "I Feel Good." Having entered eternity, I hope he does.

Rules for Living

No. 312: Beware of any Santa bearing the nickname "Nacho Breath."

Making Christ an Issue

The sentimental season in America is done. Now that "the holiday" is over and we've cleaned up the wrapping paper, it remains for Christians to make Christ an issue in our homes, neighborhoods, cities, nation, and world. He is the only hope for peace on earth, and it begins in our hearts.

He Rules the World

Joy to the World

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Isaac Watts, 1719

No More Let Sins

Joy to the World

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

Isaac Watts, 1719

Joy to the Earth

Joy to the World

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

Isaac Watts, 1719

Joy to the World

Joy to the World

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Isaac Watts, 1719

Conquering Seed

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.

Refrain
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Charles Wesley, 1739

Prince of Peace

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Refrain
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Charles Wesley, 1739

Veiled in Flesh

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.

Refrain
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Charles Wesley, 1739

Newborn King

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Refrain
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Charles Wesley, 1739

How They Live

AT&T promises to show customers "how [NFL players] live." This week Tank Johnson, a defensive lineman for the Bears, was discovered to have six unregistered guns (violating his probation), a stash of pot, and six pit bulls at his home. Then his "bodyguard," out on bail for the drug charge, was shot dead at a Chicago nightclub.

No offense, AT&T, but I don't want to see any more how they live.

Rules for Living

No. 204: For company Christmas cards, sign just your first name for people you know, but sign first and last for people you want to get to know.

Desire of Nations

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Transl. John M. Neale, 1851

Thy Mercy

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Transl. John M. Neale, 1851

Lord of Might

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Transl. John M. Neale, 1851

Key of David

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Transl. John M. Neale, 1851

Death's Dark Shadows

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Transl. John M. Neale, 1851

Disperse the Clouds

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Transl. John M. Neale, 1851

Victory Over the Grave

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Transl. John M. Neale, 1851

Wisdom from on High

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Transl. John M. Neale, 1851

O Come

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Transl. John M. Neale, 1851

American Weakness

The resignation of John Bolton as U.N. ambassador is a victory for mean partisanship over the national interest. Bolton, sometimes caustic, had been doing a good job cleaning up his corner of the United Nations. Now he's out, with the Democrats promising to block his nomination. And for what? So they can throw mud in the president's eye?

Congratulations, Democrats. You're off to a great start in an age of terror. I'm sure Osama and those like him will interpret this as a sign not of American strength, but American weakness.

Rick and Barack

Christian fundamentalists objected last week to Barack Obama, a prominent abortion-rights advocate, speaking at Pastor Rick Warren's AIDS conference. I can agree that someone who supports the slaughter of the innocent unborn seems incongruous being on the right side of other life issues. But with more than 40 million people infected worldwide with HIV, Christians need to make common cause with all who can help us fight this scourge in God's name. If FDR could join with Stalin to defeat Hitler, why can't we work with Obama to address the AIDS pandemic? If evangelicals only work with those who agree with us 100 percent of the time, we will relegate ourselves to enduring irrelevance. Let's get serious.

In Park?

If the Advent season, which recounts the Incarnation of God to save us from our sins, doesn't move you, then your spiritual life is in park.

Johnson's Fumble

Chiefs star running back Larry Johnson, who is African American, says he can only relate to black coaches. A few thoughts: (1) Larry Johnson is apparently an incredibly sheltered and immature young man. It's time to grow up, Larry. (2) Who says he needs to relate to his coaches anyway? Their job is to get him ready to play; his job is to play. Save the relating for your wife and kids. (3) What would be said nationally if a white player announced that he could only relate to white coaches? Methinks he would be benched like a third-string running back.

The Flow

Don't always go with the flow, or you'll probably end up in the toilet bowl.