Assigning blame and convicting a leader is a weekly reality in most churches. Punishment is death. This is how the majority of the world of “church politics” acts in response to a message of hope, plans of action, and accountability for results and better choices. This is a story we all know and relate to viscerally. Apologies and reconciliations are rare indeed but they are a foundation for healing.
Couple of weeks ago I was attacked by friends in public, in my church. It is true that I was to blame for many results over the past year. It is also true that I deserve credit for inspiring, desiring more, and delivering when most did nothing and continue to do exactly that even today. My choice as a leader was to stay and fight on terms of men or withdraw and let God work in hearts and minds. I and family made a hard choice based on principles, plans, and hope for a future for everyone involved. The pain is still real. The grief is stifling. This is the life we are provided. Every day is an opportunity to be. Love. Serve. Repeat. Some years go better than others. Results can’t be determined one day at a time but my decisions over time will show that I’m proud to say. Look at what I did when I stand for judgement.
0 Comments
For anyone who sings and leads in worship AND anyone who attends and wants to lead. Perhaps most important of all...for the congregation: as we approach worship we must find the balance and always seek the higher excellent things for glory to God, not praise of men and not our own preferences. It is difficult for all roles to execute. It is simple to criticize. The relentless return of the sabbath provides a weekly opportunity. As for my experience, some are far better than other. This is simple reality.
The force is strong with this one. He should go back to population and act like everyone else to set a good example. That is one way.
In the movie of course, the special then step up and lead in a new way, setting themselves apart. The real way is to learn where you can best serve and then do so safely after education yourself. Raising all with you while you continue to seek to improve yourself. The answer is never to lower the bar and race to the bottom to simply include. The distribution curve has a top and a bottom. Neither can be ignored. Educate yourself. Live your life. Be. Love. Serve. Repeat. Freely giving and loving but standing proud. Let your light shine bright for all to see. Sing loud for all to hear. Stand and be counted. You are specific, beloved, first born child of Christ. Act like it. it would be awesome if Jesus gave the disciples light sabers. Wait? Maybe he did. See: #TheHolySpirit Best thing I’ve heard from a pulpit in a while. I’ve added my take of course...
2019- year the media and “culture” said to cancel the negative people. Don’t do anything with them. Those realists are just negative Nellies. Everything will be fine as soon as the negative voices are gone. 2020- the year where we were all encouraged to shout down the positive hopeful people because the world was ending and system is deplorable. Their support for standing up and singing loud and proud is a radical position. Hunker down and look out for yourself above all. Socializing is unsafe. If you want to see and be with people you are killing them. Be fearful. 2021- this year we are not supposed to ANYTHING with ANYONE because... there is just too much risk. Be alone. Wait for permission. Someday when it is safe the powers in the know will tell you. I never bought into any of it. I’m sorry for the months in 2020 where I was so flipping afraid. It will not happen again from me. Be. Love. Serve. Repeat. Is not a passive sit back and watch thing done on a video stream or TV. Living is loving and loving is living. Face to face. Hand to hand. Heart to heart. There is no substitute for actual experience at scale and duration when results are required. While historical record is not a foolproof predictor,
it IS likely the best way to predict future outcomes. Youthful vigor and good intentions must be tempered in reality. With truly experienced leaders, the results tell the true tale. Battles should be fought inside the capital building... but our constitution dictates the rules of how they are fought. Our representatives are expected to follow rules of debate and decorum and conduct themselves in accordance with the expectations of both their constituency and their bosses in leadership. The job of an elected representative to the Congress of the United States is a job. The citizens job is to elect a representative... The representatives job is to fight for his/her citizens with in the legislature. I am cynical about our future as a country when so many don't understand and can't even begin to articulate the practical realities of their job. #idiotsincharge I suppose I am lucky that my representative is doing a good job. My Senators are a disgrace. Judgement of the executive branch is a disaster. My job, my mission, is to be heard and communicate. I don't have a direct vote. That is how the system is designed for good reason.
74 million Americans voted for Trump and we lost the election. Vast majority of the protestors yesterday were peaceful proud Americans. The radicals who rejected rule of law and stormed the capital building violently were criminals and were indeed a vast minority. There are radicals on both sides of every issue and they must be treated with equal disdain and disgust. President Trump again acted recklessly with his rhetoric yesterday and Americans died. The escalating violence over the last year could have been stopped by Democratic and Leftist leaders but they acted recklessly in appeasing violence for votes and Americans died. Our system of govt is fully intact. We have a republic if we can keep it. Governing authority is derived from the people. Power is wielded by the people for the people by “the government” in DC and the states. We the people will always disagree. The mechanism for progress and prosperity is voting, and adherence to rule of law outlined by our constitution, enforced by our government. This is the way. The rush to blame and group is natural but wrong. 74 million maga Americans did not storm the capital building yesterday. An Illegal, incited, mob did. It was allowed to escalate out of control and Americans died. This story has been told over and over through 2020. It must not be told any more in 2021. Sadly, I’m not exactly hopeful that this is feasible. Something broke last year. It may not be repairable en masse. I pray that God is making something new in all of this. As for me and my house, we serve and we sing. This is the way. Many of us, spoke up passionately and vehemently condemning the protests and violence of the past year. I again condemn the protests and violence of today. The sides don’t matter. The emotions are strikingly similar. The results of our collective lack of action and appeasement have proven to be tragic and so very sad. The pursuit of uniformity is utopia and ridiculous. We CAN and must embrace a unity of purpose that binds US rather than divides us.
Quoting President Elect Biden, “enough is enough”... I add that enough was enough long ago. The Bill of No Rights
The following was written by State Representative Mitchell Kaye from GA We, the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid any more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and other liberal bedwetters. We hold these truths to be self-evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim that they require a Bill of No Rights . ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything. ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone - not just you! You may leave the room (ed.: or this page), turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc., but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be. ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful, do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy. ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes. ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care. ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair. ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure. ARTICLE VIII: You don't have the right to demand that our children risk their lives in foreign wars to soothe your aching conscience. We hate oppressive governments and won't lift a finger to stop you from going to fight if you'd like. However, we do not enjoy parenting the entire world and do not want to spend so much of our time battling each and every little tyrant with a military uniform and a funny hat. ARTICLE IX: You don't have the right to a job. All of us sure want all of you to have one, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful. ARTICLE X: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to pursue happiness - which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an overabundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights. To mask it not to mask is a straw man for the real questions. Individuals are talking past one another. The answers to the real questions are fire to the current powers. No side has acceptable healing answers for the wounds of mask v nomask
Can I force YOU via public humiliation and scorn to comply with the public opinion. Answer: YES is the popular response as you would expect. Can YOU choose to stand and be counted on defending principles of liberty in the face of friends and family who are afraid? Answer: YES. Are their consequences to defying popular public opinion? YES. Am I allowed to act in a way that YOU disapprove of? YES for now. Is there a defined boundary for medical authoritarian orders implemented by governing authorities for the greater good? NO - even the Bill of rights is being squashed at the state and local levels... CHURCHES are fearful to defy the government and are choosing to impose restrictions(which is their right) succumbing to tyranny of the minority and majority simultaneously. The members’ rights are non existent beyond attend or not, give or not... this is not new but it is unfortunate. All of this bothers me deeply as I’m committed to individual liberty. Merging medical and legal authority in a collective politically charged environment is a disaster for everyone. Is there a way to go back? The answer appears to be NO. Are there lines that I will not cross and are they getting close. YES. In a free country, the individual gets to decide. Decisions must be made based on logic, reasoned analysis, input from credible experts, along with an element of faith in one's own judgement and experience.
If the leaders are making all of the decisions, you are not free. When a lot of people agree on something, THAT is when free men should tread with caution. One size never fits all. If everyone agrees, it is likely that something is awry. All good equations require balance. Success requires balance. Life requires RISK, period. Rigging, manipulation, and influence are not the same thing as a global illegal conspiracy. It seems to me that we the people have bowed in fear and outsourced our intellectual and physical freedom. It is indeed time to circle up and plan legal protests with local civil disobedience coupled with disciplined planning for the next elections. The media and big tech will NOT play fair. 72 million Americans is a strong start. We, conservatives, must align and look to the future.
I’m disappointed that my fellow Americans have embraced this systemic threat to individualism and liberty in favor of corporate communism back by force and fire of government. Cest la vie. When these policies fail in coming years, I and many like me will be far less tolerant, likely less civil, and follow the protest playbook we have seen as a roadmap. Times ahead could be pretty vicious. It seems we are at war for the souls of our states and thus our republic. Biden’s DARK WINTER is indeed coming and will extend well into 2021 and beyond. Consequences will be far reaching beyond just surviving Covid. We have >99.8% chance of surviving that threat. The societal threats could be far more deadly as families churches and businesses are literally blown up. The blame game is done. We must look to the future. Let’s roll. To voluntarily show respect for another person is a powerful testimony. It is essential to civility and community.
To force respect may be an oxymoron. Compliance can be forced. Respect is earned. Choosing to show disrespect erodes all respect sadly. I am sincerely happy that so many friends are encouraged by the words of PresElect Biden. Rhetoric is a powerful tool. Practical progress in change management policy is a very complex process and it certainly begins with awareness and desire.
The arc of my experience has shown me that desire must be followed with knowledge and ability at scale and duration. Results are measured and reinforced. This is the way. The danger zone in governance is the addiction to power and the reliance on power to achieve. The power approach does not past the test. “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” —C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics (1970) Elections are about raw power. Authority lies with each of us and comes from our creator. Power and authority are not the same thing. #PSA2020 #InspiredByChief
NOONE with a mask or without a mask is responsible for you and your behavior. This idea that a person who is living is now responsible for you is worthy of ridicule. I don’t get to judge what you eat, where you go, what you touch, who you socialize with, or why you do those things.
If you want to stay safe, protect yourself. We must Stop assigning deadly intent to choices. It is foolish and destructive. I decide for me, not for you. We live in a country where far too many are addicted to anxiety, fear, dependency, and victimization. Faith and choices focused on God and service to others is a proven therapeutic and it vaccinates and empowers US in community. We must choose to love and serve others above self. That will change everything. Peacefully.
If you have decided that you are right, but you no longer feel a need to listen to anyone else then in reality, YOU ARE WRONG. Additionally, if you feel the need to demagogue and disparage others without any sense of civility, you are WRONG. Being right is NOT enough. It never was, it never will be. This is a huge problem on the left and the right. Most people I know are virtuous hard working people. They seek wisdom, exhibit courage, revere honor, and are generally measured and respectful in their words and judgement. Empathy and caring is a tricky thing to show authentically at scale. Some choose to virtue signal and tell you want they intend, how much they care while focusing on how much better it would be if they had more control. I tend towards a different model. I care deeply, but I believe that my actions and choices, in spending of precious resources like time and money, must deliver results in support of my principles. To be nice is nice. To actually help others is nicer. My concern, shared by most, is that leaders also set an example of morality and character. This is unavoidable and critical. How I perceive words and actions can be completely disconnected from reality when leaders play the spin game. All leaders do it. All leaders must do it. Competency in this game is about using character and record of results to find the right balance. Inspiring the masses is an extraordinary ability and responsibility. Until Trump came into the picture it was almost always about walking the lukewarm middle to avoid a radical appearance. He trumped this norm and embraced a model of in your face, out loud thinking, and counterpunching that broke the mold and hit the reset button. Donald Trump is not a nice measured communicator. He does get the job done in my view. In his next term, I’d like to see him adopt a more measured persona. Alas that want is not effective in national elections and the current environment. Trump’s drain the swamp approach reset the playing field. He bears responsibility for ushering in and condoning a “key signature” that is harsh and mean spirited. A decision is starkly presented for US. Do we prioritize result over rhetoric. Nice, well mannered elderly intentions over snap decisions and sometimes harsh decisions. I like what Biden said last night. Character is on the ballot. America’s character is not built on flashy rhetoric and Marxist progressivism in my book. My choice is clear. To keep America great, we must get results and then manage the optics. Managing optics up front with controlling and autocratic decisions in the back rooms is toxic. The central committee begins then to set the moral standards and uses rule of law and force of government to destroy the rights granted by God. When coupled with a victimization, cancel culture that rejects rule of law in favor of mob movements, the rights of the people to speak and live freely are damaged and maybe even destroyed. A deep feeling of resentment and disgust spreads like a virus as omnipotent morality reigns in place of one on one decisions. My solution, vote your conscience and search your heart. Go to church and put God back in charge because of your own interpretations. Talk less, smile more. Above all, decide if you prioritize image over results. To evaluate the results you MUST get past the image and find real numbers and metrics that matter. Look ahead, but don’t ignore the past. With politicians and leaders, past results are a predictor of future decisions. My view of politicians is that most are not virtuous hard working people. They ignore wisdom, rarely do anything courageous, are willing to sacrifice honor for poll results and votes, and in recent years are not measured and respectful. That last one, I’d really like to get back to measured and respectful, but when push comes to shove, progress will provide jobs, and security both physically and financially. I can overlook the bad behavior if the results continue to pile up. If I see decisions ultimately bearing fruit over time and at scale. That is the bar. Progress is not about who is nicer, it is about what decisions best enable life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. On that front, we have come so far, but we have so far to go. Choose wisely when you vote. “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” —C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics (1970) "Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.” ― Theodore Roosevelt Raising a child to be happy and productive and to not take for granted all of the advantages provided them. How? My children benefit from my decisions and support but they make their own. If they become entitled and poorly educated with little understanding of where they come from then the fault lies with me as the elder and senior.
Blame and shame is pathetic and useless. The young and uninformed do not know. The obligation to model, share, and teach values and principles while upholding standards AND maintaining relationships is on the elder/parent/mentor. The apprentice journeyman must understand and embrace their role under the authority and experience of the elder but they must be left free to question and innovate. This balance is the essential spark of success. When we choose to blame and shame, or claim credit and crow as we inevitably do we must remember the balance and dependency. Failure brings a fault line just as success does. We must release the pressure a little at a time and manage the explosion of energy to capture and evolve. Rep. Jerry Nadler is a deplorable example of leadership. He represents NY10... Hard to believe but in NY anything can happen apparently. His political Theatrics are in full swing. There is NO professionalism and civility in the words or tone of his opening statement. #MakesMeSick
AG Barr is an honorable man who shouldn’t be in the room with that disgraceful excuse for a leader. AG Barr, I will stand with you anytime. Carry on. I want to grant sincerity to technology and healthcare leaders. I don’t anymore. My cynicism born of the 2020trials and 20+ years in tech and leadership has infected me. I’m not sure there is a cure. I’m not sure there will ever be a cure. Without a modicum of respect, the distrust germinates and spreads like a virus into every experience.
I trust God. Period. His power is absolute. His love is unbounded. He listens and hears me in my whining. The government told you it was dangerous. The government is now telling you it is safe. If you trust the government you should be fine right?!
Perhaps trusting the government and the media is the actual problem with 2020. Think about it. I have a specific and personal view of the #idiotsincharge but I am also bound by my views on Romans 13. As for me and my house... Life. Liberty. Pursuit of happiness. Faith over fear ... trust in God. If you choose to blindly trust and follow the government into fear and subjugation, that is your choice. I strive to not judge. It is very hard. The urgent question before us, THE USA, is what will be different going forward. 1965 Watts, LA92, USA2020? Blacks live matter! They mattered then, they matter now, they will always matter. We the people must change the perspective of division to avoid this devastating cycle of physical violence and cultural suicide.
Law Abiding citizens must stand together peacefully. Authority must be reformed and respected. We can do better. Will we. I wonder. |
VATENORIntersection of principles and practices... Categories
All
Archives
October 2022
|
Proudly powered by Weebly