forgiveness

Scattershooting while wondering why so many Cowboys players injure hamstrings, year after year…

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If you are not a Facebook friend, you must know me already, or come with a sterling recommendation from someone who does. My confidence and trust matter. That’s who I am, and how I roll. For those who already are, you’ll notice that I do not take any of these silly and pointless “challenges”–even if I agree with the sentiment behind them. Just not a herd-mentality fad follower–I blaze my own trails, think independently, and don’t tolerate silly and pointless gimmicks.

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This election is (should be) foremost about the Supreme Court vacancies. This is why I am voting for the most constitutionalist candidate–not Trump or Hillary, either of whom would trample the Constitution in his or her own terrifying ways. We need justices who will apply the literal words of the Constitution exactly as written, not “interpret” it to fit pop-fad cultural and political whims. Given the low odds that the imperfect but much more palatable ticket to which I have defaulted (Johnson/Weld) will get enough electoral votes, I see no realistic way out of a destructively leftist Supreme Court now that Trump is sabotaging the election in Hillary’s favor. We are so screwed as a nation and society if either the Clintons or Trump reach the Oval Office. Given that Trump acts as if he doesn’t even want it, the election is Hillary’s to lose.

As for those who would overlook the horrendous things they’ve done and said, and vote for Hillary or Trump anyway, thereby pushing the corrupt and revolting prospect of a Clinton or Trump presidency upon us all, to the potentially grave detriment of America? A wise sage, wiser than any of us, once said the following: Forgive them, for they know not what they do. I will try hard to obey that, and forgive those I know who are Trump or Hillary voters…not saying it will be easy.

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Based on what I have read about the opening ceremony of the Olympics, and NBC’s commercial-infested coverage thereof, I am glad not to have watched. Whatever I was doing (probably sleeping), it was time better spent. All I saw in social-media feeds from friends and associates either was complaints about it, or a few folks cheerleading for sideshow stuff and sociopolitical propagandizing having nothing to do with sports. At its core, the Olympics are supposed to be about sports, not issues and agendas. I missed nothing worth watching.

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Yes, I don’t care for ceremonies as a whole anyway–pure artifice, pandering to emotion. Screw the glitz and glamor–just go straight to the actual competitions. That’s the fun stuff, the substance; let the appreciators of vanity and shallowness enjoy the style. [Similarly, I don’t watch Super Bowl pre-games or halftime shows either. Hell, I didn’t even go to my own college graduation ceremony–pointless waste of time and money when I was getting my diploma regardless.] I’ll go to someone else’s ceremony if it matters a lot to them that I be there for “support” or whatever, but artifice in general just isn’t my cup o’tea.

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On a somewhat related note, I find abiding joy not in earthly culture or artifice or societal whim or others’ impressions and expectations, but in higher purposes. How timely it was then, that a friend posted the following verse, Colossians 3: 1-2.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Elke and I wish all our friends and followers a peaceful and warm Christmas and a prosperous, healthy and fulfilling 2016. While the realities of life dictate that our wishes won’t come true for all, please understand that they are genuine nonetheless.

We all have our political inclinations, religious or non-religious beliefs, sports affiliations or apathies, vocations, avocations, and social practices, but we’re fundamentally human at the core, with all that entails. Indeed, this can be a rough time of year for so many. Maybe you’re experiencing the sorrow of something or someone missing from life, like we certainly do this time of year.

Whatever your situation, and even if you are not Christian, I hope you will nonetheless catch at least a glimpse in some form of the real meaning of this day, as manifest in some part of Christ’s life story that applies universally even outside the faith of Christianity itself.

Drill through all the commercialism and noise and hype that has co-opted an corrupted this holiday, then pull and peel off all the built-up layers of cultural crust and grime, and what do we have? Hope in troubled times. Salvation from doom and woe. Grace for the suffering. Redemption opportunities for wrongdoers. Loyalty to truth. Standing tall for what’s right and good. Caring for the downtrodden. Sacrifice of self. Challenges to improve. Forgiveness (so hard but so important). Perseverance in the face of trouble. Steadfast resistance to evil in the face of extreme temptation and even torturous death. The common thread through all of that: Love (even if it has to be tough love sometimes). All arose from a little baby conceived out of wedlock for a desperately poor couple, and born in a stinky animal feeder. From such extraordinarily improbable circumstances, a story unfolded that has inspired billions to betterment.

Regardless of the soil heaped on His legacy by popular culture and elements of bureaucratized “religion”, regardless of all the baggage that has been attached to His message since the Crucifixion, regardless of any bad things that have been done in His name…when we set all that aside and distill to the core, Christ’s story itself is a marvelous and inspiring one. His life story and the messages He told exemplify and epitomize all kinds of good, true and positive attributes for which we all can strive.

Wherever you are, whatever your situation: May you find, in some part of Jesus’ words and deeds, elements of truth and hope and solace to carry forward. Open that gift, and inside you’ll discover a blessing to keep and cherish. Merry Christmas.

Scattershooting 160806

A Christmas Message for You