The Royal Flush(ed) Out

For starters, I am beginning a new phase of my blogging life that includes being a little more clever with my titles. I hope that you understand. It's not you... it's me.

That said, I begin with my phrase of a few weeks ago:

Life trumps Choice... every time.

It seems that word had leaked out about Prince Harry of Great Britain (3rd in line to the throne) and his service in Afghanistan. He had been serving since December, and the knowledge of that fact was kept in secrecy for obvious reasons. Well, now that I mention it, perhaps they weren't so obvious. If word had gotten out that he was serving in a certain area, then both he and his unit would have been targeted in a greater measure than in normal warfare scenarios. There are other reason, but this is the main one.

The word had begun to leak, but leave it to the "news" organizations of the American press to totally open the faucet. Now, because our press has run with the story, he is being sent away from his unit and back home.

Does the press have NO sense whatsoever????? Geraldo gives away troop locations. News anchors follow limited movements to report atrocities and believe they are giving the big picture. Now, the press has no idea of what the word "secret" means.

The life and security of Harry trumps their choice to report... or it should. He had put himself in harms way for a cause, but it was his choice. His choice was to save the life of others. The press attempted to put the life of another in greater jeopardy to exercise their "choice" of free speech.

I cannot falsely scream "Fire!" in a crowed room because it would endanger the lives of the people in that room. In the name of reporting, the press screamed "fire." They put lives in jeopardy for a scoop, not a story.

What a stupid choice.

Fixing my thoughts...

A few weeks ago, I was sitting at my favorite mexican restaurant in Shelbyville (and we have a few) and the topic of a certain movie came up. It doesn't really matter what the movie was, so it will go nameless. One of the men stated that he had finally gotten to see this movie, and as he spoke he mentioned that it was not a movie that he would recommend. His disappointment was not in the quality of the filmaking or acting, but in some of the content that he wasn't pleased with. A young kid (teenager) had seen this movie as well, and began to go on and on about the greatness of this movie.

I was impressed in the character of the man in that he didn't scold the boy, but simply stated in a low key manner that he wished he had not seen the film. He didn't wish to embarrass the boy because young boys are, well, young boys; and it wasn't the time for a discussion of the reasons not to see the film. Taking his cue, I quickly distracted all by a totally irrelevant, but captivating topic that we could then move to.

I have found that each heart and spirit is a little different. We have a way of making others feel less by chiding them for what they cannot watch. I do not say that they cannot because of rule or regulations, but for other reasons. For some, the reason might be that they have made a commitment to themselves and their God that they will not view certain things. If this is done because they are made to by an organization, then it is fruitless. If it is a personal decision that is guiding only by their honor, then it will in fact reap benefits. For others, the reason they cannot view certain things is that they know their minds.

For instance, a totally harmless show can be on tv and my youngest son will cover his eyes when the "scary music" is heard. Others have problems dealing with gore, or sex, or other things and know that if they witness it then it will stay in and on their minds. We judge on both sides of the issue. Those that have no problem with viewing the film Saw (not the subject of the earlier conversation) riducule those who do not wish to view it. Those who choose not to see the film instantly judge the heart of those who do. So, what is the answer?

In the book of Philippians, chapter 4, Paul writes in the Word of God that there is a procedure for what we think about:

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what
is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think
about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

This has always helped me. Does what I am watching fit into these criteria? If so they will be good for me. If they don't, then I am probably setting myself up for thoughts that will take a while to get out of my head.

Together into Eternity

Last night, while driving the 4 hours home from East TN, I received a phone call. It seems that a family of four was killed in an automobile accident in LaFayette, TN, one of the towns hit hardest by the tornados a few days ago. This family was well known to mine, as Michael Welch was a fellow pastor in Shelbyville for the first few years I was here.

I have been to the Welch's home, climbed their tree-house, and laughed by a campfire with them. Michael and his family had moved to LaFayette to pastor a Methodist Church and had well entrenched themselves into the community. In fact, they had spent the day yesterday meeting and praying with the families who has lost everything in the storm. On the way back home, their vehicle was hit by a semi and Michael, Julie, Jesse & Hannah left this world for the next.

It is tragic because they will be missed. They were good people. Michael came to Chattanooga to give his sympathies when my mom died in 2001. Michael took me to lunch and showed me a used book store in Nashville to get me away from the hospital when my youngest son's life was in the balance, and my days were filled sitting in a hospital waiting room. Julie was a friend and leader in the things of God in this community. The kids loved animals, and Michael took great joy that he looked old enough to be their grandfather but they were his!

They are Christians not because they were good people, however. They are Christians because they had allowed Christ to forgive their sins and then committed their lives to Him as Lord. This gave them a promise.

I drove in to get to the house between 12:30 & 1:00 AM, and the boys were surprised because I wasn't due home until later today. We told them what had happened, and Jonah, my 10-year-old was profound.

"Dad, it's bad but kinda good, too."

"How son?" (I knew, but I wanted him to think it out)

"They get to be together in heaven."

Imagine the moment. They might have been shocked and looked at each other because they breathed the air of earth only moments before. Then, with smiles and a feeling of completion, they joined hands and strolled into eternity with the King... together.