Hello Darkness, My Old Friend...

...I've come to talk with you again.

It's been almost a year since I've posted. I've thought about it from time to time. There was much to write about -- flooding, tornados, elections, and life. Recently I opened a Facebook account and have been having fun with it.

If you happened to have landed here through Facebook and want to see what wandered through my mind in 2006-08, read the archives. You'll read about my church, my faith, my family, my politics, my sports, and the rest of me from head to toe.

So, nothing big to write about now, except to say that I do remember the password, and I may have something to say tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Super Tuesday 2

Political commentators are making the case that today, in the Alamo state, Hilary Clinton is making her last stand. Win in Texas and she continues to fight for the Democratic nomination for president. Lose, and Obama is heading straight to the convention.

Albeit drawn out longer than in previous elections, the contests of caucuses and primaries has done what it is supposed to do -- give the electorate an opportunity to weed through the long list of senators, representatives and governors who want to be President, and dash some dreams along the way. The first campaign to fizzle out was that of former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who ended his run many months before the caucus calendar began, due to poor fundraising (he has since backed Clinton). The last campaign to fold may be that of Clinton.

From a field of more than a dozen contenders, we are left with four. (Ron Paul would make five, but he has turned his attention to getting re-elected for his Texas congressional seat. If he can't be President, he at least wants to retain his excellent group health benefits.)

I came out on this blog with support for Mike Huckabee before it was the hip thing to do. Thanks to my vote, he won the state of Iowa and enjoyed the limelight for exactly one week. Then, John McCain rose up to win in New Hampshire, and continued to win across the country. Huckabee has won on several other occasions in southern contests, but has not caught fire on a national level. He is the most socially conservative candidate left (perhaps the only social conservative) and certainly the easiest of the candidates to listen to, but that's where his attributes have seemed to end for most.

John McCain has been waiting for eight years to become the Republican nominee for President. The wait will become reality by 9 p.m. this evening. McCain is many things -- a war veteran (many say hero), a lifelong politician, and a man often at odds with his party's talking heads. According to candid interviews I've read, he's also is a hothead that, when crossed, might loose his tongue and call anybody any name in the book. That kind of guy doesn't appeal much to me.

But McCain would have to be a far worse candidate for me to seriously consider voting Democrat. If you're feeling blue, Obama appears to be the man with the momentum. Near as I can tell, his campaign has had one single theme -- I didn't vote for the war in Iraq, and don't you forget it. To his oratory credit, he has remained consistent in speech after speech. You know Obama is the candidate of change (because that's what he's told us over and over again). But change from what to what? He's said a lot of things, but can he deliver? He is an undistinguished, short-term Senator, with no proven ability to enact and pass the kinds of legislation he speaks of.

As for Hilary Clinton (now that she's running for president and using her husband as the bullhorn, apparently she isn't using her maiden name Rodham anymore), her time seems to have come and gone. As her hopes fade, so too will the Clinton dynasty. Bill will go back to his million dollar speeches, Hilary to the Senate, where she will become Obama's most adamant supporter and legislation author. The two will cook up a universal health care plan so big and expensive it will make the war costs look like chump change. Never mind that social security and the national debt remain the two biggest fiscal challenges our country faces. Who has a plan to address those issues?

When I go to the voting booth in November, I anticipate having a choice between loose lipped, military hawk John McCain and loose wallet, military wallflower Barack Obama. Oh, it's a tantalizing decision.

Eany, meany, miny, mo,
Which way will my ballot go?
To the left or to the right,
To end the war or keep the fight?
To pay for guns and tanks, and planes,
Or pay for every one's aches and pains?

Illegal Substances

The whole Roger Clemens incident and general topic of banned substances in baseball is getting pretty long in the tooth. So, let's talk about another substance that's now illegal in many settings, is grown right here in the states, and is still the rage of stage and screen.

Driving around Kentucky you see two different kinds of fences -- black and white. The white ones nearly always signal a nearby horse farm. The acreages are so large you may not actually see any horses, but you can rest assured they live there. Each one is dotted with an elaborate barn -- not a barn really, but a horse palace. Kentucky is, of course, home to the Kentucky Derby, and many of the horses that win someday compete for that horse racing crown.

Then there are the black fences, and black barns. They represent the other cash cow of Kentucky -- tobacco.

Tobacco is perfectly legal to grow, to buy, and to have possession of. But use it for its intended purpose, and you may find yourself in water. Lighting up is getting harder to do in government buildings, around hospitals, and even in your favorite restaurant.

In the Iowa state legislature, a bill has been introduced that effectively bans smoking everywhere but in your own home (unless your home doubles as an in-home daycare, then smoking is a no-no even there). Walk within a few feet of the doorway to the mall, and you better be putting your cigarette out! There are exceptions, of course. Your corner tavern is one. Casinos are another. If you're caught blowing chemical smoke in the general vicinity of another, you could pay a $500 fine.

What do we make of this? Tough call.

I have never smoked a cigarette, not one. I hate cigarette smoke. Put me in a room with a smoker and I'll limp out with a headache after a half hour. I am in favor of restaurant owners making their establishment smoke-free. I'm certainly in favor of other business owners deciding whether their own employees have the privilege of lighting up while on the clock. And I know that, as a taxpayer, I'm footing the bill for millions of tobacco users who may become cancer carriers someday. I certainly don't like that.

But, I'm not sure that this broad-based ban on smoking is a good thing. Smoking is legal. Tobacco is legal. Are we trampling on individual rights? Are we creating laws that are nearly impossible to enforce? Are we taking away the liberties of individual business owners and giving too much responsibility to big government?

Seems to me we've been down this road before. It was called prohibition. It lasted a few years, and ultimately was lifted. Changes in the way society morally views alcohol has made consumption more acceptable today. "Adult beverages" are big business. Whether that's good or bad is another topic altogether.

So, what do we do about smoking? Lift all bans, pass local and state laws limiting usage, or get rid of the "heart darts" at the federal level? What say you?

Ch Ch Changes

Wow, it's been more than a month since my last post. Looking backwards, there are a lot of topics I could have shared my thoughts on. But the truth is I've been busy, and frustrated by my computer.

A year ago I purchased a used computer through Ebay, a Dell Inspiron 9100. Near as I can tell it was a couple of years old at time of purchase. It's a laptop, but almost as heavy as a desktop. I've been really pleased with it until a couple of months ago. This particular model has both a mousepad (which I use often) and a little rubber pointing stick (which I never use). The pointing stick began to fail -- it has a mind of its own and wanders off when I create vibration on the computer's keyboard. Once it wanders it doesn't come back, and I have to pound on the keyboard to reactivite it. Argh!

My solution came in the form of a wireless keyboard/mouse combination I purchased at Staples this week for $14.98 -- a steal. Seems to be a good workaround, especially since I use the laptop primarily as a desktop replacement.

But besides the computer issue, I have been super busy with the big change coming in my life -- a new job. For the last (nearly) six years I have been an agent with New York Life -- a life insurance salesperson. I recently had an opportunity to interview for a NYL management position in Cedar Rapids that gives me the responsibility of training and teaching other agents, and two weeks ago, accepted the job. My start date is March 3. I have been busy completing some responsibilities of my current job, and learning the ropes of the new one. In addition, doing some project work for our church. Whew, it's been a handful. But, it's all good.

Broccoli, Celery, Got to Be ...

Y'all know the rest, don't you? Of course you do.

VeggieTales!!!

My children came along at just the right time to catch the peak popularity of Bob the tomato and Larry the cucumber. Up until we gave them away, we owned a dozen VHS tapes and more than a few plush toys. We were among those who went to the movie theatre on opening day to watch the first VeggieTales movie, Jonah. Alas, not many more followed.

VeggieTales was the brainchild of Phil Vischer, born here in Iowa, and was taken to the retail world in 1993. It was a unique creation -- talking vegetables that humorously told Bible stories to the under 10 crowd. Like any good youth-oriented product, it was written at a level that both kids and adults could enjoy -- kids for the sheer entertainment of it all, and adults for the cultural references only an adult would understand. VeggieTales become a Christian cultural phenomenon that would eventually become a mainstream phenom too, culminating with the Jonah movie in 2002.

About that time, VeggieTales became VeggieFails -- from a business perspective, anyway. As outlined in the humorous and captivating Vischer book Me, Myself, and Bob, Vischer's Big Idea Productions company had taken on too much debt and could not continue. The vegetables declared bankruptcy and embarrassment. They survive today as an entity of a huge conglomerate, with only moderate creative input from the original players.

This past week the veggies became stars in their second motion picture -- The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. The picture will be panned by "critics" as being too nice, or too simple, or too archaic in its animation. Remaining fans of the series will hungrily lap it up as one of the very few movies they can take their small children to and not have to be even slightly concerned about obvious, or even subtle, innuendo. To be sure, the most onerous part of taking your kids to a Veggie Tales film is the previews for the other films you must sit through.

My 12 and 9 year-old kids no longer long for VeggieTales, though it wouldn't surprise me if we see this film sooner or later. I'm pretty sure the novelty of talking vegetables telling Bible stories is beyond its expiration date. Yet nothing has taken its place in the retail world.

As I've written before, creative types at Disney, Pixar and other media giants could make a financial killing if they could simply give Christian parents -- any parents -- and young children what they want: squeaky clean entertainment. No eight year-olds swearing, no bare bottoms, no innuendo sexual humor, no political statements. The task seems so easy, yet ... it must be harder than I think or someone would be doing it.

There has never, ever, ever, ever, ever been a show like VeggieTales. Perhaps there never will be again. So come on down to the local theatre -- its time for VeggieTales.

Hawkeye Caucus Results

Imagine my surprise Thursday night when we pulled within a quarter mile of our Republican-only caucus site last night and came to a grinding halt because traffic was overflowing. Republicans are uninterested in the race for 08? I guess not everyone got the message.

We arrived 30 minutes early to avoid traffic. Instead, cars already lined the side street to Antioch Christian Church in every direction available. We chose to park on the shoulder of a 65 MPH highway and walk quickly through the ice and wind to avoid getting locked out (must be in the caucus by 7 p.m. OR ELSE!). Once inside a sanctuary-turned-precinct site, we quickly surmised that the 500 or so seats were already 90 percent full. We found two chairs and sat, while the sanctuary filled to overflow.

An hour later we drove home listening to the radio announce that Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama were already being declared winners. Our precinct votes had yet to be counted and called in. I thought, "These two must be winning big."

Turning on Fox News, we quickly learned that they were, in fact, winning big. In the end, both Obama and Huckabee won by wider margins than the polls had predicted. Both must be pleased beyond peaches that they won the way they did.

One big story coming out of Iowa is that a record number of Democrats turned out to caucus, about 225,000. That's about the number that the pundits predicted would come out for the two parties combined. It was a record total for Dems. But lost in the shuffle was that a record number of Republicans also turned out -- about 120,000. This is 36 percent more than the previous Republican record set in the 2000 George W. Bush caucus. So, both parties set records, and of course, the 345,000 or so total voters (about 17 percent of Iowa's registered voters) was a record. In other words, Iowans from both parties were excited about their candidates and did their job well.

Though I did not and will not vote for Barack Obama, many did. It is exhaustively reported that Iowa is not representative of the country because we're neither red or blue -- we're vanilla -- 95 percent Caucasian. Yet the black-American Obama was the leading vote-getter. That shows that Iowan's do listen to the candidates and evaluate their merits beyond more superficial characterictics. If that's true of the Obama vote, it is also true of the Huckabee vote.

So, coming strong out of Iowa are a black man and a Southern Baptist preacher, who six months ago were defined exclusively in just those terms. Today they wear a new labels -- winner, and legitimate candidate. Those are terms not applicable to Chris Dodd and Joe Biden (both dropped out immediately following the vote tally) nor Bill Richardson and Duncan Hunter (both will surely fall away within the week). Another job well done by Iowans -- winnowing the candidate pool to a formidable number for future debates.

The cameras and talking heads all boarded their planes at midnight to move to New Hampshire. Not one candidate will be back in Iowa until late summer when the general election swings into gear. Even then, the visits will be few and far between. So, we take a breather until March 2011 ... the likely timeframe for the beginning of the 2012 election.

The Story of Iowa

The day has finally arrived -- caucusing in the lead state of Iowa will begin this evening at seven. No later than 8:30, the nation will know which candidates are leaving Iowa on a galloping white horse, and which are limping towards a political grave. As I have previously written, I will be caucusing for Mike Huckabee.

Much has been made in the press, both pro and con, about Iowa being the kick-off state for presidential elections. Our local Cedar Rapids Gazette reported the following statistics this morning:

• Upwards of $40 million has been spent on campaign ads (the last few days, political adds have run six at a time to fill the entire commercial break of television programming). Of course, much more has been spent on travel, mailings and all the other trappings of being on the road
• Candidates have spent the equivalent of 600 days in the Hawkeye state (I'll bet that's a conservative number, as John Edwards spent much of the 2004 campaign here as well)
• 2,500 media pundits have said everything there is to say about campaign stops in such obscure places as Grundy Center and Dike

In addition to these, by all accounts Mitt Romney alone has spent about $7 million on his Iowa campaign, a good portion of which is his own money. That's a lot of dough for a job that pays $400,000 a year.

Whether Iowa should be the first caucus in the nation and the nine-month focus of the political process is another topic for another day. But this much is true -- the caucuses are important to Iowa. If Iowa was one of two dozen states casting their votes on Super Tuesday February 5, few of the candidates would be here at all. Iowa would be off the map, like our Midwestern counterparts in South Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska. Maybe a few TV adds here and there. Perhaps a media conference at the airport between stops in Illinois and Missouri. But not the untold millions that are spent now, and the countless coffee shop appearances by a dozen or more candidates.

The last time Iowa was in the news as much as it has been the last month, was in January of 2004 -- the last caucus. The last national impacting news story out of Iowa that doesn't relate to the caucuses was probably the floods of 1993, now 14 years ago. Whether or not the nation needs the Iowa caucus may be a debatable topic. But this is not up for debate -- Iowa does need to be the first-in-the-nation stop for the next President of the United States. If not for your benefit, then for ours.

P.S. It is estimated that about 250,000 Iowans may caucus tonight. If indeed upwards of $40,000,000 has been spent wooing my vote, perhaps in 2012 one of the candidate might just consider writing me a personal check. I don't want to suggest that my vote can be purchased ... obviously the candidates are already convinced that it can be.

Soft on meth

This just in -- Mike Huckabee's opponents are attacking him for a bill he signed as governor of Arkansas that allowed convicted methamphetamine suppliers to be released from prison early for good behavior. Hence, the charge is that Huckabee is "soft on crime."

Perhaps. But also the last few weeks, Huckabee has been severely criticized by Mitt Romney and others for raising taxes in Arkansas.

I don't know if Arkansas is anything like Iowa in terms of prison populations. But if it is, then their prisons, like ours, are full. Beyond capacity. Outdated.

How do you solve that problem? Well, you build new prisons. Unfortunately, that costs hundreds of millions of dollars. Now, how do you pay for that kind of expense? Hmm .... raise taxes?

See, you can't have it both ways. Prisons, roads, schools and health care programs require money. In a small, rural state like Arkansas, economic development will bring in some funds, but taxes have to bring in the rest.

You just can't win when it comes to politics and political attacks. Admittedly, we don't like our taxes raised, and we don't like criminals to be set free without proper incarceration (and hopefully, rehabilitation). The solution to one of these issues likely comes at the price of the other.

Politicians running for office put out these sound bites and jabs, and then sit back and see what kind of damage they can do to the other candidate. That's the very reason that most American's, while caring deeply about who our President and Congressional representatives are, hate the election process.

Generous Offers

Since this is the season for gift-giving and tremendous shopping offers, I scanned through my "spam" e-mail this morning to see what unbelievable deals might be available to me. I was astonished that I could take advantage of any of the following offers:

• 60 percent off vehicle warranties! (Never mind that both of my cars are more than 10 years old)
• Fast and easy term life with no medical exam! (I am an insurance agent and already well-insured)
• Make $1,000 in 48 hours with no product and no money! (What more can be said about that?)
• Law enforcement professionals are needed in my area and scholarships are waiting! (Ironic, since the Cedar Rapids police department recently went through a round of layoffs)
• Drop 20 pounds in two weeks! (Oh, if it were only so)
• Someone has sent me a Christmas gift card! (Wonder who the "someone" is?)
• Final attempt: confirm your e-mail address for K-Mart shipment! (I haven't shopped at K-Mart for years. Remember what Rainman said about K-Mart ...)
• Want the best free laptop in the world? (I'll bet that's a great machine)
• Wanna see my pics? (One of many offers to meet and/or see someone or something that I don't want to meet or see)
• Buy phentermine online without a prescription! (What is phentermine?)
• Blackjack tournament needs a high roller! (Uh, high roller has never been a phrase attached to me)
• Final attempt: confirm your e-mail address for K-Mart shipment! (I thought I had already received my final attempt???)
• Get $1,500 in your bank account in one hour! (Wonder how that happens?)
• Win Whoppers and free fries! (That would be a reason to respond to the "lose 20 pounds in two weeks" e-mail)
• Say no to drugs! (How refreshing, as 28 offers are asking me to say "yes" to drugs)
• Final attempt: confirm your e-mail address for K-Mart shipment! (Third time is a charm)

Of course, I never open any of these spam e-mails, and rarely look through them. My account separates them out (thankfully) into a separate inbox.

Well, if you're looking for just the right gift between now and the 25th, let me know and I'll set you up with any of these fine opportunities.

Steroids, HGH and Supplements, Oh My!

I have read the Mitchell report. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that I scanned the Mitchell report. It is, including appendices and such, more than 400 pages in length. There aren't many pictures. It is written in attorney speak. Who would want to read it word for word?

Those among us who follow baseball, and even sports in general, know a little something about the Mitchell report. It is authored by former US Senator George Mitchell, and is the conclusion of a 20-month investigation into the use of illegal and banned substances by professional baseball players.

Barry Bonds has been the steroid poster child for the last few years. Bonds, who broke into the majors as a skinny, fleet-footed Pittsburgh Pirate, is finishing his career as a large, slow power hitter with anyone still willing to pay his salary. The all-time home run king is hated for his alleged cheating and various public relations blunders.

In the court of public opinion, and I think in reality, he is guilty. The question is, beyond Barry Bonds, who else is guilty, and how widespread is the problem?

The conclusion of the report -- many are probably guilty, and the problem has been widespread. I was glad to see that my past and present favorite players were not named, guys like Ryne Sandberg, Derrick Lee, and Albert Pujols. But like many, I was surprised to see many current and former All-Stars, including Roger Clemens.

So much has been written about this topic. To me, it all boils down to this. Players take this stuff because they want to perform better, because better performance leads to more lucrative contracts. Guys like Bonds earn $15-20 million annually, payed for through TV deals, ticket prices, and jersey sales. Bonds earns that kind of money because fans support MLB with their wallets. If we didn't go to the games, buy the Cracker Jacks, turn on the TV, and slip on our favorite hat (AKA reduce the demand) things might be different.

But, who's kidding who? Things will not change. Some percentage of athletes will always look for ways to get ahead. This is not new -- it is the human condition. And, why not inject yourself with HGH for a couple years, avoid detection (MLB drug testing does not detect HGH), and sit on your pile of millions the rest of your life? Not an unattractive life, depending on your scruples.

Holiday Entertainment Greats

Just 12 days to go before Christmas. In the song, "The 12 Days of Christmas," is today the first day, the 12th day, or are we not counting yet?

Beginning with "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," the television and movie theaters are full of holiday specials during the weeks leading up to Christmas. The screen offerings have become just as much of the holiday season as any other tradition. They are diverse as George C. Scott's Ebenezer Scrooge and Macaulay Caulkin's Kevin.

If you could watch just three holiday specials between October 31 and January 1, what would they be? Movies? Cartoon classics? Parades? Here are my three ...

1) From the big screen we have A Christmas Carol, Miracle on 42nd Street, It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story (you'll shoot yer eye out!), Home Alone, and many more to choose from. But if I could only see one, it would be Christmas Vacation. It's clearly the best of the "Vacation" franchise films, and anyone with an eccentric cousin or in-law in the family will sympathize with Clark Griswold.

2) The Rankin Bass production company made holiday specials for the small screen throughout the 60's and 70's. You're familiar with their work, if not their names. The team that brought us Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer also brought as my favorite among this genre -- The Year Without a Santa Claus. As a kid I remember its two unique characters -- Heat Mizer and Snow Mizer. For two decades the show disappeared from network television, only to resurface a couple years ago. We DVD recorded it, so I'll never have to miss it again.

3) And what would Christmas entertainment be without "A Charlie Brown Christmas?" The "original" Charlie Brown specials of the 1960's are all classics, and this is the best among them. Of course, the highlight is Linus' rendering Biblical recitation of Christ's birth. Charlie Brown and friends do indeed discover the true meaning of Christmas.

No Grinch (though I like arsenic sauce), no parades (though Macy's usually marches through my family room), and no Bah Humbug (though the ghosts will visit our home). The rules were, only choose three.

Let's hear your favorites ...

Huckabee and the Iowa Caucus

I posted in the fall that Mike Huckabee was becoming my candidate of choice to support in the Iowa caucus. At the time his polling support in Iowa was single digits. He trailed Giuliani, McCain, Romney and Thompson. In just three months, he has apparently lept to the top of the polls and now has a real shot of winning the vote, which is just 28 days away.

What has happened, and what is a proper perspective on this?

First off, Huckabee supporters will tell you (as will Huckabee himself) that he knows who he is, and running for president doesn't require that he begin catering to a new constituency. He is a former Southern Baptist church leader and two-time Republican governor. He has a personal record and voting record that paints a pretty good picture of who he is, and he's not trying to reinvent himself. That's good.

Second, he has played the "Sleeper Risk" card to a "T". I'm referring to the classic board game Risk. As devotees of the game know, one strategy to winning is playing slowly -- not attacking your opponents too quickly, and not positioning yourself as a risk to other players. In other words, lull your fellow players to sleep and then surprise them with your strength.

Politically, this is Huckabee. For months at a time, his opponents paid him no attention. Quietly, with very little money, he has diligently shook hands with the conservative voters that play such a big role in the Iowa caucus. Most seem to like the message and the style with which its delivered. Its only within the last month that the bog dogs have noticed that Huck is no longer polling six percent (I believe he's at 28 percent now).

The larger question is not, "Will Huckabee win Iowa?" Rather, it is, "Can Huckabee win anywhere else but Iowa and Arkansas?" Nationally, he is still a low-poller, a distant fourth. It is a similar story for Democrat John Edwards, whose campaigning in Iowa for the last five years has yielded him respectable polling numbers, but whose national numbers are light years behind Clinton and Obama.

With 28 days left until 125,000 Iowans go the polls (just four percent of the state's population), anything can happen. I do plan to caucus, and at this point, will check the box for Huckabee. I'll keep you posted.

Lessons from the Lord's Supper -- Part IV

There are a great many lessons that can be drawn from the upper room the night Jesus celebrated the Passover feast with his disciples. Previously, I've mentioned these -- 1) that Jesus was eager to share this night with his friends, and 2) that Jesus continues the transition from the old covenant of Israel to the new covenant of His church.

Here's a third lesson: Jesus wants the cross to be remembered.

This may seem too simple to be of importance. Duh, of course Jesus wants the cross to be remembered. But let's be honest -- much of what happens in a church does not directly point to the cross. This is not a criticism, as much as it is an observation. Take for example:

• The modern day American church places a great and growing emphasis on music in worship. We have praise teams, and bands, and choirs, and instrumental interludes, and "special" music. We have practices, and rehearsals, and discussion about what style of music should be used in worship. At its best, our energy focused on music does remind us of the cross of Christ. But we must fight to keep the focus on Jesus and not on ourselves and our "performance." No church is immune, whether you have a choir of 50 or a single man leading an a capella service.
• No preacher is willing and able to preach the cross every week of the year, and most churchgoers would not be content for it to happen. Instead, we might spend weeks at a time going through the minor prophets, or the topics of marriage, child rearing, spiritual gifting ... all Biblical and helpful topics to be sure. It is entirely possible that a sermon might never mention the cross, or Christ himself. Is that true in your experience?
• Sunday school classes, particularly those for children, really hit the miraculous stories of the Bible hard. Kids learn about David and Goliath, the apple in the garden of Eden, Peter walking on water, and even Balaam and the talking donkey. And yes, our classes may broach the subject of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. But, perhaps not often.

You get the idea. It is easy to attend church for 90 minutes each week and not dwell on the message of the cross. But to the early disciples, Jesus had this request (as recorded by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians): "Take it [the bread]; this is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."

Jesus knew there would be distractions, both for the disciples, and for us today. He knew that His followers might need a regular reminder of what happened at Calvary. And so, he uses the simple elements of bread and wine, passed among us, to visually and spiritually take us back to the cross. When there, we recall once again that our sin separated us from God; that Jesus is the unblemished sacrifice that bridges the gap; and that our salvation is found in this act of grace.

The disciples took Jesus direction to heart. Luke writes in Acts 2 that the early church was "devoted" to the breaking of bread. While no specific command is given as to how they demonstrated "devotion," the early church likely shared the Lord's Supper weekly, and perhaps several times each week.

When we gather around the Communion table, we do proclaim the Lord's death. In this act, we retell the gospel story over and over again. Let's never grow tired of such a tradition. Let us not take it for granted, even after a thousand cups of juice have been drunk. The cross is everything to the believer, and the Lord's Supper is surely about the cross.

Lessons from the Lord's Supper -- Part III

The book of Acts says that the early church was "devoted" to the breaking of bread, the remembrance we commonly call "The Lord's Supper." Last time we looked at the what the New Testament writer Mark says, that Jesus was "eager" to celebrate the Passover with his disciples. Jesus is still eager to see His followers surround the table and break bread with each other.

A second observation from the Lord's Supper is this -- Jesus uses Communion to continue the transition from the old covenant to the new.

Let's remember, Jesus was Jewish, as were the 12. As they gathered for the Passover, they were following the Law that God gave His people. The Passover represented the sparing of life, the protection of the chosen. Each and every year the story of God's wrath on the Egyptians and God's promise to the Israelites would be retold.

As was common with the Law, the Passover also represented sacrifice. The book of Exodus tells us that the Jews were to paint their doorposts with the blood of a lamb. The celebratory Passover week included the sacrifice of a lamb as a sin offering (Deut 16). Under the old law, sin was abundant. As a result, the need for sacrifices was abundant. God required blood to attain righteousness.

This theological pattern could have continued forever, sin = sacrifice. But God had a plan -- one sacrifice to end all sacrifices. The Apostle Paul makes it clear in 1 Cor 5:7 -- Jesus would become the final Passover lamb.

And thus, when Jesus asks His disciples in the upper room to take the bread and eat it, He tells them that His sacrificed body is represented. As He passes the cup, he says that it is "the new covenant in my blood." Translation -- the old covenant of Law and sacrifice has been fulfilled and replaced with a new covenant of grace, purchased with the blood of a Perfect Lamb.

This new covenant, and all that it entails, would be a point of discussion throughout the first century. Many of Paul's letters to the churches addressed this very topic. Even the disciples who reclined at the Communion table with Christ would disagree about the requirements of discipleship (remember the Jerusalem council on circumcision?)

I think we could say the same today. On one level, most born-again believers know that they are saved by grace alone, and not by the works they do -- that our personal sacrifices have no measure of saving worth compared to the one sacrifice made on the cross. Yet, we are quick to tally the balance of our sins against our works of faith, hoping the numbers are in our favor. And, we struggle to avoid counting the sins of others against them.

Jesus is eager to celebrate His death with us, because His death brings life. He reminds us, through the simple, ancient items of bread and wine, that the old requirements of body and blood are no more. Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe.

Lessons from the Lord's Supper -- Part II

Part II is really lesson number 1: Jesus is eager to share the supper with his disciples.

Luke writes in Luke 22:15, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." Why? In this last few hours of time with his disciples, before an evening of intense prayer, ears being cut off, and an arrest, why does he eagerly desire this night? Let's look at two possible motives ...

1. Jesus wants to show his friends what it means to sacrificially serve
In the Apostle John's account of this evening, we see that Jesus gets up from the table, takes off his outer robe, and washes the disciples feet. A dirty job, this footwashing business. A good host would provide water and a basin for his guest to wash their feet. A well-to-do host might volunteer a slave for footwashing duty. But the host getting his hands dirty? And not just any host, but the Savior of the world?

This is a teachable moment. Jesus says, "Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

God has a role for the disciples -- they will become the leaders of His church. Serve each other, he says. Get dirty. Remember this, do it, and you will be blessed.

2. Jesus wants to tell His friends of His love and plans for them
John's account of the upper room provides teachings from Jesus that the other accounts do not (John ch 13-16). Jesus was God, but also fully human. He had feelings, you know? These men were his best friends. He spent nearly every morning, noon and night with this band of brothers. And now, he is about to physically abandon them, like the mother bird kicking the babies out of the nest and forcing them to fly away. Jesus loves these men. Jesus wants these men to have long-term confidence despite the upcoming short-term events. Again, God has plans for these men. Here are a few things Jesus wants them to know:

• "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
• "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."
• "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever -- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."
• "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
• "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
• "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit -- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name."

So, again, here's lesson number 1 from the Lord's Supper: Jesus is eager to share this meal with us, just as he was with the 12. Jesus wants Communion to be a teachable moment -- remember, church, serve one another. Whatever you do for others in my name, you do for me. You are not above your master. And Jesus wants to remind us of how much he loves us. He has plans for us. We were created to return to the Father, through the acceptance of the Son. He wants us to know that He is building our heavenly mansion, that He has sent the Holy Spirit to guide us, and that we are his friends. In him, we have peace. In him, we bear fruit.

The upper room must have been an incredible place to be. It can be the same for us today, as we assemble in our house church living rooms and large church sanctuaries. Jesus is eager to meet us at the table.

The Lord's Supper -- Part I

This coming Sunday I will be sharing some thoughts about the first Lord's Supper, as described in the Bible's New testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and 1 Corinthians.

I've been chewing on the topic for the last month. My first thought was this -- what could I possible teach, and learn for myself, that would be new? After all, I've been around this block before. I became a baptized believer in Christ when I was 10 years old -- that's 27 years ago. I've been in church most every week since then -- churches that included the Lord's Supper in each week's worship service. Some quick math allows me to estimate that I've come to the communion table more than 1,300 times to take the bread and the cup. On a number of those occasions (maybe 50) I have had the responsibility to lead the church in a few devotional thoughts. So, this isn't the first time I've meditated on the words of the New testament writers.

Those of us who teach in any capacity probably feel an undue amount of pressure to bring something enlightening to our audience. We imagine standing in front of the class (or in this case, the church) and seeing the cartoonish light bulb rise above the head of each listener, suddenly glowing bright as we pour out our topical wisdom. We wish for our thoughts to alter a life, perhaps change it completely.

I have had to work through these feelings many times as a worship leader -- "What can I do to 'make' God's people worship today?" And, as a teacher, "What can I say to bring new insight?" Such hopes seem particularly difficult on a topic such as the Lord's Supper. I'm not the only one in my church who has "come to the table" a few times. Most of us have.

And so, the first small lesson I've been reminded of in preparing for this teaching is that it's not up to me to reinvent the scriptures or change a life. Rather, it's God's job. The Bible is, after all, God's Word. It's not mine, it doesn't belong to me. What's more, I can't crawl into a person's heart or mind and undertake a massive construction project. But God can, through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Those of us who teach or lead are the messengers, not the message. We try to share words of wisdom, but we didn't create wisdom. We pray for changed lives, but we aren't responsible for the changing. To assume anything more would be presumptuous, even arrogant.

So, as I approach a teaching that has been delivered by men more learned than I for nearly 2,000 years, my hope is that God simply opens MY eyes to something new, and renews MY appreciation for what happened at the cross. I'll try to leave the rest to God.

The Boring Rush Limbaugh

Yesterday afternoon I went home early to take some cold medicine, Advil, and a nap. It was about 1:45 p.m., 45 minutes into the three-hour Rush Limbaugh radio show.

I graduated from college in 1992, about the time the Limbaugh show was hitting the national airwaves. He was quite a phenom. His topical updates were hysterical, complete with themed music. He was creating an empire, one listener at a time, and entertaining them along the way. When Bill Clinton was elected, Rush (self-proclaimed conservative and truth-teller) really hit stride. During this period of time I was a frequent listener.

The last 10 years, my jobs and office environments have not been conducive to mid-afternoon radio listening. So, I've fallen out of touch with Rush, never catching more than a few minutes of his show at a time. Yesterday I listened for 135 minutes. What a bore.

Gone, apparently, are calls from listeners. Rush took about 3 an hour. Instead, he'd rather listen to himself speak. No homeless updates, no them music, no plugging of his necktie line (production ceased many years ago). He's still behind the "golden EIB microphone" and reading articles from his "formerly nicotine-stained hands" (never mind that Rush is a frequent cigar smoker, I guess that doesn't count as nicotine).

Rush has been through a lot the last 10 years. He has been divorced, he's had a failed television show, he lost 100 pounds, he was arrested for illegal prescription drug use, and he arguably helped elect a president.

Now, it seems he's just churning out a radio show that helps maintain his millionaire status. It was not entertaining, or amusing, or fun. It was boring. It left me with the feeling that if I go another 10 years before I tune in again, I won't miss much.

Huckabee Comes Out on Top

Several weeks ago I wrote about a poll I took online that suggested Republican John Cox is the man I should throw my support behind in the '08 presidential run. Never mind that I have never heard of John Cox.

USA Today had another poll out this morning. My results were different this time, probably because the questions were different. In this poll, you are asked to respond to specific policy questions that have been posed to the candidates. For example, "Should the United States have invaded Iraq and deposed Saddam Hussein? "What should happen to illegal immigrants already in the United States?" What should the government do about same-sex couples that want to get married?""What would be the best way to improve the federal income tax system?" There are 11 total questions covering seven subject matters.

My top three matches, in order, were Mike Hukabee (R), Mitt Romney (R), and Tom Tancredo (R). They were separated from the rest of the Republican pack. My bottom three matches (from lowest to highest) were John Edwards (D), Joe Biden (D), and Barack Obama (D). My highest Dem was Hillary Clinton, but her match was below every Republican.

This poll once again affirms my Republican leanings. Huckabee and I answered seven of the 11 questions the same way. John Edwards and I agreed on none.

I have e-mailed the Huckabee campaign to see what his Eastern Iowa campaign schedule is. No reply to that question yet, but I was solicited for a campaign contribution. Go figure.

The Hawgs Strike Out

The latest fantasy baseball season has concluded, and with it, my attempt to win my own league. After running in the top three 3/4 of the season, I lost steam and finished a disappointing fourth. The final standings:

1. Jazzman's Stars (our resident personal banker) 87.5
2. Phillies (local PE teacher and coach) 86.5
3. Hot Wheelers (long-time friend Jeff Wheeler) 78.5
4. Hawgs 74.5
5. Phat Farm Team (president of the CR realtor association) 68
6. Clemente's Clubbers (researcher extraordinaire 67
7. Gnats (Rockwell Collins manager and Nationals fan) 63
8. What the Card Says (father/son duo) 61
9. Steady Eddy (instrumental music instructor) 58.5
10. Hawkeyes (my dad) 50
11. Ink Stain (civic development leader) 46
12. Cubbies (another local development dude) 39.5

While the fantasy season didn't pan out, the real season has yielded a nice group of National League teams vying for the World Series, including the Cubs.

Those Pesky Newspaper Reporters

This past week, sports columnist Jenni Carlson of the Daily Oklahoman apparently had some negative things to say about the Oklahoma State football team's quarterback. She questioned his toughness and posed this question: " ... Does he want to be coddled, babied, perhaps even fed chicken?"

None of this would have been all that newsworthy in far flung places like Iowa, except that on Monday the Oklahoma State coach went into a press conference tirade that is now being broadcast several thousand times an hour on You Tube. Coach Gundy "... blasted Carlson the entire time, calling her column 'fiction' and the newspaper 'garbage.'"

Sometimes the relationship between newspaper writer and subject matter can get a little hairy. Believe me, I know. On January 30, 1990, I wrote the following editorial column for the University of Northern Iowa's Northern Iowan:

"Rarely are events as memorable as the hype that proceeds them. This is especially true in athletics .... The UNI-Iowa [basketball game] was an exception. Perhaps in this case the game WAS the most exciting aspect of the evening.

"As a result of UNI's stunning victory, a new level of success has been reached in Panther athletics. Panther fans could carve a big notch in their bedposts and proudly chant, 'We're number one, we're number one.'"

"UNI 77-Iowa 74. I think its universally recognized that Iowa men's basketball is vulnerable this year. Many prognosticators pick Iowa to finish near the bottom of the Big Ten. The same crystal ball lists UNI as runaway AMCU champions. So, UNI wins at home, in the dome, for the first time in 75 years. Impressive, maybe so."

I went on to suggest that UNI fans should avoid getting too big for their britches, the league it played in was inferior, and that "we should realize we have a good team and be proud of what it does. But, don't dream of what it can't do. National championships are not around any corner on this campus."

"Don't let the thrill of a little success fool you. Enjoy Panther basketball for what it is -- in-state athletes using their talents for a few more years. Thank them for the entertainment they provide, support them with pride. Don't belittle their success with talk of greatness."

As football commentator Keith Jackson would say, "Whoa Nelly!" That column, written 17 years ago, got me in heaps of trouble. The basketball team captain called me up and volunteered to rearrange my face. Threats from large male students plugged up my dorm room voicemail. Letters to the editor piled up (a rare occurrence for the Northern Iowan). I even had a sit-down with then-head basketball coach Eldon Miller and head football coach Terry Allen.

Was what I said true? Some parts were. The University of Iowa Hawkeyes went on to have a dismal year, finishing low in the Big Ten. UNI went on to have the best season in its history (at that point), even winning an NCAA tournament game against Missouri. The Association of Mid-Continent Universities (AMCU) was kind of a rinky dink outfit. It has changed its name and team lineup many times since 1990, and UNI is no longer in it. In 1990, it was rare for UNI to beat Iowa or Iowa State University in any athletic competition, let alone men's basketball (the gap has narrowed in recent years). UNI has not won a national basketball championship (it has never gotten past the second round of the NCAA tourney).

But, was what I wrote inflammatory? Yep. Not intentionally, but obviously.

Was Ms. Carlson of Oklahoma trying to be inflammatory? I don't know. Here's my guess though -- she is paid by the newspaper to write about sports, in a way that both sells newspapers and accurately reflects the truth. Since the job of an opinion columnist is to express their opinion, you can imagine that others may disagree from time to time. Carlson suggested that the QB in question is "soft." Coach Gundy, at least in a public forum, has a different opinion.

I wonder who is receiving the brunt of criticism in Oklahoma this week -- the quarterback who lost his starting job, the reporter who tried to explain why, or the coach who lost his cool in front of the world.

And the beat goes on ...