I want to do something in this blog that I don’t often do. I am reprinting an article that appeared in the May, 2009 issue of Wichita Family magazine. The article was written by Kristi Smith.
I know the officer who is featured in the article. He grew up in my hometown. I served on City Council and as an EMS volunteer during a time when he served on the local police force, learning and growing in his profession. He is an honorable man and truly lives by the words, “To Serve With Honor.”
When we worked with the girls’ home a few years ago, some of our girls attended Marshall Middle School. Carlos was the resource officer there. It was obvious as he walked the halls that he had a great rapport with the kids and knew why he was there. In many ways, I think he saw some aspects of his own life in the lives of some of the kids for whom he provided a safe place to study and learn. I commend the article to you.
“TO SERVE WITH HONOR” that’s the motto he lives by but the dream that started as a child never told him he would carry a bullet for the rest of his life. Wichita Police Officer Carlos Atondo is a remarkable officer that serves with honor everyday. As a child living in Mexico, Carlos dreamed of someday living in the United States and being a police officer. After moving to Harper, Kansas at the age of six, that dream grew for many years until Carlos became a US citizen at the age of 25. Carlos’ dad was a reserve officer and Carlos had many role models and friends that were police officers and kept his dream alive. As soon as he could, he entered the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center and began living his dream. For the last twelve years, Officer Atondo has been with the Wichita Police Department. He has worked many details such us beat patrol, SCAT officer and school resource officer.
In the very early hours of the morning in July 2007, Officer Atondo was parking his cruiser at the patrol north substation and ready to call it a night when a call came across his radio of a shooting in the area. He and his supervisor quickly made it to the scene, which was an apartment building and as Officer Atondo made it to the top of the stairwell, the shooter opened fire on the officers. Officer Atondo was hit just below his body armor in the lower abdominal area. He fell down the stairs and then backed out of the building. Officer Atondo believed at the time that this would be his last night at work and the things that came to mind were his wife and daughters. He remembers looking at the stars in the sky and praying for the Lord to take care of his family. He also remembers the fright and an intense burning pain. He did not know at the time how badly he had been hurt or what damage had been done. Ultimately, Officer Atondo would spend five days in the hospital and make a full recovery but nothing comes without a price.
Officer Atondo has spent most of his life helping others and giving of his self back to his community. He is assigned to a middle school in a Hispanic area of the city because he is bi-lingual and can relate to the students very well. He has volunteered with Big Brothers-Big Sisters, the Down’s syndrome Society, the Wichita Children’s Home, and Heart Spring, all of which came to a quick stop when he was shot. He now had not only physical healing but also psychological healing. He had to overcome the flashbacks, the memories of the pain, the affects on his family and the thought of another call similar to this if he went back to police work. Officer Atondo gives credit to many friends and family for his recovery. Two people most often thought of as a great inspiration to him are Officers James and Derick Espinoza. James stayed with Officer Atondo from the crime scene to the operating room, never leaving his side. Derick spent many hours at the hospital with Officer Atondo and even slept in the room with him when the pain and memories became too much. He also credits Jose’ Salcido for giving him strength and pulling him through.
After 6 months of recuperation, Officer Atondo returned to work. This summer he will be working with the same supervisor and doing the same job for the first time since July of 07. This time Officer Atondo will carry one more bullet than the ones in his gun belt. He will for the rest of his life carry a 9 mm bullet in his abdomen to remind him of the cost of the honor he stands for everyday.
This Officer is one of the most humble and caring officers that any police department could employ. He exemplifies all the standards and professionalism that the Wichita Police Department wants in an officer and the department is very lucky to have him on their team. Every citizen in Wichita should take a moment to get to know a local police officer and they may find another one like Officer Atondo.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Bearing the Pall
I was asked today to be a pallbearer at the funeral of a woman who attended our church and was a friend of ours. That is one of those things that you just say “Yes,” and do, rather than say something inane like, “I’ll get back with you on that.” I understand that not many women are ever asked to bear the casket for a friend, and I’m not sure why not. I guess it has to do with tradition, but I know that men usually do those honors. I suppose it comes from days gone by when the casket had to be carried some distance from the church to the cemetery, and men were asked to perform that service due to their relative strength.
And it is an honor to be asked and to serve in this way. Oh, I know that pallbearers are not really necessary. The funeral people are quite capable of moving the casket anywhere they need to move it with or without the help of six or eight volunteer men. But it’s just one of those things you do in honor of the deceased and to honor and recognize the family.
It also provides a connection with those traditions and customs of the past. Even though bearing the casket is no longer something that needs to be done by six or eight volunteers, there is a dignity and a solemnity to both the office and the act. The pallbearer in a real sense represents the family. He does the same act that countless men (and a few women) have done over many, many years. He serves the one whose remains lie inside the casket. And he pays his respects to the deceased, the family, and the tradition.
I’ve borne a casket several times in my lifetime. It has been an honor and privilege to serve each time I was asked. There will come a day (sooner rather than later) when I’ll not be able physically to do it any more. I never look forward to carrying a casket, but I have always done it when asked.
For, you see, the carrying of the casket is also a reminder to me that I am mortal, and that one day my remains may well be carried by men chosen by my family…men who will carry the tradition on into the next generation and one day pass it down to the generation following.
And it is an honor to be asked and to serve in this way. Oh, I know that pallbearers are not really necessary. The funeral people are quite capable of moving the casket anywhere they need to move it with or without the help of six or eight volunteer men. But it’s just one of those things you do in honor of the deceased and to honor and recognize the family.
It also provides a connection with those traditions and customs of the past. Even though bearing the casket is no longer something that needs to be done by six or eight volunteers, there is a dignity and a solemnity to both the office and the act. The pallbearer in a real sense represents the family. He does the same act that countless men (and a few women) have done over many, many years. He serves the one whose remains lie inside the casket. And he pays his respects to the deceased, the family, and the tradition.
I’ve borne a casket several times in my lifetime. It has been an honor and privilege to serve each time I was asked. There will come a day (sooner rather than later) when I’ll not be able physically to do it any more. I never look forward to carrying a casket, but I have always done it when asked.
For, you see, the carrying of the casket is also a reminder to me that I am mortal, and that one day my remains may well be carried by men chosen by my family…men who will carry the tradition on into the next generation and one day pass it down to the generation following.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Adventure Continues
It’s been a tiring day. I think there’s a little lag of some sort that comes after a long trip such as we did over the holiday weekend. Then it catches up with you a day or two after you get back and you feel like you’ve been run over by a truck. I hurt everywhere, and it’s an effort to get up and walk. The bed will feel extra good tonight.
However, today wasn’t lost or wasted at all. We started the morning with some drizzle and clouds, and the clouds stayed most of the day. That made for a cool, wonderful day outside.
Then this evening there was a brief, but memorable display in the western sky as the sun set in a partly cloudy sky. As the sun illuminated the underneath side of the clouds that were hanging in the sky, blues, reds, purples, and oranges filled the expanse. It lasted no more than a minute or so, but was one of the more colorful skies I’ve seen in awhile.
One of these times, I’ll have to reprint an article I wrote a few years ago. That was the time I was privileged to see a rainbow in the western sky right at sun-up. The amazing thing about it was that the light from the rising sun was traveling under the cloud layer overhead and created a rainbow below that layer off to the southwest. I’ve never seen anything like it before or since.
This coming Saturday is the traditional Memorial Day (30th). I may go to the cemetery on that day since I didn’t have the chance on the Monday holiday. It’s always good to visit once in awhile and renew the connections in one’s mind with the remains of those who are buried there. It also is a good time to remember one’s own mortality.
I think tomorrow will be better. I should feel better and it’s getting toward the end of the week and the end of the month. The days and months are hurtling by, it seems. It’ll be about three weeks and it will start snowing, as it will be December already. The Adventure Continues.
However, today wasn’t lost or wasted at all. We started the morning with some drizzle and clouds, and the clouds stayed most of the day. That made for a cool, wonderful day outside.
Then this evening there was a brief, but memorable display in the western sky as the sun set in a partly cloudy sky. As the sun illuminated the underneath side of the clouds that were hanging in the sky, blues, reds, purples, and oranges filled the expanse. It lasted no more than a minute or so, but was one of the more colorful skies I’ve seen in awhile.
One of these times, I’ll have to reprint an article I wrote a few years ago. That was the time I was privileged to see a rainbow in the western sky right at sun-up. The amazing thing about it was that the light from the rising sun was traveling under the cloud layer overhead and created a rainbow below that layer off to the southwest. I’ve never seen anything like it before or since.
This coming Saturday is the traditional Memorial Day (30th). I may go to the cemetery on that day since I didn’t have the chance on the Monday holiday. It’s always good to visit once in awhile and renew the connections in one’s mind with the remains of those who are buried there. It also is a good time to remember one’s own mortality.
I think tomorrow will be better. I should feel better and it’s getting toward the end of the week and the end of the month. The days and months are hurtling by, it seems. It’ll be about three weeks and it will start snowing, as it will be December already. The Adventure Continues.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Labor of Love
The following is the text of an email I sent to a church in the Des Moines area recently after we visited there. I thought you might want to read it.
My wife and I have traveled extensively in our 35 years together and have stopped by to visit many churches in our brotherhood over the years. From Cooperstown, New York to Lubbock, Texas and many places in between, we have found and worshiped with Churches of Christ. The experience of doing that has been memorable...sometimes in good ways and sometimes in not-so-good ways. It has been several years since we last had the opportunity to stop in on a morning or evening (or Wednesday, for that matter) service and we thought we would do so this evening as we were going to be in Des Moines on a Sunday evening.
We checked out the Des Moines area online in the national directory of Churches of Christ and found that the Grandview Church of Christ held evening services and wasn't that far from our motel in Ankeny. I decided to “try you out” and see what kind of memorable experience we would have.
We arrived with our son Scott at about 5:45 and were greeted by a young lady at the door. We asked if this was the right door to enter and she assured us it was. From that time on through the entire three hours or so we were with you, we felt as if we were among people of like mind who truly cared about the visitors in their midst and went out of their way to help out and make us at home.
We had been in the building no more than about 3 minutes when we were invited to the picnic that followed services. That invitation was repeated over the next hour by at least four more people and possibly more (I lost count). We found that we had common interest in the (name redacted) family, had common interest in people and places in Kansas, had common interest in our travels, and above all had common interest in glorifying our God and Maker.
The folks we met were easy to visit with, genuine, and without pretense. They listened when we spoke and talked easily of commonality, which made our visit pleasant and enjoyable. The singing was great, the prayers were heartfelt, and the lesson was powerful. The picnic was truly the crown of a royal evening spent with brothers and sisters previously unknown.
Occasionally, we have opportunity to pass through Des Moines (three or four times or so in 10 years). We will always remember our visit with you and be encouraged as we pass through on I-80. We probably will turn to our spouse and say, “Remember when we stayed in Des Moines that Sunday evening and went to church here?” We then will talk of this evening with fondness and affection.
If we never meet again this side of heaven (to borrow the lyrics of an old song), know that you folks will always be in our hearts and that we will think of you with great pleasure and satisfaction; knowing that you too are laboring with love and joy in the service of the Master.
My wife and I have traveled extensively in our 35 years together and have stopped by to visit many churches in our brotherhood over the years. From Cooperstown, New York to Lubbock, Texas and many places in between, we have found and worshiped with Churches of Christ. The experience of doing that has been memorable...sometimes in good ways and sometimes in not-so-good ways. It has been several years since we last had the opportunity to stop in on a morning or evening (or Wednesday, for that matter) service and we thought we would do so this evening as we were going to be in Des Moines on a Sunday evening.
We checked out the Des Moines area online in the national directory of Churches of Christ and found that the Grandview Church of Christ held evening services and wasn't that far from our motel in Ankeny. I decided to “try you out” and see what kind of memorable experience we would have.
We arrived with our son Scott at about 5:45 and were greeted by a young lady at the door. We asked if this was the right door to enter and she assured us it was. From that time on through the entire three hours or so we were with you, we felt as if we were among people of like mind who truly cared about the visitors in their midst and went out of their way to help out and make us at home.
We had been in the building no more than about 3 minutes when we were invited to the picnic that followed services. That invitation was repeated over the next hour by at least four more people and possibly more (I lost count). We found that we had common interest in the (name redacted) family, had common interest in people and places in Kansas, had common interest in our travels, and above all had common interest in glorifying our God and Maker.
The folks we met were easy to visit with, genuine, and without pretense. They listened when we spoke and talked easily of commonality, which made our visit pleasant and enjoyable. The singing was great, the prayers were heartfelt, and the lesson was powerful. The picnic was truly the crown of a royal evening spent with brothers and sisters previously unknown.
Occasionally, we have opportunity to pass through Des Moines (three or four times or so in 10 years). We will always remember our visit with you and be encouraged as we pass through on I-80. We probably will turn to our spouse and say, “Remember when we stayed in Des Moines that Sunday evening and went to church here?” We then will talk of this evening with fondness and affection.
If we never meet again this side of heaven (to borrow the lyrics of an old song), know that you folks will always be in our hearts and that we will think of you with great pleasure and satisfaction; knowing that you too are laboring with love and joy in the service of the Master.
Friday, May 22, 2009
On Vacation
We are on vacation, so to speak, this weekend. Our trip is actually to witness the wedding of our nephew with a great young woman from Wisconsin, so we're in Wisconsin today with the wedding tomorrow.
We drove from Wichita yesterday to the quad cities area (quickly, name the quad cities of Illinois/Iowa). Today we finished the trip to the pennisula of Wisconsin on past Green Bay. The wedding will be tomorrow, then Sunday we'll begin the two day trek home, staying in Des Moines Sunday evening.
Of course, I have a few observations to make and want to make them now (at 11pm) before I forget. The first is how well-kept the farm steads are in Illinois and parts of Wisconsin. They are generally well groomed. The outbuildings are generally in good repair and painted, and many of them have a postcard look. It's obvious that farmers in this area are proud of where they live and work hard to keep their places in shape.
Second, there are a lot of silos on the farms up here. Silos in Kansas are falling down with lack of use and upkeep, but up here, it seems they are still being used and are an intregal part of farm life.
Third, I would look out over a 180 degree span and count as many as 12 to 15 farmsteads within just a couple of miles of where we were at any given point on our travel. Farmsteads in Illinois are everywhere!
Now the penninsula of Wisconson is another story. It's beautiful up here! The weather is great, about what we experience in Kansas in mid April. Spring is bursting out all over and it's just a gorgeous place, at least this year at this time of the year. There's water everywhere, and it's not all in Lake Michigan. People are friendly and we are truly enjoying our time here with the future in-laws and with the people of Door County, Wisconsin. I may have more to say on that later.
Suffice it to say now that although we won't be here long, this part of our country has already endeared me to itself. I know that the winters can be long and hard. I know that it isn't always picture perfect as it seems to be now. But this is a place I may want to visit again when we have more time.
Dan and Dara, good health and a good marriage to you two. Take the principles with you into this relationship that you learned from your respective families and create your own family...your own reality...your own spot in this beautiful place that God has provided for you.
We drove from Wichita yesterday to the quad cities area (quickly, name the quad cities of Illinois/Iowa). Today we finished the trip to the pennisula of Wisconsin on past Green Bay. The wedding will be tomorrow, then Sunday we'll begin the two day trek home, staying in Des Moines Sunday evening.
Of course, I have a few observations to make and want to make them now (at 11pm) before I forget. The first is how well-kept the farm steads are in Illinois and parts of Wisconsin. They are generally well groomed. The outbuildings are generally in good repair and painted, and many of them have a postcard look. It's obvious that farmers in this area are proud of where they live and work hard to keep their places in shape.
Second, there are a lot of silos on the farms up here. Silos in Kansas are falling down with lack of use and upkeep, but up here, it seems they are still being used and are an intregal part of farm life.
Third, I would look out over a 180 degree span and count as many as 12 to 15 farmsteads within just a couple of miles of where we were at any given point on our travel. Farmsteads in Illinois are everywhere!
Now the penninsula of Wisconson is another story. It's beautiful up here! The weather is great, about what we experience in Kansas in mid April. Spring is bursting out all over and it's just a gorgeous place, at least this year at this time of the year. There's water everywhere, and it's not all in Lake Michigan. People are friendly and we are truly enjoying our time here with the future in-laws and with the people of Door County, Wisconsin. I may have more to say on that later.
Suffice it to say now that although we won't be here long, this part of our country has already endeared me to itself. I know that the winters can be long and hard. I know that it isn't always picture perfect as it seems to be now. But this is a place I may want to visit again when we have more time.
Dan and Dara, good health and a good marriage to you two. Take the principles with you into this relationship that you learned from your respective families and create your own family...your own reality...your own spot in this beautiful place that God has provided for you.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Ants
I was out in the back yard this afternoon…a bright, sunny day with a breeze and temperatures in the 70’s. I had some small decorative rocks to move out of a flower bed so I could clean it and get it ready for some annual flower seed. I picked up one rock that was laying flat on the ground. As soon as I did, I saw that an ant colony had taken up residence under the rock. There were several trails and some white ant eggs there where the rock had been, along with three or four holes into the ground.
Of course, the ants seemed to be panicked and were going every which way. I carried the rock to where I wanted to stash it, about 50 feet away, and came back to where the rock was. I was gone all of about 30 seconds or perhaps less. By the time I got back, I noticed that there were fewer white eggs than there were just a few seconds ago. I watched and noticed that even though the ants seemed to be going helter-skelter, they really were working to get the eggs underground. Ants were carrying eggs along the trails to the holes. Other ants were coming out of other holes, bypassing the trails and coming “cross country” to the egg nests. They then would pick up an egg and head for the nearest hole, on a trail.
In less than a minute the ants had carried all of the eggs underground. In another minute or so, I saw no ants anywhere…they had all gone underground. I’m sure that if I go back out there after an hour or two, I’ll see at least one new entrance to their underground nest to replace the ones I destroyed by moving the rock then raking that area to get rid of the debris.
I like what the King James Version of the Bible says about the ant. (Proverbs 6:6-11)6”Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.”
‘Nuff said.
Of course, the ants seemed to be panicked and were going every which way. I carried the rock to where I wanted to stash it, about 50 feet away, and came back to where the rock was. I was gone all of about 30 seconds or perhaps less. By the time I got back, I noticed that there were fewer white eggs than there were just a few seconds ago. I watched and noticed that even though the ants seemed to be going helter-skelter, they really were working to get the eggs underground. Ants were carrying eggs along the trails to the holes. Other ants were coming out of other holes, bypassing the trails and coming “cross country” to the egg nests. They then would pick up an egg and head for the nearest hole, on a trail.
In less than a minute the ants had carried all of the eggs underground. In another minute or so, I saw no ants anywhere…they had all gone underground. I’m sure that if I go back out there after an hour or two, I’ll see at least one new entrance to their underground nest to replace the ones I destroyed by moving the rock then raking that area to get rid of the debris.
I like what the King James Version of the Bible says about the ant. (Proverbs 6:6-11)6”Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.”
‘Nuff said.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Lost
I’m sure that all two of you reading this have lost something in the past and turned things upside down to find whatever it was, only to discover that what you lost was somewhere totally NOT on your radar screen. That happened to me this morning. I lost my car keys.
Normally, I keep all of my things in the pockets of my pants at night. I take them out in the morning after I dress and transfer them to my new garments. I do that, I think, as a habit from my EMS days when I had to lay out clothes at night when I was on call. I wouldn’t have time to put anything in any pockets and had to be ready on a moment’s notice.
In any event, my car keys were not in my old pants pocket to transfer to my clean ones this morning. Immediately unsettled and out of my rut, I began looking for them, trying to remember when I last had them.
You know the drill. I looked high and low. I turned over chairs, looked in waste baskets, got on the floor and looked under things, retraced my steps, checked places several times on the off chance I didn’t see them the first time, and generally turned the place upside down. No luck.
Then for some reason, I thought about one more place…unlikely though it be, they just could be there. I asked my wife to check her handbag. She just turned it over on the bed and out they came along with 83 other things.
How they got in there is anybody’s guess. We both have an idea, but neither of us remember exactly what happened. It’s just one of those mysteries of life, I guess.
On an unrelated note, I heard a radio ad today from a furniture store. They were trying to sell their latest foam mattress. They were extolling the virtues of buying the mattress on time payments and said that, “Now you can sleep for less than two dollars a night!”
This is the first time I can recall where a price tag was put on sleeping. Next thing you know they’ll figure out a way to make a buck on breathing. Actually, some people already do that, selling oxygen to those who have COPD or some other ailment. What a country we live in!!
Normally, I keep all of my things in the pockets of my pants at night. I take them out in the morning after I dress and transfer them to my new garments. I do that, I think, as a habit from my EMS days when I had to lay out clothes at night when I was on call. I wouldn’t have time to put anything in any pockets and had to be ready on a moment’s notice.
In any event, my car keys were not in my old pants pocket to transfer to my clean ones this morning. Immediately unsettled and out of my rut, I began looking for them, trying to remember when I last had them.
You know the drill. I looked high and low. I turned over chairs, looked in waste baskets, got on the floor and looked under things, retraced my steps, checked places several times on the off chance I didn’t see them the first time, and generally turned the place upside down. No luck.
Then for some reason, I thought about one more place…unlikely though it be, they just could be there. I asked my wife to check her handbag. She just turned it over on the bed and out they came along with 83 other things.
How they got in there is anybody’s guess. We both have an idea, but neither of us remember exactly what happened. It’s just one of those mysteries of life, I guess.
On an unrelated note, I heard a radio ad today from a furniture store. They were trying to sell their latest foam mattress. They were extolling the virtues of buying the mattress on time payments and said that, “Now you can sleep for less than two dollars a night!”
This is the first time I can recall where a price tag was put on sleeping. Next thing you know they’ll figure out a way to make a buck on breathing. Actually, some people already do that, selling oxygen to those who have COPD or some other ailment. What a country we live in!!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Score One For Us
Score one for the common man (or woman, that is). Susan Boyle, in case you've been hiding in a cave for the past month or so, is the everyday woman who took the world by storm with a great rendition on the reality show, Britain's Got Talent. If you haven't seen it, go to Youtube and put Susan's name in the search box. You'll find several videos...there's one with over 50 million hits. That's probably as good as any to watch.
Everyone is talking about how plain she looks, but has that great voice. I'm not sure that's entirely all there is to it. There are other factors, such as why she was not “discovered” before now, etc. But looks do count in our culture. And they count far more than they should.
I struggle with this on almost a daily basis. I am constantly running into people in my line of work that I haven't seen before or haven't had dealings with before. Many of them are aged and many are infirm in some physical way. They use a walker, or they struggle to care for themselves, or whatever. Even knowing that I will see and work with many people in this business who are just that way, I still have to correct myself mentally because I tend to rush to a judgment on the basis of what I see.
When I find myself in that position, sometimes I can talk myself out of it. Other times I find that it's helpful to interact with that person in some way. Usually, I find during the interaction that there's quite a gem inside that, although it may need a little polishing, is well worth keeping. I then wonder why I ever thought the way I did about that person.
Susan may not win whatever contest she's in on the TV. That doesn't matter. What does matter is that someone, somewhere will take a look at how he or she tends to judge people and circumstance based merely on what is seen as run through the prism of societal expectations, and decide that there's something inherently wrong with that method of judgment. If even one person changes for the better as a result, Susan will have been successful far beyond what she could ever have hoped.
Everyone is talking about how plain she looks, but has that great voice. I'm not sure that's entirely all there is to it. There are other factors, such as why she was not “discovered” before now, etc. But looks do count in our culture. And they count far more than they should.
I struggle with this on almost a daily basis. I am constantly running into people in my line of work that I haven't seen before or haven't had dealings with before. Many of them are aged and many are infirm in some physical way. They use a walker, or they struggle to care for themselves, or whatever. Even knowing that I will see and work with many people in this business who are just that way, I still have to correct myself mentally because I tend to rush to a judgment on the basis of what I see.
When I find myself in that position, sometimes I can talk myself out of it. Other times I find that it's helpful to interact with that person in some way. Usually, I find during the interaction that there's quite a gem inside that, although it may need a little polishing, is well worth keeping. I then wonder why I ever thought the way I did about that person.
Susan may not win whatever contest she's in on the TV. That doesn't matter. What does matter is that someone, somewhere will take a look at how he or she tends to judge people and circumstance based merely on what is seen as run through the prism of societal expectations, and decide that there's something inherently wrong with that method of judgment. If even one person changes for the better as a result, Susan will have been successful far beyond what she could ever have hoped.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Hoping for Sunshine
Let’s see. It’s been forever since we’ve seen the sun in any measurable way. Or so it seems. I was counting back and believe we haven’t had a really good, sunny day for over two weeks. Then I thought that couldn’t be right and I was being a complainer and grumbler. So I looked at National Weather Service records for the past two weeks or so to see just what had been happening in the way of sunshine. This is what I’ve found.
From April 25th through May 9th is 15 days. One of those days (the 7th of May) has missing data. So we have 14 days to work with. The weather service calculates the actual minutes of sunshine (defined as the sun casting a shadow), the percentage of actual sunshine minutes to possible sunshine minutes, and the prominence of clouds in the sky (using a scale of 0 to 10 with 10 being the most cloudy).
Over the last 14 days, the average number of minutes of sunshine was 208. The percentage of actual sunshine to possible sunshine was 25%. The average cloudiness number on the 0 to 10 scale was 8.2.
Two days had 0 percentage of sunshine. Two more had percentages in the single digits. Five days had a percentage in the teens and two more were in the twenties and thirties. The last three had percentages of 44%, 84% and 92%.
So it’s true. We’ve had a very cloudy and overcast last couple of weeks here in Wichita. It not only seems that way; it is that way. Only two of the last 14 days had a sunshine percentage over 50%. And the cloudiness scale had only two days with fives and none below five. Nines were the most prominent number with five days meriting that score. Tens were next followed by eights and sevens. There was only one six.
This may be boring to you, but I like to manipulate numbers of all kinds in order to extract information and possibly draw conclusions. This exercise was a pleasant one for me, although the clouds and rainy weather is getting a little, shall we say, old.
I’m very careful, however, to tell you that I am not complaining…I’m just hoping that the skies will clear soon and we can take another look at the sun, sunsets, the stars, moon, and other celestial things. The Creator provides us with what we need and we have no business griping about such things. I don’t think it bad, however, to hope for (and even pray for) change in the weather. I’m not praying for sunshine just yet, but if the clouds continue, I may begin.
From April 25th through May 9th is 15 days. One of those days (the 7th of May) has missing data. So we have 14 days to work with. The weather service calculates the actual minutes of sunshine (defined as the sun casting a shadow), the percentage of actual sunshine minutes to possible sunshine minutes, and the prominence of clouds in the sky (using a scale of 0 to 10 with 10 being the most cloudy).
Over the last 14 days, the average number of minutes of sunshine was 208. The percentage of actual sunshine to possible sunshine was 25%. The average cloudiness number on the 0 to 10 scale was 8.2.
Two days had 0 percentage of sunshine. Two more had percentages in the single digits. Five days had a percentage in the teens and two more were in the twenties and thirties. The last three had percentages of 44%, 84% and 92%.
So it’s true. We’ve had a very cloudy and overcast last couple of weeks here in Wichita. It not only seems that way; it is that way. Only two of the last 14 days had a sunshine percentage over 50%. And the cloudiness scale had only two days with fives and none below five. Nines were the most prominent number with five days meriting that score. Tens were next followed by eights and sevens. There was only one six.
This may be boring to you, but I like to manipulate numbers of all kinds in order to extract information and possibly draw conclusions. This exercise was a pleasant one for me, although the clouds and rainy weather is getting a little, shall we say, old.
I’m very careful, however, to tell you that I am not complaining…I’m just hoping that the skies will clear soon and we can take another look at the sun, sunsets, the stars, moon, and other celestial things. The Creator provides us with what we need and we have no business griping about such things. I don’t think it bad, however, to hope for (and even pray for) change in the weather. I’m not praying for sunshine just yet, but if the clouds continue, I may begin.
Saturday, May 09, 2009
I don’t know if everyone does this or not, but I accumulate things in my head that I think about from time to time. Sometimes, it feels kind of good to get them out and on paper, so to speak. I’ve had several blogs where I list random thoughts; here’s another one.
Why do people who otherwise wouldn’t think of littering throw their cigarette butt on the ground when they get out of a car in a parking lot? Can’t they put it out in their ash tray before they step out?
Have you ever seen someone ahead of you in line in a department store pay for a purchase with all three methods of payment (cash, check, and credit card)? I have. I was behind her a couple of days ago. And the cash was forty one-dollar bills.
I wonder why I always seem to pick the cash register lines where the woman (excuse me…person) in front can’t find her credit card, argues about a price, takes five minutes to write a check, has seventy-two coupons to use, or insists on finding thirteen cents in the bottom of her very large purse to give to the check out person (or uses all three methods of payment on one purchase).
Is it really necessary for all three lanes of traffic to be clear before making a right turn onto a street? Isn’t it sufficient for the lane to the far right to be clear?
How can someone drive down a street and never turn their head to look to the right or to the left for traffic, etc?
Are kids smarter today than we were back when? Or is it just that they have more gadgets to work with?
Have you noticed that there really isn’t anything new under the sun, just as the writer of Ecclesiastes says?
Somewhere inside that chicken egg I broke open this morning and fried lies all the information needed to supply a baby chick with the ability to peck his way out of his shell, eat, drink, scratch the dirt, and know what the sounds mean that a mother hen makes. Amazing.
A chicken egg (or any egg for that matter), before it begins to develop, is a single cell.
Why does the price of gasoline spurt up eighteen to twenty cents a gallon overnight, go down two or three cents a two or three times in the next few days, then spurt up another eighteen cents overnight again? Why can’t it spurt down as rapidly as it spurts up?
The price of bread is approaching four dollars for some loaves. Does anyone besides me think that’s a tad high? How much more are people willing to pay?
Was there ever anything better than Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s On First?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Watf8_Rf58s&feature=related
Why do people who otherwise wouldn’t think of littering throw their cigarette butt on the ground when they get out of a car in a parking lot? Can’t they put it out in their ash tray before they step out?
Have you ever seen someone ahead of you in line in a department store pay for a purchase with all three methods of payment (cash, check, and credit card)? I have. I was behind her a couple of days ago. And the cash was forty one-dollar bills.
I wonder why I always seem to pick the cash register lines where the woman (excuse me…person) in front can’t find her credit card, argues about a price, takes five minutes to write a check, has seventy-two coupons to use, or insists on finding thirteen cents in the bottom of her very large purse to give to the check out person (or uses all three methods of payment on one purchase).
Is it really necessary for all three lanes of traffic to be clear before making a right turn onto a street? Isn’t it sufficient for the lane to the far right to be clear?
How can someone drive down a street and never turn their head to look to the right or to the left for traffic, etc?
Are kids smarter today than we were back when? Or is it just that they have more gadgets to work with?
Have you noticed that there really isn’t anything new under the sun, just as the writer of Ecclesiastes says?
Somewhere inside that chicken egg I broke open this morning and fried lies all the information needed to supply a baby chick with the ability to peck his way out of his shell, eat, drink, scratch the dirt, and know what the sounds mean that a mother hen makes. Amazing.
A chicken egg (or any egg for that matter), before it begins to develop, is a single cell.
Why does the price of gasoline spurt up eighteen to twenty cents a gallon overnight, go down two or three cents a two or three times in the next few days, then spurt up another eighteen cents overnight again? Why can’t it spurt down as rapidly as it spurts up?
The price of bread is approaching four dollars for some loaves. Does anyone besides me think that’s a tad high? How much more are people willing to pay?
Was there ever anything better than Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s On First?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Watf8_Rf58s&feature=related
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
God and Moses
In the Old Testament book of Exodus, there is an amazing, fascinating, and yet chilling account of an interaction between God and Moses. The setting is when they’ve come to Mount Sinai and Moses had gone on the mountain to meet God. The people left behind got tired of waiting on Moses up on the mountain, and had Aaron make an image of gold to worship.
God tells Moses what is happening in the camp and Moses comes back down to straighten things out. It is during this time that Moses and God have a conversation that I think may be unmatched anywhere else in the Bible. Look at chapters 32 – 34.
When this thing first comes about, God says, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.” The emphasis is mine because I want you to see that God says that the people are no longer His, rather they now belong to Moses and that Moses was the one that brought them out of Egypt. God seems to be washing His hands (so to speak) of the whole affair and giving it over to Moses.
God is so angry with the people that He tells Moses to “Leave Me alone so that my anger may burn against them, and that I may destroy them.” He then tells Moses that He will make a great nation from him.
Before Moses departed from God’s presence on the mountain, he interceded on behalf of the people. He asked God to turn from His anger and forgive them. However, if God chooses to not forgive them, Moses says to “blot me out of the book you have written.” That reminds me of Paul in the New Testament saying he would himself be accursed if it would result in the salvation of the Jews (Romans 9:1-5).
God continues to threaten punishment; then He tells Moses to “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt…” Again, God is telling Moses that these people are his, not God’s. But now God tells Moses that although He will not go with him, He will at least send an angel to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan.
This conversation goes back and forth between Moses and God, with a few side tracks thrown in, for about three chapters. In the end, Moses convinces God to take His people back, go with them into the promised land, and make a covenant with them (since they had broken the last one by worshipping the golden calf). Moses also catches a glimpse of the backside of God and has an experience with God unlike (in my opinion) that of any other human.
God starts out by threatening to destroy the whole lot of Israel and make a great nation out of Moses. He ends up taking the people into the promised land just as Moses asked Him to do.
Can you imagine having such a conversation with God yourself? Can you imagine standing up to God and saying, in essence, “God, I don’t want you to do that. If you do, think of what other people will say about you.” Can you imagine knowing that you and God were on such good terms with each other that you were able to convince God to do or not do something that He originally had said He would do the opposite?
God ends up telling Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” Is God pleased with you? Does He know you by name? Would you boldly ask God to do something and have the faith that He would hear you and act on your request?
God tells Moses what is happening in the camp and Moses comes back down to straighten things out. It is during this time that Moses and God have a conversation that I think may be unmatched anywhere else in the Bible. Look at chapters 32 – 34.
When this thing first comes about, God says, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.” The emphasis is mine because I want you to see that God says that the people are no longer His, rather they now belong to Moses and that Moses was the one that brought them out of Egypt. God seems to be washing His hands (so to speak) of the whole affair and giving it over to Moses.
God is so angry with the people that He tells Moses to “Leave Me alone so that my anger may burn against them, and that I may destroy them.” He then tells Moses that He will make a great nation from him.
Before Moses departed from God’s presence on the mountain, he interceded on behalf of the people. He asked God to turn from His anger and forgive them. However, if God chooses to not forgive them, Moses says to “blot me out of the book you have written.” That reminds me of Paul in the New Testament saying he would himself be accursed if it would result in the salvation of the Jews (Romans 9:1-5).
God continues to threaten punishment; then He tells Moses to “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt…” Again, God is telling Moses that these people are his, not God’s. But now God tells Moses that although He will not go with him, He will at least send an angel to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan.
This conversation goes back and forth between Moses and God, with a few side tracks thrown in, for about three chapters. In the end, Moses convinces God to take His people back, go with them into the promised land, and make a covenant with them (since they had broken the last one by worshipping the golden calf). Moses also catches a glimpse of the backside of God and has an experience with God unlike (in my opinion) that of any other human.
God starts out by threatening to destroy the whole lot of Israel and make a great nation out of Moses. He ends up taking the people into the promised land just as Moses asked Him to do.
Can you imagine having such a conversation with God yourself? Can you imagine standing up to God and saying, in essence, “God, I don’t want you to do that. If you do, think of what other people will say about you.” Can you imagine knowing that you and God were on such good terms with each other that you were able to convince God to do or not do something that He originally had said He would do the opposite?
God ends up telling Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” Is God pleased with you? Does He know you by name? Would you boldly ask God to do something and have the faith that He would hear you and act on your request?
Monday, May 04, 2009
"As Thou Hast Been..."
I was listening today in our daily stand up meeting while another department leader was talking about one of her employees whose mom shot herself in a suicide. She planned it out very well, buying a tarp at Wal Mart to lay on, laying out all of her insurance policies and other important papers, but not leaving any kind of note explaining why. Evidently, there was no indication of trouble in her life and her family is just left wondering why something like this happened.
We were talking a little about the situation and how the family is having to cope. During a lull in the conversation, I said “And we think we have problems.”
I know of some of the health and family issues of those who were around the table, and I’m sure there is much more going on in the lives of these people regarding which I haven’t a clue. We all agreed, though, that our troubles seemed small compared to having to deal with something like this.
As the meeting closed, I recalled a song we sang yesterday in church. (Forgive the King’s English) “Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; there is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not; as Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.”
“Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand has provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.”
In this existence where we all reside, one thing that never changes is that change and uncertainty are inevitable. One day things can be humming along just fine; literally the next day we find ourselves dealing with a situation that is inundating us with emotion, uncertainty, grief, and anxiety. And there’s no end in sight; no resolution on the horizon. Life suddenly is a struggle of the greatest magnitude.
“As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.” Nothing, not a thing in this world, in this universe is unchanging. When the ultimate disaster hits, we want the ultimate rock. We want something to cling to that isn’t affected by the passing winds of time and civilization. No wonder people in distress often call upon God. Deep inside they know that there’s a constancy there that will give them hope and security in this uncertain world.
“As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.” Whether or not this grieving family is clinging to their Creator right now, I don’t know. But I do know that their Creator sees them and loves and cares for them. And I know that the Eternal Son gave the ultimate gift on their behalf and desires a relationship with them that passes understanding. I also know that these truths are eternal and unchanging, just as the God of heaven and earth is eternal and unchanging.
“As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.” This promise is for all…not just those who have suffered great loss or are in great distress. Each of us, whether things are going well for us or not, needs the grounding and security that an unchanging God provides. Of all of the attributes of God, should I somehow be able to rank them in importance to me, this one is right up there with the first and the best. And the older I get, the more I see the need for the anchor that God provides and the less I try to keep myself anchored on my own.
“As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.”
We were talking a little about the situation and how the family is having to cope. During a lull in the conversation, I said “And we think we have problems.”
I know of some of the health and family issues of those who were around the table, and I’m sure there is much more going on in the lives of these people regarding which I haven’t a clue. We all agreed, though, that our troubles seemed small compared to having to deal with something like this.
As the meeting closed, I recalled a song we sang yesterday in church. (Forgive the King’s English) “Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; there is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not; as Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.”
“Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand has provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.”
In this existence where we all reside, one thing that never changes is that change and uncertainty are inevitable. One day things can be humming along just fine; literally the next day we find ourselves dealing with a situation that is inundating us with emotion, uncertainty, grief, and anxiety. And there’s no end in sight; no resolution on the horizon. Life suddenly is a struggle of the greatest magnitude.
“As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.” Nothing, not a thing in this world, in this universe is unchanging. When the ultimate disaster hits, we want the ultimate rock. We want something to cling to that isn’t affected by the passing winds of time and civilization. No wonder people in distress often call upon God. Deep inside they know that there’s a constancy there that will give them hope and security in this uncertain world.
“As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.” Whether or not this grieving family is clinging to their Creator right now, I don’t know. But I do know that their Creator sees them and loves and cares for them. And I know that the Eternal Son gave the ultimate gift on their behalf and desires a relationship with them that passes understanding. I also know that these truths are eternal and unchanging, just as the God of heaven and earth is eternal and unchanging.
“As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.” This promise is for all…not just those who have suffered great loss or are in great distress. Each of us, whether things are going well for us or not, needs the grounding and security that an unchanging God provides. Of all of the attributes of God, should I somehow be able to rank them in importance to me, this one is right up there with the first and the best. And the older I get, the more I see the need for the anchor that God provides and the less I try to keep myself anchored on my own.
“As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.”
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Commitment
Today in church we honored those couples of our number who had been married at least 50 years. Many were married for 60 or more years, longer than I’ve been alive. The sermon part of the gathering talked about commitment and intentional living. All in all it was a great day with much to be pondered and much to be celebrated.
I don’t know if the broken marriage rate (notice I didn’t say divorce rate…but rather broken marriage rate) is any greater now than it has ever been, but one thing I do know...it takes an almost extraordinary amount of commitment and determination to make one work for as long as these marriages have continued.
Commitment. That’s the key in so much of what we do and who we are. Whether marriage, job, child-rearing, or whatever it is, commitment is absolutely vital to the success of the endeavor. And commitment is sometimes hard to come by and even harder to maintain.
Congratulations to all who have learned the secret of commitment in marriage and in life.
I don’t know if the broken marriage rate (notice I didn’t say divorce rate…but rather broken marriage rate) is any greater now than it has ever been, but one thing I do know...it takes an almost extraordinary amount of commitment and determination to make one work for as long as these marriages have continued.
Commitment. That’s the key in so much of what we do and who we are. Whether marriage, job, child-rearing, or whatever it is, commitment is absolutely vital to the success of the endeavor. And commitment is sometimes hard to come by and even harder to maintain.
Congratulations to all who have learned the secret of commitment in marriage and in life.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
An Attitude of Gratitude
I’m not sure there’s anything much better than watching a couple of wild turkey gobblers strut and display not fifty feet from the back of my house. Playing an old and instinctive game of one-upsmanship and who’s-the-best, these magnificent birds go through a ritual as old as life itself, yet as real as it ever gets. Everything they do, even though I don’t understand it all, is geared for survival and propagation. The best genetics, the biologists say, are passed on down the line. The rest are not. If that’s true, they aren’t going through all of this for my benefit.
We have a wonderful menagerie out or back door. Ducks, squirrels, an occasional coyote, garter snakes, cardinals, deer, robins, turkey, frogs, geese, chickadees, and other critters dot the landscape both behind our fence and in our small fish pond in the back yard. And although I’ve never seen them, I’m sure there are the requisite number of such as skunk, opossum, raccoon, and other “varmints”.
We also have some wildlife of the two-legged variety. There’s a hiking trail just beyond our fence, and we see people of all kinds and stripes taking advantage of it. A few are on horseback or mules, but most walk. The neighbor kids have made sort of a play area out of the park just behind their house, and I enjoy watching them at times.
It’s so easy to take for granted the things we see and do on a daily basis. It’s easy to complain, be down, and growl about all of the rain or the wind, the job, the traffic, or whatever. It’s tougher to have and maintain an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving throughout the year, even though we may mouth such things during the holiday season in November. Sometimes those of us who have the most grumble the loudest.
I’m reminded of Israel when they left Egypt for the promised land. They had all they needed or could ever want, yet they almost constantly, it seemed, grumbled and complained about how things were going for them. Nothing was ever good enough, even though, according to the account, their needs were provided by God Himself, sometimes in a very direct and miraculous way. I’m amazed that God was a patient with them as He was, and I wonder if He sees Israel and their complaining sometimes when He looks at his people today.
You may not have turkeys and deer out your back door. You may only have an alley and trash containers to look at. But please, just for today, be grateful. Give thanks and celebrate life. Who knows? Maybe it will be contagious.
We have a wonderful menagerie out or back door. Ducks, squirrels, an occasional coyote, garter snakes, cardinals, deer, robins, turkey, frogs, geese, chickadees, and other critters dot the landscape both behind our fence and in our small fish pond in the back yard. And although I’ve never seen them, I’m sure there are the requisite number of such as skunk, opossum, raccoon, and other “varmints”.
We also have some wildlife of the two-legged variety. There’s a hiking trail just beyond our fence, and we see people of all kinds and stripes taking advantage of it. A few are on horseback or mules, but most walk. The neighbor kids have made sort of a play area out of the park just behind their house, and I enjoy watching them at times.
It’s so easy to take for granted the things we see and do on a daily basis. It’s easy to complain, be down, and growl about all of the rain or the wind, the job, the traffic, or whatever. It’s tougher to have and maintain an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving throughout the year, even though we may mouth such things during the holiday season in November. Sometimes those of us who have the most grumble the loudest.
I’m reminded of Israel when they left Egypt for the promised land. They had all they needed or could ever want, yet they almost constantly, it seemed, grumbled and complained about how things were going for them. Nothing was ever good enough, even though, according to the account, their needs were provided by God Himself, sometimes in a very direct and miraculous way. I’m amazed that God was a patient with them as He was, and I wonder if He sees Israel and their complaining sometimes when He looks at his people today.
You may not have turkeys and deer out your back door. You may only have an alley and trash containers to look at. But please, just for today, be grateful. Give thanks and celebrate life. Who knows? Maybe it will be contagious.
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