How Would You Like To Have This Guys Job?

I mean, the TSA guys one hand is on the other guys love handle, and his other hand is, well...just look at his face (pic below). He's thinking, "Why did I quite my last job?" I'm just really glad he's not grinning like an idiot. But that is funny right there - unless you're the other guy. What's even better is Ron Paul's legislation that he submitted submitted before the house which would require all political figures to be subjected to this type of treatment at the airport, photographed, videotaped, along with the full body scan treatment - all made available to the same public that is already required to go through this crap. In Ron's words, "Enough is enough!" Man, I love that guy. Ron Paul, that is. Not the groping goof ball below. In the immortal words of Earl Pitts, "Wake up, America!"

Cut It Out

It could be in you and me right now - a silent killer. A disease that will take us quickly and unexpectedly or slowly and painfully. But it could be there. I know that sounds a bit morbid, but, hey, Halloween was just a few days ago so I'm rolling with it. Seriously, though. It's true. How many people do you know in your life that seemed fine one day, and then not so fine the next? I think the key here is regular checkups. How many potentially lethal diseases and illnesses have been avoided or abated because of this? On the flip side, how many seemingly healthy people get sick out of nowhere and maybe even pass away? And of those how many thought, "I'm good. I don't need a regular check up" - only to find they were wrong.

A lot of diseases have the moniker of "silent killer", but I think cancer is the one that deserves that title the most. It seems to come out of nowhere. Regular checkups can help to prevent or catch this awful disease which takes over a half million lives a year and is the cause of 23% of all deaths in this country. But what if you have it? How far would you go to remove it - if you could? There are so many treatments for cancer - each as extreme as the rest. Chemotherapy. Radiation. Surgery. Bone marrow transplant. Stem cell transplant. And more. None of these are light treatments. All are extremely difficult with the understanding that they still may not work. But, again, how far would you go?

I read recently about a 31 year old Canadian woman, Janis Ollson, was having extreme back pain while pregnant with her second child. Doctors initially thought that the pain was related to a difficult pregnancy. But they soon found that they were wrong. She had bone cancer and it was not treatable with radiation or chemotherapy. So they all had a choice to make - a choice that is hard to even imagine. They chose...to have her cut in half in order to remove the tumor. This they did, and she lived. This is the only time in history this has happened when the patient lived. In fact this type of surgery is usually only performed on cadavers. The doctors amputated her legs, cut off her lower spine, as well as half of her pelvis so they could remove a tumor that was the "size of a calzone" - the biggest they had ever seen. She now has one leg fused to her body, as well as a prosthetic leg and pelvis. She now utilizes a wheelchair, walker, or crutches to get around. but she is alive and cancer free.

What an amazing story.

I wonder how far we would go in her shoes from a physical perspective. But what about looking at this as a spiritual analogy? In a spiritual sense, sin is a cancer. It's in all of us, and without regular checkups, it can be hard to detect let alone difficult to cure. If left unchecked it can be destructive - even deadly. The Bible has some extreme things to say about sin and how to handle it. Consider the following verses:

Matthew 5:29, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away..."

Matthew 5:30, "If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away..."

The Bible is serious about sin. In fact, James 1:15 says this, "...sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."

So why play with it? Why ignore it? Why hide it? Why think about it? Why do it? Why do we allow it free reign when we know for a certainty what it's going to do? If you and I were told that we have cancer, we would be aggressive about eradicating it by any means possible. Because we know what it is and what it can and will do if left alone. We would even cut it out. And that's what we need to do with sin - we need to cut it out. We need to keep short accounts. We need regular checkups. And we have every means necessary spiritually speaking to make sure that sin does not win. And don't be fooled by thinking that you and I "fall into sin". It is a gradual progression down a slippery slope of not heeding the need for repentance before that big fall sends us over the edge into an abyss of pain, consequences, or worse. 

I hope this is helpful and challenging. I only write it because I have been challenged by my own failure in this area. We need to live in freedom from sin.

The Clarity Of Church Bells

I have a confession to make - I am not a good Christian. I know this - not because somebody told me that, but because the Holy Spirit has revealed it to me this weekend. And it took church bells to help me see it. More on that later.


It's been a hard 14 months for Erin and I - on every level. The highlight of the last year has been finding a church home - not just going to church, but actually calling a church...home. That is a big deal, and I'm not sure that everyone who is a Christian knows what that feels like. That's been huge for us. And it has come at the right time for us, because, apart from that, things haven't gone our way. You name it we've been hit by it. And, honestly, the hits just keep on coming. I'm not going to get into the details of it all. But we're exhausted and fatigued, and we're really looking forward to the holidays and extra breaks (except for the fact that Erin has a difficult surgery coming up over Christmas). So, yeah, it's been a hard year plus.


Erin and I usually take a daily walk around our little historic town of Lebanon, OH. We live just three blocks from downtown and we love walking to town, stopping at shops, talking to shop owners, grabbing a chocolate at the Golden Turtle or a cupcake at Manna, probably a coffee for Erin and a frozen or hot chocolate for me. I'm not sure how completely healthy that is, but it usually is relaxing. Except for this weekend. As we took our walk, we decided to go to Manna (again). We each got a mini cupcake and a drink, and then we got some extras to take to some friends of ours from church who lived just up the street (they told us recently they haven't been there yet). So we did that, and talked with them a bit. It was nice, but I was distracted. As we left, Erin had a hair appointment - again, just up the street. I walked her there and then I walked the rest of the way back home. It didn't dawn on me at first that I was heads down in heavy thought. I was wearing discouragement like a coat - paying no attention to the beauty of the day. And then my ears picked up one of my favorite sounds - church bells pealing a familiar hymn. Having grown up in a Baptist church surrounded by hymns, my ears recognized the song immediately - "What A Friend We Have In Jesus". And my heart just squeezed as I remembered the words, "...Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry, Everything to God in prayer." Two things struck me right then as I continued walking listening to those noonday chimes: 1) My prayer life stinks; and, 2) How I miss those hymns. I purposed to go home and dust off the hymnal on my bookshelf to revisit that hymn. And, upon doing so, I just sat there and tried to let the message hit home. And I prayed, as best I could, because there is a lot built up in me. But it was a start. And I'm not talking about vain repetitions. I'm talking about just pouring my heart out to God. I've got a long way to go both in my prayer life and in getting through these accumulated challenges, but of one thing I am certain - I have a friend in Jesus. I am reminded of Hebrews 4:15 (ESV), "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." Amen.


"What a Friend We Have in Jesus"
Text: Joseph M. Scriven, 1820-1886 
Music: Charles C. Converse, 1832-1918 

1. What a friend we have in Jesus, 
 all our sins and griefs to bear! 
 What a privilege to carry 
 everything to God in prayer! 
 O what peace we often forfeit,
 O what needless pain we bear, 
 all because we do not carry 
 everything to God in prayer. 

2. Have we trials and temptations? 
 Is there trouble anywhere? 
 We should never be discouraged; 
 take it to the Lord in prayer. 
 Can we find a friend so faithful 
 who will all our sorrows share? 
 Jesus knows our every weakness; 
 take it to the Lord in prayer. 

3. Are we weak and heavy laden, 
 cumbered with a load of care? 
 Precious Savior, still our refuge; 
 take it to the Lord in prayer. 
 Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? 
 Take it to the Lord in prayer! 
 In his arms he'll take and shield thee; 
 thou wilt find a solace there.

Watch My Story - A Story of Four Fathers

I had the privilege of sharing part of my testimony with my church family yesterday in both services. I did so via video recording. It was recorded by Carl and Amy Johnson - our worship pastor and his wife. It was such a blessing and I pray that God can use it over and over again for His glory. I've always called my story "A Story of Four Fathers", and I just wanted to share it.

Thanks for checking in!

My Story - A Story of Four Fathers

If You Want To See How Strong Your Marriage Is...

...Go on a long canoe trip in the middle of nowhere in Cumberland, KY. I promise that you will discover the best and worst about your marriage. You will see what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong.

This was a last minute trip. We didn't think we'd be able to take the trip this year for a variety of reasons, but when we cashed out some 5/3 rewards, we decided to go for it. We always take a camping trip at the end of summer over Labor Day weekend. We also always go to Putin Bay. But we wanted a different kind of trip - more of a hiking/canoeing kind of trip. We looked all over Ohio but everything was booked. Erin found a nice campsite in southern Kentucky, about 75 miles south of Lexington near the Cumberland Falls. The weather was cooler, but absolutely beautiful. We made good time getting there early Friday evening. We got set up at camp and relaxed, read, and went to bed early. We were both exhausted. The next day we drove to Cumberland Falls. It was even better than I thought it would be. We took a long hike through the hills and just took out time enjoying the Falls and the quiet of nature. It was very nice. On our way back we stopped at the headquarters for the outfit that was coordinating our canoe trip for the next day and we got all of our paperwork done ahead of time. But here's where things started to get interesting. We had booked this trip ahead of time, and it was to be an all day canoe trip. We were really excited about it because we love to canoe and we knew the weather was going to be great. Now at this point we are 45 minutes away from our campsite. The lady at the canoe place explained that where we would be ending our trip was where we would be going the next morning, which was an additional 45 minutes away from headquarters, so we would be driving an hour and a half to get to there - plus 45 minutes by bus to where we would be starting our canoe trip. That's over two hours of driving early Sunday morning just to start our all day trip. But we had dropped a good bit of cash on the trip and we weren't going to get it back now, so we had no choice. We were still excited though. So we get up Sunday, drive all the way to the river. And let me just say that some of the roads weren't marked. I expected to hear dueling banjo's at any moment. After a bit, the bus shows up - a short bus (my first time on a short bus) pulling kayaks and canoes. Two couples just finished their early morning canoe trip, and Erin and I and another family of four were on our way to start ours. 45 minutes later we turn onto a steep, winding, freshly graveled road that snaked its way down to the river where we would be dropped off. It's an absolutely gorgeous morning. The scenery is breathtaking. The weather is in the high 70's. And we are looking forward to some quiet time together on our all day canoe trip just talking and taking in all that nature had to offer. But isn't it just like life to get in the way? Sure, we had this planned out; it was going to be great - what could possibly go wrong on a morning like this? It's a canoe trip - with my wife. It's meant to be...chill. No stress. We have enough of that back home. After all - we were on a technology-free trip. It was just her and I - together. And that's about the time that my thoughts were interrupted by a sickening feeling - the brakes went out on the bus - right at the point in a sharp curve that overlooked the river which was about 50 feet below us going down a steep hill. I had enough time to put my hand on Erin's leg and say, "There goes the brakes." It was all very surreal, and even almost serene. But the kid driving the bus (and I do mean kid) acted quickly, if not instinctively, and dropped it down into 1st gear and turned the wheels just enough to break our momentum, and we stuttered to a stop about three feet away from the edge. We all slowly got out of the bus, and we didn't say it out loud at first, but we all knew that was close. Let's just say the kid got a nice tip. I mean - we were within feet of going over and only God knows what would have happened.

Next we all carried our canoes and kayaks down the rest of the way to start our trip. Surely the excitement was over, right? I mean, it's canoeing - not white water rafting. Well, we pushed out and immediately we came upon some rapids, and it's not like they were extreme, but we took the wrong approach. Erin was in the front and I was in the back of the canoe. As we were going through the rapids we weren't in unison with our paddling - it's as if we were in the same boat but trying to go in different directions. And we were moving fast toward a huge boulder the size of a large truck jutting out head high from the side of the river. Erin and I both saw it at the same time and I just knew she was going to crash into it and crack her skull. The only thing she could do was hold up her paddle with both hands to offer some protection against the blow that was coming. All I could do was watch, and I hated it. Her shifting and lifting caused the canoe to unsettle and probably saved her from getting hurt because at that point we went over. The water was actually deeper now (having just come out of the rapids) and it was cold. It took my breath away, and worse, I was wearing glasses (why???) and they flew off as I went under. I don't know how this happened because I am helpless without my glasses, but I reached out and caught my glasses mid air just out of the water - without even seeing where they went. Thank God! I was most concerned about my glasses because I'm blind without them and because they are expensive. Now, I had a little hiking bag with me in the canoe that had a bottle of water, some food, and (can you believe it) our digital camera. The bag was gone. My paddle was gone. I was under water. And the canoe started taking off upside down - rolling down the river, and I had no idea at this time what was happening to my wife, which scared me worst of all. I came up out of the water, grabbed onto the canoe and looked for Erin. She was about 20 feet down river floating as she was instructed by the driver ("in the rare event that you go overboard") - on her back, in her life jacket with her feet in the air up in front of her. And she had both our paddles, and the bag clutched to her as she was floating away from me. How that happened she doesn't even remember. Crazy. But she was heading into the really deep water, and it was a wide river, and I didn't like where this was headed. I had found that I could touch bottom where I was when I stood up, so I asked her to try because I knew she wouldn't be able to in seconds. She did, and she could touch bottom enough to get her going toward a rock island in the middle of the river. All of this time, the family from the bus was behind us watching, and a couple of teenage girls with a little girl were on the island - not sure why. But everyone was able to help us get to shore. We got the water out of the canoe, caught our breath, took inventory, and counted our blessings. Erin lost her sunglasses, and our digital camera was ruined, but other than that, we were fortunate. We shoved off again - soak and wet - but determined. We still had a few things to learn as a couple though, but lesson number one for me was:

1. Marriage is full of unexpected challenges. Everything seemed great that morning. What could possibly go wrong? Now we know.

So we continued down the river, and we quickly started bickering with each other. We were both frustrated, discouraged, wet, and even embarrassed a bit. Plus we couldn't take pictures of the awesome views all around us. Not to mention we've never had anything like that happen to us before. So as we were rowing, we were struggling a bit. I would try my way and she would try her way, and we weren't doing very well. We were fighting each other. And this taught me another lesson about marriage:

2. Marriage is not a competition. When two people are in a canoe together there is no competition. There is no one person better than the other. We have to do this thing together - in unison. Teammates is a word Erin and I like to use a lot, but in this event we were competing against each other - both of us wanting to do things our way. Marriage doesn't work that way.

Again, we continued on, and very soon, we developed a system of talking to each other about what we should be doing when we rowed. Talking. Communication. I know it's been said before, but communication is key in any relationship - especially in a marriage. And here's the simple lesson:

3. Marriage is all about communication. Without proper communication, it's hard to go upstream or downstream, or through any rapids - be it on a canoe trip or in life.

Time passes. Things are getting better for us. The tension is easing. We have a system. We're focused. We go on a bit, and then - uh-oh - another rapid. So as we approached, we talked it through - communicated - and we went through the rough waters together without any issue. This made us excited. We accomplished something together, and this produced something cool between us - comradery. We had found something every marriage needs:

4. Marriage should be about companionship. You have to be able to go through life - the good, the bad, the ugly, the unexpected - together. And as our canoe trip was growing longer and longer, we were growing closer and  closer. And that was cool. But that's not the end.

We keep going, and going, and going. Remember, this is an all day canoe trip. And we're getting hungry. And it's taking a bit longer than we thought it would, not to mention that we would encounter six more rapids. We had to dig a little deeper, find a reserve of determination to get to the end of this. And that brings me to the last point:

5. Marriage is all about commitment. You can't turn tale and run at the first sign of trouble. You can't quit on the other no matter what. Brakes going out? Does it seem like you're about to take a nose dive off the side of a cliff? Is your canoe capsizing? Are you experiencing rapids? Sharp rocks? Strong currents? Some undertow? Not sure where you're going, or how and when you're going to get there? Sometimes you have to bear down. You have to grind it out. See it through. There will be high expectations met with unforeseen challenges, but you have each other. You're in the boat together. And what I found this past weekend - the things I learned is - Erin and I are in the same boat, going the same direction - not just on that trip, but in life. We're together. And no matter what happens we have to see it through. Marriage has challenges, and they will only be made worse if it turns into a competition. Communication is a must. Companionship is a given - when you choose to be committed. It is work, but when you finally reach the shore together there is no better feeling.

I had no idea a canoe trip could teach me so much about me, my wife, our marriage, but it did. So, if you want to see how strong your marriage is, go on a canoe trip. And hopefully you'll come to understand what I've come to understand - that I am so very blessed to have this amazing person in my life. I am blessed.

Peace.

Red Sun Farm

Those of you who know Erin and I know that we are very conscientious about the food that we buy. Most of what we buy is organic. We spend a little extra money and a little extra time going to different places to get it, but the quality is as God intended - be it vegetables, meat, fruits, dairy, etc. But not everything that says organic is organic. You have to do your homework. Most manufacturers of organic products meet the very base requirements of what that means. But there are a lot of great brands out there doing it right. I wanted to take the time to introduce you to one that is local - Red Sun Farm. Since 1793 this Loveland, OH farm has been doing this the right way when it comes to organic crops and meats. All of their food is grown without chemicals, drugs or hormones. Animals are grass fed and roam on a free range. I've posted about what that means in weeks past when briefly mentioning the documentary Food, Inc. - which shows what most Americans eat these days, and how the food gets to them in such horrible, unhealthy, inhumane ways. It's amazing to think that just a couple generations ago our country thrived on what was rightly produced by farms such as Red Sun. Now it's all about corporate greed and the high cost of low prices from places like Walmart. It's a shame, but we won't have anything to do with it.


When you go to Red Sun, you'll be blown away at how beautiful it is. It's like stepping back in time. It's set off of Loveland Avenue in the country. It's a gorgeous drive. When you get there you'll see their black barn on the left as you pull into the circular driveway. You can park, get out and go in their little store. You will find shelves stocked with all natural and organic products - eggs, cheeses, poultry, beef, pork, honey, jams, breads - you name it. And what's great about it is - most of the time they have an honor system on how you pay. They are not always in the shop. There's a box for you to slip your money or check when checking out your items. There's a mason jar with coin and bills for making change. And there's a notebook for you to right down your name, the date, what you purchased with the dollar amount, a tally, what you paid with (and left in the "Honor Box"), and the change that you made. That's all there is to it, but that's not really all there is to it. It's wonderful. It's old fashioned. It's honorable. It's right. And you leave feeling good that you helped some folks making the right choices with how they do business, and you'll be surprised to find that their prices are often better than even a grocery store like Whole Foods and Kroger. When you're done with your shopping and talking to caring, like-minded people you will no doubt meet in the store, you can walk the grounds a bit and appreciate their animals and grounds and how they take care of it all. I've always had a dream to have a little spread like that. I don't know if it will happen, but I do know that my wife and I will always support places like Red Sun Farm, and hopefully you will too. Why don't you make it a fun little trip? Historic Loveland has many great little shops and eateries and it's only five or so minutes away from the farm. Have lunch and then go shopping at Red Sun. You won't be disappointed and I guarantee you will go back again and again.


Additional Information:
They are located at
10995 Grog Run Road
Loveland, Ohio 45140
513-683-9780


Web Site:
http://www.redsunfarm.com/

lance brewer music now streaming on blog!!!

I finally found a way to get this done. Found a nice streaming player that plays playlists on blog sites - called Podbean. Worth a "look-see" if you're in need of a nice player for your site as well. There's also a mini player which will allow me to post demo's I'm working on. Looking forward to it now that my studio is finally up at the house! Will post a demo called "Back Home" soon. Working on a song lyric write now called "Nellie Yost." Anyway, thanks for checking out my music. Enjoy!

my blog got a makeover

with the leaves starting to turn signifying the changing of seasons, it seemed time for a change to my blog - a makeover so to speak. i have been very busy the last couple of weeks between work, church, and traveling. it's time i got back to my writing. i will be writing soon on "do you want to see how strong your marriage is?"

thanks for checking it out!

Faith Over Football

I love the NFL. It's my favorite sport (although baseball is a close second). My wife knows that come Sunday I will be spending my day of rest camping in front of the TV (with my laptop - fantasy football is my second favorite, um, sport). This, of course, is after having gone to church and eaten brunch. I do have my priorities. But 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM, and 8:00 PM will show as busy on my calendar on Sundays from September to January. Oh yeah, and let's not forget about Mondays and even some Thursdays. I mean, when I hear the Monday Night Football theme song by Hank Williams, Jr., my heart starts racing (although Faith Hill's "Waiting All Day For Sunday Night" theme song for the Sunday night game is growing on me too).

I...Love...Football.

Last year, I had Frank Gore on one of my fantasy football teams. He is the starting running back for the San Fransisco 49ers. He missed some time last year due to injury, so I picked up his back up (handcuff is what we like to call it in fantasy football speak) to spot start while Gore was out. The name of his back up? Glen Coffee. He did really well for me while Gore was out. I started thinking, this rookie is going to make hay one day in the league. At that time, I didn't know much about Glen Coffee. I just needed a running back to start while Gore was injured. As of this week, I know a lot more about him and for good reason. He was a stand out star as the starting running back at Alabama taking the Tide to the SEC title game his Junior year. He rushed for almost 1400 yards that year. He decided to skip his senior year and declare himself eligible for the NFL draft. Money and fame awaited. He got drafted in the third round by the 49ers. He missed out on the Tide winning the national championship in what would have been his senior year of college during his rookie year in the NFL. But, hey, he had the money, right. And it was only a matter of hard work and time for him to hit the lime light. But money wasn't all that he had. He had a burden growing on him daily. That burden had to do with something that took place in Coffee's life during his time with the Crimson Tide in 2007 - he became a Christian and was baptized. Shortly thereafter, he began to accept speaking engagements to share his faith with others through his notoriety as a football star. But that was not enough. He tried faith with football in his life (which is something Tim Tebow of Florida Gator and now Denver Bronco fame is doing even now). But for him, he needed to choose faith over football. In his words, he was "wrestling" with the need to leave football behind - as a 23 year old budding star with even more money and fame surely ahead of him. Instead, he announced his retirement from the NFL this week to pursue "the will of God." He believes that God has another plan for him instead of football, and he is now on the path to pursuing that plan. His first step is to go back to Alabama and finish his undergraduate degree, and then possibly go to graduate school for ministry training. He said, "A lot of people aren't going to understand and realize because they don't have the wisdom to understand. Their eyes aren't open like mine are open. True happiness is glorifying God and glorifying Christ. That's what true happiness is...And for me, that wasn't the NFL. That wasn't where I needed to be." He is now going to pursue some ministry, but he's not yet sure what. He says opportunities will come. He just wants to surrender all and follow Christ.

I have a lot of respect for this type of decision. Yesterday, I got together with some brothers and we talked about this. I asked the question whether it was a tougher decision to leave behind money and fame when you've already had more of it at 23 then most folks get in a lifetime, or to have nothing and make this kind of surrender. It brought up good discussion, and surrendering to God's will for ones life is just as big deal for an all world athlete who has everything than for an unknown man or woman with little to their name. One thing is true, the whole world knows what he did, why he did it, and God is getting the glory. I hope and pray God uses him and protects him in whatever ministry God has for him. And I pray you and I are already pursuing God and His plan for our lives, and, if not, be willing to make the best choice we could ever make in order to do so.

I'm sad I can't draft Glen Coffee for my fantasy team from a football perspective, but from an eternal perspective I'm glad we're on the same team.

Full story: Glen Coffee explains choosing faith over NFL football | al.com

Wanna See Something Scary?

Click here.

I'll give you a hint - it's directly related to the picture below.

This kind of thinking is killing our country and our homes. My wife saw the above picture and laughed. Funny, I had an entirely different response. :) I will write more on this topic later this week, but for now - the web link above and this picture will have to suffice. It's plenty to take in.

"See The Light"

"ah the games that we play
and the price that we pay
for public lies
and secret lives

always consequence
never recompense
the fool will fail and be exposed
the wise will veil and decompose

but no one can hide for very long
for what's wrong with wrong? it's always wrong

we work so hard to be deceptive
but why can't we just be receptive
to striving just as hard
with our being - every part

to have...

an honest heart
an open mind
a humble spirit
a word that's kind
a love that lasts
a faith that holds
a grace that's real
a truth that's bold
with compassion in abundance
with patience that is long
taking time to listen
not scared to sing a song
discover peaceful sleep
and strength to face the day
a quiet place to meditate
to pause, to praise, to pray

why on earth can't this be
a normal way of life?
i guess the answer's not in me
i need to see the Light"

(c) - LMB 6/4/2010

Living A Trash-Free Life

Could you and I live a trash-free life? It can be done, and I can prove it below. I know it's hard to believe, but it's actually not as hard to do as you might think. As with most things in life, it all comes down to choices. Conscious choices. Or, better yet, conscientious choices.

The average person creates an average of 4.5 pounds of trash a day. In America alone, we throw away almost 250 million tons of trash a year - with only 33 percent being recycled. Imagine how much money could be saved and how much better we could treat the earth that God created if we became more determined to not just throw everything away - or, even worse, litter. Imagine the benefit this would have - not just on the environment, but even on the economy. Think about jobs this could create. Renewable energy. The list goes on. Because just about everything can be recycled these days, or even better - re-purposed. One mans trash is truly another mans treasure, and I've written on re-purposing before so I won't revisit that now. But sticking to the idea of recycling - I've noticed week to week (since becoming a home owner in July of 2008) that the recycle bin we put by the road is completely full and our trash bin is almost empty (we actually have two trash bins and seldom use both anymore). It's getting down to one bag of trash every two weeks, and we know even that is too much. Now, there has been some conscious thought put into that concept over the last two plus years, but the good thing is - it has started to become routine. We really don't put much thought into it at all anymore. We recycle as much as we can, but we know there is still room for improvement. I know this because of Amy and Adam Korst of Dallas, Oregon.

The Korst's made a choice to live as trash-free as possible for a whole year. To do so they had to make sure that what they bought could be recycled, or composted (I'm sure I will write more on conscientious purchasing at another time). Then they made sure they recycled as much as they could - almost everything. The end result? Let's just say it could all fit into one medium size box - 75 scraps of trash total. Among the scraps of trash that could not be recycled were eight used razor blades, a burned out light bulb, two Theraflu pouches, and a broken Christmas ornament. This all added up to almost four pounds of trash - for the year. Not the 4.5 pounds of trash the average American generates a day (which is almost 1650 pounds of trash for the year by the way). But they generated four pounds of trash FOR THE YEAR. They are my heroes. And they are an excellent example for all of us.

In recent weeks, we've decided to stop using sandwich bags for lunches and we purchased plastic, washable, reusable lunch bins with separate food compartments in it to take to work every day. We've also stopped getting and using plastic bags from Target and Kroger. We use reusable shopping bags. And we no longer use those same plastic bags for our, um, pets you-know-what - which used to get thrown in the trash bins (poor garbage truck driver!). Instead, we use organic litter that flushes down the commode. OK, OK - that might be information overload. :) But the principle is the same - what decisions and choices can we make in reference to recycling? It's not hard. Call Rumpke or Waste Management, and they'll drop off a huge recycling bin at your house that contains a sticker on it of codes and examples of what can (and should!) be recycled. Then, purchase recyclable products. And do it - RECYCLE. Make your trash bin lonely. It's really not hard, and it's the right thing to do. Remember - you can recycle almost everything! Erin and I are very conscious and determined in this and other areas like this, and we long for the day when having these types of conversations with people doesn't cause them to look at us like we have two heads. We would rather find like-minded individuals who simply care about doing the right thing. And shouldn't that be the Christian response? I'm positive some folks clicked on this thinking I would be writing a spiritual post about ridding our life of sin, but in one sense - that's exactly what I'm doing. Want proof? James 4:17, "To him who knows to do what is good and does not do it - to him it is sin." This certainly qualifies.

How about it? Get a medium sized box and set it aside for those random things that can't be recycled - and do the right thing with all the rest - recycle, recycle, recycle. And you may end up needing to do what we need to do even now - get a second recycle bin!

For more on The Korst's please visit the following article:

Couple lives nearly trash-free for a year - Green House - USATODAY.com

And Now Back To Our Regular Programming...

Sorry I've been away a bit from the old blog. I've been busy (finally) setting up my office/recording studio. It's done! I'm pumped. Anyway, I'll get back on track with the posts you're used to seeing - as well as a new type of post - acoustic demo cuts of songs I am working on. Looking forward to it! Peace. - LMB

On Being Wrong

On a beautiful September Sunday afternoon in 2008 the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos were battling hard on the NFL gridiron in a back and forth struggle. With less than a minute to go in the game the Broncos had the ball on the Chargers one yard line about to score the potential go ahead touchdown. The Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler dropped back to throw and the ball slipped out of his hands. It bounced off the grass and into the arms of Chargers linebacker Tim Dobbins. The play was ruled an incomplete pass on the field and declared dead because veteran referee Ed Hochuli had blown the whistle. However, instant replay showed that the play was clearly a fumble, but because the whistle had blown NFL rules state that the ball has to be placed at the spot where the ball hit the ground. So Denver retained the ball at the 10 yard line and not long after that they scored a touchdown and a two point conversion to win 39-38. Had Ed Hochuli not blown the whistle prematurely, the replay would have awarded the ball to the Chargers who no doubt would have won the game. Mr. Hochuli had this to say after the game, 

"I'm getting hundreds of e-mails -- hate mail -- but I'm responding to it all," Hochuli wrote to several Chargers fans, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. "People deserve a response. You can rest assured that nothing anyone can say can make me feel worse than I already feel about my mistake on the fumble play. You have no idea … Affecting the outcome of a game is a devastating feeling. Officials strive for perfection -- I failed miserably. Although it does no good to say it, I am very, very sorry." 

Wow.

It takes a man to do that, and no one would question that Mr. Hochuli is a man when they see him in the zebra stripes on Sunday. He is bigger and in better shape than a lot of the athletes he referees. But that's physical appearance. I'm talking about character here. He had the character to admit he was wrong, respond to EVERYONE who sent him all manner of hate mail, and apologize. I was stunned when I read this. This is a man who used to be president of the NFLRA and who now will be graded down thus affecting his ability to earn a lot more money officiating in the playoffs. Yet he took responsibility and did the right thing by admitting he did the wrong thing. There are a lot of lessons to be learned here.

I thought of the above story about Ed Hochuli as I was reading a recent post in the Freakonomics blog in the New York Times. It was a guest post by Kathryn Schulz author of Being Wrong. Here is some of what she has to say, 

"Listening to BP CEO Tony Hayward dodge and duck during last week’s congressional inquiry into the explosion of the Macondo oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, I was struck all over again by our stunning, culture-wide inability to face up to ignorance, failure, and mistakes. That inability is particularly evident up in the power stratosphere, where admissions of error are made rarer by (among other things) threats of litigation, fear of the wrath of voters or shareholders, and a value system that generally prioritizes certainty and ego over curiosity and humility.  But this problem is hardly limited to our political, military, economic and corporate leaders.  On the contrary: our society as a whole has completely neglected to master the art of acknowledging our mistakes.  In fact, we haven’t even mastered the basic skill of saying “I was wrong.” This is a startling deficiency, given the simplicity of the phrase, the ubiquity of error, and the tremendous public service that acknowledging it could provide.  Instead, what we have mastered are two alternatives to admitting our mistakes that serve to highlight exactly how bad we are at doing so.  The first involves a small but strategic addendum: “I was wrong, but…” – a blank we then fill in with wonderfully imaginative explanations for why we weren’t so wrong after all.  The second (infamously deployed by, among others, Richard Nixon regarding Watergate and Ronald Reagan regarding the Iran-Contra affair) is even more telling: we say “mistakes were made.”  As that evergreen locution so concisely demonstrates, all we really know how to do with our errors is not acknowledge them as our own. How do we go about changing that?  It would be nice if we could all just start saying “I was wrong” more openly and readily – but if that’s the end we want, it cannot also be the means to get us there.  (Not to mention that if it were that easy, we’d hear a lot more of those admissions in the first place.)  Cultural shifts aren’t created by wishful thinking, and they aren’t created out of whole cloth, either.  As James Bagian, head of the Veterans Administration’s National Center for Patient Safety, told me, “You don’t change the culture [of denial and blame around error] by saying, ‘Let’s change the culture.’  You change the culture by giving people new tools that actually work.”

In this article the tools they go on to discuss are more motivational and moral rather than spiritual. But for the Christian, we have been given a lot of tools to help us know when we're wrong; to help us admit we're wrong; and to help us not be wrong. We know the tools: the Bible, prayer, the Holy Spirit, the example of Christ, the church - so much! But what are we doing with the tools? How are we using these tools? Here are a couple verses to help get us started in the right direction:

Psalm 119:11 (ESV), "I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

1 John 1:9 (ESV), "If we confess our sins he (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Don't be afraid or too proud to say...

Birds force Kings of Leon from St. Louis stage - CNN.com

I honestly don't know what to say. This brings a whole new meaning to crappy music (although - I think KOL is decent).

Birds force Kings of Leon from St. Louis stage - CNN.com

The GodBlocker

If you're anything like me, you read a ton - news, magazines, books, blogs - whether it be online or the old-fashioned way. A lot of times as I'm catching up on the news, I get tired of seeing the same thing over and over again - the latest Justin Bieber article, or worse - what shocking thing Lady Gaga just did (sad that this qualifies as "Breaking News"). Or else there's the latest failed Bachelor or Bachelorette couple. Or perhaps you're overwhelmed by the constant reporting concerning the BP oil spill or some other real-world news story that you find depressing or annoying. Being a technology geek I love when I come across new technologies that serve a purpose to make life easier or less cluttered. Recently I've read about web developers who have created browser plug-ins that scrub the browser of any and all mention of whatever or whoever you choose. Perhaps the most popular was created as a Firefox application that blocks any and all mention of Justin Bieber (called "Shaved Bieber"). So if you apply that plug-in to your Firefox browser then you can browse the world wide web free of any mention whatsoever of Justin Bieber. I, for one, think that's awesome (hopefully I won't receive any death threats for mentioning that - some people love them some Bieber). The same thing has been done in other ways as well - there is the "Ex-Blocker" which blocks any mention of ones ex - be it girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, or significant other. And, for that matter, it can be used to block anyone from your browser view. Kind of funny. Kind of sad. But if that wasn't crazy enough, there is also a browser plug-in which allows you to block any and all mention of...God. "GodBlock" is the name of this product, and it is becoming quite popular. In the developers words, it is designed to "hide religious content from impressionable kids." When visiting the web site for this product, you further read the following: 


"GodBlock is a web filter that blocks religious content. It is targeted at parents and schools who wish to protect their kids from the often violent, sexual, and psychologically harmful material in many holy texts, and from being indoctrinated into any religion before they are of the age to make such decisions. When installed properly, GodBlock will test each page that your child visits before it is loaded, looking for passages from holy texts, names of religious figures, and other signs of religious propaganda. If none are found, then your child is allowed to browse freely. In the last century, the United States has seen a resurgence of fundamentalist religion. Fundamentalist Evangelicals, Mormons, Baptists, Muslims, and Jews have held back progress in science, human rights, civil rights, and protecting our environment. How can we reverse this trend and join the rest of the world in the gradual secularization of society and government? Most deeply religious people are born into their religion, but even children raised in a secular household are vulnerable to content on the web. That's why we've produced GodBlock."


There is no question that there are religious extremes that give true Christianity a black eye, and I wouldn't want anyone to be exposed to the hate-mongering and false teaching that exists with such fringe belief systems. But, unfortunately, this blocker will remove ALL mention of God - which includes all that is true and good about him, his nature, and his purposes. In other words - real faith. Now God is certainly bigger than a browser plug-in attempting to completely silence all mention of him to the world wide web audience (which, by the way, one would have to choose to do - this is not a default setting for any web browser). But the mere idea of such a resource speaks to a larger problem that is growing in society, and the web site supporting this product sums it up well, "How can we...join the rest of the world in the gradual secularization of society and government?" To me, that is a great summation of what is taking place all around us today - secular humanism is seeking to block God from everything. Even traditional denominations are desperately trying to move toward a level of tolerance on secular and social issues, even political matters, that removes God and the truth of his word from focus. As I read about this shift, I couldn't help but think about Psalm 14.


Psalm 14:1-5a (ESV)

"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the LORD? There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous."

The literal translation of the phrase "there is no God" in verse one is, "No, God." Only a fool would say no to God. Only a fool would say that there is no God. Only a fool would seek to block all mention of God from existence. Throughout history men have tried to destroy God and his word. In A.D. 300 the Roman emperor Diocletian ordered every Bible burned because he thought that by destroying the Scriptures he could destroy God and Christianity. Anyone caught with a Bible would be executed. But just 25 years later, the Roman emperor Constantine ordered that 50 perfect copies of the Bible be made at government expense. The French philosopher Voltaire, a skeptic who destroyed the faith of many people, boasted that within 100 years of his death, the Bible would disappear from the face of the earth. Voltaire died in 1728. The irony of history is that 50 years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society moved into his former house and used the Gutenberg printing press to print thousands of Bibles.

Trying to block God and his word is not a new concept. It has happened before and it will happen again. But perhaps the best answer to individuals who seek to block out God and his word from existence would do well to remember Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."

Reading Recommendation

One of the beautiful things about a "staycation" is all of the reading i can get done! I just finished an excellent book entitled Life of Pi. I highly recommend this amazing story of faith and survival centered on a young Indian boy named Pi who survives a shipwreck on the Pacific Ocean. He is the son of a zoologist and let's just say that zoo animals play largely in this creative work of fiction. One of the better books I've ever read.

When I read I like to note quotes that stand out. Even in this work of fiction there were many quotes that were great. Here is a sampling:

* "The presence of God is the finest of rewards."
* "Evil in the open is but evil from within that has been let out."
* "The main battlefield for good is not the open ground of the public arena but the small clearing of each heart."
* "I have a story to tell that will make you believe in God."
* "Religion is more than rite and ritual. There is what the rite and ritual stand for."
* "I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life."
* "To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation."
* "If you take two steps toward God, God runs to you."

Staycation

I am looking forward to some much needed down time over the next few days with my family. Fortunately you don't have to travel and spend money to get away. For me, it's as simple as turning off my cell phone and laptop. That will feel glorious this afternoon. My mom and dad are driving up even now from South Carolina. I'll get to see my sister and her family as well. And I have a big (rare) family reunion up north on Saturday. There's nothing like spending time with family and true friends - people who are true and with you through thick and thin - appreciating who you are, what you do, and want to see you grow and succeed - challenging and encouraging at every turn. It' has become surprising to me in the day to day grind how rare that is anymore. Anyway, I will return on Monday. I already have a great deal to write about - including "On Being Wrong" and "The GodBlocker". I will look forward to returning, but I'm not going to think about that now. :)

Peace.

- Lance

Just Do Something

I read this on Google Reader this morning and wanted to pass it along. A good blog and recommended:

Just Do Something

By C.J. Mahaney

7/13/2010 8:23:00 AM

To close out his Next 2010 conference message, “The Church,” Kevin DeYoung gave a list of suggestions for how to be a difference maker in the local church. He said:  

• Find a good local church. 

• Get involved.

• Become a member. 

• Stay there as long as you can. 

• Put away thoughts of a revolution for a while.

• Join the plodding visionaries. 

• Go to church this Sunday and worship in Spirit and truth. 

• Be patient with your leaders. 

• Rejoice when the gospel is faithfully proclaimed.

• Bear with those who hurt you. 

• Give people the benefit of the doubt. 

• Say “hi” to the teenager that no one notices. 

• Welcome the old ladies with the blue hair and the young men with tattoos. 

• Volunteer for the nursery. 

• Attend the congregational meeting. 

• Bring your fried chicken to the potluck like everybody else. 

• Invite a friend. 

• Take a new couple out for coffee. 

• Give to the Christmas offering. 

• Sing like you mean it. 

• Be thankful someone vacuumed the carpet for you. 

• Enjoy the Sundays that “click.” 

• Pray extra hard on the Sundays that don’t. 

• And in all of this, do not despise the days and weeks and years of small things (Zechariah 4:8–10). 

7 Leadership Lessons Learned from Cleveland Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert’s Embarrassing Letter about LeBron James | Live Intentionally

Excellent take (IMO) from Living Intentionally about the Cleveland Cavaliers owner's response to Lebron's leaving. Good lessons here.

7 Leadership Lessons Learned from Cleveland Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert’s Embarrassing Letter about LeBron James | Live Intentionally