(As a part of my new “green” blog initiative I am recycling these Groundhog day musings) They woke up Punxsutawney Phil Tuesday morning long enough for the prognosticating rodent to let us know whether six more weeks of winter must be endured. According to Phil you should plan on bundling up for next month and a half. Phil looks about as happy as I do when when I am disturbed in the morning. Twenty-four years ago a funny and underappreciated movie came on the scene. Groundhog Day told the story of a self-absorbed news reporter (redundancy alert?) that finds himself stuck in an endless repeat of the same day. Bill Murray is perfect in the role of reporter Phil Connors. Since I live in the odd world of broadcast television I can relate to the cynical personality of Murray’s character. Reporter Phil is less than thrilled that he has been assigned to cover Punxsutawney Phil’s annual peek outside to predict winter’s duration.
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Identity theft is a big problem. It is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States and recent stats suggest that 13 million cases occurred in the past year. The rise of identity theft has produced a number of companies that protect you from criminals that might steal your good name and credit rating. A few years ago one of my card numbers was compromised and some low life was merrily buying electronic gear on my tab in Malaysia. Fortunately that was fairly easily resolved since I could prove that I was safely hunkered down in scenic Garland, Texas when the purchases were made. But it occurred to me that another identity theft occurs in the lives of Christians all the time and there is very little uproar about it. I pondered if I could start a company to protect followers of Jesus from this serious and sometimes tragic crime. The crime is Christian identity theft. Any follower of Jesus has the potential to
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I think a lot about the church. When you write a book called “When Bad Christians Happen to Good People” you tend to hear from angry and wounded churchgoers. I have received hundreds of emails and blog posts from hurting believers. If a modest selling author and blogger like me gets that many responses then you can extrapolate that this is a big problem for the American church. I began the book mentioned above with this paragraph. “I am a hypocrite. I can be arrogant and selfish. I have been known to stretch, conceal, or slightly message the truth. I am sometimes inconsiderate and insecure. I struggle with lust and impure thoughts. My ego often rages out of control, and I battle foolish pride. I can be lazy and foolhardy with my time. I get angry, petty, and ill-tempered. I am sarcastic and cynical. I am a Christian.” I can make the claim in the final sentence only because of
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I am digitally ducking as I post this week’s musing. This is the kind of the title that brings the spiritual hall monitors out of the internet woodwork. But it is true. God used the insightful lyrics of Harry Chapin to get my attention about my selfishness. Chapin was a genius in poetically describing how we try to find happiness in the wrong places and with self-centered priorities. The first song to meddle in my life was W*O*L*D. I was an aspiring radio “personality” at a small station in Southern Ohio dreaming of being a big city star someday. The lyrics describe a conversation with the wife he left behind to pursue his dreams. He recounts how he moved from market to market trying to find happiness. Now he realizes what he has sacrificed and hopes to reconcile with his family. Chapin writes a powerful truth about running from the problems in our life. Sometimes I get this crazy dream
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It is a classic Christmas song. Santa Clause is comin’ to town and you had better watch out ’cause he is making a list. So no pouting, No crying. Be on your best behavior or else. Sadly that kind of thinking is all too common among followers of Jesus. I am borrowing one little bit of content from John Lynch, one of the authors of the The Cure. He addresses how we are programmed from childhood to default to performance theology. He calls it the “Santa Claus is Coming to Town theology”. You better watch out Better not cry Better not pout I am telling you why Santa Claus is comin’ to town He’s making a list….checking it twice…three times…every day Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice Santa Claus is comin’ to town He sees you when your sleeping, nows when your awake, he knows when you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness sake. Oh, he’s
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If I could have one wish for those of you who read these humble ramblings it would be very simple. Amy Grant recorded “My Grown-up Christmas List” for her “Home For Christmas” album. The lyrics imagine an adult going back to Santa with a different perspective on what matters most in life. Instead of material things the writer now asks for good things for others. I love the sentiment of the song. No more lives torn apart That wars would never start And time would heal all hearts Everyone would have a friend And right would always win And love would never end This is my grown-up Christmas list I thought about my “grown-up” Christmas list this week. I would love for all of the things in the lyric above to come true. But I have lived enough to know they will not. Everyday lives are torn apart. Wars start too frequently. Time does not heal every heart. Some who
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