It's Christmas Time and I am Happy

Well, it is Christmas eve and we have already had our Family Christmas gathering. It was so good to have all of my children and their families present. They've all left now and I trust have arrived safely at their homes where they are busy with final preparations for Christmas morning and all the surprises it may hold for the children.

Truth is, that while we do a good bit of gift giving and eating the thing that Christmas does more for me than anything else is that it bring family together. There is nothing that brings more joy to me than to have my family gathered in one place and interacting with one another. I just sit back and enjoy the time together and thank God for His blessing.

Sadly, I recently read a post from someone who just could not get into the spirit of Christmas because it reminded him of his father who had passed away. I thought, "How sad." Now don't miss understand me. I too have my moments of melancholy as I miss the faces of Christmases past. Too be sure I'd love to gather once more with my parents and their brothers and sisters for a Christmas celebration. But that is not to be.

However, rather than diminishing my celebration their memory enhances my Christmas experience. In some ways they are here. Not physically but their presence is real none-the-less. The memories of them and the experiences we shared are always a part of my Christmas.
In my mind their absence is not much different than when my father was away from home at Christmas fighting a war in Europe from 1942-1945. He was far from home with the danger of never returning but was not forgotten. He was remembered with the expectation that he would one day return and celebrate with his family this most wonderful of occasions.

My Mom and Dad are gone now and have been for many years and yet they are as fresh in my heart and mind as if I had just seen them yesterday. In some mysteriously spiritual way I have.

Do I miss their physical presence? Certainly I do! I miss them more than words can express. Do allow their physical absence to rob me of my present joy? Absolutely not! . . . nor would they want me to do so. They spent a very large portion of their earthly journey securing my happiness and well being and would want nothing less for me even though they are not here physically. And, like I said, in some mysterious and spiritual way they are here and they are contributing to the occasion.

Besides, as a Christian I know that he who believes in the Jesus whose birth we celebrate at Christmas will live, even though he dies; and everyone who lives and believes in him will never die.

You see, we are sad because they are physically not present. However, we are made glad in our sorrow knowing that being absent from the body does not mean dead it means they have relocated. They are alive and well in the presence of God. This is why I rarely speak of my loved ones who have departed this life in the past tense. They are not dead nor are they lost. They are more alive than ever and I know exactly where they are. And the glorious part of all this is I will some day join them and it will be as though we'd never been parted.

So I celebrate Christmas by enjoying my family and loved ones who gather around warmed by the memories of those with whom I have celebrated it in the past and buoyed by the expectation of a wonderful family reunion where together we assemble to celebrate the Lord of Christmas, Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God, in His Father's house.

Strangely as it may seem this is probably why my favorite Christmas song is not a carol or even a religious song but rather a song recorded by Bing Crosby in 1943 entitled, I'll be home for Christmas. You see, wherever I am I'll be with the people I love at Christmas time.

Merry Christmas to All and to all Goodnight!

". . . all that hope and change c##p."

I recently had a post show up on my Facebook Wall that stated among other things, "we know who the fools are. The ones that believed all that hope & change c##p." My first response to think to myself, "Have I just been insulted?" Is someone insinuating that if I believe in hope and change that somehow makes me a fool.

Now I have to explain that I really think they were referring to the President's campaign rhetoric when he was running for office. However, even if that is the case I wondered, why would anyone call "hope" and "change" c##p? It just didn't resonate with me as something a thinking person would say.

Now I know that not all change is good and that sometimes we misplace our hope but to blanket label hope and change as c##p seemed a little much to me. So I decided to give it a little thought . . . a little thought (with the emphasis on the little part) is all it deserved in my mind.

At first I spent a few moments wondering whether or not we should be calling anyone a fool. In light of what Jesus said in Matthew 5:22 I suspect we should be very judicious before referring to anyone as a fool. There is no question in my mind the people sometimes act foolishly. In fact I might go so far as to assert that we all have or will have acted foolishly at some point in our lives before we leave this world. But that only makes us "acting the fool" not being one. That is perhaps with the exception of the atheist since Scripture declares that "the fool hath said in his heart there is no God." The "in his heart" part is important because that means not only does he say it but he believes it in the core of his being.

Now the dictionary defines the word fool as "a person who acts silly or stupid; a person who lacks judgment or sense. Or, a professional jester, formerly kept by a person of royal or noble rank for amusement: the court fool. Or,a person who has been tricked or deceived into appearing or acting silly or stupid: to make a fool of someone." I would add that it might even refer to an English soup such as in "Gooseberry Fool."

As serious as I think calling anyone a fool is, I realized what was really troublesome to me is that they were labeling anyone who believed in hope and change a fool. I ask, "why would anyone think of "change" and "hope" as "c##p?" In my mind change is inevitable and hope is essential."

Then it dawned on me they weren't speaking of hope and change in general they were thing of one man's hope and change. That bothered me even more than if they had stated a bias against hope and change in general.

Having hope means being optimistic and encouraged. It is believing that better days are ahead. It is that which drives change. For things to get better they have to change. Now I understand believing that hope and change is c##p means that they are happy with the status quo. This is as good as it gets so we don't need change and we especially don't need the change with which I disagree.

I remember my Father talking about a certain relative and say, "Aw,______ remembers things the way they never were." This was often followed with, "The only thing good about the good old days is that they are gone." It is true that we tend to romanticize the past and fear the future. But buried somewhere in this bit of home grown wisdom is the fact that change can be good and change can be bad and it can be both at the same time. The one thing that is certain is that for good or for ill change is inevitable. It is one of the few constants in life.

And that's why we need hope. We need hope to help us effect and adapt to change. You see that's what is wrong with ideologist. They are rigid and inflexible. They think every little thing that is inconsistent with their viewpoint is a hill on which to die. It is only people who are not afraid of change and have hope that better days are coming through that change that progress takes place.

I would add a third element, one that my FB friend did not mention, and that is faith. It is the absence of faith that has turned hope to cynicism for many. Faith causes me to act on my hope and both effect and adapt to change.

I have faith in God. I believe he is in control and that His will and purposes will be accomplished. I have faith in my fellow citizens. I choose to believe that with our hopes for the future we will believe that tomorrow can and will be better than today. It is through change wrought by our faith that our hopes become reality. Throw in a big old dose of charity (love) and we have the formula for building a great nation. Now abide these three, Faith Hope and Love but of these three the greatest is love. Love is a powerful agent for change. After all it was God's loved that changed me; it is God's love that dwells within me; and it is that love which will cause me to act in ways that bring my hope for a better tomorrow to fruition.

So my FB friend may see hope and change as c##p but I see it as a major component of God working in His world today. Only believe, only believe all things are possible if we only believe.

Is It A Christmas Or A Holiday Tree?

I recently read with interest an exchange between some friends on Facebook about stores no longer having Christmas trees. Now you will notice that I did not say they were no longer going to have trees. That practice they are going to continue. There will be highly decorated trees in the stores but they will now be known as "Holiday" trees. That discussion between my friends ended with the question, "Where did we go wrong?"

It is that question that I wish to address. We went wrong when we Christians began to stress the exchanging of gifts over the reason for the celebration. In our defense, giving and receiving gifts has always been a part of the modern celebration of the birth of Christ. However, it was never the focus of the holiday.

We could blame the transition on what in the 1960's we referred to then as the "Madison Avenue" retailing (marketing) of Christmas. That was when American retailers began to realize the enormous potential for sales that this gift giving custom presented. But that really would not be fair to these people, many of whom were themselves Christians.

No, I suspect where we really went wrong was when we started allowed the secular world to seize our celebration. Perhaps seize is too strong because in reality we pretty much handed it over to them. In some strange way we thought that letting non-believers celebrate Christmas it somehow brought them closer to faith. The birth of Christ and the Biblical Christmas story had no meaning for them but the gift giving was another story. That they could understand . . . that they could do not because the loved Jesus but because they loved each other.

Now do not let me loose you here. There is absolutely nothing wrong with people exchanging gifts with one another. After all the birth of Christ was the beginning of the greatest gift of all . . . the beginning of our salvation. And it was indeed because of the love God has for us that he gave us that wonderful gift. Hence the pattern is set for exchanging gifts as an expression of one's love.

Besides all that, didn't the wise men from the East bring gifts? They most certainly did and they were expensive gifts. However, these gifts were not for each other, or the Shepherds, or Herod, or Mary & Joseph. No, they were for the child born that night . . . the same child for whom the season is named . . . Jesus Christ!

However, over time the reasons for giving and receiving of gifts was so enlarged by slick marketing that in most cases the gifts we now exchange have little if anything at all to do with the gift God has given or even our own love for others. We do it because it is expected.

I remember that when I was a child our extended family would gather on Christmas eve to share a time of fellowship, food and yes, some gift giving. However, at some point during that great family gathering we would assemble as a group by families and someone would open a Bible and read the biblical account of the birth of Christ. This was followed by a prayer that always began with an expression of thanks to God for the gift he had given in Jesus Christ His son. This was done to remind us, lest we forget, that the heart of Christmas is the birth of Jesus. From the youngest to the oldest among us when asked, "What is Christmas?" would answer, "It is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus."

Yes my friends, where we went wrong was when exchanging gifts became the focus of the occasion. The evidence of this transition from celebration of Jesus' birth to exchanging gifts is demonstrated by the fact that we start our shopping on "Black Friday" (the Friday after Thanksgiving) and don't stop until the stores close on Christmas Eve.

This transition is so complete that our society now deems the use of the name Christ in conjunction with Christmas as politically incorrect. I heard a fellow on a cooking show on talk about preparing a stuffed pork chop that was seasoned with rosemary and other spices. However he said, "If you don't like pork you can use chicken and if you don't have any fresh rosemary you can substitute . . . " Somewhere in that his meal ceased to be a pork chop and became a chicken. I am afraid that is what has happened to Christmas.

Little by little over the years we have "substituted" away our Christmas celebration and now it has become just another holiday. I know that "happy holidays" is not a bad greeting; I also know that gift giving is not incongruous with Christmas; I know that having a "holiday tree" isn't a bad thing but I also know that it isn't really Christmas.

Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart

I always like attending church on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. One reason for that is because invariably some portion of the service will be given over to sharing that for which you are thankful. This past Sunday was no exception.

It is always interesting to me the kinds of things people share. Little children are always a source of interesting comments. One little boy is thankful for the "world" while a little girl declares that she is thankful for all the food. I liked the little boy who shouted out that what he was most thankful for was "My mother." I don't know what his motivation was but from just about every angle it was a great answer.

"Thanks" . . . that's what I like about this uniquely American holiday called, "Thanksgiving." It is a national holiday universally recognized by the citizenry that forces us to pause and think about that for which we are most thankful. I actually have the fear that like Christmas this holiday may very well be succumbing to commercialism as the "kick-off" day for major Christmas shopping.

I hope that trend doesn't continue because I think that reflecting on how we have been blessed and sharing that around a family table adds something very important to our national as well as family experience. Something intangible but very special and powerful happens when families gather and break bread together. It becomes especially powerful as we express our gratitude to God and to and for each other.

So, while I think of turkeys past and all the various gatherings over the year I want to begin by Thanking God for my heritage. Both sides of my family came to the shores of this nation before the nation was even conceived in the minds of our founding fathers. The hopes and dreams that they brought with them and all the struggles of each generation since then to bring them to reality are one of the things for which I am grateful.

I am grateful to all the members of my family who defended this nation starting with Samuel Appleby who marched with the Continental Army to help give birth to this wonderful nation and contibuted through every generation since.

I am grateful for the Christian heritage of my family. I know few families who has has so many ministers of the Gospel and teachers of the same over so many generations. It has been said of more than one of them by friends and neighbors that they were the "Godliest Christians they have ever met."

I am thankful to God for giving me my parents. "Boots" and "Syl" as they were known raised me to be kind but strong; independent but cooperative; loyal and accepting; and what it means to be a friend. Not only am I thankful for my parents but for every other person who became a part of my life because they were.

I am thankful for my wife, Susan. She has loved and supported me for 45 years now. That love and support did not require me to be perfect and has sustained me during the infrequent dark hours. I am thankful for the family we have together and the families of our children . . . they are precious in my sight.

I am thankful for my friends. I have many many acquaintances all around the world and I am thankful for each and every one but the people I am most thankful for are the true friends who have stood with me; have laughed and rejoiced when things were good and who have cried and carried me when things were not so good. I am especially thankful for those who have stood in the gap with and for me when many turned away.

I could go on and on. There were my teachers and fellow students; there were my church members and fellow staff members; there were the denominational leaders and missionaries/evangelists; there were my fellow ministers and my colleagues in the travel industry. So many people God has used to touch and shape my life.

As I look back over this list I find that the common denominator for everything I am thankful for turns out to be people. So as I count my blessing I discover they are all the people that God has chosen to weave into the tapestry of my life. I am so blessed. To each and every one I say, "Thank You!" Thank you for being a part of my life. Why not join me in giving thanks?

You'll Know Who Your Friends Are!

Tracy Lawrence got it right when he said: Everybody wants to slap your back, wants to shake your hand when you're up on top of that mountain but let one of those rocks give way then you slide back down look up and see who's around then. This ain't where the road comes to an end; This ain't where the bandwagon stops; This is just one of those times when a lot of folks jump off and you find out who your friends are.

In my life there have been times when I was riding high. It is during those times that people seem to come out of the woodwork to be my friend. Truth is, everyone likes the ride when things are going well. These people congratulate you on every little accomplishment; They sing your praises to both you and to others. They love to bask in the sunshine created by someone else's popularity and success.

And let's be honest. There is something inside us that enjoys the attention, thrives of the interactions and just plain enjoys being the man of the moment. But, we must never be seduced by all the attention and praise. Instead, we must keep our wits about us and understand that not everyone who calls us friend is a friend. In fact, most of those who called us friend will be as quick to jump on the bandwagon of those who attack us as they were to join the bandwagon that praised us. In fact when things get tough they will be among the first to "throw us under the bus" to save their own hide. The same people who today are singing our praises will trumpet our failings when we fall from the pedestal on which they have placed us.

When our feet of clay become evident these fair weather friends will like the rats on a sinking ship be the first to abandon us. But we must not mourn their loss. We should celebrate their departure as they rob us of quality time with our real friends. We should, in some warped way, be appreciative of our own failing because, as Tracy Lawrence says in his song, "we find out who our friends are." Or perhaps we find out who is not our friend and unless my experience has deceived me most of the people we know will come down in this category.

Perhaps they lack courage but most likely they were just along for the ride. Truth is it doesn't matter why they bailed out, only that they did. In this simple act of walking away they have shown their true colors (better character). When it counted they were not there; When they could have made a difference the chose to be absent. Worse yet many of them will fabricate stories about you, repeat spurious comments and generally kick you when you are down as they jump on their new bandwagon

Is this a bad thing? Well, at the moment you are experiencing the abandonment it certainly is painful. You have moments when like the Psalmist you want to cry out, "I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would acknowledge me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul." (Psm 142:4) If we are not careful we will allow these people to keep us from rising as the Phoenix from the ashes of our present circumstance. Remember, these people were never you friends . . . they were just along for the ride. When the ride became too bumpy they left the journey.

By my definition a friend is someone who comes to you when everyone else is leaving you. They may not be numerous but they are more precious than pure gold. They don't judge you but rather they embrace you. They become your safe place. They look past any failings you may have and see your need and that is what they try to meet. Because they care for you they listen. In short they stay on the bandwagon and encourage you to go forward.

All this brings me to my point. When everyone seems to be jumping off the bandwagon of your life keep in mind that just because those who were along for the ride jumped off you bandwagon does not mean that your bandwagon has stopped. It is lighter; it is leaner; but it still has your true friends on board. And my experience has taught me that your in for a surprise as to who these true friends are. They are often people you least suspect or regarded as friends. Don't close these people out.

My experience has been that these dark hours in our life while painful are merely slow places in our life journey. They are not the end of our life. Too be sure they may mark the ending of a phase of our life but there is more to come and a steel that has been through the furnace is strengthened so we are strengthened through these trials. My advice is to embrace your true friends and purpose to go forward. As to those who wounded you I urge you to heed Paul's advice, Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)

Oh yea, while it may not work out the way we planned it, it will work out. Remember, life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning how to dance in the rain.

Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Dining

Again I want to thank Iberostar for a terrific week. I suppose I should also thank Jamaica for the great weather as well. Yesterday, I talked generally of the Iberostar properties at Montego Bay and you can read that blog entry for some general impressions. Today I want to speak specifically about the Iberostar Rose Hall Beach . . . my hotel.

As indicated yesterday I rate this particular property as a 4.5 star resort largely on the basis of limited amenities ($75 for Wifi in the lobby only and not in the rooms)and the limited nature of their customer service (I spoke of this yesterday).

Today I want to talk about the resort's restaurants. The hotel has three themed restaurants. There is a Japanese venue called The Samurai; there is a steakhouse called Uncle Tony's; and there is a Cajun restaurant called the Jambalaya; there is a daily breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet eatery and a snack venue on the beach. With the exception of the Buffet all eateries are by reservation only. During peak season all restraints are open nightly but during off-peak they rotate. Reservations are required because seating is limited. Unlike the cruise ships there is no added cost for choosing to dine in one of the three hotel restaurants.

We enjoyed our Saturday evening dinner at the Samurai Restaurant where we met a pretty much international crowd which included an English couple having their first Japanese food experience, a Scottish couple who were celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary by returning to the scene of the crime and a family from Houston, Texas doing a generational vacation. I was impressed with how fully they made an effort to accommodate the folks allergic to shell fish. The chef also put on a good show. After that we were done for the day. I would rate this venue the equivalent of a Benny Hana Restaurant.

On Sunday evening we had dinner at Uncle Tony's. The restaurant is presently being housed in the beach snack shack but the staff does a great job of giving it the feel of a Texas Barbecue House. I had a medium rib-eye steak that was disappointingly thin but was very favourable. Susan had a grilled Salmon which she said was as good as she has ever had. The staff was excellent and the service was top-shelf.

Monday night it was the Jambalaya restaurant. This is a Cajun/Creole style eatery and in my judgement the best of the three. The menu is wonderful, the food delicious and well presented. I had the Blackened Grouper and Susan had a pork chop. However, my favorite was the Coconut Shrimp. I really liked this venue.

As for the daily Buffets all I can say is that they were adequate not exceptional. Again, the Jamaican staff was superb but the food average. Actually the only thing that was exceptional was a Beef (ground meat) Strudel. The beach snack shack was handy and loaded with finger foods.

While the food does not compare with that on a cruise ship is is generally adequate and occasionally exceptional. Food service is good and the staff friendly and helpful. There is no reason why anyone should be unhappy with the food at the resort. It is good, plentiful, and available almost 24/7. I give the food a two thumbs up.

My First Experience With An Iberostar Property

I arrived at my home for the week, the Iberostar Rose Hall Beach shortly after 2:00 P.M. (cst). I soon learn that the resort is really a three resort complex made up of three Iberostar hotels: The Rose Hall Beach, the Rose Hall Suites, and the Rose Hall Grand. I suspect that Americans are as familiar with Iberostar properties as they are many other resort companies. At least I know I was not. In fact, I can’t say that I ever even heard of them until winning a drawing they had at the Miami Home Based Travel Agent Show a year ago. I knew then I was going to learn firsthand about them.

I need to say a great big “Thank you” to Iberostar Hotels for our complimentary stay at this property. It was a welcome and needed break as well as a terrific learning experience. As regards amenities it was everything it was advertised to be.

After a good breakfast buffet a customer service representatives for one of the hotels met me in the lobby of the Iberostar Rose Hall Suites Resort and served as my guide as I toured all three properties.

After introductions and small talk I shared with my "tour Guide" that my major interest were, “What differentiates these three properties from each other?” and “Why should a potential guest choose Iberostar over the many competing properties at Montego Bay?”

The first question was answered by the tour of the property and the explanations of the Customer Service rep showing me around the property. I learned that the major difference between the three properties is level of amenities. There are other differences but this is the major one. The Iberostar Rose Hall Grand is a truly all-inclusive property. Once you have booked into this resort there are very few things for which there is a charge and these are things that are fee based at all the properties including competitors. A free fully stocked mini bar, free in room WiFi, 24-hour room service etc. Booking this hotel gives you access to both of the other two property’s amenities at no charge. Additionally this is a “no children” adults only property. So, if privacy and quiet are important then this may be your Jamaican Iberostar resort of choice.

The Iberostar Rose Hall Suites is just that, all-suites. The amenities are similar to those of the Iberostar Rose Hall Beach property. In fact the only real difference is that it is all-suites. It shares a security feature with the Grand in that it has a process that records and lets you know before you enter your room whether anyone has been in the room in the previous 15 minutes. Also this property includes spirit shots in the mini-bars.

That brings me to my home for the week the Iberostar at Rose Hall Beach. Don’t let the name fool you, all three of these properties are on the beach and have infinity pools. While the Grand has a Greco-Roman motif and the Suites is post modern, the Beach is very Spanish and probably best reflects the culture of the parent company, Iberostar. The amenities are adequate for this to be a five-star hotel. However, I personally would rate it closer to a four than a five when compared to what the other two properties offer.

The atmosphere of this hotel is more relaxed and the staff openly interacts with the guests. You get a real feel for Jamaican friendliness at this property. However, while mini bar is complimentary it only includes beer, soft drinks and water. No hard liquor except by purchase. The lobby bar is also complimentary. However, the liquors stocked are not what we would call “high” end brands as they are in the Grand.

Unfortunately I never got an answer to the second question. I was hoping someone would say, “Why it is obvious, it is the level of our customer service.” But they didn’t. In fact, when I said, “Look every resort in Montego Bay has wonderfully appointed rooms, beautifully landscaped grounds, plenty to eat and drink, beaches, pools, water activities and the like. What does this Iberostar Property offer that sets them apart and above the competition?” When front line staff cannot answer this question I have to assume it is either because upper management has formulated an answer or middle management has not implemented it. My experience tells me that no one in upper management has developed an answer to this question and that, no doubt, is because it is not a major part of their business model. And that to me is almost inconceivable for folks in the hospitality industry.

My experience with the Resort's front line staff was that they are capable and willing to offer service at the highest levels - they just need to know how and they need the support of hotel management. Cruise lines discovered this years ago as have most of the top hotels hence they provide training for their front line staff in both how to do their jobs and how to provide excellent customer service. Again, I do not know this to be the case but it sure appears to be.

An example of what I am speaking about: Because of a power outage a couple was trapped in an elevator in a little traveled portion of the property. This was an especially frightening experience because the emergency lights in the elevator did not work. As a consequence the on duty customer service employee notified the couple they would be receiving a bottle of champagne in their room. A few days later when asked about the champagne by the rep they replied, "What champagne, it never arrived."

Now I could stop there and talk about a lot of things regarding failure of the staff to carry out the request and they would all be applicable. However, being an old wily dog I new from the look on the customer service rep's face that there was something else going on. They never spoke a word but I intuitively knew hat it was not a failure of the front line staff. No this was a mid-management created issue.

Like I said, I'm a wily old dog who has been around a lot of years and most of those years involved reading people. Here's what my experience told me: A manager of some kind (probably customer service) decided that a bottle of champagne was too much for the inconvenience that the guest had experienced and simply cancelled the champagne. They did not investigate the incident; they did not tell the rep; nor did they notify the guest. All evidence of incompetence in the customer service arena. Reminds me of the old proverb that says, "For want of a nail a shoe was lost; For want of a shoe a horse was lost; For want of a horse a rider was lost; For want of a rider a battle was lost; For want of a battle a kingdom was lost. All for the want of a horseshoe nail" One can only wonder how many potential paying guests will be lost for want of an inexpensive bottle of champagne.

Now, because I always like to end on a positive note, I must reiterate that the hotel was well appointed, the food was above average, the location was wonderful, the grounds were immaculate and the front line staff were friendly, helpful and upbeat. These all make this hotel a great family vacation spot. I would certainly visit the Iberostar Rose Hall Beach again and will without a doubt recommend it to clients for whom it is a good and affordable fit.

Watch for more in the next few days.

Choosing The Right Cruise For You

Most of you know that in addition to other things I am a certified cruise consultant. As such I'd like to offer the following

I had an uncle who would never go in a cave. It was not that he was afraid of descending into the bowels of the Earth but an attitude he had. He had seen the magnificent Mammoth Cave in Kentucky and that was enough for him. So when we were at Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico he decided to just wait for us topside saying, “When you had seen one cave you’d seen them all, after all they’re all alike. Well he was wrong, they are not all alike! I have been in many caves and there were no two the same. To be sure they are all holes in the ground with stalactites’ and stalagmites but that was about all they had in common.

Many people feel about booking a cruise as my uncle felt about visiting caves, that is, “there all alike so just go with the least expensive.” That attitude toward cruises is just as wrong as was my uncle’s attitude toward caves. All cruises are not created equal anymore than all caves are. Again, to be sure there are common elements. All cruises take place on water in a boat or ship of some kind but that’s where the similarity ends.

Truth is, buying a cruise is in many ways like buying a loaf of bread. There are so many varieties, sizes and prices from which to choose. I suspect the real reason for people always going with the same cruise time and time again is the same reason they stay with white sandwich sliced bread in a 1-1/2 pound loaf. They look at the shelf, see all the choices and finally just leave the store with the same old same old with which they are familiar.

Deciding to take a cruise is only the beginning and easiest part of the process. After that the multiplicity of variables makes the process a bit daunting for most people. That’s why I recommend engaging a cruise consultant. They generally don’t cost make the cost of a cruise more and they are a storehouse of valuable information and help. In fact, they probably will save you money, time and frustration.

But I digress. What I want to talk with you about today are some of the variables involved in selecting the right cruise for you and your family. The very first question you need to answer is, “Where do I want to go?” Today cruise ships ply the waters of the world. I remember when someone said they were going on a cruise we automatically assumed it would be to the Caribbean. Not anymore! Cruises now go to Alaska, Europe, South America, The South Pacific, Mediterranean and more. Don’t feel like you are “locked-in” to just the Caribbean simply because that is what you are familiar with. Your cruise consultant knows which cruise line offers the best cruises to each part of the world and is able to help you with this.

The second question you need to answer is, “How long do you want to be away from home?” The answer to this question will go a long way in helping you decide on a cruise line. Keep in mind that while virtually all cruise lines offer seven day cruises each one is a specialist in a certain length cruise. For example, the mass-market cruise lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian) specialize in short cruises of seven days or less while the upscale cruise lines (Princess & Holland America) usually are ten days or longer.

The third question you need to address is, “What is my cruise budget?” Don’t try to book a champagne cruise on a beer budget. A mass-market cruise line will have prices generally starting in the range of $399 per person for a seven night cruise. This does not include port fees, taxes or gratuities. As a general rule of thumb for determining your mass-market cruise budget I recommend that you double the basic per person cost of the cruise (Fare, taxes, gratuities) and double it to get a good estimate of your “real” per person cruise cost. BTW – keep in mind that the $399 per person prices is the lead-in price and not likely to be actual price of the cruise you select.

Also, be prepared to pay for virtually everything other than what is included in the basic cruise fare. We refer to this as being “nickel and dimed to death.” The cheapest cruise is not always the best value for your buck.

The more deluxe cruise line fares will be higher but there will also be more amenities and a higher level of service. High end cruises include virtually everything in their fare price. Rates on all cruise lines vary with the season. Your cruise consultant can be of enormous help with helping you develop and stay within your cruise budget.

What is your cruise personality? Everyone has a cruise personality and that personality needs to be matched with a cruise line that is compatible. If you are fun-loving, active and filled with energy then a mass-market cruise line is probably what you want. On the other hand if you are more style conscious then something like Celebrity might be more to your liking. Point being that every cruise line offers a specific type of cruise experience and that it’s important to match your personality with a compatible cruise experience.

Another question is, “Who all is going on the cruise?” - Is it a solo event? Will it be a romantic occasion for a couple? Is it a multi-generational family affair? The answer to this question will impact your choice of a cruise line. Again, your cruise consultant can help you select a cruise that fits your need here.

Another question that I think is important is, “Do you like crowds?” If you don’t mind crowds then Royal Caribbean with her mega-resort ships could fit the bill. If not her sister cruise line might be a better choice. Keep in mind bigger ships mean more crowded shore tours and ports while smaller ships offer quieter ports and fewer lines.

“Is onboard entertainment important to you and if so, what type?” The mass-market cruise lines offer “Vegas” style shows while smaller ship offer more intimate nightclub style shows. Disney offer, well . . . Disney style shows.

Other questions are, “How important is a variety of dining venues?” What about the quality of food? How about “dress codes and formal events?” “Do you suffer from motion sickness?” All these and many other questions will impact the cruise you SHOULD select.

Selecting the right cruise really does matter. It is sort of like buying shoes. Select the wrong shoes make your feet hurt and you feel miserable the whole time you’re wearing them Select the right ones and you hardly know they’re on your feet. Same is true for a cruise. Select the wrong cruise and you’ll be miserable while you’re on it. Select the right cruise and you’ll have a great vacation.

That’s why the first thing you should do after deciding on a cruise vacation is “How soon can I sit down with my cruise consultant and plan my trip?

Where Are Your Real Friends?

I was watching television today when I saw a commercial for some kind of automobile. I can't remember the brand but I do remember the content of the commercial. Seems a young woman had convinced her parents after much effort to join the Facebook Generation and they had finally achieved a handful of Facebook Friends. Not nearly as many as she had but in her mind a good start. So there she sat staring into a computer screen making postings on her "friends" Facebook pages and developing an electronic circle of friends. Then the commercial cuts away to the parents. Where are they? Not in front of a computer screen but actually interacting with a group of eight or ten real living and breathing people in the countryside somewhere laughing and apparently enjoining themselves. I thought, "That's about they way it is these days." Too many people making electronic connections and too few making connections with real living and breathing people.

Now don't misunderstand me. I am about as involved in the electronic social media as anyone as evidenced by the fact that I am writing this Blog or even know what a blog is. In fact, it has allowed me to reconnect with friends from long ago. It has brought people I went to public school with back into my life after 40 years or more and it has allowed me to keep up with friends around the globe. In fact, it is almost the perfect tool for that and I intend to use it to the maximum. What I don't intend to allow it to become is a substitute for "real" friends

I grant you that some of the people of my Facebook, Linkedin, , STIK, PLAXO , SKYPE and other social media sites are in fact my personal friends with whom I actually have a real life relationship and with whom interact regularly face to face. However, having said that, I must confess that most of the people on those sites are more of acquaintances and business connections than person friends

The truth is maintaining a personal relationship of any depth with another human being is not an easy thing to do. Electronic relationships are easy and require little or no effort. I can manage easily my large electronic family using my CRM software and Facebook. Face-to-face real life personal relationships can be a bit more challenging. However, they are worth the effort required to maintain them

If my car breaks down and I need someone to come and get me I call a real friend and they physically drive over and give me a free ride home during which we have interesting conversation and our relationship is strengthened (even when they remind me that I should have got the car repaired before in quit running). They also invite me to join them in a real place for a tailgate party where we interact in a non-electronic way. What I am trying to say and doing such a poor job of doing is that electronic media is a tool and not a relationship.

I saw on a science channel the other day that in the next 25 years we will have robots that think like people and will interact with people as equals. Well, news flash . . . I don't want to interact as an equal with a machine. I want to interact with people and I want the machine to remain a tool used by humans and not become a substitute for them.

So my electronic and actual friends, here's my point: Use social media as a tool that can bring some value to your real friendships and not as a substitute for real friendships. Interact with your friends electronically but also interact with your friends physically and emotionally as well. Used correctly social media can be a useful tool in holding families that are geographically scattered together.

However, it is time to get up from you computer, put down your smart phone, lay aside you i-pad and get out there . . . get into the action. Go fishing with your kids; take in a movie with your wife; have a group of friends over for dinner at your home; take a family vacation (give me a call on this one . . . I can help); try and old fashioned picnic or barbecue at a park somewhere: just find some things to do with real people in a real place. Oh yea, you can effectively USE social media to arrange some of this.

Case in point . . . last year my High School graduating class had it's 45th reunion. Much of the planing we did was done via social media. This was especially true for locating folks and keeping folks up-to-date as plans were developed. However, it also involved face-to-face meeting where we could interact directly as people. Between these the person-to-person meetings have become a part of my treasure trove of memories while I have pretty much forgotten all the electronic efforts.

The reunion, was a success but is now also assigned to my trove of memories and I now keep "in touch" with many of my high school classmates via electronic media. But I must confess that as much as I like keeping in touch, I believe it is more important to be able to reach out and actually touch. We need to hear each other's voices and see each other's faces and to share our lives. Maybe that's why I am already looking forward to our 50th reunion when I can see these people face-to-face and old acquaintances renew.

Besides, when I come to the end on my life's journey I don't want my funeral service attended via electronic media (i.e., SKYPE) nor do I want my wife and children comforted via their Facebook accounts. To be sure those are OK for my many casual acquaintances and business connections but I want a real person putting real arms around my family and saying, "I am here and I care." I have a notion these will be the people with whom I have had a real life face-to-face personal relationship.

What do you think?

Why Do We Have To Be So Disrespectful?

I just heard Congressman Joel Walsh (R) from Illinois announce that he is not going to attend the President's address to a joint session of Congress because it is nothing but politics as usual.The more I listened the fellow who reminds me of "The Fonz" from the old Happy Days sitcom the more I felt my blood pressure rise. I wish I could say this was the result of his rapid fire speech and high pitch vocal tone grating on me, but it was not.

It was his blatant disrespect for the Office of the President of the United States. My father, a WWII combat veteran told me again and again that when he saluted a superior officer that it had nothing to do with that individual personally. He insisted he was saluting the man's rank as revealed by the uniform he wore. The salute was returned as a recognition of that respect. In short he was respecting the officer's rank and honoring the uniform he wore. I believe that was the general feeling among people of his generation. I also believe it ought to be the case today.

He also believed that you do not publicly speak disrespectfully of the man wearing that uniform. Clearly you do not have to like him and you do not have to agree with him but out of respect for the rank he holds and the uniform he wears.you will show appropriate consideration to him. I also believe this principle applies as well.

Now that brings me to my point. Congressman Walsh obviously has no respect for Barack Obama and that is fine. However, he is unable or unwilling to differentiate between the Office of the President and the man who holds that office. By boycotting the joint session of Congress at which the President is to speaking he is not only disrespecting the Office of the President (his intention) but also the Congress (where he serves) and the people who elected them both. He is setting a low bar for how we should feel about all our elected officials.

I grant you that the President doesn't always act Presidential and Congressman do not always act with the dignity that their office commands. That mean that we are not to act toward those offices in ways that disrespect the office. We need to show respect for our institutions even when those who run them do not. Don't like the way the President or your Senator or Congressman acts then the Constitution gives you the power to replace him/her with someone you believe will conduct themselves appropriately. It also allows you to replace them with someone more in keeping with your thinking. It there a catch? Yep! . . . .You have to convince a whole lot of other people you are right.

So come-on Congressman Walsh, let's begin conducting ourselves like mature adults and not as street brawlers. Let's learn to differentiate between the Office and the office holder.

I was sitting at the computer with the small desk television on when Robert Wagner appeared and started peddling reverse mortgages. For some reason this caused me to think about an old house on Buchanan Street. That old house was my aunt's home located at 2011 Buchanan Street in Pasadena, Texas. It set me to wondering about who if anyone lived there now and what was the condition of the house. I wondered, are they building memories there as we did?

You see our extended family all lived close to each other all of my parent's life. From the farm in north east Texas . . . to the sojourn in in Orange (my birthplace) . . . to finally settling in Pasadena, Texas when I was about 9 or 10 years the Appleby's lived close together, went to church together, played together celebrated together and grieved together. There was a mystic and real bond that kept us centered as a family.

At any rate, Robert Wagner started me on a nostalgic and somewhat emotional journey. You see, that old house was the location of many of events that have become my childhood and adult memories. I remembered that it was there that Raymond (my uncle) showed me how to paint those cute little circles in the ceiling when I was about ten years old. I still see all his fishing rods and equipment on the left hand side of the garage.

Memories, boy do I have some. I still see my father, his brothers and sisters all squeezed on a small couch for a family photo; I can still see everyone gathered around the old out of tune upright piano as my mother played and everyone sang. Seemed every gathering required some family singing; then there was the all night camp out by cousins sleeping under tents in the house made up of sheets and blankets tied to chairs with a fan keeping them semi-inflated; the reading of the Christmas story. Yep if it involved the extended Appleby family then it happened in that house on Buchanan Street.

As I have thought about it that old house in a real way represented our extended Appleby family. It seem to me that as long as that house was there there was a sense or permanency about what we had as a family. That old house became significant not because of its size, its beauty or its condition but because over time it became the Appleby family gathering place. It was in that house that great extended family events transpired. From wedding and holiday celebrations to post funeral meals . . . that house new them all. Every new born in the family would pass through that house and it was the house where the matriarch of our family, my grandmother died. Come to think of it there was a crowd there that night as well.

That phrase "reverse mortgage" shook me back to the present reality. That bond that my grandparents started and their children perpetuated has been largely lost by my generation. The real world effects of that reverse mortgage had on my aunt's ownership of the house became a symbol of what has happened to that old Appleby family bond. The steady and consistent eating away of the value of the home until she no longer owned it proved to be a metaphor for the slow but apparently inevitable dissolving of that greater Appleby Family Bond. Slowly but most certainly as the generation that included my father and his siblings began to slip the surly bonds of earth that family bond began to loosen. Over time those of my generation began to drift apart and become scattered all across the country. Perhaps it was inevitable that we should thus drift. The Matriarch was no longer there to command our presence and our own careers and families took us away from the city where that old house was located.

O, to be sure when we do get together now, largely reduced to funerals, we still enjoy a brief rebirth of that family bond. I don't suppose that what was born in our youth will ever completely fade away but it sure isn't what it used to be. In fact, my children do not know my cousin's children the way I knew my cousins. They share a common heritage but in many instances don't even know each other's names and to me that's sad. Sometimes I feel sorry for them that we didn't give them what our families gave us. Blame it on the times or whatever but they have missed something very special and I suspect they don't even know it.

Perhaps the answer lies in regenerative nature of life. One generation first gives birth and then gives way to the next. Perhaps it was and is the responsibility of each generation to give birth to a new expression of that old family bond. If we do maybe just maybe somewhere down the line there will be an old house in our children and grand children's lives that they will look back upon with wonderful memories. But for now I'll just sit here and enjoy what the hymn writer described when he penned the words:

Precious memories how they linger

How they ever flood my soul;

In the stillness of the midnight

precious sacred scenes unfold.

If you don't have any then heed the advice of Trace Adkins in his song "Just Fishin" and start making some memories.

Not Equal Tax but Equal Sacrifice

Warren Buffett recently concluded off-ed piece in the New York Times by saying, "My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress. It’s time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice."

In the article he reflected on his years an investment advisor going back to 1950 That is just five or so years after Henry Hazlett popularized the idea that taxing the wealthy would hurt job creation. In that same article he took on this theory and pointed to the fact that in his 60 years of working with investors it was when the wealthiest among us were taxed at the highest rates (39.9%) that jobs were created and when they we taxed at the lowest rate (21.5%) jobs were lost and he has the data to back it up. This by itself should tell us something

However, I want to focus on his notion of "shared sacrifice." That got me to thinking about my own life experience. Now I am not by any stretch of the imagination or even in my wildest dreams in the same income bracket as Warren Buffett and his friends . . . not even close. But this idea of "shared sacrifice" resonated with me

During my active ministry all but one of the churches where I served as senior pastor engaged in some sort of building program. In each and every one of those congregations that entered into these campus expansions there was a dual commitment. First, we wanted everyone, no mater what their financial ability, to participate financially in the project. Simply stated we want everyone to be invested in the new facilities. Second, we insisted that financial burden would be shared by everyone equally.

You see, I believed that everyone who would use the facility or his children and grandchildren would use the facility should have a financial investment in bringing those building projects to completion. It is only right that it you are to use it you should help pay for it. Did we succeed? Not completely. You always have people who want to ride on someone else's nickle. Not everyone who was a member of those churches choose to participate but most did.

We also believed that the burden of providing those facilities should be equally shared. Did we succeed it this? I think largely so! Now this did not mean that each member or family would give an equal amount to the project. What it meant was to equally sharing the burden. We recognized the biblical principle of, "to whom much is given much shall be required."

Equal giving in terms of amount would not be fair and it would make it impossible for some to participate. We did not even set a percentage of income that would be the same for everyone because that too would be unfair to those at the lowest levels of the income spectrum and force some not to participate.

That's why Warren Buffett's "shared sacrifice" resonates with me. What we asked the poorest and the wealthiest among us to do was to sit down as a family, examine their personal financial circumstance and arrive at an amount and method of giving level that would create a level of financial pain. Essentially we asked them to give until it actually cost them something to give the amount. And that is exactly what they did. From the widow living on Social Security and in HUD housing to the wealthiest among us living in their large opulent homes these commitments were made. In every case the end result was success.

I don't know what kind of tax code we need in terms of form. I do know what we need in terms of fair. It is fair, only when the burden in shared as evenly as is humanly possible. Rich man, poor man, beggar man are Americans all and to a person would just as soon not pay any taxes and some on both ends of the spectrum don't and that's not right. (BTW - I suspect that the combined incomes of all the people on the low end of the income spectrum that pay no taxes don't equal the income as one of the families on the top end of the spectrum who pay no taxes

But I digress and must come to the conclusion of this matter. Recognizing that they are necessary I contend that they should also be fair. I want to know that we are in this together and that we share the tax burden fairly. I don't even suggest that the tax burden hurt equally. Rather than having equal tax pain I would prefer it to be equally painless to the low income family as it is to the upper income family. I don't want my perot boat to sink while the fellow living on Easy Street sails away on his mega-yacht

It Really Is About "We The People."

Someone recently said to me, "I believe that our current political climate is so polarized that government cannot function." Now, don't give me that, sarcastic "when has government ever functioned."

First, let us understand that while government should follow accepted accounting principles as it handles the people's money and is accountable for how that money is spent. But let us be clear, the United States Government is not a business; it is a political body. It is not Constitutionally designed to turn a profit and from it's inception at the Continental Congress was running a deficit and borrowing money. The founding Fathers may not have particularly liked it but they recognized that the government they were forming (that more perfect union) was going to have to borrow money to become a reality and borrow they did.

For my Christian brothers I need to affirm that there is no sin in borrowing money regardless of what the Christian financial gurus might say. We may borrow when we shouldn't but there is no sin in borrowing money. A quick take on money and the Christian can be found in Luke 12:16-21. By the way, a balanced budget does not rule out having debt. A balanced budget is nothing more than a financial spreadsheet where the outlay and the income when combined equal zero. One might say that if you have a surplus of income you do not have a balanced budget just as easily as you would say it if your expenses exceeded you income. But I digress

Back to the the government. As I said, it is not a business and was never intended to turn a profit or carry large reserves. It was designed to meet the needs of the nation as defined by the actions of the people's elected representatives in both houses of Congress and consented to by the sitting President. These needs would be decided through debate and persuasion and strength of argument as our elected representatives seek to bring their colleagues to a particular point of view and action. Some of these needs are as specific as the "common defense" and as undefined as the "general welfare."

Ideally this would be done on the basis of careful thought and sound reasoning flowing from facts and not feelings and/or beliefs. Certainly we can feel and believe strongly but in our system these cannot be forced upon the conscience of others. Everyone is entitled to their own feelings and beliefs but NOT their own set of facts. When our beliefs and feelings on an issue are at variance with other's belief's and feelings on any issue our system of government demands compromise not obstruction.

The founding father's envisioned the Congress as a place of debate and persuasion were men of good will worked through issues and came to a consensus of opinion that allowed the government to function. Once this consensus was arrived at through a vote in each of the two houses it them had to meet the approval of the sitting President at the time. The "Tea Party Patriots" by holding the Congress and the whole United States government hostage as they have done in the recent debt ceiling legislation have acted more like terrorists than representatives of the people.

Why is it every time we can't get our elected officials to conduct themselves properly and vote the way we want we try to change the Constitution rather than follow it. We don't need a Constitutional amendment to force our elected officials to do what we want . . we simply need to replace them with someone else. Let's elect people who will do the right thing because it is the right thing to do not because some segment of the population demands we do it.

The answer to our unhappiness with what we perceive to be over-spending on the part of government is not to hamstring the Congress' through a Constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget but by going to the polls and voting. If your congressman is voting for every spending bill that comes along and you don't like it vote for someone else or run for office yourself.

However, once elected that representative of the people must be free to act upon the facts before him/her and not be held to the feelings and belief's of his/her constituency. To do otherwise is to make them puppets on a string and take away their ability to use the good sense and judgment we believed them to have when we elected them. (Don't tell me you voted for them knowing they didn't have good sense and judgement.)

If anyone in my district runs on a "Tea Party" endorsement I am going to interpret that to mean their position on every issue is "don't confuse me with the facts my mind is already made up" and I will vote for their opponent. If that's too harsh put the blame where it belongs on that segment in the U.S. House of Representatives known as the "Tea Party Patriots." As someone recently commented to me, "The idea of "e pluribus unum" is foreign to them." Men who cannot (better: will not)compromise can serve no useful purpose in a forum that by its very nature requires compromise. Their acts of extortion in the Debt Ceiling issue has just about blinded me to any merits their ideas may have and some of their ideas do have merit.

It is a Sad Day For Constitutional Democracy

Most people who know me know that I am a believer in balance in life. I believe that God is the only perfectly balanced being. We humans, who are "created in His image and after His likeness," are somewhat less balanced. Some of us more unbalanced than others. And, just for the record lest I forget to say it later, I have always defined a fanatic as someone who cannot change his mind and will not change the subject.

I am politically a centrist. I believe the center keeps one balanced. That's important because I want to be brought more perfectly into the image of my God, who as I stated at the first is perfectly balanced. Oh yea, before I forget. God is not a Democrat or a Republican; He is not a Capitalist or a Socialist; and He is not even an American . . . He is God and there is none equal to Him though we are encouraged to be like Him.

Now to what's on my mind and from the look of my Facebook wall, television, and computer news on everyone elses' mind as well . . . . the debacle in Washington.

Hence to say I am disgusted with what I am witnessing in Washington D.C. would be a gross understatement.

My disgusted is directed to elected officials in general for allowing things to reach the place where "We the people" are being held hostage by a handful of single issue men. But my real disgust is reserved for the so called "Tea Party Patriots" who claim they are only doing what they "were elected to do."and are at the heart of this stalemate. Don't forget that the Tea Party was an act of rebellion not a part of any democratic process. Add to that what they are doing to our economic welfare and they are not patriots either.

Let me suggest to them that they were not elected as dictators of the United States. They were not elected to bring financial ruin to the nation and the American people. They were elect to represent their constituents and persuade their colleagues through argument and debate. Unable to persuade, they hold the process hostage by making demands that they know will not be met. These extortionist (I see them as political terrorists) do not understand our Constitutional democratic process or maybe they just don't agree with it but they certainly don't respect it.

All they have succeeded in doing is making a mockery of our Constitutional democratic process and rendering Congress impotent. I don't know what can be done today to fix this but come election time changes should be made. In fact, some of these boneheads have even said that they don't care if they get re-elected. I hope their constituency is listening and replace them by an overwhelming vote.

As to the rest of Congress . . . shame on you. Shame on you for not taking this bull by the horns and throwing him to the ground. Where is the leadership? Somehow I just can't see Sam Rayburn, Tip O'Neil, Everet Dirkson, Jim Wright, John McCormick, Lyndon Johnson, or Mike Mansfield putting up with this nonsense! We have none and we don't have it because we have elected weak-minded people who apparently are relying on magic to solve our problems. It appears to me that the way out is for the President to invoke the 14th amendment and unilaterally raise the debt limit. Maybe not the best answer but it is an answer and would show real leadership

My friends, we are morally obligated to pay the bills we have already made. Once we do that we can have a meaningful discussion about reducing our national debt and reform our tax code. We cannot allow a this handful of psuedo-patriots to destroy what our neighbors, our fathers, and our ancestors fought and worked for over 200 years to build just because they can't win their arguement in the people's forum. God help us because we don't seem to be able to help ourselves.

What Went Wrong?

Back in the early 1960's then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sam Rayburn speaking at the opening of the 87th Congress observed that "Christian civilization is facing the greatest danger today it has ever faced in the past two centuries -- since Christ Himself walked upon the earth."

I wonder what he would say today. Maybe, "I told you so." Or, more than likely he'd be speechless. I'm not sure he could have imagined where we would be today when it comes to Christianity in America.

As I reflect back on my own experience as an evangelical Christian who was born in the mid-1940's and experience the evangelical revival of the 1950's as a youth and served as a Baptist pastor heavily involved in denominational life into the 21st century I wonder, "What went wrong?".

I lived through my own denomination's fight, the so called "Battle for the Bible," which in fact was really a battle for the denomination and control. Saw first hand a bloody civil war in our Southern Baptist religious life that set Christian brothers against one another. It was my first experience as a "full-time" Christian minister with the decline of Christian ethics not just in the pew but the pulpit as well.

It was in the mist of this that American Christianity decided that to preserve our Christian American heritage we had to become politically active. Soon religious leaders were forming packs with politicians who spouted the right words but whose personal lives were far from the words they spoke. In short, we decided that we had to become political if Christianity was to be saved in America. I want to say to those who lead us down that path what Dr. Phil often says, "How's that working for you."

It didn't work then and it is not working now. Why? Because in the process we lost our direction as the Body of Christ. We ceased attempting to be salt and light to our nation and became just one more large Political Action Group. We stopped depending on God to preserve us and started asking Him to bless our attempts at it.

I suggest that we do what has always worked . . . . Get our own house in order. "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Dr. A. C. Dixon, a fine expositor of the Word of God, once said, "that when we depend upon organization, we get what organization can do. When we depend upon education, we get what education can do. When we depend upon money, we get what money can do. When we depend upon singing and preaching, we get what singing and preaching can do. But when we depend upon prayer, we get what God can do."

We need to do now what we should have done then . . . "Repent and do the things you did at first." I suggest that the proper role for Christians is to get off their political soap boxes and down on their prayer rugs and pray in earnest. We need to sprinkle a goodly amount of confession and repentance in that praying as we ask God to heal our land. Remember, God's time honored order of things is that it is God's people who must swallow their pride and prostrate themselves before Him. "Judgement begins in the House of the Lord." It's high time we Christians stopped carping and complaining about those outside the house and as one who lives in the house follow God's directions if you really want God to heal the nation. Don't know if you noticed or not but it is the Christian's sin that prevents God's blessing on the nation and too many of us are playing the role of Achan and trying to keep our sins hidden. Is it possible that our national experience today is the product of all the hidden sins of Christian people.

Could it be that in our zeal to heal the nation we have actually told God, "Not to worry, we will get this done" in a way that doesn't involve humbling ourselves and confessing our sin. Well, you see what we have produced. Perhaps we should try something a little more novel, like, really doing what God commanded. He didn't suggest this he commanded it. If as a Christian you want the nation healed then you must take I Chronicles 7:14 serious.

I remember hearing the late Pastor Pepper Rogers as he talked about his experience as a child of riding in the rumble seat of the family car saying that, "God does not ride in the rumble seat. If He isn't driving then He isn't riding." Christian friends, lets move over and let God have the steering wheel.

Mr. Pogo You Were Right.

I recently read the original text of Grover Norquist's anti-tax pledge that many (too many for my liking) members of Congress have signed. Keep in mind, these members of Congress did not sign the redacted version of this pledge. Oh no, they signed the original document. By so signing they reveal a great deal about about their common sense, intellectual acumen and moral bankruptcy

If they had simply signed a pledge to oppose tax increases I would have no major complaint. However, when they signed the document they revealed much about themselves. Here's the deal. At the time your and my Congressional representatives signed this document it opened with an erroneous and egregious series of paragraphs on slavery asserting blacks under slavery were better off as families than they have been since Obama became President. It went on to assert that these slave homes were homogeneous with both a father and a mother in the home.

This is just plain wrong. Nothing could be further from the truth. By signing the "tax pledge" they are saying they were in agreement with this poppycock. In short, they just created some new history (nothing new these days). Why would anyone sign a pledge that contained such tripe? Do you suppose they even read the thing? If not, that is even more egregious.

But putting that part of this aside I still have to ask, Why would anyone with half a brain sign a pledge to do something no matter what happened in the world they would stand pat. Reminds me of what a psychiatrist friend of mine once said about counseling youth. He said, "It's true they have all of the answers but they don't know any of the questions." To these folks it doesn't matter there's a war going on; doesn't matter that their own parents and grandparents get thrown under the bus; doesn't matter that we will be driven deeper into recession or what has actually become depression for about 15% of the population just so that they can keep some commitment they made to some guy in Minnesota. In my book you must understand the problem before you tout a solution.

I used wonder how we got where we are as a nation. Well, I no longer wonder any more for I have found the answer I've been searching for. We got where we are because the people who are in the driver's seat are the ones who sign documents like this one. We got here because we elected these dopes. Indeed Mr. Pogo, we have met the enemy and you were right, "he is us."

Come election day I will be voting for a pragmatist and utilitarian and not an idealog or someone who is so much of a dufus that they would become a slave to someone else's ideas.

It's Not Our Fault!

Ten years ago, James Roosevelt, Jr. Associate Commissioner for Retirement Policy Social Security Administration testified before Congress regarding the state and condition of the Social Security Trust Fund. He said, "The truth is that Social Security is completely solvent today, and will be into the future because it has a dedicated income stream that covers its costs and consistently generates a surplus, which today is $2.5 trillion. Estimates are that the Social Security surplus will grow to approximately $4.3 trillion in 2023, and that reserves will be sufficient to pay full benefits through the year 2037. After 2037, Social Security would still be able to pay for 78 percent of benefits even with no adjustments to revenues or benefits."

Which brings me to this: I resent the fact current Conservative political wisdom feels it necessary to create the image that we boomers are the ones who would mortgage the security of our children and grand children by accepting the benefits we have spent our entire working lives paying for. If I understand Roosevelt correctly the money that I and my fellow Boomers will be receiving is in fact our own money.

Has something happened in the last 10 years to change that? Well, duh, yea! We turned every thing over to our children to enjoy our retirement. Then the economy tanked. the work force shrank by 10%, the money supply dried up, the housing market collapsed and Wall Street tanked. But none of that was caused by the Boomers.

It is not the Boomers who are Mortgaging our children's future and destroying our economy . . . it is the hotshot who live on Wall Street." It is the Bankers, Investors, etc. The Boomer's big mistake was trusting these geniuses when they said what they were doing was good for us and the nation when in fact the only people it was good for was them.

Now, here's my advice to my Congressman and all the rest of that myopic crowd in Washington. Do what you want with your money but leave our money alone. If you need a bridge to nowhere borrow the money from your friends on Wall Street or the whiz-kids called mortgage brokers. But don't ask us to pay for it. If you need a study to determine how many legs there are on a millipede try just catching one and counting his legs. Just learn to say "no" to yourself and the people walking through your office doors. Doesn't matter who they are or who they represent just say, No, no, no!"

Personally, I'd seize their assets and give to someone else to manage and invest. I certainly would leave it to them to restore the economy. Take it away from Leamon Bothers and give it to Billy Bob and his buddies. They'll invest in Main Street America not Wall Street.

Trust me when I say, whatever is wrong with the nation put the Boomers in charge and we will fix it.

There Were Giants In The Land In Those Days

Genesis 6:4 speaks of a time when "there were giants in the land." I want to take that verse out of context and apply it in a totally different way. In the 18th century America there were giants in the land. These men were children of the Enlightenment and each one reflected that in his life and thinking. Some were farmers by trade while others were lawyers; some were bankers while others were craftsmen. They came from all walks of life but they had one thing in common . . . they were all influenced by the Enlightenment and they all wanted a new government.

I sometimes wonder how it is that in 1776 when the population in America was barely 3 million people the country could produce so many giants: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Adams, John Hancock, Alexander Hamilton and a dozen or more lessor but certainly outstanding lights and our day of 320 million people we cannot produce one.

We should not pretend that the founding fathers were men who were monolithic in their thinking and/or actions. You know, as my uncle used to say about caves, "you seen one cave, you've seen them all." As already stated they were "children of the Enlightenment" but they were each one their own distinct person. No two of them were the same. They didn't created the Constitution because the all thought alike but in spite of the fact they didn't think alike. They created this magnificent document because they worked together to achieve a common end.

Now don't misunderstand. We have smart people in our day. Some are even Rhodes Scholars, most have done well financially and many have generous hearts and all the other virtues that we see as desirable qualities in our leaders. But even with all this there are no giants. Why don't we have any giants in the land in our time?

With all their differences the men who forged our Constitution were first and foremost Patriots. Though they often disagreed politically and in some cases ideologically they never accursed each other of being less of an Patriot because of it. Some of them leaned toward the traditional English model; some came from a religious backgrounds; others were decidedly secularists but, none were exclusionist. Hence on the big issues they could work together to find a way.

What do we do . . .we throw rocks at each other. We denigrate those who don't agree with our positions and our way of thinking We call them bad Americans or worse yet declare they are not true Americans. We draw lines in the sand on every single issue and have the audacity to insist that everyone has to bend to our way of thinking. If they don't we question their patriotism.

I propose that what what we need today are some giants. Some congressmen and Senators who will stop checking which way the political wind is blowing and act with courage and integrity and do what is best for the nation. We need elected representatives who will lay aside their ideologies, political parties, and personal welfare and work together for the good of the nation. These are crucial times and we need some statesmen who will put their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor on line, roll up their sleeves and go to work for the welfare of the nation.

I believe that when our congressmen become statesmen and stand up and lead the nation will follow. When this happens there will once more be giants in the land and the nation will proper and the people will rejoice. Until then we must continue to wonder. "were are the giants for our time?"

By the Way, do you realize that the United States of America was the first and perhaps only nation that was a created a state before it became a nation. These giants of the 18th century wrote a decidedly secular document, the Constitution, that created a state and then set about creating a nation called America and a people called Americans from a hodgepodge of people. We have been doing that ever since, i.e., creating Americans.

To by Online Or Or Not to Buy

Most of you know I am in the business of helping people have great vacations. I think what I like about it most is the satisfaction of having someone allow me to help them arrange their cruise or land vacation and then when they get back home hear them go on and on about how great a vacation they had. Believe it or not most of us in this business see ourselves not as agents but as facilitators. That is, my job one is to help make your dream vacation come true. However, if your going to have the benefit of our experience and expertise you are going to have to ask. And with that, I'll get to my point.

Have you ever hear the expression, "The best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray." Well that has never been truer in any industry than it is in the travel industry. With all the online booking companies it is even truer today than ever before. Rest assured, if anything can go wrong it will and will go wrong in spades.

For most of you your annual vacation is the single largest financial investment you will make aside from your home and your car. Even a "cheap" 4 day cruise for a family of four can cost you as much as $1,300.00. And that just gets the four of you on the ship. Nor small investment for what amounts to a long weekend.

As I see it you have a couple of choices when making you vacation plans. You can take advantage of the experience and expertise of someone like me or you can do it yourself. Now I can tell you that doing it yourself WILL NOT save you any money or time. It may give you the satisfaction of saying, "I did all by myself." I can't say using someone like me to help you will save you any money I do know it will not cost you any more than if you did it yourself.

Like I said, it's your investment and you have a choice on how you will make it. Just remember the Biblical axiom, "There is safety in many counselors." Now, I could use this space and list all the happy clients we have but you'd probably just yawn. So, I want to simply recount one sad story that came to my attention just yesterday.

Yesterday evening about 3:30 p.m. my office phone rang and on the other end of the line was a young woman who quickly asked, "Can you define an "unforeseen circumstance." I immediately asked her her name and what prompted her to call. Here is her story: Seems she had gone online to an online travel service (this one just happened to be Priceline) where she searched, found and paid for her family's vacation. She even had the foresight to buy the trip insurance that Priceline offered. She then set about preparing for her vacation confident that she had done everything just right. Not bad and not that different from what everyone else who uses these online booking companies would do.

Then it happened. Something came up that she had to cancel the trip. She called the customer service number she had been given and was told they would not refund her payment and gave her an 800 number to the Berkley Group their insurance provider. She was then told, "You'll have to call them, get some papers filled out and file a claim." All of which she did. Their response, " We only refund for 'unforeseen' circumstances."

Now she wanted to know, "what is an unforeseen circumstance?" I explained it to her and she seemed confused and said, "That's what I thought." After a few moments more conversation she then sheepishly said, "You don't think I'm going to get my money do you?" To which I answered, "I don't know but it doesn't look good." Then I said, "If you get your money back that will be great but even if you don't you have learned a valuable lesson." She asked, "A what is that?" To which I replied, "You have learned that when you book your vacation online and something goes wrong you are pretty much on your own."

Folks you can book many kinds of travel online but when things go wrong you are on your own. It rarely cost you more to use a travel consultant or Agent and you have someone in your corner to help.

Father's Day 2011

Back in July 1992 Reba McEntire released a song entitle, "The Greatest Man I Never Knew." It was about a daughter lamenting the fact that though her father "lived just down the hall" she never really got to know him. I've always thought that was perhaps the saddest thing a daughter could say about her father. I certainly hope that song isn't a commentary on my own daughters and their relationship with their father.

What I do know is that the greatest man I have ever known lived just down the hall and that man was my father. I am thinking of him today because this year is a unique year for me as far as Father's Day is concerned. Father's Day falls on June 19 this year and it was 28 years ago to the day (Father's Day 1983) that my dad died. I remember someone saying to me, "How sad that you loose your father on Father's Day." Indeed, I'd be lying if I said that it was not a sad day for me. Indeed it was. It was because on that day, Father's Day June 19, 1983 the greatest man I ever knew was gone.

However, I have never thought I lost him on that day. As Vance Havner once said about his recently deceased wife, "She's not lost, I know right where she is." Truth is, my father is gone but he is not lost. I know where he is. As I told several people back then, "For the first time since his father passed my dad is spending Father's Day in the presence of both his Heavenly Father and his own father. Who am I to begrudge him that."

Beyond that, he is not lost to me. From my youngest years I spent time with my dad. While he worked I would use a "creeper" as a kinda "skateboard" before skateboards were invented. I spent literally hundreds if not thousands of hours with him working in his auto repair shop after school. This continued until I finished high school and college. The most important thing I received from all that time with him (both in the home and the outside world) was the opportunity to watch and listen to him as he related to the challenges and people in his world.

My dad never said too much. He spoke with brevity and clarity. You really had to work hard to misunderstand him. He always spoke positively. I never heard him say anything critical of anyone and that included those people who did not always have his best interest at heart. I cherish a treasure trove of wisdom that I heard come from his lips as he spoke. He never pontificated but had a wonderful knack for sharing words of wisdom in a "back door" sort of way.

He was a man who could keep a confidence. Telling him something in confidence was like casting your fears, burdens and cares into a black hole. They just never resurfaced anywhere to anyone. I now understand why he was the confidant to so many and especially to the pastors of our area. He, a Baptist, was confidant to a couple of local parish priest when we lived in Vinton, Louisiana and later in Pasadena, Texas to at least three Baptist pastors. Being a pastor I know how paranoid we cleric types can be. It rare for pastors and priests to find a person in whom we can confide without fear of having what we share resurface and wound us. I believe this was my father's ministry.

I could go on and on about his virtues and even say a few words about his flaws and he did have his flaws. He would have loved Billy Cunningham's song in which he says, "God is great, beer is good and people are crazy." Dad would have agreed.

You see it isn't so much his perfection as how he lived in light of his imperfections. He never was very successful in business (and that's putting it mildly). He never thought of himself as a good father. In fact, on his death bed he apologized for not being a good father (I told him that was news to me because I saw him as a terrific dad). He spoke of my mom's staying with him through all the years of their marriage as quite an accomplishment on her part and perhaps it was - at least from his point of view. He like all of was a flawed man or as we in the religious world might say, "a man with feet of clay."

But in spite of the real and perceived flaws he was a great dad. He was honest; he was fair; he was loyal; he was trustworthy; he worked hard and loved his work; he was generous; and he was consistent. He was the same in public as he was in private. He honored his father and his mother and he loved his wife and he loved his children. What more could a young man need in a father.

I remember when we had gathered at the National Cemetery in Houston for his graveside service that the pastor, Estol Williams, a friend of both my dad and myself surprised me by asking me to close the graveside service with a prayer. I remember that prayer as though it were done just today, "Father I thank you for a dad who through living his life showed us how to live and in his death taught us how to die." That just about says it all.

So on this Father's Day, June 19, 2011, the 28th anniversary of my Dad's death I say again the my Heavenly Father, "Father I thank you for a dad who through living his life showed us how to live and in his death taught us how to die."