"Down Time"

Some of you may have thought that the lack of new entries on my blog recently has been because I've been busy building up my new church here in Schulenburg, Texas. I wish that were the case. Actually, the reduced activity on the blog is more the product of "down time." Ever since the first of the month, Lydia and I have been "down" with a persistent cough. We've had few other major symptoms, and have actually felt pretty good during those rare moments when were weren't coughing ourselves into exhaustion! We're under a doctor's care now, and have been on antibiotics, steroids, cough medicine, and are now scheduled to see a lung specialist near Houston in the next few days. Our doctor assures us that this isn't going to kill us; but there have been times when I almost wished it would. I'm still carrying on with my preaching responsibilities; but visitation and other projects I had planned to start have been significantly slowed. Of course, this will pass; and I fully expect that when everybody else gets back into the normal post-vacation schedule, we'll be getting into our work rhythm and establishing a normal way of doing things in a new call. One minister I knew several years ago said that it always took him several months really to get his new pattern of work and routine established whenever he accepted a new call. That's even more true when you're hampered by any kind of sickness--no matter how seemingly minor--during those first few months. Now, I realize that during such interludes, many people come to new and great insights about life, work, God, and other mysteries and philosophical truths of the universe. Unfortunately, I have come to very few such insights since July 31 when this all started. However, since you have read this much of the present entry, and since many of you are faithful readers of this blog, I will distill what wisdom I have for you in a few sentences! First, I can't wait for college football season to start in a couple of weeks. And second, sometimes, it can be liberating simply to acknowledge that you're sick and not try to pretend otherwise. As I have been lying in bed, too exhausted to pursue any additional work on many of these afternoons and have had my XM Satellite radio to keep me company, it has been rather liberating to find myself listening to a rather inconsequential major league baseball game, admitting that was about all I had the energy to do at that moment. Sometimes, we just have to admit that not every day is meant to be a day of great achievement. As we renew ourselves and recover our health--be it physical, emotional or spiritual--it's good to realize that some days are meant simply as opportunities to be renewed and prepare for other days and other adventures--now and in the world to come!

Keeping Fear Alive

A decade or so ago, one popular "buzz phrase" was, "Keep hope alive!" Apparently, we now have a new phrase--or, if not a new phrase, a new method of doing business in the news media. The idea is to "keep fear alibe." The technique seems to be working, even if it is selectively applied. Not long ago, a bridge over an interstate highway in Minnesota partially gave way. Tragically, there was loss of life. This morning on a Houston radio station, the question was asked, by way of headline, "How many bridges in Texas would you feel good about crossing?" There have been some incidents lately within the space program concerning a couple of astronauts. So a polling question was asked recently on a news program, "Do you still trust NASA?" And when the economic news is good, there are still plenty of pundits whose mission in life seems to be to paint the worst possible picture of the economic prospects and find some way to put a negative spin on even the most positive news. I could point out many more examples. The pattern seems to be pretty clear. There are those in media, politics, and other segments of American life who have an agenda. Their desire is to create fear, cynicism, and negative images of life in America and our American institutions. When they have a chance to tear down the military, the space program, or any of the institutions most of us hold dear, they are all too willing to do it. And if there's a way to make us feel skeptical about the intentions of our local and state officials or question the competence of those in places of responsibility, these fear-mongers will stop at nothing to make us feel uneasy. Some call it "investigative journalism." But is it really journalism at all? One person who steps across the line should not bring intoquestion an entire institution. One person's activities who some may call into question certainly should not bring disgrace upon an entire organization. Genuine and legitimate accountability is certainly necessary in a free society; but what will happen to that society when the critics are not accountable or have no sense of responsibility or integrity?