This is one of my favorite videos. It's called "I Believe!" Watch and enjoy...
Friday, June 26, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Pride, Greed, and Stubbornness: A Disastrous Combination
More than a few people have sabotaged their own lives due to one or more of the following traits: Pride, Greed, or Stubbornness. What's particularly disastrous is when a person is characterized by all three traits!Such a person comes to mind on this day (June 24). It was on June 24, 1812 that Napoleon Bonaparte, the emperor of France, launched a massive and ultimately doomed invasion of Russia.
Napoleon decided to invade Russia, when Czar Nicholas I refused to honor the French ruler's "Continental System." That system, a series of decrees issued from Berlin, sought to close off mainland Europe's ports from Britain, Napoleon's remaining major enemy.
Napoleon's ego refused to accept any setbacks. If Russia wouldn't play ball, he would force them into submission. So, he launched the most spectacular invasion in human history, sending the largest army in recorded history (the 500,000-strong Grande Army) toward Moscow!
Rather than face Napoleon's force head-on, the Russians retreated deep into their territory, burning everything in their wake, thus depriving the French of any provisions or supplies.
When Napoleon reached Moscow, the capital was abandoned and burned. And the Russians refused to surrender. It was like playing a chess match that keeps on going, even after checkmate has been achieved.
Frustrated but deeply concerned over the onset of the Russian winter, Napoleon ordered a withdrawal. His ill-supplied army was, at this point, on the verge of starvation. And now, the Russian army began to mercilessly harass the French force.
By the time Napoleon's army made it out of Russia, it had been reduced in size from 500,000 to 100,000!
The epic disaster was the beginning of Napoleon's demise. And it was all due to Napoleon's stubbornness, pride, and greed.
In many respects, Napoleon was a gifted visionary and effective ruler. He brought order out of the chaos that was the French Revolution, and enacted legal and civil reforms that even many critics concede as noteworthy. Yet Napoleon's ambition, ego, and never-ending appetite for more would be his undoing.
If you find yourself driven by greed and characterized by stubbornness or pride, take a lesson from Napoleon. Work on changing your ways while you still can.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Senator Barbara Boxer and Small-Mindedness
At a Senate hearing today (June 18), Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) dressed down Brigadier General Michael Walsh (US Army) for referring to her as "ma'am."
Never mind that "ma'am" and "sir" are terms used to show polite or at least ceremonial respect. For Senator Boxer, she's worked "hard" for the title of Senator, and THAT is what she wants the good general to call her.
Blogger Tommy De Seno is right to call Boxer out for her pride and pettiness. It's small-mindedness in the extreme. It's also, as De Seno points out, hypocrisy.
**See "Hypocrisy Alert - Barbara Boxer Called Condi Rice 'Ma'am'!"
There are a few feminists jumping to Boxer's defense, arguing that "ma'am" is some kind of put-down. With due respect to my readers, this is ridiculous.
Others are making even more outlandish claims, including that the general would never address a male senator by "sir," but rather by "senator." Ridiculous! Military personnel are encouraged to address Members of Congress by their title OR by "sir" or "ma'am." And I can tell you that, in the Army, preference is often given to "sir" or "ma'am" as opposed to rank or title.
While I certainly don't wish Senator Boxer any ill will. I believe, as a Christian, we should pray for her. And I wish nothing but good things for her and her family. Nonetheless, this episode shows a small-minded pettiness that is unbecoming of a United States Senator.
Boxer may get more people to call her "Senator" as a result of today, but she won't win any additional respect.
Never mind that "ma'am" and "sir" are terms used to show polite or at least ceremonial respect. For Senator Boxer, she's worked "hard" for the title of Senator, and THAT is what she wants the good general to call her.
Blogger Tommy De Seno is right to call Boxer out for her pride and pettiness. It's small-mindedness in the extreme. It's also, as De Seno points out, hypocrisy.
**See "Hypocrisy Alert - Barbara Boxer Called Condi Rice 'Ma'am'!"
There are a few feminists jumping to Boxer's defense, arguing that "ma'am" is some kind of put-down. With due respect to my readers, this is ridiculous.
Others are making even more outlandish claims, including that the general would never address a male senator by "sir," but rather by "senator." Ridiculous! Military personnel are encouraged to address Members of Congress by their title OR by "sir" or "ma'am." And I can tell you that, in the Army, preference is often given to "sir" or "ma'am" as opposed to rank or title.
While I certainly don't wish Senator Boxer any ill will. I believe, as a Christian, we should pray for her. And I wish nothing but good things for her and her family. Nonetheless, this episode shows a small-minded pettiness that is unbecoming of a United States Senator.
Boxer may get more people to call her "Senator" as a result of today, but she won't win any additional respect.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Don't Empower Obnoxious People
Yesterday, I was driving through Wilmington, Ohio. Out of nowhere, a sportscar darted across two lanes of oncoming traffic and swerved directly in front of me, cutting me off and forcing me to apply the brakes to avoid an accident.
I was flabbergasted, but didn't lay on the horn. Instead, I just calmly raised my hand slightly from the steering wheel in a suprised, open-handed gesture as if to say "What were you thinking?" It was not an angry or provocative gesture, just an instinctive "What's going on?" reaction.
Well...the driver of the sportscar was what one might call a "hot head." He thrust his arm out the driver's side window and gave me the finger.
When he saw the confused look on my face (he was viewing me through his rear view mirror), he turned to face me (taking his eyes off the road) and emphatically repeated the gesture.
I then noticed his wife (or girlfriend) try to calm him down, and....I saw a little kid in the backseat who saw the whole thing.
In years past, this episode would've had my blood boiling or my nerves shook up for quite a while. But, yesterday, I had a sense of calm (albeit surprise) the whole time. I wasn't angry, nor was I afraid. What bothered me most was the little kid in the backseat, seeing such an ugly display of rage from a man who was probably his or her father.
The moral of the story...I could've allowed the episode to ruin my afternoon. I could've dwelled on it, stressed about it, gotten upset or angry about it. But I didn't. I let it go.
The next time someone cuts you off in traffic, yells at you, treats you wrongly, you have a choice to make:
You can hold onto the incident, and (in so doing) empower the person who has done you wrong. Or...
You can let it go.
***
Note: The above advice applies to specific situations and to one's own emotions. If you're the victim of abuse (particularly ongoing abuse), then seek help. Anyone dealing with abuse (or who knows someone who is the victim of abuse) should visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
I was flabbergasted, but didn't lay on the horn. Instead, I just calmly raised my hand slightly from the steering wheel in a suprised, open-handed gesture as if to say "What were you thinking?" It was not an angry or provocative gesture, just an instinctive "What's going on?" reaction.
Well...the driver of the sportscar was what one might call a "hot head." He thrust his arm out the driver's side window and gave me the finger.
When he saw the confused look on my face (he was viewing me through his rear view mirror), he turned to face me (taking his eyes off the road) and emphatically repeated the gesture.
I then noticed his wife (or girlfriend) try to calm him down, and....I saw a little kid in the backseat who saw the whole thing.
In years past, this episode would've had my blood boiling or my nerves shook up for quite a while. But, yesterday, I had a sense of calm (albeit surprise) the whole time. I wasn't angry, nor was I afraid. What bothered me most was the little kid in the backseat, seeing such an ugly display of rage from a man who was probably his or her father.
The moral of the story...I could've allowed the episode to ruin my afternoon. I could've dwelled on it, stressed about it, gotten upset or angry about it. But I didn't. I let it go.
The next time someone cuts you off in traffic, yells at you, treats you wrongly, you have a choice to make:
You can hold onto the incident, and (in so doing) empower the person who has done you wrong. Or...
You can let it go.
***
Note: The above advice applies to specific situations and to one's own emotions. If you're the victim of abuse (particularly ongoing abuse), then seek help. Anyone dealing with abuse (or who knows someone who is the victim of abuse) should visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Give Each Day to God
The psalmist writes: "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24).
On Sunday, June 7, we went over this passage at Sligo, where we looked at three decisions we should make each morning to make this verse a reality. The first decision is...
On Sunday, June 7, we went over this passage at Sligo, where we looked at three decisions we should make each morning to make this verse a reality. The first decision is...
Vacation Bible School at Sligo
This week is Vacation Bible School at Sligo Baptist Church. Pray that it's a great one! And pray for my lovely wife, who has worked really hard at putting it together!
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