Black Friday

Why would anyone want to shop in a retail store anymore, in particular on the day after Thanksgiving? Let me offer this experience.

My daughter wanted to be dropped off to go shopping with her grandmother (the queen of day-after sales) this morning, so I did so about 7:30. After dropping her off, I went to Circuit City store to buy a gift for one of my kids. (The details are intentionally omitted because one of them may read this.)

The first thing I saw was a line of at least 50 people just trying to check out with their deals. I'm not sure how long they had already been in line, but you could sense a bit of tension as you walked by people with credit cards ready, holding the latest gaming system/DVD player/camera/stereo/etc. When I went to the department to buy the particular item I wanted, the retail associate simply nodded his head as if to say, "Dude, it's 7:30 - we've been open since 5AM. Did you really think you'd get one of the two we had on hand..." I left, not really discouraged, but wondering.

When I got to my office, I logged into the Circuit City site to see if the item I wanted was available on line. And, to my surprise, it was. Not only that, it was at the same price as the retail ad. And it was in stock. And, to put a cherry on top, there would be no shipping charges on the transaction.

In about 2 minutes, I bought the exact item I wanted, without having to worry about lines, jammed parking lots, angry customers, etc.

So help me understand - why do we have retail stores anymore? What a waste of real estate. Not only that, but if the retailers didn't have to pay associates, pay inflated lease rates, high utility bills, etc., imagine how much lower they could push the pricing. And imagine how their profits would be enhanced.

And as a side benefit - no large heat-radiating asphalt parking lots, no fuel guzzling cars to drive, no pollution, emissions, etc.

It's just a matter of time before big-box retailers selling easily researched products go the way of 8-track tapes. They just don't make sense anymore.

For me, one gift down, a few to go...and it's all going to be done on-line!

Why the outrage about O.J.?

Within the next week or so, Fox Television is going to air an interview with O.J. Simpson. The reason for the interview is to promote a book "he wrote" which describes how he would have killed his ex-wife and her friend if he were "actually" going to do it.

My initial impression of Fox TV agreeing to do this was disgust, followed very shortly with, "Well, if any company would agree to air this, it would be Fox." Has any station done more to completely lower the bar on taste in television than Fox? They are the network of the human trainwreck. And how does Fox Television really co-exist with FoxNews?

Then I thought of O.J.'s obsession to remain in the limelight. This guy is really a psychological mess. He goes from killing two people (please don't tell me you believe he didn't do it), claiming he had nothing to do with it, claiming love for Nicole and their children, to now writing a book on how he would do it? I'll say this - if I were one of his Floridian neighbors, I'd be listing my house and taking whatever offers come my way. He is a whack job.

But what has gotten my attention is all the "outrage" being expressed on television and radio. Every show has segments on how outrageous this interview is, how ridiculous O.J. is for doing this, how money-hungry Judith Reagan is for publishing this book, etc. Invariably the conversation turns to money and how ashamed they are that these people would do what they are doing simply for money.

These radio and television personalities are so full of hypocrisy I can't stand it! If they are so outraged, why are they talking about it? Some say "well, it's news, and I can't choose the news, but I am obligated to talk about it." That is such a load of manure. They are talking about it for the same reason Simpson authored the book, Reagan published the book, Fox agreed to air the program - for MONEY!!! If they talk about it, people listen to their shows. Why else is O'Reilly on the air? Why else was Katie lured to CBS? To lure listeners and viewers because those ears and eyes mean money. And since this is sweeps time in the media, these folks are doing exactly what they are accusing Simpson, Reagan and Fox of doing.

And then there are the callers to the programs. They too are expressing outrage. I find this equally humorous. They are watching another car chase, train wreck, tragedy play out in front of them. Why do news programs go live on car chases? Because people watch, hoping there will be some sort of violent, tragic end. We have become a nation of bored people, so we eagerly tune in to the next conflict that hits the airwaves. Do you really think people are watching American Idol to see who can sing? Of course not - it's about Simon and how he will tear into the talent-less singers in front of him. Are millions watching NASCAR for four hours to watch cars drive in circles? No, it's to see a 10-car pile-up on the Talladega SuperSpeedway.

If we're so outraged, why are we talking about it? If we're so offended, why are we watching? Sadly, the ratings for this interview will be sky-high. And as a result, the next time there is a tragic murder (let's see - the Menendez brothers, Scott and Lacy Peterson, Chandra Levy, etc.), the news and talk shows will go 24/7 once again. Because people tune in. Because it makes money.

We're really no different than those from Roman times, going to the gladiator shows. We crave violence and destruction. We go to see the lion maul the man. We watch to witness the gladiator destroy a prisoner. The more, the merrier. Why else would there be a Saw III?

If you are really outraged, then quit calling, quit watching, quit listening. It's really not that hard to do.

The next election cycle

I am assuming you are thrilled the recent election cycle has concluded. Regardless of political affiliation, you have to love the silence - from politicians and ads.

In two years, I have a solution for all of this - Rock, Paper, Scissors! Don't laugh. It's fair - strength doesn't benefit anyone. You can't advertise to win votes. Women, men, black, Hispanic, white - all have an equal opportunity.

A Rock, Paper, Scissors World Championship! Winner earns $10,000 (OK, that's Canadian, so it's only about $1.27): http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/other_news/&articleid=289666

Or, like the cartoon, we could have the politicians play Scissors, Scissors, Scissors - that way, none of these people would get elected. How sweet would that be?

2008 Campaign...you know this could work.

Darfur - we can NOT just watch and do nothing

What is happening in Sudan is becoming one of the greatest human tragedies - ever. So far, about 400,000 people have been killed and still no significant political effort is being put forth to stop the genocide in Darfur.

It seems that on a daily basis one of our politicians will shout about what is happening in Iraq. In the 3 1/2 years the US has been there, there have been about 3000 Americans killed. Sadly this number pales by comparison to the Darfur genocide. Multiply the number of Americans killed by 100, and you'd still have fewer deaths.

But what do we hear about it? Hardly a word. Will it take a full million dead before this becomes news? Do we have to once again witness an Auschwitz before we take action? Are we simply numb to death in Africa - due to starvation, AIDS and now murder - that it's no longer news? To use an old cliche', the silence is deafening.

Some folks are attempting to increase awareness. Jars of Clay, The Fray, Ziggy Marley, among others - all participated in an event on October 21 of this year. Rock For Darfur events helped increase awareness and money, as many artists donated proceeds from their various concerts to Oxfam. (click this link for more information on this event: www.myspace.com/RockForDarfur)

But what is eating at me is that, while these events help increase awareness, the significant effort required is not taking place. That effort - a global political and military exercise to impose peace on this region - is being quashed by certain entities in the United Nations that refuse to mobilize. I don't care that Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir opposes any external military presence - it's really not his choice anymore. Even though he denies it, his government is providing support for the murderous Janjaweed militia, and that puts the blood of these people on his hands.

What should we do? How can we mobilize? It's not simply getting President Bush to move forward, it requires British PM Blair, Japanese PM Koizumi, Australian PM Howard, and leaders from Sweden, Mexico, Hungary, Spain, Italy, Canada, etc. It requires every leader of every free country. Heck, it's even leaders of countries that are not free - China, Russia, and the like. The United Nations simply condemns the actions of the Sudanese military, but so what? That symbolic slap on the wrist is embarrassing.

I read an interesting passage in Scripture that resonated with me as I meditate on this tragedy.

Proverbs 24:11-12
Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those
staggering toward slaughter. If you say, 'But we knew
nothing about this,' does not he who weighs the heart
perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?

Aren't these words being spoken to each of us right now, from men, women and children in Darfur?

Here is my call to action. Every day, spend 5-10 minutes - more if you can - calling or writing everyone you know to let them know what is happening. Friends, neighbors, family, politicians, actors, musicians, writers, etc. Tell them that 400,000 have been slaughtered. Ask them, beg with them, plea for them to reach to their network. Multiply. Ask your church to get involved. Call your pastor, priest, rabbi - ask them to invite their people to become involved, to pray, to mobilize.

Visit different websites to educate yourself on what is happening:
http://www.un.org/News/dh/latest/selectstory.asp?Cr=sudan
http://www.oxfam.org/en/programs/emergencies/sudan/index.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6135960.stm


Call your local news organization. Provide them with statistics, and ask them why they are not talking about this.

A movement is required. We are called to action. The passage above from Proverbs tells us to "rescue those who are being led away to death."

Jesus said 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' (Matthew 25:45) We will be judged, whether by our actions or inactions, but we will be judged.

Please get involved.

What are we afraid of?

I attended a high school retreat this past weekend. I was one of 5 adults leading about 35 students in prayer and worship, as well as simply enjoying life away from the hustle and bustle of our daily, busy lives. The weather was spectacular, considering we were in Northern Minnesota and the temperature was in the mid-50s.

The teaching was done by Aaron Markson, the worship leader at a new church in Hudson, Wisconsin called Sanctuary.
http://sanctuaryhudson.com/site/start.html

Aaron presented an interesting perspective on John 5:1-11, which is the story of a paralyzed man at a healing pool. I've often looked at this story from the angle of Jesus' healing, or of the criticism directed toward Jesus because he chose to heal on the Sabbath. Aaron took this on a different path, and I wanted to share it with you.

If you look at the passage, Jesus asks the man "if he wants to be healed." What was interesting is that the man didn't say yes. Instead he made an excuse about not being able to get to the pool while it was stirred (which is when it had more restorative powers). Jesus didn't ask him what was preventing him from entering the pool, nor did he ask if he wanted a hand to get to the pool. He asked the man if he wanted to be healed.

Why wouldn't the man simply say yes? In this case, the man had been paralyzed for 38 years, and though Scripture doesn't say his age, we can safely assume this was most or all of his life. He had grown accustomed to his life as an invalid, which included begging for food and shelter, and anything he may have needed. It seemed to me that he would want a life that was easier, having the ability to make a living, earn money so he could provide for himself, maybe even help others. But the man didn't say yes...why?

Aaron suggested that this new freedom also presented a dilemma for the man. If he was now able to walk, it would be less acceptable to be a beggar. He would now be expected to earn his own money, buy his own food - basically become self-sufficient. Maybe this man wasn't ready for that change. Maybe he had grown so comfortable with his current lifestyle that a dramatic change like that provided more questions than answers, and he just wasn't ready for that...

Jesus then told the man to "get up and walk" and the man did so. In effect, Jesus forced his hand.

But I had to ask myself - what am I afraid of? What is holding me back from a life with God? Am I afraid God is going to ask me to change my life - and is that a good thing or not?

I've definitely grown comfortable with my life, though I never seem to have enough money or stuff to satisfy my wants. As such, I'm afraid to leave this life, afraid to give it away so I can have a life completely dedicated to Christ.

And there are other considerations as well. If He asks me to change my life, how does that impact my family? Will they (willingly) follow me? Is it right to even ask them? There are opportunities to serve, in fact one that was presented literally 10 minutes ago. While that it still voluntary and not a change in career, it's another sign to me God is calling and testing me, trying to determine if I am ready, willing and able.

I know the answer to most of this. I know that comfort causes people to take fewer risks. I know that by not taking risks, I can no longer grow. And I also know if I no longer grow, that atrophy will set in. And of course, once atrophy sets in, death soon follows. I know all that.

But I don't act. I wait. Like the man at the pool, when asked why I don't simply do "it" - whatever "it" is - I come up with some lame response about salary, benefits, kids, etc. The reality is, that like the man at the pool, I'm afraid.

Why? God didn't promise me a life without risk. I need look no further than the lives of Jesus, Paul and many others written about in God's word. They lived a full life, a life without regret, even though their lives included great risk.

So, here's my plea to you - take the risk that you know you should. And then, let me know the outcome. You can be my support group as I move closer to the edge, preparing to step in to the pool of uncertainty and risk.