Interactive Sermon

It's On! Let's Do It!

I'm in.  I'm NaBlo-ing.  I'm NaNo-ing.  Who's with me? 

NaBlo - one post a day for 30 days?  No sweat.  I'll do it with one hand tied behind my back.  And stories?  I've got stories for you.  Here's my NaBlo page.  Join me!

NaNo - 50,000 words?  Not enough of a challenge for me.  I'll have you know I'm going to complete my novel writing project.  Words, editing, revising, and in an envelope with a stamp on it to send to the publisher by November 30th.  I'm taking no prisoners.  Here's my NaNo page.  Come on along!

You with me, friends?  You up for a great adventure?  Let's kick some NaBlo-NaNo bootie.  Let the writing begin!

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I Want A Moniker

John the Maverick.  Sarah the Barracuda.  Joe the Plumber.  Tito the Builder.  (I even heard that Joe Perry of Aerosmith fame is on the campaign stump for McCain/Palin, being called Joe the Strummer).  I want a moniker.  I want to be 'the something'.

Darin the Preacher?  Darin the Writer?  Darin the Handsome?  Something!  Come on!  I'll get on CNN and ask reporters why they're not asking Barack Obama the tough questions.  I'll meet Barack in my front yard and call him a socialist.  Just give me a nickname!

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,Politics,Election 2008,Joe the Plumber,Tito the Builder

Faces In The Crowd

I'm in a strange mood today.  I've been reflecting a lot on people who have come and gone in my life, who had been long forgotten but for a recent mention, touch my heart.  Looking back over my life, my encounters with them were so brief and seemed so insignificant.  A friend of mine might deem them 'landscape people' - in other words, they were a part of the backdrop of a very brief period of my life.

One was a babysitter.  She and her family lived across the street when I was young.  It was pretty rare that I needed an outside-the-family babysitter, as my older siblings were often tasked with the responsibility.  Jill was a treat.  I have this one distinct memory of her: I was riding my bicycle to school one morning when I was in the first grade.  I took a spill on the bike and landed on my chin.  I was bleeding.  My mouth felt as if it was full of sand and gravel.  The next thing I knew, Jill was there comforting me.  I don't know where she came from.  She walked me back home.

Then there was Clare.  She was only about 7 or 8 years old when I was a Youth Pastor in Central Florida.  Her parents were key leaders in the church, so I interacted with her folks often.  I remember talking with Clare a bit, looking forward to one day having her involved in youth groups and such.  She was quite the picture of a little southern girl - always splendidly dressed for church, minding her manners, referring to adults properly as Mr. and Mrs. and to me as Mr. Shaw (I also remember that Shaw sounded like it had two syllables when she said it).  I wound up leaving that church family before she was old enough for youth group.  I occasionally heard mention of her name, how she had done in school, on to college and into adulthood, and as a believer in Christ.

And Dick.  Ironically, I referred to Dick in a sermon illustration just a few weeks ago.  Dick was a substitute professor of mine in Bible College during my senior year.  While I am certain he loved the Lord with all of his heart, I thought the man was a lousy professor.  He was so scattered and disorganized.  He regularly made obvious mistakes in his lectures.  I recall one day when he instructed us that John was considered one of the synoptic gospels.  After class I pointed out that it is not.  He reminded me that they paid him to be the teacher.  One day, underclassmen taking his classes asked me to begin meeting with them after school.  They wanted me to help decipher what Dick had taught.  I actually advised them that although John was NOT considered one of the synoptics, that for the sake of their grade in his class they had better answer it the way he taught it.  We all began drawing a line down the center of our notebooks, putting the truths we learned on the left side, and the things that were wrong, but which we needed to know for the test, on the right.

All three of the people I mention here were there and gone along my path.  Landscape.

When I was in Florida this past week I learned that Jill is dying of pancreatic cancer.  She hadn't crossed my mind in probably 30 or more years.  When I went to bed the night I heard, I cried as I prayed for her.  I don't know why. 

I got word through a string of people this morning that Clare was killed in a traffic accident over the weekend in Florida.  That news literally took the breath out of me.  She hadn't crossed my mind in at least 15 years.  I got to my computer and googled up news of her death, found webpages devoted to her - what an absolutely beautiful 23 year old young lady, and what an amazing memorial is growing to her beautiful heart, spirit and life - I can't see my computer screen through my tears.  Why has this hit me so hard?

And news later this morning in my email that "Dick has gone home to be with the Lord".  That's exactly what the email read.  And I am sure it is true.  I haven't thought about that man, other than using him as a sermon illustration, for years.  He was battling a horrible disease.  I'm thankful his battle has been ultimately won.  And, I smiled that he's probably learned this day that John isn't one of the synoptics.  As if that mattered at all.  I feel thankful for having met him, although I really don't know why.

How many more people dot my life - and yours - as landscape?  It seems strange to me that we live and move in close proximity to so many, and yet we lose track of far more than we maintain, and that never crosses our mind - until there's news, a call, or an email.  Then we... shed a tear.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,Life,Landscape People

NaBloPoMo ~ Trying To Get In The Mood

Okay friends, I need your help.  NaBloPoMo is at hand.  That's National Blog Posting Month for the phonetically challenged.  November is THE month, although NaBlo has gone year round, taking away some of the mystique of a month designated for Blog Posting.  Anyhow, I am a purist.  NaBlo is November.  And a good part of me wants to accept the challenge, which is to simply post at least one blog post per day for the entire month of November.  As I usually post five or six days a week anyhow, it's not really that much of a challenge to me.  I'm pretty much doing it all the time.

So, I need two things to inspire me to do it this year.  First, I want friends to take the plunge with me.  I want YOU to say, "Count me in!"  It will be fun, me thinks, to keep tabs on and encourage one another in 30 days of sheer blog folly.  Second, I need a theme or something for my posts.  I think I would be more inspired to post 30 days on one subject.  I also think that would challenge me.  Help me decide what to write on from this list of four choices:

1) 30 recollections/stories from my childhood and teenage years.

2) 30 recollections/stories from my 16 years in Pastoral Ministry.

3) 30 recollections/stories from the many jobs I've had over the years.

4) 30 Darinisms - thoughts, philosophies and art that are all me. 

Please vote 1, 2, 3 or 4 for me.  I appreciate the input.

So, now, back to that first wish - YOU signing up to NaBlo with me.  What do you say?  You need a theme?  How about 30 days worth of stories of your childhood?  On the job experiences?  30 jobs you wouldn't want, and why?  30 of the best conversations you've ever had within your own head?  Click here to sign up and let's chug towards the finish line arm in arm!

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,NaBloPoMo,Blogging

Going For It

I've decided to sign up for this year's NaNoWriMo.  Sort of.  I've decided to play by my own rules, however, so that technically means I cannot 'win'.  Let me explain:

NaNoWriMo is the National Novel Writing Month contest.  You sign up for the challenge intending to write a novel - by their definition 50,000 words - in the span of 30 days, or, in other words, during the month of November.  The rules stipulate that you cannot begin before November 1st.  So last year I did it... and I did it!  I managed to write more than 50,000 words of a novel I called "Open Season" (having subsequently learned of other novels and movies by that name, I suppose I'll have to change it if ever it becomes anything I'd show others).  But, while I wrote the 50,000 words, this 'novel' is nowhere near ready to send to a publisher.  It started great, but then became little more than a word-dump needing months of editing and revision before I'd show it to anyone.  That, though, the NaNo folks will tell you, is the intention - quantity, not quality. 

When you 'win' NaNoWriMo, you can put a wonderful little html badge on your blog declaring yourself a winner.   I want something more.

I've been working on a number of projects, for quite some time, that have been more about quality than quantity.  My friends and loved ones always challenge me to "finish something".  Here it is: I will endeavor to finish one of my projects and have it ready to send to a publisher by midnight on November 30th.  That will require me to have many more than 50,000 words - revised and self-edited, ready to send to my real editor-types and or prospective publishers.

Your part?  Thanks for asking.  Encourage me.  Tell me I can do it.  Buy me some Sumatra coffee.  When you see me in November ask me how it's going.  Go by my NaNoWriMo page every so often and check my progress.  If you're really a mad friend, sign up.  Write a novel.  50,000 words.  I will share the Sumatra a friend of mine gives me.  You will be eligible for the html badge.  Too cool!

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,Writing,NaNoWriMo

Wading Into Turbulent Waters pt. 8

The last of my look at John McCain is in the area of moral issues.  The previous seven parts of this series cover my perspective on both candidates in the areas of domestic policy, foreign policy and moral issues, as well as some overarching thoughts along the way. 

John McCain says the right things and has voted the majority of the time with right positions on moral issues as defined by a conservative political view.  That makes me feel a little better about him than if he had not. 

Let me start with his faith.  As I did in part five where Barack Obama's profession of faith is concerned, I will take John McCain at his word.  He says he's a fellow believer in Christ (as does Barack Obama), so I won't doubt that.  I'll mention here that his church-going and church involvement record pales in comparison to Barack Obama's, which is interesting to me, because were this any other office than President we were talking about, evangelical types would be strongly skeptical of the Christian faith of John McCain.  In fact, as I've said before when Hillary Rodham Clinton was still in the race, if it came down to church involvement over the years, Hillary was more viable a 'believer' than anyone else running, except for Mike Huckabee.  All that aside, here are two men who profess to be followers of Christ, I'll let the fruit inspection be up to others, and I'll call them both brothers in Christ.

Where my thinking on McCain's faith differs from my thinking on Obama's has to do with positions on moral issues.  As I mentioned in part five, I have always struggled with people who are believers taking, what I deem, radically liberal views.  Here, I see some consistency in McCain's positions that were not evident to me in Barack Obama's.  John McCain is soundly pro-life.  You can disagree with me, but that position resonates with my heart, and seems most consistent with God's word to me. 

Where the sanctity of marriage is concerned, I restate that both candidates (both tickets) agree that the definition of marriage ought to be protected - the union of one man and one woman.  Both candidates agree that the rights of homosexuals have been denied where legal matters of relationship, custody, probate and civil liberties are concerned.  Both pledge to do something about this - my suspicion is that Barack Obama would act on it more than John McCain would, simply based on party platform priorities and lobbies.

Then, finally, we get to where I think moral positions will really matter - the appointment of judges.  I expect that our next President will appoint a couple of Supreme Court Justices, and that will be enough to swing the Court in one direction or another.  I am more comfortable with John McCain in that role than Barack Obama because I have seen evidence of strong influence in the Democratic Party by groups that I have little regard for - MoveOn and George Soros, for example.  I don't expect that Barack Obama would nominate Justices who were strict adherents of Constitutional Law, but would rather appoint Judges who would create law.  And, I still maintain, his first Supreme Court Nominee, if given the chance, will be none other than Hillary Rodham Clinton.  Wanna bet?

So, there you have it.  I've given you my opinion on both candidates, each across three areas - domestic, foreign and moral issues.  I suppose I'll offer up one more part to this series in which I tell you who has my vote and why.  You might be surprised.  Stay tuned.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,Election 2008,John McCain,Politics

Wading Into Turbulent Waters pt. 7

Continuing my political observations/ramblings... what of John McCain and foreign policy matters?  Here's my take.

Foreign Policy is one area where I am much more comfortable with John McCain than Barack Obama.  The only real criticism that is offered by his opponents are mentions of "four more years of the failed policies of George Bush".  I know that I might draw a battery of response on this, but I don't think of George Bush's foreign policies as catastrophic failures.  I agree very much with George Bush's axis of evil perspective and his 'doctrine' of pre-emptive action.  Call him a cowboy - there are people in this world who only understand true-grit.  And, as I mentioned in my earlier post about Barack Obama and foreign policy, I don't think Barack gets that.

I suspect that people who disagree with me here are most concerned about America's reputation around the world.  I understand that for all the news coverage we see of unabated anger towards America.  As I mentioned earlier - I've traveled the world.  I have dear friends in many cultures around the globe.  The reality is that America is not hated around the world.  Travel, my friends.  Go see for yourself.  America is still the most desirable place for the peoples of every continent to come to, and recognized by most of the world as a friend.  I think John McCain understands that as he has traveled the world, and knows people all over the globe.  Quite honestly, I think Barack has taken the temperature on global opinion by watching the news rather than by going and seeing first hand.

Iraq and Afghanistan?  How many times have each candidate visited?  How many personal relationships exist between each candidate and folks on the ground there?  Who has gone?  Seen?  Done?

Have things been perfect where foreign policy is concerned?  Certainly not.  Whenever you are dealing with international tensions, global cultures and human beings there will be difficulties - some very significant. 

McCain's answers on dealing with Iran and North Korea are the right ones.  I am convinced.  McCain's approach towards Russia and China is the better of the plans proposed by the two candidates.  I am sure.  McCain's plan to reduce our dependency on foreign energy sources (a foreign policy issue of the highest order) seems more reasonable to me.  Obama's tone on foreign policy seems clearly a "we can sit down and talk about it... be neighborly" and while I think that sounds so desirable, in some cases it is also recklessly naive, I'm afraid. 

(Here I go busting out Reagan... apologies.)  The other day when Joe Biden stated that the world would likely "test Barack Obama's metal" if he is elected, that was a sure signal to me - and I fear, likely to others.  I remember the Carter to Reagan days and a knucklehead Ayatollah who played Carter like a rag-doll.  Reagan promised - very different than threatening, by the way - that he would make dealing with the hostage crisis priority one after his inauguration.  There was never a thought of testing his metal.  My friends, I think that is very similar to where we are today.

And finally, on the War on Terror, I've mentioned before in a couple of places that I don't agree with a timetable but rather an end plan that is timed "When we're done."

I've been as even-minded and as fair speaking as possible thus far.  I haven't tipped my hat, so to speak, in either McCain's or Obama's direction.  Where the matter of foreign policy is concerned, I cannot be impartial.  I give this one to McCain all the way.

Go ahead.  Fire away.  I'll be back with one more on McCain, next concerning moral issues.  Then I'll tell you how I really feel. 

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,Election 2008,John McCain,Politics

Chronicles of War pt. 12

Another piece of the Creative/Non-Fiction story I am working on.  Previous segments of the story can be found in the Writing category.

“We’re all going to die, Mr. Trites!” As Job passed the hours he revisited Thomas’ last words. ‘Yesterday was Thomas’ day’, he thought to himself. ‘Is today mine?’ he wondered.

As he considered the real possibility of death that war afforded men, he was surprised how calmly he could consider the subject. He wasn’t afraid to die. He really had every confidence that his account was settled for eternity. ‘A ball to the chest like young Thomas’ he thought, that would be the way to go, ‘far better than a lesser wound and ensuing infection, that would take days or even weeks to take my life’. His family, however, was his reason for wanting to live. How would his dear wife and children carry on should something happen to him?

“Trites!”, a hushed call came from cover a few yards behind him. He turned just in time to see and catch, almost defensively, a whip of jerky tossed to him by his friend William. “’Tis all I have left. Give that a try. Won’t be too much longer.”

William had always been passionate about dried meat. He had perfected his curing process to a real art form. Job and Harriet had enjoyed many such gifts over the years. They had given up on asking what kind of meat each jerky treat was – it was often better not to know. More recently, William had come into possession of a new fermented condiment from England called Worcestershire sauce to use in the curing process. As Job took a bite, he realized that William had spared no spices on this batch, his mouth tingled. Unless he was imagining things, his nasal passages were clearing to a radiating heat of the spices. It sure beat the hardtack that had been the daily ration since they had left Kirkwood. “It is a glorious invention”, Job had written Harriet about hardtack shortly after he was mustered in. “The mating of wheat with mortar, me thinks, resulting in the sharpening of one’s incisors at the same time it satisfies their hunger.”

‘What time is it?’ Job wondered. He looked up at to locate the sun, and down to observe the fall of shadows when a thunderous roar startled him from the river below. Porter’s gun boats had opened fire on Fort Hindman. Before he had steadied himself from the start, a second wave of thunderous cannonade commenced below his position – the artillery of Sherman’s Corps joined in to create a sublime canopy under which Job’s unit and others could advance. The waiting was over. “Company!” came shouts from commanders. Without so much as a second to think, Job was drawn into a dead run with his fellow soldiers, this time up the hill and to the left of Hindman, well within the range of the rebel rife-pits. Surprisingly, they faced no small arms fire as they crossed the first clearing, taking up shelter in ravines lines with brush and fallen timber mere yards from enemy works – enemy works that were presently being pummeled by Union smooth bores and field artillery. With each incoming round Job felt the earth beneath him concuss. He was now close enough to hear the panic stricken Rebel soldiers – many shouting directions, some pleading for help, and all in chaos as a result of the unrelenting volley. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the big guns were stilled, leaving field commanders a moment to assess their situations.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,Creative Non-Fiction,Job Trites,Arkansas Post

Wading Into Turbulent Waters pt. 6

I've weighed in with my last few posts in this series concerning life with Barack Obama as President.  So, what if John McCain is our next President?  How would that look to me?  Let's start with some of the domestic issues.

John McCain has one mantra - tax cuts.  So, in each of the debates when someone mentioned health care, education, the down-turn in the economy, McCain would sail along in platitudes until he landed back at "giving one hundred percent of Americans a tax cut".  How do we fix health care?  Tax cut.  How about education?  Give parents a tax cut.  Our economy?  You guessed it.

Here's the thing - I sort of agree with him.

Start with the easy one - the economy.  How do we get consumers to consume?  Give them more of their own money with which to work.  It's proven time and again throughout history.  How do we create more jobs and opportunities?  Give businesses more of their profits with which to open jobs and pursue broader aims.  Join, if you will, the jabs about Ronald Reagan's economic policies - but look at the results in the economy from Carter's policies to Reagan's.  But you see, here is the important part: spending cuts.  Tax cuts only work if the government reigns in spending. 

This is where I hear John McCain speak strongly, but worry he doesn't carry a big enough stick.

Years ago a friend named Herman had a farm.  On that farm he had the largest, and most violent rooster you could imagine.  This rooster stood nearly the height of a sixth grader and weighed more.  This thing had a mean disposition.  I think he was carnivorous.  The talons on this rooster were dangerous.  He'd shred a man to bits just for walking in the pen.  Whenever Herman had to go into the chicken pen he would literally grab a four foot lead pipe and take it in with him to keep the rooster away.  Now, I tell you that to tell you this - Washington is full of a lot of fat and aggressive chickens.  And I have a suspicion that they won't sit back and let John McCain cut money to all of their little pet projects so quietly.  Look at President Bush.  He worked hard to achieve tax cuts, but under his watch spending in Washington has looked a lot more like there was a Democrat in the White House than a Republican.

I have liked the ideas of working to cut costs in health care and for health insurance over a government take over, but again, I see... well... big violent chickens.

I like the idea of school choice and vouchers.  Yet... big chickens.

Finally, one area I failed to mention while talking Barack Obama - Social Security.  Do you remember Al Gore's "Lock-Box"?  Wow.  Memories.  Nobody seems to be talking about Social Security much this time out.  Interesting.  I really liked the idea of privatizing Social Security until this latest market crash where a friend of mine, one who really knows the investment world, has pretty much lost his retirement in the last few weeks.  Now here's the thing - I am not an expert on investments as I would assume most Americans are not experts.  If experts like my friend lost his retirement in a couple of weeks, how gloriously could rank amateurs like me mess up?  But then again, we see what government has done with its stewardship over our money.  Hmm.  Sounds like we need a new plan all together.

One overarching thought on all this: in principle, I don't expect the government to provide health care, education and a retirement for me.  I expect that I work for a living to provide for my family's needs.  I don't expect the government to educate me or my children for free.  I expect that hard work will be rewarded with scholarships and grants, but that in the end my kids - like my wife and I - will need to work while in school, and perhaps even borrow some money (I hate the thought, but realize the necessity for many).  And, I expect that my retirement will be the result of my earnings, savings and planning.  At the moment, my plan is to work until I'm 101 years old.  See!  I have a plan.  One that the government can't mess up and the markets can't eat away.  I'll be the little old dude that greets you: "Welcome to Walmart!"  Retirement!  What a wonderful thing.

Still, I really do like the idea of government leaving me to control more of my money.  I am a Republican through and through where the concept is concerned. 

I like McCain in this area better than Obama, but fear, as I did with Obama, neither candidate will be able to actually accomplish what they are promising today... Obama fails because he simply cannot pay for his promises.  McCain fails unless he carries a really big chicken-slapping stick.  BBQ anyone?

Back next time to talk McCain and foreign policy. 

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon,Election 2008,Politics,John McCain

On The Road...

...Katie and I rolled into my sister's home tonight.  Sleepy after 1200 miles.  Blog posts starting tomorrow.  I promise.  Goodnight.