Things that (slightly) irritate you

I know this is petty in light of real issues, but we all have things that for some reason just get under our skin. And then, in not taking myself too seriously, I can laugh at them- usually after the fact, course. Here are my pet peeves:

1- Drivers who pass me on the road like I'm in PARK, only to be found at the next traffic light, and then repeat their bad behavior.

2- When people say "mines" instead of mine. (ex: "That's yours, this is mines.") Ugghhhhhhh. What is that? To me, this one is like scraping a fork across a dinner plate.

3- Watching television with someone who tries to watch several channels at a time. Truth be known, my wife is one such person. Thankfully we don't watch very much TV. Maybe this is part of the reason why, at least for me.

4- Drivers who throw cigarette butts out the car window. Why do people think it's okay to do this? Aren't cigarette butts considered trash? Using their logic, shouldn't it be okay to throw cups, bags and whatever else out the window? No further questions.

5- When people keep calling and never leave a message. WHY ARE YOU CALLING ME?

I feel better now.

Between jobs

Almost everyone will end up in this position at least once, and most likely more than once. Yep, I'm searching for a job. Something I'm considering (and it won't happen overnight) is a career in voice over. In case you didn't know, voice over is basically voice acting, and is used in everything from radio and television ads to audio books, documentaries and telephony. Having been involved in radio for a number of years as a host and producer of my own shows, and having recorded a handful of radio and television commercials, it seemed like a natural progression to explore the field of voice over.

One thing I've found out (and I've found out lots) is that the difference between radio and voice over can be like night and day. Sure, my experience with radio has helped me some in terms of my ability to read clearly and project my voice, but I have to say I never really thought much about being a voice actor. And that is a crucial part to being good at being a voice professional. One needs to have the ability to make copy come alive by adding emphasis, changes in tone and pitch and by conveying emotion with little or no change in volume (and not rushing!). It's a humbling experience in that although I have years of radio and a bit of voice over experience, there is so much I need to learn.

I've been working with the folks at Edge Studio who have been very helpful and honest in providing an assessment of my abilities while teaching me some of the basics and sharing a wealth of great resources. As I said, making this a career will take some time, but so far I'm finding it challenging and enjoyable. With that, I see where my voice could be used for so many different things that could add value to people's lives.

What will my next job be? Honestly, I haven't the slightest idea! What I do know is that I am trusting in the Lord to guide me in choice-making and to give me favor where He sees fit.

EDITORIAL: Loophole Legislation

Imagine telling your teenage daughter she has to be home by 10:00. Well 10 o'clock comes around and there is no sign of her; no phone call, no text message- nothing. At 10:55PM she casually opens the door and comes strolling in like nothing is wrong. "Where have you been? I told you to be home by ten and it's almost eleven." She replies, "I've been in the back yard since ten. You said I had to be home by ten and I consider our entire property to be part of our home." Or how about if she never came home that night and instead showed up at 10AM the following morning? Her explanation might well be, "Well, you said I had to be home by ten, but you didn't specify ten o'clock at night."

Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? Of course, children sometimes try these things, looking to find grey areas and loopholes to their advantage, or so they might think. It is ridiculous and unacceptable, yet the judges in American courtrooms are doing the exact same thing with the U.S. Constitution when it comes to making rulings on same sex marriage.

In a recent ruling on the issue, Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughan Walker overturned Proposition 8 (California's voter-approved same sex marriage ban) claiming it was unconstitutional. The part of the constitution Walker is claiming conflict with is the 14th amendment, specifically Section 1. Here it is:

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

The loophole Walker is using along with judges in Massachusetts, Iowa, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Washington, D.C is that same-sex couples should not be deprived of the the privilege of marriage. If these judges were to be intellectually honest, they would have to agree that our founding fathers, those who drafted our constitution, had the understanding that the union of marriage was intended to be between a man and a woman. Though I am by no means an expert on the issue, there is no pertinent legal documentation to my knowledge that supports they believed otherwise.

By applying the reasoning of Judge Walker, a person should be able to marry his own child or sibling if he so chooses. After all, why should anyone be deprived of the privilege of marriage? The basis for Walker's ruling is as ridiculous as your teenage daughter's excuse for coming in at 10AM the next day instead of 10PM the night she went out. And to make it worse, his ruling makes a dangerous mockery of our system of democracy by going against the wishes of the majority of California voters who voted Proposition 8 into effect.

Further, by using the logic of many politicians in that the issue of whether or not same-sex marriage should be legal is something that should be decided by the states, we might as well begin calling our country The Divided States of America. It makes no sense to me for a same-sex couple to be able to legally marry in one state only to relocate to another state where it is illegal, or vice versa.

Though I didn't agree with former President George W. Bush on a number of issues, I did support his effort to have an amendment made in the constitution, defining marriage as between a man and a woman. He was simply trying to bring clarity to what the authors of our constitution took for granted- that people with common sense, including judges, would understand. How foolish they were.

Manute Bol passes at age 47

 

I can recall one winter night back in 1985 when my dad, his friend Kuch and myself went to what I believe was an NCAA Division II All-Star basketball game in Durham, CT. My father, a former all-state basketball player in Connecticut (THS '60), went on to attend the University of Hartford on a full athletic scholarship and from there played some semi-pro ball with the Hartford Spickets. Later in life, he was a great fan of the game. On this particular night, the main reason we were going to this basketball game was to see an impossibly tall (7'-7") and long-limbed Sudanese player named Manute Bol, the center for the University of Bridgeport's team. While not the most skilled player, Bol had already developed a reputation as a formidable shot-blocker who had begun to gain the interest of some NBA teams and had earned the nickname, "The Dinka Dunker" (he was a Dinka tribesman). Indeed, he went on to play in the NBA for 10 years with four different teams, blocking as many as 11 shots in a half and 4 in a single possession.

I had kind of forgotten about Manute Bol until a couple of years ago when I heard that he had broken his neck in an automobile accident, the result of his cab driver driving under the influence of alcohol. I had heard that he made a recovery, but beyond that, nothing else.

Manute Bol with University of Bridgeport in 1985
(Photo: Bill Polo/Boston Herald, via Associated Press) 

What I never knew is that Manute Bol was a Christian who gave nearly all his money to help suffering people in Southern Sudan and Darfur, and even risked his life doing it. In 2001, he was offered the position of Minister of Sport by the Sudanese government, but refused because one of the requirements was for him to renounce his Chirstian faith and convert to Islam. You can read more about Manute Bol and his involvement with the Sudan Sunrise organization by clicking HERE

Yesterday, Bol died in a Virginia hospital as a result of severe kidney trouble and a rare and painful skin condition at the young age of 47. Today I am inspired by the Manute Bol I never knew and who shined brightly, not so much on the basketball court, but in his acts of love and kindness which got little fanfare.

prayer points and connections

This afternoon Denise and I were talking about how there were so many people we saw down at the parade that we either hadn't seen in a while or got the chance to know a little better. A thought occurred to me (I'd like to think it was the Holy Spirit's prompting) that I should make a note of each person we had a chance to connect with, commit to praying for them and then, in some way, if possible, follow up with a note, call, or e-mail. I believe if we do that, the Lord will honor it and bless them because He loves them and us, and as it is so, He loves to answer prayer.

Memorial Day

What a beautiful memorial day we had here in Northwest Connecticut! The weather was perfect; sunny skies, warm temperatures, low humidity and even a bit of a breeze. Denise and I met with friends and family to enjoy the Memorial Day parade, which we watched from the green (Coe Park) in downtown Torrington. I truly am grateful for all who have served our country and given their lives in order to protect our freedoms. This was not merely another day off for me, rather it was a time for some acknowledgment and solemn reflection. Sadly, as Pastor Steed pointed out in his message yesterday, some in this country are doing everything they can to try and take away some of those very freedoms. There are some who are bent on removing the very mention of Christ or anything associated, completely from public life.

After the parade, Denise and I had lunch at Ecuatoriano & American Cuisine Restaurant at 1241 East Main Street in Torrington. It was a great lunch; Denise had salmon with rice, beans, sweet plantains and a passion fruit smoothie and I had vegetarian vegetable fried rice with avocado, sweet plantains and a guanabana shake. Everything was delicious and freshly prepared. Also, Jose', the owner, waited on us and prepared the meals too, all the while with a smile and gratitude for us being there. (This guy has lots of energy and enthusiasm.) For a change of pace from the usual Chinese food, pizza and so forth, I would highly recommend giving Ecuatoriano & American Cuisine Restaurant a visit soon.

Staying connected in a disconnected world

"He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him." (John 1:11 NASB)

One of the things that makes it so hard for followers of Christ to keep following Him in thought, word and deed throughout each day is the fact that we live in a world that is in so many ways disconnected from its Creator. The glory of Almighty God is revealed all around us and yet we often fail to see because the truth and reality become swallowed up by lies and illusion. It's not hard to get swept up in this stuff because our culture has embraced it to such a large degree.

"In whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Cor. 4:4 NASB)
 
Jesus said that we are to remain in this world and not be of it, and if we're to be honest, we must agree that's a tough one. This is where being in an ongoing prayerful dialogue with the Father comes in. It's also where having His word written on the tablets of our hearts comes in too. Right along with these, it is of the utmost importance that we encourage and support each other in fighting the good fight of faith.