“The sudden rise of Mike Huckabee in the Republican jousts is a cool plot turn, one that makes you lean forward and turn up the sound. An amiable, well-spoken Southern conservative with a Gomer Pyle face challenging the teeth-baring Giuliani and the sleek Romney. You watch him field questions for a few minutes, and the man’s appeal is pretty clear. He comes off as a real person, not a caricature: He sounds like a guy talking to you, not a stiff with a set of applause lines.
“He’s a straight conservative but with exceptions — he’s in favor of health care for poor kids, he dares talk about the environment. And he’s a new contender, and that’s a big point in his favor. Romney is synthetic and Giuliani is toxic and people are ready for the next thing. The whole rationale of Giuliani is that we’re in terrible danger and need a mean SOB to run things, but we’ve never elected a president on those grounds. And now here is a smart conservative who doesn’t hate anybody.”
It’s no wonder that God compared His Body, the church, to a family. It is through family that we should experience unconditional love and commitment. This weekend my brother Mark raised the bar on the love of family. I know the whole family was touched by his sacrificial and tireless actions.
Mark lives in the San Francisco Bay area and is the Chief Financial Officer for Logitech which is a Fortune 500 Company. Mark, to say the least, is a very busy guy! His schedule is something most people, like myself fail, to even comprehend. In addition to his responsibilities to his company and his shareholders, he had his son home from Los Angles for Thanksgiving.
When Mark heard about the death of a dear family member, our Uncle Clark, his first thought was, “I need to be there.” He worked with his travel agent in the middle of the night (literally) and bought a round-trip ticket from San Francisco to Detroit with layovers in Chicago both ways. The Lord only know how much a spur of the moment, last minute ticket during the middle of Thanksgiving cost!
He had to get up at 4 a.m. on Friday, drive 1.5 hours to the airport to fly all day and arrive in Detroit around 3:40 EST. He then had to rent a car and drive another 2.5 hours to make it to visitation at the funeral home. He did the reverse the following day after the funeral!
Yes, it is one thing to talk about the love of family - it’s another to show it by our actions. To sacrifice. To forgive. To go that extra mile. To always be there if at all humanly possible. Because of Mark’s total lack of selfishness, he was able to be there, not only for his wife and son, but also for our beloved Aunt Joyce and cousins, who have always been there for us.
Mark has raised the bar of what family love is all about! I love my brother with all my heart. I hope and pray to God that I will always be there for him, and the rest of our family, as he has always been there for our family. Thank you Mark for your Godly example!
What if we followed this same family model when it comes to the Body of Christ?
I’ve always looked up to my dear Uncle Clark, literally. He stood about 6′ 4″. As a little kid, I thought he was the tallest man in the world. Uncle Clark was a giant in more ways than one. He and Aunt Joyce were the paradigm of hope, peace, joy, commitment and everything family and community is supposed to be. I have fond memories of my mom taking myself and my two brothers on the journey to Hastings, Michigan every Thanksgiving. My aunt is the best cook in the entire world.
Uncle Clark adored his wife and it was evident to all. Clark had a humble job in a small city. He was the original George Bailey. The difference was, he had no desire to leave the small town of Hastings with dreams of romantic travels to far away places. He was committed to his family and community. Uncle Clark was a builder of people. I’ve never heard him, in 45+ years, ever say an unkind word to or about anybody.
Uncle Clark has left a legacy of love not only in his children, but also his grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He lives on in the lives of his posterity. Clark always made you feel special. My wife and I visited Clark in his home two weeks before he died. His first response was, “Oh, it is so good to see you.” And he really meant it.
I am so grateful for what my dear Uncle has given me. Precious memories of times spent together as family. Delicious meals. Full bellies watching the Detroit Lions play football on Thanksgiving day. Playing football in the yard. Providing for his family. Loving his wife. Making everyone in the family feel special. Serving the church and community.
I only hope and pray that I can be even half the man he was. Thank-You Uncle Clark. I will always have you in my heart and memories.
At the beginning of the 2007 season some thought #12 Michigan’s loss to Appalachain State was the greatest fall in collegiate football history. And, maybe it was until last Saturday when Illinois upset the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes!
This upset was HUGE! It was huge for the following reasons:
It ended Ohio State’s Big Ten record 20 game winning streak
It ended Ohio State’s school record of 28 game regular win streak
It was Illinois’ first win vs a No. 1 team since 1956
It was Illinois’ first ever win vs a No. 1 Team on the road
Illinois is the first team to rush for over 200 yards vs. Ohip State since 2001
It virtually knocked Ohio State out of contention for a National Championship!
This is definitely the year of upsets. I can’t wait until tomorrow…anything can happen!
How long has it been since you last invited someone to church? Have you ever invited someone to church?
A good friend of mine confessed he never had, until recently. He and his neighbor never did get along that well. One day my friend was inspired to reach out to his neighbor. He knew that his neighbor was struggling financially. He also knew his neighbor had a broken lawn mower.
So my friend walked across the yard and asked, “I’m pretty handy with fixing things, can I help you fix your mower?” Of course his neighbor could not afford to have it fixed. My friend said, “The only payment is that you allow me to invite you to church.”
It was agreed. The mower was fixed. The invite was given. His neighbor came to church. He loved it! He told my friend, “You are the first person to ever invite me to church. Thanks!”
I am so proud of my friend. Words cannot describe it. To see God working through a dear friend can bring me to tears in a New York minute! And it was God that aroused that notion in my friend…it was all God.
Who knows what a difference my friend made in the life and eternity of his neighbor.
Who knows what a difference you will make in the life of another, if you just take a walk across your yard, your room, your office, …..
I’ve been listening to some messages by Ray Comfort. I’m not much comforted by what I hear. He begins by talking about those who are soundly or unsoundly saved. This is disturbing. It seems that his logic is that one who is soundly saved will never sin again after becoming a Christian. This is in direct contradiction to many New Testament scriptures and principles.
This interview with this young man smacks more of an encyclopedia salesman than an evangelist. It’s possible to ask questions that will lead a person to the answers you want to get out of him. I wonder how he felt about it later? I wonder did his revelation of what he already knew lead him into a true relationship with Jesus? Or did this young man resent being manipulated?
What is it that really draws a person into desiring a close, personal, and lasting relationship with God? Is it the fear of hell? Or is it something else? Is Ray Comfort just the re-treading of the hell fire and brimstone gospel or is he the new, true, evangelical?
