The Things I Look For In Friends…

Ten things I look for in guy friends:

1. Guys that mow their own lawn

2. Guys that would rather go out and play sports (even poorly) than sit and watch them (even excellently) on TV

3. Guys that would skip an important meeting to fulfill a family commitment

4. Guys that know how to run a good war (via board game or Xbox/Playstation)

5. Guys that, whether single or married, don’t ogle at or comment about other women and their physical assets while I’m around

6. Guys that greet with a hug rather than a handshake

7. Guys that have a dream and vision for their family

8. Guys that are engaged in politics and debate passionately, fairly, and never use pre-canned talking points

9. Guys that like very, very, very spicy food

10. Guys that care about the real dangers and threats to their family (kids peers that influence towards the bad, drugs, alcohol abuse, drunk drivers, predators, wealth that leads to indifference and selfishness, lack of passion, laziness, hyper-sexualized culture, and much more) versus the conjured threats (global warming, carbon, rising sea levels, fossil fuels, swine flu, etc)

And This Is The Problem With News...

It's been raining like crazy this season in middle Tennessee, but you won't see this headline:

DROUGHT NOT A PROBLEM IN TENNESSEE

What Causes Global Warming?

THE SUN.

And I can prove it. Every single morning.

Had Enough of Tripe

For the last six months I've been trying to unsubscribe to Pew Research email newsletters. The old unsubscribe process was impossible to navigate- I had to remember my user name and password (I forgot both), and without one or the other I couldn't get off the list. They finally changed their system where I could click a link in the email and go to a simple unsubscribe box. Finally.

This is a screen shot of my final comments to the fine folks at Pew.

I Can See (Susan Boyle) Clearly Now

First Paul Potts. Now, Susan Boyle. The electricity that shot through the Britain’s Got Talent audience in the hall for both performances is undeniable. But why?

Why do tears come to my eyes when I watch these? You can actually see people crying (including the judges) during Paul Potts performance. Why?

I have a theory.

It’s spiritual.

We see the outward, we see the broken and sometimes unattractive appearance of a person, and we expect little. When people see an attractive person, it is proven that all sorts of unearned positive attributes of the person is assumed. They’re attractive, smart, have it all together, probably have money and possessions, hang with the right crowd, and are someone anyone should get to know and hang with.

On the other hand, when people see Paul Potts or Susan Boyle, maybe there are some other attributes, not so positive, assumed about them. This is human nature. This is how people see the sum total value of another person all too often.

What happened when Paul and Susan opened their mouths and the songs filled the room? They also filled hearts. They filled spirits. The empty space in so many had a bit of life poured in.

Are Paul and Susan the best vocalists anyone’s ever heard? Of course not. Is it unusual to hear a great singer on Britain’s Got Talent or American Idol? Absolutely not. Then why the worldwide phenomenon for both these video clips? Why the tears, the inspired hearts, the dropped jaws?

Because- for a moment- we saw Paul and Susan as God sees us all. Beautiful and yet broken. Stunning and yet flawed. Lovable but still prone to despise others. He sees in us immeasurable value and potential, and for a glimmering moment, too quickly forgotten in our every days lives as we pass by everyday people, we saw Paul and Susan… and ourselves… through the eyes of God.