I heard a speaker at a conference who made the observation that the present generation of young people is the most narcissistic group of people this nation has ever seen. And then he turned to the Baby Boomers in the crowd and said: And you raised them! As a student of history, I dare to differ with him. Even the group of WWII veterans among us commonly referred to as The Greatest Generation have glaring faults. I suppose the younger…
I am a product of the Wisconsin educational system. I received an excellent elementary education in Racine, Wisconsin. My dad was an executive with the farm equipment division of The Case Corporation, which had its primary headquarters in Racine at that time. (Case-New Holland is now a global farm equipment company.) Quite naturally I have watched the events in the Wisconsin state legislature this week, which have dramatic implications for public educators. Teachers in Wisconsin have had collective bargaining rights…
I joined dozens of other men yesterday at Walmart purchasing last minute Valentine gifts. I could not help but be amused by the man who was obviously agonizing what to choose among the wide array of candy displayed in the center of the main aisle. I wanted to stop and tell him: she really won’t care which box you choose! Interestingly enough most of the people I saw perusing through the selection of red roses, candy, and stuffed animals were…
Tiger Woods is in trouble again. Apparently he spit on the green after he putted out on one of the holes he was playing in this past weekend’s tournament. After reviewing the video, The European Tour announced today that Tiger would be fined an undisclosed amount for his blatant breach of golf etiquette. I must confess that I gloated over Tiger’s latest public relations blunder. And that is not right. The problem is that I don’t like Tiger. I didn’t…
I have a very good friend (who shall remain anonymous) who does not like the idea of attending a marriage retreat or enrichment seminar with his wife. His philosophy is: “If ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I must confess that I can have leanings in the same direction, so when some of our younger couples at church started planning a marriage retreat for this Valentine’s weekend, my friend’s thought processes start running through my head. But this year another friend, Trey…
I need a double dose of the “Charlie Principle” today. My friend Charlie Goin lives in Woodward, OK. He is one of those characters that you don’t soon forget if you ever meet him. He is one of the most generous and kind spirited people I have ever known. He is also the worst driver in the state of Oklahoma as well as being a world traveler. Charlie is just a character. He shared something with me about 10 years…
I have been in Torreon, Mexico most of this week lecturing for church leaders at an annual seminar. The schedule is pretty intense with short breaks after each presentation. I shared the time with three capable speakers. I am generally given practical ministry topics to address. This year I focused on family concerns for families serving in ministry. The best part of the seminar for me took place after all of the lectures had already been delivered… Several of the…
There is a group of four of us delivering lectures for the next two days on behalf of church leaders serving all over Northern Mexico. Most of the participants traveled via bus to get to this event. The school hosting the seminar provides breakfast and a homemade noon meal. (The food is great!!) This annual two day seminar is one of the rare opportunities for this group of people to have a continuing education experience. Staying in a hotel and enjoying the company…
One of the things that I have enjoyed most in my travels to a number of cities in Mexico over the years is the bustling atmosphere in the downtown areas that continues well into the evening. The sidewalks are full of people. Street vendors are common. Small specialty stores of all kinds stay open at least until 10:00 p.m. There appears to be a real sense of community among the people. Last night when we arrived via a commercial airline…
Eleven years ago I received a manila envelope with a cordial letter and a vhs tape. The letter was an invitation from Gil Sanchez, who directs Casa De Le Esperanza, a children’s home in the Northern Mexico state of Chihuahua. Somehow Gil became aware that I had led groups of medical professionals to conduct free clinics in several Mexican cities. That prompted the invitation I received in the mail in 2000. The vhs tape was a promotional video telling the…