Go And Be Famous

I had some business in California this week on two cases I’m handling. I planned it so the wife and I could spend a week in Palm Springs with two of our best friends in between the deposition in the one case and mediation in the other.

Palm Springs is a playground for the rich and famous. It’s warm year around, has beautiful scenery and more nice golf courses than any other place in the world.

If you’ve been to Palm Springs, you know one of the trademarks of the city is streets named after celebrities. There are streets named after Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Gene Autry and others. They are a constant reminder of who once lived and played here, famous people, people everyone recognized, people other people dreamed of being. They are gone now, but their street signs remain. Continue reading “Go And Be Famous”

Ripples In The Pond

Back in 2002, author George Grant gave me two Moleskine journals.  He told me he had carried them for years to record thoughts and quotes from books he read.  I began carrying one and writing in it.

I soon became frustrated though because my handwriting was so bad.  I didn’t like the way my writing looked on the page.  It seemed to detract from the profundity of some of the quotes (weird, I know).

So, I decided to relearn cursive writing.   I bought some handwriting books and began retracing letters, just like we all did back in grade school. It took weeks, but as my handwriting was being transformed I began to appreciate the beauty of cursive lettering as an art form–which, by the way, it is (calligraphy). Continue reading “Ripples In The Pond”

A Tip On Achieving Excellence

I’m hardwired as a disciplined learner.  It’s the way I was created.

As a result, I’ve been able to learn to do a number of different things competently, not because I’m naturally skilled at them but because I’ve ascertained the fundamentals then diligently practiced them.

Malcolm Gladwell in his book, Outliers, makes a compelling case for “The 10,000 Hour Rule,” in which he asserts if you practice anything for 10,000 hours you will become excellent, even if you are not naturally gifted for it. Continue reading “A Tip On Achieving Excellence”

Rage Against The Machine – Part II

Yesterday I blogged about the new security measures in U.S. airports that offer the traveler the option of essentially appearing naked to a TSA employee or being groped by one.

I suggested that if Kingdom citizens object to such treatment they do so not only because of its striking similarity to pornography and sexual assault but because it represents an erosion of our freedom, and Christians should be the champions of freedom.

Besides, there is an alternative.

Some history may be helpful here.  You may recall, Islamic terrorists used box cutters to hijack planes on 9/11, so we prohibited fingernail clippers and butter knives on planes. Continue reading “Rage Against The Machine – Part II”

Rage Against The Machine – Part I

Image from new TSA scanner

The new security measures in U.S. airports offer the traveler the option of a full body scan that presents a naked picture of the traveler to the TSA employee paid to gawk (see image). And yes, if you are a guy, they can see your junk, and in remarkable detail.

If you choose not to appear naked before strangers, you have the option of being groped by the government.

This gawk or grope strategy is the latest from the government for catching Islamic terrorists.

Christians are right to be offended by gawk and grope but not just because it is smells like pornography and sexual assault. In fact, I apologize if the image on this blog post offends you. I debated whether to use it but decided that people being informed on this issue outweighed any offense.

Still, the larger issue here is one of freedom and at what point one is willing to trade it for security.

I would like to offer Kingdom citizens some perspective, a view from 35,000 feet, and suggest a better reason for  Christians to be offended.

I’ve heard many say, “If it means I can fly without worrying about the plane being blown up I’m fine with it.” So, what happens when Islamic terrorists start putting bombs in their anuses where they are shielded from the new scanners? Will we then submit to full body cavity searches? If it meant flying safely would you be willing to do it?

People prefer freedom to tyranny. There is no surprise there. But throughout history people have made the choice to give away their freedom. The choice is usually not between freedom and tyranny, but between a little less freedom and a little more tyranny in exchange for a little more safety or security. That is the trade being offered right now.

To those who hope only in this life, the trade seems a reasonable one. If death is the end, then trade all to avoid it, even one’s freedom.

Christians should not suffer from such shortsightedness. Their hope is not in this world only. Christians therefore should be the quickest to draw the line against tyranny, the staunchest defenders of freedom, even if it means incurring a greater risk to their safety.

When Christians are willing to do that, they will begin to wear the mantle of freedom intended for every citizen of the Kingdom of God, and they will be seen by the world as protectors of freedom.

I’m not suggesting where you should be willing to draw that line, but I do want to suggest why you should be willing to draw it. “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm…” (Galatians 5:1). GS