Home Archive by category "America" (Page 2)

Category: America

Karl the Pioneer?

As I have just spent the last two days driving across the “fruited plains” I have had time at the wheel to think again about the rich (and sobering) history of this Great Land. And I love to day dream about what life would have been like for myself and my family had we lived in a time when crossing it wouldn’t have been in an air-conditioned mini-van with cruise control and fast food stops or look-a-like rest areas on paved Inter-states – but perhaps along the Oregon or California Trails of 1840? A time when it took months at walking pace to travel hundreds of miles into the unknown leaving all comfort behind and going forward with only hope and courage. What would “Karl the Pioneer” be like? I have often been called a “Pioneer of the Internet.” In today’s definition of a pioneer I suppose that is true. If being a pioneer is to ‘bravely go where few have gone before,’ then sure. O.K. I was a pioneer. I was building webpages in HTML when most people didn’t have an e-mail address and “blogging” before WordPress or Blogger existed. I survived the “Dot Com Crash” because I built…

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A Presidential Visit to your Kids Ministry?!?!

Imagine if the President of the United States heard about your kids ministry and decided he needed to see if for himself? That’s exactly what happened to a Sunday School Director named Dwight Lyman Moody… and the President was none other than Abraham Lincoln! I have the honor of being the first children’s pastor on staff at the church he founded well over 100 years ago, The Moody Church. While he is known primarily as the Billy Graham of the previous generation, his ministry began as a children’s evangelist and he had a HUGE impact on the creation and growth of Sunday School. At a time when many churches were supported by ‘rented pews’ Moody rented pews for street kids. When he was told the children weren’t welcome in church (Big Church) he started a Sunday School for street kids that grew so big and well respected that Abraham Lincoln visited one Sunday to see it for himself! Imagine having the President of the United States drop in to see your kids ministry. Moody was passionate about kids but as his ministry grew, his focus shifted to adults. He said at the end of his life, “If I had my…

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When There Are No Answers

I am the father of a kindergartner. I can not fathom the feelings and emotions of those who lost their children today. I have cried today. I have struggled to focus. I suppose in one sense I feel sympathy, which by definition is an extension of empathic concern, or the perception, understanding, and reaction to the distress or need of another human being. But at the end of today, I will get to cuddle with my son, while those parents will somehow try to sleep without their child, with Christmas decorations throughout their home and hidden presents that will never be opened. How can I possibly understand their agony? How can I possibly answer why? Politicians will resume the “gun control” battle, as though any laws could have prevented the events of today. Perhaps there is some merit in addressing guns… but that does little for those families. Others will decry the lack of prayer in schools or the decline of morality in our culture. Still, empty words to address empty beds tonight. Many have e-mailed me today or messaged me on Facebook asking what to do on Sunday at church. To that end, I started a thread on Kidology.org.…

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Worst Possible Election Outcome

OK – I’m a political junkie… (if you don’t like politics, skip this post.) Right now, here is the latest standings according to one of my favorite political pundants, Karl Rove: (click to view bigger) I decided to download the iPad App FOX NEWS You Decide 2012 Map, which lets you track your OWN Electoral Map – (kinda cool, for politcal junkies, like me.) I went ahead and played with it: I gave Florida to Obama… As much as it hurt, I gave up Colorado too. But for reasons I won’t get into here, I took Ohio for Romney, along with Wisconsin due to the success Scott Walker has had despite three recall attempts, but gave up Michigan. I gave up New Hampshire as well. The East Coast is too close to Washington D.C. to get what really runs this country. And just to be generous, I gave up Nevada (though I expect a lot of Mormons to vote for Romney, I dont’ assume they are the majority of the state? But then again, there is Las Vegas values there too. So I just don’t want to assume.) Then I took Iowa as good mid-western state with sensible people and…

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Chic-fil-a and Apple Computers

My eating at chic-fil-a today had NOTHING to do with my support for marriage being defined as that between a man and a woman, nor because I oppose gay marriage. BUT BECAUSE I AM AN AMERICAN. If I ate somewhere because of my political positions, I would have to get rid of the MacBook Pro I am typing on, my iMac, my MiniMac, my MacBook Air, my iPhone, my iPad, my Apple TV, (even my Newton! LOL) and the countless Apple products my staff use and close my Christian non-profit business account I have with Apple who treats my Christian organization wonderfully giving me great discounts despite the very liberal (and often non-Christian political beliefs) of it’s owners, founders and probably a vast number of it’s employees. But they make excellent products. And this is America – the Land of the Free. Free to disagree with me. And free to create awesome products despite what we passionately believe religiously or politically. That is America! Have people FORGOTTEN THE TYRANNY our Founders FLED to found this country? Chic-fil-a should ALSO be free to make chicken, sell chicken and it’s owner have political views that are different than what some liberal Chicago…

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