January 14, 2011

Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)

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Though I got a full academic ride after the first semester of my freshman year in college, I still had to load trucks for UPS from 3:30 - 8:00 a.m. and deliver drugs for Bill Wilson at night (pharmacy) to cover books, munchies, gas/insurance/adventures for my mule, dates with babes who always had more $ than moi, and tithes/offerings.

Now that the incompetent thieves in Springfield, Illinois have increased state income taxes by 2/3rds in an effort to cover their incompetent thievery, I'm looking for a night job between 10:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. to make up the difference aggravated by two years of decreasing compensation for my day job (no increase is a decrease if you know what I mean and you do if you've ever taken a Dave Ramsey course).

I'm not complaining about having to supplement my income; 'cause that's what a partner/parent/provider is supposed to do.

I don't have any rich relatives to...

These are tough times and everybody's scratchin' and...

Actually, I'm kinda excited about it; 'cause if I can find something like a night guard gig sitting at a desk with an occasional walkabout, I can work on my next non-best-selling book so I won't have to...

Besides, I'm kinda obsessed with Chan's Crazy Love and Metaxas' Bonhoeffer and getting back to the roots of my beruf.

If I have to explain that to you...

Seriously.

If you've got something within 25 miles of Belvidere...

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Getting back to delivering drugs for Bill to make ends meet while in college, I worked with Jackie who was a good friend in BSA, high school, and college.

He died a few years ago.

Smoked a lot...even when we were counselors at Camp Acahela.

Tobacco and...

I miss him.

I'll never forget that Mountain concert at King's College.

And I'll really, really, really never forget the day that Bill caught Jackie in the basement of the pharmacy filling out an order for a perky little filly if you know what I mean.

Bill called Jackie et moi into his office and counseled/cautioned, "Don't ___ where you eat!"

I'll never forget that.

I haven't always followed that advice; but I've never forgotten it.

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Loyalty comes to mind.

Having experienced some wrenching betrayals lately, causing me to think of how I have betrayed some folks over the decades, I pulled up an old quote from my noodle about it: "Loyalty is the heart of all virtues, the central duty amongst all duties...the willing and practical and thorough-going devotion of a person to a cause...to unify life, to give it center, fixity, stability" (Josiah Royce, The Philosophy of Loyalty, 1908).

I think that's what's wrong with Democrats, Republicans, and mainliners today; and probably lots of, uh, others like, uh, me.

Maybe that's why an old pastor like I am now counseled me when I became a "senior" pastor not long after turning 30: "There are three basic non-negotiable qualifications for everyone you hire: loyalty, loyalty, loyalty."

I got it; though I didn't/don't always perceive/practice it.

Yeah, that's about right.

Loyalties rarely extend beyond the navel these days.

Have you seen how quickly and how ridiculously/rationalistically people will divorce themselves from each other?

You know what I mean.

People will stop talking to each other because of...

You know what I mean.

People will leave churches because of...

You know what I mean.

Have you listened to the far left and far right on talk radio and television lately?

You know what I mean.

Have you seen those pastors who are leaving one stinking denomination for another stinking denomination while pretending to promote Jesus who says His followers overcome those kinda divorces through Him?

You know what I mean.

It doesn't matter what I mean!

Read John 15:9-17.

Do we know what He means?

Loyalty.

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Blessings and Love!