Thursday, February 25, 2016

I've Got to Ask!



Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)

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"An Indianapolis cousin of mine, who was also a high school classmate,
did very badly at the University of Michigan
while I did badly at Cornell.

His father asked him what the trouble was,
and he made an admirable reply:
'Don't you know, Father?
I'm dumb!'

It was the truth."

Kurt Vonnegut

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    So many years and rebirths ago, I was eating with ___ and our wives at the Holiday Inn near McMurray, Pennsylvania a few hours before he spoke at the church.

    He's the most inspirational speaker that I've ever heard.

    If I didn't want to keep confidentiality, I'd reveal his name so you could google some of his speeches.

    Anyway, he said Bill is among the most intelligent and authentically caring people that he's ever met; but he does have a weakness for willing women...any of 'em...all of 'em...insatiable appetite for 'em.

    When it comes to Mrs. Clinton, he said she is vulgar, mean, nasty, vindictive, untrustworthy, a pathological liar, arrogant, condescending, selfish, and a poster child for the b-word.

    He also said, "One of my favorite things is to hear people who think they're sooooooo smart say such stupid things."

    I thought about that conversation the other day while wondering, "How in the name of anything but heaven is she gonna get the nomination for President and maybe even take the oath?"

    Are American voters thaaaaaaat stupid?

    Uh, yeah!

    Look at the last two!

    That's when I remembered Vonnegut's comment in one of my favorite books: Palm Sunday.

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    My favorite candidate is Ben Carson.

    Brilliant, articulate, compassionate, ethical, nicely Christian, and, ergo, unelectable.

    Americans aren't smart enough to elect him.

    Unless something happens like a Red Sea thing, it's gonna be Donald or Hillary.

    I like Marco.

    It would be prudent for GOP crackers to concede America has yellows, reds, browns, and blacks too.

    He is the most reasonable on immigration, national defense, and...cuisine.

    Great choice to prove Republicans aren't just about rich WASPs; and most polls have him beating wazzhername.

    No chance.

    No Ben.

    No Marco.

    Too nice for America.

    It's gonna be Donald or Hillary.

    Yep, Americans are thaaaaaaat stupid.

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    Hillary.

    I know we're in a rush to elect a woman; but, geez, gulp, sigh, gasp...  Is she reallllllly the best her gender has to offer?  Are women that desperate for the keys to the White House? 

    Donald.

    O.K., I know people are ___ed off.  Quoting from Network, people are "mad as hell and not going to take it anymore!"  But, reallllllly, Donald?

    Hillary is a pathological liar.

    Donald is pathologically arrogant.

    Question.

    Knowing Americans are thiiiiiiis stupid, would we rather have a pathological liar or someone who is pathologically arrogant as President?

    Hell of a choice.

    Literally.

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    I've got to ask!

    Are these reallllllly the two best whatevers that we've got for the most powerful position on the planet?

    I know we've been on a losing streak in these elections; but for Christ's sake...

    President Trump?

    President Grammy Clinton?

    Before hanging that chad, puuuuuuuhleeeeeeease ask some questions.

    Who's better for America?

    Who's more stuck on her/himself?

    Do you have any clue what they reallllllly believe?

    Feel lucky?

    Feel predestined?

    Is she really an advocate for women's or anybody's rights?

    "C'mon, ladies, settle down!" 

    That's from Les Miserables for the ignorant who will probably vote for...

    How can anybody say she is an advocate for anybody's rights with a straight face when she enabled a serial sexual predator and led "Bill's Bimbo Squad" to destroy the lives of so many of his conquests?

    Why would anybody buy that "I'm a Presbyterian" stuff from Donald?

    What does he mean by that?

    Unless somebody just cooked the books, ain't no record of membership, attendance, tithing,...in any Presbyterian Church in the USA.

    If he is a Presbyterian, is that a good thing?

    Think about it.

    Dying denomination.

    Is that the kinda religionist that we want to run the country?

    Al Sharpton.  Al Sharpton!!!!!!!???????

    Do we really want a President who bends...for such a race-hater-baiter? 

    Corrective combing.

    How can I trust him to be honest about big stuff when he can't even be honest about his hairline?

    Do we want a Commander-in-Chief who plays politics and cyberspace games with lives?

    Doesn't anybody care how she and her boss enabled the deaths of American patriots around the globe so they'd be liked by Islamofascistnutballs?

    Flip-flop-flip-flop-flip-flop-flip-flop.

    Yeah, we evolve if we're alive; but thaaaaaaat much thaaaaaaat often?

    Are Americans thhhhhhhhiiiiiiisssssss stupid?

    I guess so.

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    Getting back to ___ and stupid people.

    I was standing in front of the communion table with Stimp, a great associate who I didn't appreciate enough because I was too into myself to notice him, a long time ago in North Carolina on an early Sunday morning.  A florist came in and asked, "How should I arrange the flowers for you?"  We looked at each other, Stimp laughed, and I said, "Well, brother, what did they say about this in our seminary floral arranging class?"  The florist didn't laugh...or get it.

    There was a big party in the church in Kansas City to honor somebody about something.  I'm asked in a very professional and serious kinda way, "Dr. Kopp, what kind of decorations do you think we should have?  How about the colors?  Should we have candles or flowers or both at the tables?  Desserts.  What do you think...?"  I said nothing.  She said nothing; but got it.

    Now go back to Vonnegut's quote.

    Now think of how we're gonna get Donald or Hillary as the next President of the USA.

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    I see only one way out of this mess.

    Tailor in Fiddler: "Wouldn't this be a good time for the Messiah to come?"

    Come, Lord Jesus!!!!!!!

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Blessings and Love!

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Monday, February 22, 2016

Retirement



Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)

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Scratching the Surface

of

Retirement




(A Brief and Incomplete Guide to Considering Retirement)



Should you retire?



Maybe.



As you pray, reflect, and consult about it, you may want to factor some things into your decision.



Biblical Principles of Work/Vocation/Call




There are no explicit guidelines for retirement in the Bible.



I don’t know why for sure.



However, I can speculate.



Retirement is a recent luxury of wealthy civilizations: work hard, save up, quit/retire, and then, uh, do whatever you’d rather do because you don’t really like what you’re doing or aren’t able to do it anymore.



If a person is doing what God has called her or him to do and remains able regardless of age, she or he is happy doing what God has called her or him to do and retirement is not on the radar.



Really, if you’re doing a good job and like doing it and don’t have anything better to do by God’s providence and gifting, why in the name of anything but heaven would you quit/retire?



Assuming God breathed knowledge and wisdom into Paul, he said, “To each is given a manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”



Succinctly, our work/vocation/call honors God by helping people; or as Jesus emphasized, “As you do it for them, you do it for Me.”



Paul also wrote, “We each have different work to do.  We belong to each other; and each needs all of the others.” 



It’s axiomatic: the whole is equal to the sum of its parts.  God has made us dependent upon Him; and that dependence upon Him is reflected in our interdependence upon each other by His design and gifting.



When It’s Time to Quit/Retire



Admittedly, some people who can’t stand/stomach their jobs can’t quit/retire because they can’t afford to quit/retire.



Bills have to be paid; and lottery tickets or trusting governments to take care of our needs are not good retirement plans.



If you don’t like what you are doing and have saved up enough to cover future costs of living so that you really don’t have to do it and dread showing up to do it and are consistently cranky, contentious, contemptuous, counter-productive, and complaining about what you are doing, then don’t do it anymore!  Quit!  Retire!  You will be happier along with the people who are the targets of your transference.



If you don’t have to do what you’re doing, quit, retire, and sing, “Take this job and shove it!  I ain’t workin’ here no more!”



Life is short.



If you don’t like what you’re doing and don’t have to do it to survive, quit/retire!



Life is short.



If you like what you’re doing and can still do it and don’t have anything better in mind, why quit/retire? 



Quitting/retiring makes no sense if you don’t have something to do that you’re called to do and want to do for God’s sake.



People who quit/retire with nothing better to do usually end up listless, lifeless, aimless, and miserable; singing with John Cougar, “Oh yeah, life goes on long after the thrill of livin’ is gone.”



That’s why Mark Twain quipped, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”



If you know who and what God has called you to be and do and never quit/retire from it, you will be happy, strong, calm, peace-filled/overflowing, and joyful until your last breath.



When I was in 8th grade, a high school senior wrote this in my yearbook: “May you live as long as you want to and want to as long as you live.”



Quit/retire from doing what you don’t want to do if you’ve saved up enough to quit/retire.



If you like what you’re doing and can still do it, then don’t quit/retire for God’s sake.



If you’re still whistling not whining while you work, don’t quit/retire!


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Blessings and Love!

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