If You Want To Go Into Politics

If you want to involve yourself in the political arena; perhaps be a school board member, a city councilperson, mayor of a city, county supervisor, state or federal legislator, or even aspire to a higher office, I suggest you do the following 10 things, 1) Evaluate your motives. Simply stated: Why do you want to do such a thing? 2) Do not allow yourself to be a chronic liar. You need moral parameters. You need a sense of right and wrong. 3) Get a higher education. 4) Develop a genuine love for human beings. 5) Develop excellent communication skills, be a people person.
6) Be knowledgeable and up to date on current events. 7) Volunteer. If you really want to be a public servant, prove it. 8) Write letters to your local newspapers, stay in touch with decision makers. Make yourself known. 9) Regarding money: This is a touchy one. I know it has been said: "Money is the mother's milk of politics." Nevertheless, if the political arena is corrupt: it is corrupt because of money, and favors owed because of vast amounts donated for the wrong reasons. So what is the solution? Owe nobody anything. Have your own fund. Do not spend large amounts of money. Prove it can be done. 10) There is no substitute for hard work. Work hard. Knock on every door of your city. Organize your team. Cause them to believe in what you are trying to accomplish. State your goals clearly. Rally support. A grass roots campaign is best. If someone wants to donate to your campaign, fine, but do not make money your main focus. Be neither lavish nor ghetto. Be simple. Be sincere. Feel it. Do not practice a phony sincerity. Genuinely love people. Be alert. Run a clean campaign. The way I see it: If you win by being dirty: you did not win. Want to win, BUT NOT AT ANY PRICE, absolutely not. Have a good time. Give me a call if you need some help.

It Is The Christmas Holiday, Not A Winter Festival

I know, every year we hear about it: "The true meaning of Christmas." I would like to discuss it from a different perspective. Think of a party crasher. First of all, the Christmas celebration is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. That is it's essence. The commercial aspects of the Christmas season in America have essentially crashed Jesus' Birthday Party. There is nothing wrong with businesses making a profit. Profits go way up during the months of November and December and Christmas sales are a blessing for many who do not even believe in Jesus. Business is business. However, there is something very, very special about the Christmas season. It is not snow. It is not Christmas trees, Santa Claus, presents, parties, sleigh rides, egg nog or silver bells. Jesus Christ is what makes it special. The so called "Christmas spirit" is the Holy Spirit. Jesus embodies that Spirit. Christmas represents the hope for the human race because Jesus is the hope for the human race. Now personal peace can be had. Now miracles represent something other than just fantasy. Now love can actually be realized. This realization causes real joy and bright hopes for the future. The birth of Jesus is purposeful. "December nights," "Winter Festivals," "Celebrations of Snow," and other such buzz words that attempt to highlight the season do not and cannot capture the true meaning of Christmas. What is there to celebrate? Nothing. Jesus is the cause for celebration. Jesus represents something powerful. He has arrived. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father the prince of peace." (Isa. 9:6)

Arrogance Is A Poor Substitute

Arrogance is a poor substitute for unfulfilled aspirations. It is a poor substitute for one's failure to achieve, acquire, or attain. Something inside that person tells him/her that he/she was capable. The missing ingredient will be acquired through arrogance. It will fuel what did not happen. It will attempt to satisfy and justify. It will not work. It never works. "I will act like I did it, conquered it, have it" via arrogance will never work. Glory is like clean and pure water. It is the result of outstanding achievement. Arrogance is like dirty, putrid, muddy, poisoned water. A person can submerge himself in it. It will harm that person one way or another. The person might even drown in it.

Don't Think About It

If thinking about it makes you sad: don't think about it. If thinking about it makes you mad: don't think about it. If thinking about it makes you worry: don't think about it. If thinking about it might cause you to do something that can get you arrested and possibly go to jail or prison for a long time: don't think about it. There is much more. The ability to think is a gift to the human race. Human thinking, in turn has been instrumental in providing many great and good things for humanity via technology, invention, innovation, the arts, science, academics and more. Of course, thinking helped humanity to reach these ends. Nevertheless, certain ways of thinking have brought a great deal of grief, destruction and suffering to mankind. Consider this, and choose the former. Kind thinking versus hateful thinking. Human thinking versus animalistic thinking. Wise thinking versus foolish thinking. Loving thoughts versus hateful thoughts. Forgiving thoughts versus revengeful thoughts. Thoughts of giving versus thoughts of taking, (remember the great teacher who said it is "more blessed to give than to receive.") Thoughts of helping versus thoughts of hurting. Thoughts of beauty versus thoughts of ugliness. Thoughts of joy versus thoughts of depression. There is much more.

Please do not misunderstand. I am aware of the fact that we must think about our commitments and responsibilities. I know we can be burdened by many things. We need not make those burdens worse by complicating them with unnecessary thoughts. Good thoughts do not complicate things. They uncomplicate. They solve. They resolve.

Hatred And Homosexuality

God, in His teachings, prohibits me from hating anyone. Therefore I refuse to hate anyone. I will not hate anyone. I will not carry that burden. I do not care if it sounds milquetoast, corny, phony or unrealistic. Life is serious business, and my life is serious business to me. It has purpose. It has meaning. It has divine guidelines. I did not create the guidelines. I am not divine. Nevertheless, I am not a lower animal. Albeit, lower animals practice species specific behavior. This means that even lower animals have their parameters. "Anything Goes" is a song title from an earlier decade. Maybe it sounds cute and enticing; but if you live that way, expect to go to prison, or maybe even a worse fate. In His Word; God speaks of the sanctity of marriage. It is between a man and a woman. Sexual intercourse between two men is not any of my business. I do not want to hear about it. It is private. It is shameful. God declares it to be a sin. Do I declare it to be sinful and shameful? Yes. Why? Because God said it first. But let me make one thing perfectly clear: I refuse to sputter hatred regarding this matter. It is a moral principle. Hatred does not, should not, and will not enter into the equation. Not in my view, but even more important, not in God's view. Hatred is a sin. So is homosexuality.