I'm back. And I'm Tired.

What happened to me?
I haven't composed a blog since February. Blogs aren't going away- I still know lots of people that have them. I know for me I lost a lot of inspiration, and really don't get the time to think these deep enriching thoughts that warrant a blog post.
The truth is, I'm tired. Mentally, the job I work takes a lot from me, my schedule doesn't really allow me to stay up late but a couple of nights a week, and I have time to just look at the computer. A lot of that time is sorting through people's sharing of Facebook posts telling me to like and share something I could care less about, or something I do like but I don't want to click "Like" because I don't want to be a sheep, or a picture telling me that if I don't share it I'm ashamed of Jesus.  Then I sort through a couple of hundred baby pictures (no offense), recipes and what not, and then I realize that there isn't really a lot going on.
When I check other sites (Twitter, news sites), I'm bombarded with things and thoughts from people that are really complete idiots that now have an avenue to voice their opinion.
I'm tired. Mentally, I'm tired and really don't have time to do this much. Physically, I'm tired. With my new work schedule I work one less day a week. But the time spent at home recovering from the four days doesn't lend itself to actual rest.
Ideologically, I'm tired. I'm tired of people being crucified for something they might have said thirty years ago that has no bearing on the person they are today. If you've seen news in the last week, you know what I'm talking about. I'm tired of the politically correct society that demands that certain groups must be bowed to and if you are not sensitive to them, you are not to be a viable part of the culture.
Spiritually, I'm tired. I'm tired of sin being glorified. I'm tired of people celebrating the fact that our country no longer stands for what the Bible says and that the fabric that held our country together gets ripped at every single day.
My in-laws like to watch the news, but I can't stand to look at it for more than four seconds. I'm burnt out hearing everyone's opinions. Facts are not reported anymore. Everything is based on what someone thinks, which is usually wrong, and I'm sick of it.
Ultimately I haven't blogged because I was afraid my next post would come out sounding angry and like I'm a cranky old man. I think since I just put out a post, I've proven myself accurate. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned I'm starting to finally understand the meaning behind the Gaither song "Build An Ark." More and more that statement is proving true. Maybe God wants me for a mouthpiece for Him and against all the drivel in the world.
Take a listen. Who knows, maybe in the future I might blog again.

"Even so"

The Weather Channel has lost its mind

I have made comments several times over the past about TV networks that have lost their original focus. I understand why the networks do this- money. Stations need revenue, and to get that, you have to have advertising revenue. To have that, the ratings have to prove that you are being watched. To be watched, you have to present things that get the viewers' attention and keep it.
I have ranted in the past about MTV, TV Land, History Channel, A&E, CMT, Cartoon Network, etc. All of these networks are not what they were, and I really don't watch them very much.
But have you seen the Weather Channel? Remember when they used to show weather? Now I'm not really concerned about Ice Pilots, Lifeguards, It Can Happen Tomorrow, or any of their other shows. What gets me is their newest thing: naming winter storms.
(For the Weather Channel's explanation on why they are doing this, click here.

It's not a bad idea on the surface. But the names they chose are a little weird. The first time I realized they were doing this was when I saw something about Winter Storm Iago. Then I saw the list. The next one I saw that gave us 11 inches this year was named...

 

So then they had Luna, which didn't amount to much,but did make me think of a female wrestler from the 1990s that shaved part of her head and had it tattooed. Then there was the storm from last weekend. The frightening and intimidating...

Nemo.
A storm that didn't blanket the northeast, it buried it. And the Weather Channel named it for a little clownfish that got away from his dad.
The next one that was going to Minnesota was named Orko. Never heard of Orko? You have if you watched He-Man in the 80s:

Orko was created to be comic relief for the cartoon. In an equal fashion, naming winter storms is proving to make the Weather Channel a laughing stock. The Weather Channel is owned by NBC, which has a history of hiring notable people of intelligence and intellect on its sister news channels, people like Chris Matthews, Al Sharpton, and Keith Olbermann. (FEEL MY SARCASM, PEOPLE!)
NBC is dangerously taking the Weather Channel down the path to irrelevance. They go wall to wall when the weather dictates, but otherwise have little interest in showing weather. The bad thing is they are the only game in town. If you want weather on TV, you have to go to them.
In other words, are you listening, Fox? We need competition so we can watch the weather! Come quickly before winter storm Q zaps us or Rocky comes and knocks us out!

I Watch TOO Much TV With My Kids

That is a very true observation. We do like to watch many things together.
Because of that, however, I have garnered many observations about children's TV, and I would like to share them, since I haven't posted anything on here in, well, forever.

• Have you ever watched Baby First TV with a young child? It is extremely addictive. My wife calls it "Baby Crack."
• Doc McStuffins might be the best show on for kids right now. I said that, and I'm a man.
• Max & Ruby trouble me. I don't know how many years this show has been on, but I have never seen their parents. Their grandmother checks on them periodically, but where are they? (Thanks to Amber Benge for reminding me of this.)
• Also, Max typically says one thing throughout the whole episode that is the key to the show. Ruby is oblivious all the time, and doesn't learn her lesson until the end of the episode. You would think that for as long as this show has been on she would get her head out of her rear end and start listening to her little brother.
• I miss Handy Manny. I liked that show. But I always wondered what was really going on with Manny and Kelly who owned the hardware store.
• Dora the Explorer helps teach to Spanish as part of the show. But have you ever seen the show on a Spanish network? She's not teaching English to those kids. What's the deal? Why the double standard, Dora? Que Pasa?
• Speaking of Dora, do her parents know that she is out on all these trips? If so, are they really okay with it? Also, when is she going to get a GPS?
• I cannot in good conscience allow my children to watch Sesame Street anymore. Thankfully, they have no desire to. And no way will they ever meet Elmo.
• Why are my children so drawn to Peppa Pig? It is crudely drawn and British. But they think it is hilarious. It could be because they snort so much. 

That's all I have for now, but as I watch more kid's shows with my little ones, I am sure that more will arise.

What Have We Learned in 150 Years?

Have you heard about the secession movement? If you're watching TV news, you have not. They wouldn't report it. You see, America is UNITED now. We're all happy, excited the election's over, and ready to come together, right?
WRONG!!!
Apparently 30 states have petitions going to the website of the White House asking for the peaceful secession of their respective state from the Union. The White House says that the President will consider any petition that gains 25,000 signatures. There is a news article on an alternative media site (which you can read here), and it's even caught the attention of  Glenn Beck. Coincidentally, this story has come out about the same time of Steven Spielberg's Lincoln film.
Now, two years ago I wrote an incredible position paper in my English class about how the South was justified in seceding from the Union. (Just being honest- it was incredible. I aced it- an eight page paper.) I am quite captivated with the history of that time. I do think that the founding documents of this country do not forbid a state from seceding. I won't go into all that detail here, but will if it warrants.
I also think that today's secession movement has something else going for it: no slavery. That's what we're told the Civil War was all about, and because "History is written by the winners" (paraphrasing a phrase attributed to Winston Churchill), that's what most people say it is. But there were other reasons for secession- an economic structure that favored one part of the nation over the other, and the belief that the few were legislating against the wishes of the many. Now those reasons sound familiar.
But here is why I will NOT sign either of these petitions. First is the fourteenth amendment of the Constitution, ratified after the Civil War ended and mandated to each state as it reentered the Union to ratify. Section 3 of that amendment reads like this:
"Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability."
This should disallow many Senators from their current service. But that's a topic for another day.
But this says that essentially anyone engaging in a form of rebellion from the US is no longer able to serve in government of any form.
Also think about part two of this: to sign the petition you have to create an account on the White House website. Do you really want the White House to know that you no longer want them to be a part of the country? Is that really smart?
I didn't think so either.
Shelby Foote said during Ken Burns' The Civil War "It was said before the war 'The United States ARE.' Now it is said 'The United States IS."Obviously after 150 years we are more divided than ever. Only God knows how long we will stand.
So what do you think? Feel free to leave a comment. I'd like to have a discussion on this.

Nearsightedness

"Nearsightedness is when light entering the eye is focused incorrectly, making distant objects appear blurred. Nearsightedness is a type of refractive error of the eye."
- From the National Center for Biotechnology Information website
I have been blessed with pretty good eyesight for most of my life. But I fear that I may soon have to visit an eye doctor for the first time. I believe I am becoming nearsighted as I get older. Today I sat with people at their desk and absolutely could not see a thing that was happening on their computers. I used to pride myself on being able to read the fine print. I still can- if that fine print is right in front of my face.
I was thinking about some circumstances in my life that have very recently changed. I don't believe they have changed for the better. Family and friends have been praying for me and encouraging me, hoping to help me out of my pit. My dad reminded me of Romans 8:28, my mother-in-law gave me some encouraging scripture and some misplaced scripture (Daniel 5:23), which gave me a good laugh. My wife has been very encouraging to me, and I may not have told her how much I appreciate that.
The point is- I may be growing physically nearsighted, but I have always been spiritually nearsighted. It reminds me of 1 Corinthains 13:12: "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known" (NASB).
I don't like my circumstances because I don't think my circumstances favor me. That's typically how it is for us. Christians want to do great things for God and want God to great things for Him. But not everyone can be at the pinnacle. If you want to be a preacher, you can't start out at the megachurch. If you want to play in the band, you can't learn your part on stage.
Surrender is not easy. It is hard to be put in the grunt work. It's tough to be where you are when you don't see a way out. God does not always let us see the big picture at this side, in this time. Only with time does He let us see the big picture and cure our nearsightedness. Romans 8:18 says "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (NASB).
I can't say I'm there yet. It is a work in progress. I don't trust Him like I should. I admit that. "I believe; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24) . 
In the meantime: anyone know a good eye doctor?

Why would we do this?

It's a legitimate question.
Why would people that graduated high school go back? Moreover, why would they go back after graduating in 2012, 2005, 2001, 1997, 1995, 1984, 1977, or even 1971 and participate with the band? What makes people think they can or should play with teenagers half or a third their age?

Why would they search through boxes and find old recordings of the band from their day and put those recordings of that band on YouTube (which you can access here, by the way)?
Why is there a group dedicated to the history and preservation of that group? Why did they do community service in their hometown this past Saturday and hold a big concert the next day celebrating that legacy?
Because the Hibriten High School Band is the legacy of great music in Caldwell County. High School band was started in Lenoir, North Carolina in 1924 by Captain James C. Harper. That Lenoir High School Band began a legacy and amassed a record that was unparalleled as long as it existed. It closed in 1977.
Hibriten opened in 1967. The band was started from scratch by John Craig at the request of students. This past weekend I learned I have really underestimated the contributions he made to the band's legacy. He hired George Kirsten, a former director of the Lenoir Band to be part of the program. Mr. Kirsten would later succeed him as director of the band. In later years Ms. Camilla Graeber who also worked with Lenoir would become the Hibriten Director. Mr. Kirsten would continue to help out with the band until his passing. Also helping out was Mr. John Miller, who was Lenoir's last director. He was very influential to euphonium players like me, and was loved by many. Mr. Miller passed away this past Friday, the same day we gathered for the second time.
He was laid to rest today, the same day as Hibriten's fall concert. But his passing coincides to show what legacy is. To many people, Lenoir High School is just a closed school that is now senior living apartments, a functional auditorium, a gym and a field used by hispanics for soccer games. To them, the Lenoir Band's legacy is a run down band building and grave stones, like Captain Harper's:

 (sorry. I couldn't get the image to rotate.)
To me and others like me the legacy is more than a building. It is in the lessons that Capt. Harper taught to people like Mr. Kirsten and to his students. It is in the lessons that Mr. Miller taught to people like Ed Whitener, who would later teach to people like me in middle school. It's in the lessons that Dennis Carswell taught me at Hibriten. See what I mean? The legacy is passed down.
This is why we come back. It's not just the music; it's in the lessons we learned, the people we learned them from, and the people we learned them with. It's in knowing that things at Hibriten are not now like they were when I was a student, but they have improved since last year, and the improvement is telling. Big thanks to Justin Hammonds for accepting the challenge, and from the looks of things, being up to the challenge.
The students of my day and those before me recognize that we were part of something amazing. We also recognize that the students of today need the support that we had. That's why we came. That's why we do what we do.
The legacy lives- and it's up to us to keep it alive.

The #1 Proof that God is Good to Me

Last night I took part in a fantasy football draft. I have been in the same league with the same guys since 2003. We have a lot of fun, and I have won 3 league titles. Just saying.
Last week started the High School football season in North Carolina. Preseason NFL football has two more weeks before the regular season starts, and College football starts next week.
What am I saying?
I am a man. Red-blooded, overweight, and have a favorite flavor of wing. I love football. Football season has started. What I am saying is: for the next 6 months, my wife will miss me.
So I thought I would spend a moment to tell all of you how wonderful my wife is.
We will be married nine years this October. She has brought more out of me than anyone else has. She is the mother of two wonderful children (even on THOSE days), and my biggest fan. She is quick to tell me that I have what it takes when I have a job to do, and seeks to give me confidence and inspiration even when I don't feel it or don't have it. She is quite a Godly woman, ready to pray at the drop of a hat, and is very spiritually sensitive.
This year she followed the leading of the Spirit of God and decided to start homeschooling our children. Levi is in first grade this year, and Sophie is 2, so she gets some preschool. I will admit that I figured it would be easier than it actually is. I mean I used to work in a place that sold homeschool curriculum. Just buy a pack and away you go, right?
WRONG.
What if your curriculum doesn't match your child's learning style? What if your child is hyperactive (and he is)? What will work best?
These are just a smattering of the questions a homeschool parent has to answer, and she has worked long and hard to answer them. I have helped, of course, and will do everything I can for her. But she has poured her heart and soul into making sure our children have everything essential to get a quality education. Also, it keeps them out of public school, which in this day and age should rarely ever be an option.
Maybe I'll put some pics of our classroom up. But the main gist of this blog is this: I have the best wife anyone could ask for. I admire her heart, her desire for the best for her family, her sacrifice, and her willingness to obey what God wanted for her family. This is proof that God is good to me- she told me "I do."
Sheyna, you are the best!
I will see you after the Super Bowl.