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Random Thoughts

Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior

At this time in our history as a nation, it’s worth reading the list of rules of civility our first President created for himself. When he was a young schoolboy in Virginia, George Washington wrote by hand a list of 110 ‘Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation.’ Unsurprisingly, the list is broadly based on a 16th-century set of Jesuit guidelines.

Much of this is about etiquette, offering pointers on such issues as how to dress, walk, eat in public and address one’s superiors. But don’t think of it as “mere” etiquette. There is moral guidance here …

Random Thoughts,

Being With Jesus

A few days ago I was mentoring a young man and he asked me something that triggered this comment:

“In the first quarter of my life I studied and learned a lot about Jesus. In the second quarter of my life I continued to learn about Jesus as I also served Jesus. In the third quarter of my life I find myself learning and serving, but with a deep desire to become like Jesus. And in the fourth quarter of my life I suspect I will learn about Jesus, serve Jesus, want to become like Jesus, but most of all …

Random Thoughts,

Predictions for 2017

My 2016 predictions weren’t perfect, in part because they weren’t crazy enough. Who knew 2016 was going to turn out so looney? So here goes for 2017.

The big Silicon Valley news is that Twitter goes bankrupt because nobody wants to buy them. They announce the news on Twitter but it takes a few days for anybody to notice.
President Trump is outraged by the bankruptcy because his platform for saying ridiculous things is silenced. He asks Vladimir Putin to buy the company.
China continues to expand the illegal “islands” in the South China Sea by dumping all of the

…

Random Thoughts,

Voting

Voting is a privilege we should never take for granted even when we have to make tough choices. Nobody is the perfect candidate, even in the best of years. We have to make tough decisions about flawed leaders, which may never be more obvious than this election season.

As J.R. Daniel Kirk says, “There is no vote cast that does not require some measure of forgiveness.”

So vote. And then join me in seeking forgiveness as we pray for our nation.

…

Junkyard Wisdom Book, Random Thoughts,

An Example of Junkyard Wisdom

My friend David emailed the link to this article and wrote, “This is junkyard wisdom … it’s like the guy is living the book.”

Click the link and you’ll see what he means. A conservative guy in his 60’s has a dim view of the homeless who live near his business. Then he meets one of the guys living on the streets and builds a relationship with him. Guess what? Yep, Junkyard Wisdom kicks in and he sees the world differently. Both of them do, actually.

Read the article. You’ll love it.

Thanks, David, for sending it along.

…

Junkyard Wisdom Book, Random Thoughts,

God Only Knows What Will Happen

There’s a point in Junkyard Wisdom when I describe three steps for being successful:

Start by making friends with people different than yourself.
Then keep doing that your whole life.
God only knows what will happen.

Seems silly, doesn’t it? No strategic plan? No analysis of the big challenges we face? No StrengthsFinder test or Myers Briggs exam? How could this possibly be a plan for being successful? How could this possibly change the world?

But it is. It’s part of what God designed. It’s the Church.

We are called to love each other. When Jesus was asked who our …

Random Thoughts,

Is Our Nation Broken?

Is our nation broken?
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The cable news shows say it, the pulpits preach it, and social media is filled with it. Whether talking about racial issues, our political system, income disparity, endless wars, moral decay, or even the seeming decline in good manners … our nation seems broken.

But is it?

Well, yes, it is … but no more than it ever was.

America has always been broken — because we are flawed people attempting to live together. That’s just life. Nothing has changed. We might pine for the days of Richie and the Fonz, or Fred and Ginger, but …

Random Thoughts,

Social Media, Politics, and Silence

It’s an election year and social media is filled with vitriol. Sad, really. Here’s what I see as the problem with online political rants:

Q: How long will I feel better after venting?

A: Maybe a minute.

Q: Will it change anybody’s opinion?

A: Nope.

Q: How many people will it frustrate?

A: About half my online friends.

Maybe it’s better to embrace silence when we are tempted to shout about our frustrations.

I definitely have my opinions, but let’s talk about them, not shout about them. Let’s talk over a glass of wine or cup of coffee. Not over …