Bear Crawls

So when I was a freshman in high school I played on the football team. And before the games started instead of two a days like most teams had we had 4 or 5 hour practices. So it wasn’t the easiest thing in the world to stay focused the entire time. One practice our coach was walking us through a drill or a new play—something that involves us quietly paying attention while he explained everything. I turned to my bud Jon who was on my left and said something, probably a dumb joke or comment to which he didn’t respond. Immediately our coach turned to us and yells, “Maurer that’s 150 yards of bear crawls!” (Bear crawls are when you get on your hands and toes and crawl like a bear, which is super tiring to do in full football gear.) Knowing that I was actually to blame for talking I was shocked and almost relieved that it wasn’t me who got in trouble. I quickly passed that and felt really guilty for what I had done. But despite feeling bad and knowing I was sending my best friend to do something he didn’t deserve I didn’t speak up. I talked myself out of it, figuring I can make it up to him sometime cause I mean he is in better shape than me and can handle it better than I could… He did those bear crawls and never once did he bring it up to me. I don’t know if he was mad about it and told other people but that doesn’t matter, what matters is he never said anything about it to me and never asked me to make up for it. For a long time I would think about how I reacted and wished that I had talked to the coach and taken responsibility… and that may still be but I saw my friend Jon make a sacrifice for me, something only a true friend would do and I am forever grateful for that seemingly small sacrifice. This reminded me a lot of what Jesus did for us.

1 Peter 2:20-24
20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

What Jesus did was no doubt a lot more important and had a larger impact on humanity than what Jon did. But what Jon did for me gives a clearer picture of what Jesus did for us. When Jesus was being insulted he didn’t retaliate even though he could have gotten back at those people whenever he wanted. In the same way Jon could have said “I wasn’t talking, it was Goff!” He could have even complained to me or gotten mad at me when I didn’t say anything. And for Jesus He was perfect, “He committed no sin”(1 Peter 2:22). There was absolutely nothing He did to deserve to be crucified on the cross. Jon wasn’t perfect but in that particular event he was innocent because he didn’t say anything, he wasn’t to blame for talking while the coach was. Someone had to do those bear crawls because someone messed up and justice needed to be served. The difference however, between what Jesus accomplished and what Jon did is infinite. For one Jesus had to do much more than annoying bear crawls and with Jon the bear crawls he did didn't bring him any closer to bridging the gap between God and humanity. Jesus was crucified (which was one of the worst ways to die) to take the punishment for all of our sin. Jesus took all the punishment from our sins upon himself even though we are actually to blame for it.
One thing does stay consistent between both stories and that is Jesus and Jon both did what they did out of love, not out of obligation. Jesus didn't save the people who were putting him on the cross and spitting at him out of duty or because He thought it was the right thing to do, He saved them out of love. In the same way Jon wasn't obligated to do the bear crawls, it wasn't his duty to take on my punishment, but he did anyway because he was a great friend. If there is one thing this situation with Jon gave me a clearer picture of it’s this—Jesus suffered and died for us not because He had to, He chose to—because He loves us.

Find Him on the Rock

Renaissance

I love Mat Kearney’s music, his lyrics aren’t abstract but they are full of meaning. His music speaks to me and feels more like a voice of encouragement or a call to action rather than just words in a song. Through his song Renaissance Mat shows how when everything is going wrong and you feel completely alone, someone is in fact still there for you. The word renaissance means a renewal of life, interest; rebirth: revival. Sometimes you have to hit an all-time low or lose something to be able have your life changed. It seems that when you hit that low point you are able to find or even re-find God.

The song starts out in first-person as someone in a bad car accident and then in the second verse moves to someone who gets dumped by his girlfriend. Basically it is showing hardships happening, things that aren’t easy to deal with. Mat’s whole purpose is to show that you don’t have to deal with whatever struggle you are facing on your own. “I can be the wall when you fall down, Find me on the rocks when you break down,” Mat sings, referring to if you could hear God talking at your moment of need. At that breaking point something has to change, whether it is seeking God or something else. At our worst moment we need a renaissance; a rebirth, something needs to change because you don’t want to be at that low point again.

I’ve always been a big fan of Mat Kearney I like his original style. He often uses what is called spoken word, which is kind of like rapping but with more emphasis on the poetic aspect and without the hip-hop influence. Mat has always inspired me through song; he tries to write things people can relate to and really wants his music to be something more than just sounds. I found something online where Mat talked about the meaning of his song renaissance. He says, "The song is about a friend that was in a car wreck and another who got dumped by his girlfriend. The lyrics touch on these moments in people's lives when they hit rock bottom and question what's going on and what they are about. In that place of total uncertainty, they start to look for something real." He writes songs under a secular label, I think because he knows more than just Christians can relate to this and more than just Christians need to hear it.

I can speak from experience that if you put things ahead of God like in my case, a girlfriend and sports, you will at some point get let down. Thinking that a girl or baseball could fill my every need eventually put me in a low place when I found out they could both let me down. The thing about God is that he doesn’t let me down, so I’ve had to have a Renaissance or two in my lifetime. Hard things need to happen in our lives in order for us to realize we need God. If nothing bad or challenging ever happens to us we could easily lose sight of God’s importance. Why would we need him if our world is doing great? Bad things that happen to us aren't usually what God wants for us, they are a product of our fallen world. But God can use any kind of situation for His good, it all depends on how we react to it. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance"(James 1:1-3). This song is trying to get at how important it is to trust God because when it really comes down to it, “[He] can be the wall when you fall down” and he will never leave you no matter how hard or messy things get. "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold"(Psalm 18:2).

At our worst moment, at our lowest point maybe no one is there for you, but no matter what God is still there. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"(Matthew 11:28). I find comfort in that, that God is always there because sometimes it is hard to press on, hard to know why you are on this earth. But God knows why and there is a good reason to why we just don’t know it yet. Through Mat’s deep musical talent and his love and understanding for God he has created more than a song but a note of encouragement. Something that speaks to me that and says, no matter where you are at it is okay, you will be okay because God is right next to you.

"Renaissance"

Mat Kearney

This is my renaissance

This is my one response

This is the way I say I love you

This is my second chance

This is my one romance

This is the cutting line

On which I stand to show you

It happened fast in a flash just this evening

I hit the gas, horn blast, brakes screaming

Car crash, broken glass, broke my dreaming

I hit the dash so fast my ears are ringing

My sister's on the right side just slightly leaning

I grabbed her hand hard until she started breathing

My brothers in the back jaw cracked from the beating

The breath in my chest has slipped and I'm sinking

Blinking through diamond spider webs of cracked glass

I'm trying to remember all the words you said in the past

Through the ash, siren screams and red beams

I hear you sing softly to me

[chorus]

I can be the wall when you fall down

Find me on the rocks when you break down

I heard it in the song when you call out

But I got to say now it's got to change

This is my bleeding start

This is my broken heart

This is the way I've come to know you

This is my winding road

This is my way back home

This is the narrow door you know that I will walk through

I got a letter today of why she went away

She said 'it's better this way, you knew I never could stay'

Half empty closets and frames, all that's left to my name

As she left in the rain and left my heart on a chain

Three years I've built this two face tower for hours on a lease

You gave me one yellow flower that said rest in peace

IN pieces I've broken open to think too much or just enough

Alone to trust midst the rubble and the dust

Humbled, it took this much to break down and understand

Spent half my life on castles made of sand

Tossed in the breakers in the palm of your hand

Now I can finally stand

[chorus]

This is my renaissance

This is my one response

This is the way I say I love you

Affirmative Action

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary Identifies affirmative action as “an active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups.” Some people say that the United States is the “land of opportunity,” which in many ways is true, depending on your race. The U.S. needs to embrace affirmative action as a means of establishing equality and equal opportunity, not as a way to make up for past wrongs committed. Former U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson said this regarding affirmative action, "This is the next and more profound stage of the battle for civil rights. We seek… not just equality as a right and a theory, but equality as a fact and as a result (Johnson as cited in Katel, 2008).” Affirmative action is essential in the pursuit of equality and opportunity, because of the past injustices that have determined the current economic status of minorities in our country.

Before anything else it is important that the reason behind affirmative action be addressed. Most people don’t realize that the short history of 375 years in which black people have been on this continent, 245 years have been of slavery, 100 have been legal discrimination, and only the last 40 or so have been of anything else (Wilkins 1995). The simple fact is many minorities are still seeing the after-effects of legal discrimination and for some even slavery. In the words of Lyndon B. Johnson, referring to the next step after the civil rights movement, "You don’t take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him… To a race and then say, 'You are free to compete with the others,' and still… [Think you’ve been] fair (Johnson as cited in Katel, 2008)." It isn’t that the United States needs to “make-up” for what they did in the past, (in a way they do) what they need to do is first recognize why certain minorities are struggling more than others. On top of that discrimination is still very present, (Rohrbach-Perry, 2005) explains that even today, “many African Americans are still being denied jobs and economic opportunity because of their race.”

The next step is to see how this past and current discrimination has contributed to the current economic status of certain racial groups. In the United States race and class are closely intertwined. In fact “African-Americans and Hispanics are likely to be poor: 25 percent of African-Americans and 20 percent of Hispanics live below the poverty line, but only 10 percent of whites are poor” (Katel, 2008). The United States shouldn't be interested in affirmative action because they feel bad when certain people aren’t performing. They should be interested in affirmative action because the people they treated poorly in the past and that are still discriminated today are ones living in poverty. Some suggest that perhaps it has something to do with the intelligence or drive of those people but the issue is about situation not capability. As Millery Polyne explains, “Black intelligence should not be the issue…. However, poor schools, unequal distribution of wealth, increasing numbers of black and brown men and women filling up [prisons] serve as a stronger argument for lagging test scores (Polyne, 2006).” Affirmative action is in place because minorities have for a long time lacked the opportunities that whites have—opportunities to succeed.

Poverty in the United States can be an almost impossible cycle to climb out of. This has a lot to do with the fact that if a person is poor; they probably live in a poor area. Since they live in a poor area taxes are lower and the public schools which kids who live in that area go to will have less funding and often lower quality teachers. Since the schools are bad it is hard to get a good education and even if they do well in school, College is usually out of the question. Because going to college means a lot of money that a person living in poverty certainly doesn’t have. On top of all that poorer areas usually have more crime so the neighborhood they live in is probably dangerous. So without a college degree this person can’t get a well paying job, they don’t move up in society and they grow up have kids and that person’s kids go through the same thing that person did. “Only those persons with a solid financial and educational foundation (also a strong personal network) will be able to make significant strides in this society. Subsequently, upward mobility and opportunity are restricted to those with wealth and influence (Polyne, 2006).” There are a lot of people stuck in poverty who aren’t lazy and even for the people who are lazy and do give up, it is hard to blame them because what good is trying if someone is a mediocre student why try if everyone tells them it won’t matter. If an upper or middle class (usually meaning white) person is a mediocre student they usually have to opportunity to go to college because they have money. Since they went to college and have a degree they can probably get a job that pays at least decent money. Gary Orfield said,

The educational achievement gap between racial groups began growing again in the 1990s, our public schools are becoming increasingly segregated by race and income, and the segregated schools are, on average, strikingly inferior in many important ways, including the quality and experience of teachers and the level of competition from other students . . . It is clear that students of different races do not receive an equal chance for college (Orfield as cited in Katel, 2008).

Is it hopeless for a person to come out of poverty and be successful? No, but it isn’t easy in any way shape or form.

Affirmative action isn’t about giving someone a free ticket because the U.S. treated their grandfather poorly; it is about making sure they have the same opportunity that everyone has, the same one that wasn’t given to minorities in the past. There is no easy or perfect way to do this however but Millery Polyne does a good job of explaining what it should look like. “Affirmative action ... is really about access to resources and institutions of higher learning in the face of ... persistent discrimination and economic inequality (Polyne, 2006).” The U.S. government isn’t going out of its way to give certain people chances they don’t deserve, the government is going out of its way so that no one will be rejected a position based on ethnicity or race. Richard D. Kahlenberg explains that a person’s grades or testing score can reflect how good of a student they are, but it is also closely linked to what kind of opportunities they have had. Affirmative action is a way of giving opportunity to those who originally never had it. “Affirmative action [simply includes] a larger number of qualified applicants to compete…. Affirmative action allows... people of color and other minorities access to higher education, jobs, and business opportunities which have been historically out of their reach (Flores, 2006).”

The main goal of affirmative action is that it would make equality much more of a reality. Everyone is different and that is a good thing, diversity is a wonderful thing. “What we want is really quite simple: the right to compete and participate on a level playing field, equal access and equal opportunity (Flores, 2006).” People tend to think well does affirmative action mean that minorities will get into certain schools that they don’t deserve to go to?

Yet the affirmative action conflict focuses on black students, who are assumed to be academically under-qualified, while white students' place at the best schools isn't questioned. The classroom reality differs, we have a whole range of students with different abilities. All of the weak students are not minority students; all of the strong students are not white students (Coleman as cited in Katel, 2008).

If the U.S. wishes to seek equality for everyone affirmative action is a step in the right direction.

“The underlying philosophy behind affirmative action is the notion that blacks and Hispanics aren't that smart and aren't prepared. We must help these little brown people, and the blacks. That's where affirmative action programs come from." (Murdock as cited in Billingsley, 1998). Critics of affirmative action say that discrimination means treating people differently regardless if it is positive or negative so affirmative action is still discrimination. Some claim that they are sick of affirmative action because it is debasing and that many co-workers will assume that they only got that job or position because of their skin color (Connerly as cited by Billingsley, 1998). Many point out that other countries that have tried programs like affirmative action and have intended for it to be a temporary program end up with a permanent policy on their hands (Sowell as cited in Billingsley, 1998).

Many countries have tried affirmative action but affirmative action isn’t something that only takes a few years. So maybe it takes a while but that doesn’t mean that it is permanent. In a study between 1990 and 1994 out of 3,000 [workplace or hiring] discrimination cases documented, less than 100 were discrimination towards a person of the majority race and of those only 12 were found to have any legitimacy (Flores, 2006). Referring to the data collected Professor Alfred Blumrosen said, "many of the Cases were the result of a disappointed applicant failing to examine his or her own qualifications (Blumrosen as cited in Flores, 2006)." Many people think that minorities are taking all our jobs and in no case are they qualified but both of those statements are misinformed and very false. In fact, In the U.S., Blacks represent 12.4% of the population, and Latinos represent 9.5%. Yet for example in the in the United States 91% of doctors are white (Flores, 2006). In fact if you compare Californian’s in their late 20’s, the difference in a salary of Black, Latino, or Female ranges from $3,500 to $8,700 less per year than compared to a white males salary of the same age group. The problem is clear; it is not true that whites superior to other races. The problem lies with our countries traditions and with the opportunities white people were given and receive today compared to the opportunities of someone of a different race.

If the United States wants to someday be a truly equal country it needs to first provide the minorities of the country better opportunity to do well than they have had in the past. A lot of minorities in the U.S. are in tough situations and have been in the sick cycle of poverty for too long. It is up to the United States to help in way that provides certain opportunities and a true chance for equality, where maybe someday people will be able to appreciate one another's differences but at the same time be on a level playing field with access to good employment and higher education.

At this point there is no good solution to easily fix this problem. A good start is to at least be aware of the fact that there is a problem and that many minorities who are living in rough situations aren't too lazy or too dumb to be going to college or getting a normal job. They just never had the opportunity to begin with.

References

Affirmative Action. (2010). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.

Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affirmative action

Billingsley, K.L. (1998). Affirmative Action Is Racist. In Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com

Flores, H. (2006). Affirmative Action Allows Minorities to Compete Fairly. In Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com

Katel, P. (2008, October 17). Affirmative Action. CQ Researcher, 18, 841-864. Retrieved from CQ Researcher Online.

Leporini, C. (2004). Affirmative Action Helps Make American Business More Competitive. In Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com

Pachon, H. (2004). Affirmative Action Should Not Be Eliminated. In Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com

Polyne, M. (2006). Affirmative Action Promotes Equal Access to Education. In Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com

Rohrbach Perry, E.A. (2005). Affirmative Action Programs Promote Justice for African Americans. In Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com

Wilkins, R. (1995). Racism has its privileges: The case for affirmative action. The Nation, pp. 409-416.

We are called to be childlike

We are called to be willing to listen to God and how he is speaking into our lives. The second we think we fully understand the Bible or Christianity is a good clue that we are far from understanding it. We can’t realistically expect to know everything about the God who has created everything from molecular biology to discrete mathematics to giraffes; we simply won’t be able to understand everything about God. In Mark 10:15 “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." It is important that we approach God from the view of a child who isn’t independent and self-righteous like many adults. It is important for growth to be humble and willing to listen to advice no matter whom from. We need to realize how much we need God’s grace and that there is no way we can do it on our own. It seems like the more immersed someone is in church or religion the less they understand it. Take the disciples for example; the random sheepish fishermen who didn’t have bible degrees (or Torah degrees for that matter) are the ones Jesus had be his closest friends and disciples. While the Pharisees had the entire first 5 books of the Old Testament (once again the Torah) memorized and had spent all of their life surrounded by religion. The Pharisees were very knowledgeable but also self-righteous and arrogant which is why they weren’t open to listening to anything Jesus had to share with them. The disciples may have lacked a ton of religious knowledge and traditions but they had something the Pharisees wouldn’t allow themselves to have—a willingness to listen and learn.

My Dad

So right before I started school at age 5 we got a cocker spaniel puppy and we named him Hunter. Two weeks ago Hunter passed away at age 13. It was hard for me to see him on Skype right before he was put to sleep. He just was so weak and didn't seem like the same dog he used to be. I thought to myself "it is okay move on he is just a dog and this is life." But all of the memories of him came rushing in as I realized I would never be able to see him or give him a walk again. I cried for the first time in 2 or 3 years and it felt right. I was also afraid to cry, I had always told myself you can't cry and after awhile even if I wanted to cry it just couldn't happen. I usually try to come off smooth and having everything together and try to maintain that image. But when I read an email and watched a video my dad sent me I realized that there was no reason to be ashamed for crying. In my mind a man was someone who bow hunts, eats meat, watches football and can protect his family. Well okay my dad is all of those things but it was so surprising to me that he was so open about crying. He is my picture of a man. He has matched up with everything the world says a man except for the fact that he isn't afraid to cry and admit it. Among everything that classifies him as a man I feel like that makes him more of a man than anything.

My dad recorded Hunter's last 13 minutes which includes Hunter passing away. When my dog's head drooped down to his paw and passed away my dad sat there gazing at his companion of 13 years. As he realized Hunter was gone he broke down. And watching my dad cry like that was probably one of the most powerful things I have ever seen in my life.

I came to realize how my dog affected my father. How he was one of the ways God communicated with him. Ever furthering my appreciation for my dog and being even more in awe of God.

Kids,

How you doing? This was a rough week for me. My eyes still hurt from crying (now). His places on the floor are empty. This is my first Friday working from home without my companion. He would get as close to me as he could without bothering me just wanting to be near me. Hunter taught me about God in that way. Wanting to be with me, accepting any attention I want to give Him, but otherwise not bothering me; just waiting for me. Greeting me with perfect acceptance no matter how I had ignored Him......

Love,

Dad

My Dad is a wise dude.

Inspiration

Sophomore year in high school Justin McRoberts came and played at my youth group. He played some songs and told some stories but what he said before his last song has stuck with me till this day. Justin addressed us as Christians living in the one of the wealthiest suburbs in the U.S. and challenged us to live for more than just ourselves.

"You are a blessed people--- and you are blessed in order that you might become a blessing, you are the very people that God has chosen……. to heal his world, you are the very people that God has chosen to let your neighbors….. your schoolmates…. some seventeen year old girl in Ecuador know that there is a God in this world who is better-- than anything else the world has to offer….you’re how he chose to do that. And there’s a great responsibility that comes with that, but believe me when I tell you there is no better life to live than that. You were born with it in your hearts… to want to live a life that means something, to live a life that counts for something, after which people will say I’m glad he was here… I’m glad she was here, I’m glad they were in my life because I’m a more complete person and I know there is a God in this world who loves me… When the world cried out in the darkness because 30,000 kids everyday die because they don’t have enough food, the world cries out in the darkness and says Lord why don’t you do something… why don’t you fix this stuff? Every time someone prays that prayer God says this… "I did…….. I sent you…….. you are what I did and I want you to believe that you are the folks I chose you to do this through,” because the world needs you and the world needs the love of God through you…. but believe it or not you need to do it too, that’s what you were born for…. And your heart will never be satisfied with a life that’s about you, your heart will only be satisfied with a life of generosity…….a life of giving what you have, for the betterment of the world, you are a blessed people but you were blessed in order to be a blessing." – Justin McRoberts

I have this audio track on my Ipod and still listen to it to inspire me.

I See Chris

I had a dream the other week that my dog was still alive. Turns out it was just a dream.....