Angry at God

Death never seems to raise its head at opportune times. In fact, it seems to always come at the moment you least expect it. It seems that whenever I have prepared myself for death or for someone to go it never happens. Death and sickness have surrounded me much of the day.

Montana was in my youth group when I was a Youth Director at Coaling UMC in college. I married her and her husband Brian a couple years ago. It was one of the most unique weddings I have done. It was in the pasture of their farm with a huge backdrop of hay bails, saddles, and other riding instruments. She was brought to the ceremony in a horse drawn wagon. It is a great memory and they worked hard to make the wedding special and a true representation of who they are. Bryan, the groom was a typical guy who just wanted to get the wedding over and have it be as close to what his fiancée wanted as possible. He didn’t seem to care about any of it, he just wanted to be married. I never got to know him anywhere near as well as I know Montana, but I’ve liked him more and more each time I have been around him.

This morning I got a call that Montana and Bryan’s trailer caught on fire last night and he was killed before they could get him out. Montana and their 15 month old daughter Gracie were staying at his mothers. I went over there this evening to see montana and I dreaded going the whole way there. I simply don’t have the words to console or help a 22 year old widow with a 15 month old child.

I did a lot of listening rather than talking. One thing I heard over and over from her was that she is mad. She is angry that this happened and she is angry at the position she is in. To be honest, I’m angry too. Montana is a good kid that has tried hard since I have known her to get ahead. She dated some real idiots in high school and she had truly found what she wanted in Bryan and was happy with their family. I don’t blame her for being mad about it being gone. I’m mad it got taken away.

Any theologians that are in my readership can check your degrees at the door. I don’t care what you think, but sometimes it is healthy to just get pissed off at what God has allowed to happen in our lives. Sometimes things happen and the only honest response we have is anger. I rest comfortably in the fact that God loves me enough to handle my anger and rage in moments when it seems like I’m getting the short end of the stick. That doesn’t mean I don’t trust how God is working, and it doesn’t mean that I don’t think he is there, but if we are honest we have all had moments when we looked to the sky and said, “This sucks. Make it stop.” The Psalms are full of David and others telling God that they weren’t too thrilled about the ways he was reveling himself in their lives.

After leaving Montana’s I thought about it and I’ve come to the realization that I’m pretty mad at God these days as well. My Uncle John Cole is without a doubt one of the finest men that has ever walked this planet. He has been a power and an influence in my life in ways that I still don’t fully understand. He gave me my first job in his law office, taught me how to drive, and helped me figure out a lot about who I was in ways other people couldn’t have done. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease many years ago and for the last 15 years I have watched him slowly deteriorate, and to be honest about it, I’m mad. No one lived the Gospel of Christ in everyday ways like he did. I learned how to interact with the homeless and with addicts by riding around Birmingham and sitting in courtrooms with them as he represented them. Most of the time, he represented the for nothing, or for some service he let them perform more for their benefit than any other.

He is in the hospital in Birmingham and this week standing at the foot of the bed and seeing him in that condition makes me want to look to the sky and say to God in a very real way, “This sucks, and you need to find a better way to get things done than this”. If thats unfaithful, then mark me down as a sinner, but its true. I know that one day I’ll get it. One day I’ll see how God has worked through this, but I can’t see it today, and thats what makes this journey so hard.

New Friends, New Experiences

I am guilty of getting in ruts and getting in routines and not branching out. If I’m not careful I can look up and every week looks the same. Same work, same lunch in the same restaurant. Same Friday night, same weekend plans, everything.

Tonight I broke the mold on Friday nights and I’m glad that I did. This has been a really long week. Nothing bad or exciting has happened, it just has been long, and I really needed to shake things up a bit. High School Football started tonight, but I had absolutely not interest in going. I usually really enjoy it, but I didn’t want to have to deal with it all tonight, so I simply didn’t go.

Rather, I spent time tonight with a group of people that are as different from me as you can be. It was wonderful. Billy Weems is thePastor at Gordo UMC and he invited me over for a get together of pastors and friends to eat dinner and just hang out. It became clear after getting there that I was WAY out of the typical age range. The median age for the group is late 40s/ early 50’s. Most of them have grown children and grandchildren, and one has a newborn. You would think that this would be incredibly uncomfortable, and there was a moment when I thought that it would be, but it wasn’t at all. Despite the different places that we have come from and despite all of the very apparent differences it was a wonderful evening. Everyone laughed and cut up about work, life, stories from the past, and things that are going on in our lives.

I learned tonight that Billy Weems goes all out when cooking a hamburger. I learned that Roger Short is always good for a one liner when the opportunity presents itself. Penny Ford is simply hysterical and a wonderful mother. Nancy and Steve Cole have a wealth of life experiences and stories that would take months to tell. There were several others, but those stand out in my mind this late.

I think that there are times when we look at groups of people and decide that we can or can not fit in with those people simply because of predetermined lines that we draw in our own lives. I was reminded tonight that sometimes simply relaxing and getting to know people will help you meet and enjoy wonderful people that you would have missed out on.

I’m glad to have laid the foundation for new friendships and I’m excited about the things that I can learn from the group of people that I met tonight.

Friends and Fingernails

What an incredible weekend! I got back last night from a Chrysalis weekend that was incredible! I have a couple of groups of friends that stand apart from all the others. What makes these different is that I can go months without seeing them, but as soon as we come together we pick up right where we left off. The people this week are some of the most loving and uplifting people that I have ever come across. My friend David Hodges said it well when he noticed that our group is made up of die hard Republicans and Democrats, Methodists and Baptists, young and old, and even Alabama and Auburn fans. But all that stuff seems to fade away because of Jesus. I'm a better person for just knowing them.

I've had something on my mind for a while that I need to discuss with the world.... What is the deal with fingernails? This is an area I need to read on and know more about. I never look at my finger nails and think, "In the next couple days I need to cut my fingernails". Its like one night they grow 6 inches and you get somewhere and realize how embarrassing your fingers look. Does anyone else have this problem? I looked at my hand on Saturday and I couldn't believe it. It was like they came out of nowhere. I spent the rest of the day with my hands in my pockets. The more I type about this, the more I feel like its probably just me going through this.

I feel like there are several other things that I need to comment on or bring up, but I'll leave those for later on in the week. I've fallen behind on updating, but I'm making a renewed commitment today.

Back from Camp...

I'm back from Camp, and later tonight I will do an extensive recap, but i want to share this with all of you..... a new camp dance is born....

Check it out here.

The Inhumane Exploitation of Fat People

I consider myself to be a pretty level headed person, but I do tend to lose my cool when I see people being taken advantage of and abused.

That is why I am incensed at the commercial I saw today from FOX. They are advertising their new show, "More to Love". It is from the creators of The Bachelor with one important difference. They are using only fat people.

Now, at first glance, all of you skinny people are saying, "Aww, how cool. They are going to make sure fat people get love too.", but I am going to stand up and say as a leader within the Fat Community that "This is wrong". This is the blatant and inhumane exploitation of Fat People for financial gain. Never would America tolerate a show entitled "Enough to Love" about matchmaking midgets. In fact, last week a group of midgets petitioned the FCC to ban the M word from broadcast television. Can we also ban the dreaded F word? No, not that one. The three letter one.

No one is outraged, and no one is going to watch this show because of the people. They are going to watch the show because there is nothing more hilarious than watching the uncomfortable fat guy approach the pool with women all around. They are going to watch because when you put 3 fat people in the hot tub the water splashes over the edge soaking all their clothes and creating yet another uncomfortable situation. My biggest fear is spandex. You can deny it if you want to, but we all know the big girl that thinks she can wear the tube top or the pants from back in the day. We don't need to encourage behavior like that.

Lets be honest here. The fat man is the most discriminated against person in America. No one celebrates our accomplishments or additions to society. Think about it.. The Remote Control - We came up with that. The Drive Thru - That was us. Curb side pickup at even the nicest restaurants - We demanded that. The Extended Cab pick up - That was us. The Seat Belt extention - Us again .

Here's an idea. Let put ALL kinds of people on the normal show... Wait, thats ridiculous. That would never work. We might be forced to recognize that fat people are valued members of society.

Krispy

Call your senator and your local cable provider. Say no to the Inhumane Exploitation of Fat People. Petitions can be found at your local KFC, Kream Doughnuts, or any major buffet chain.

(Sidenote: This was all meant in fun. If you were offended by anything. Get over it. Its all jokes.)

The Death of Michael Jackson

I decided that I was not going to pile on and talk about the death of Michael Jackson, but i feel like I need to say something. Not so much about Jackson himself, but more about the way that America and the rest of the world has responded to his death. It not even really the death of Jackson that concerns me, but it is the death of all the celebrities that have died in the last few weeks.

I am concerned about the need for the media and for America to know every single detail about the life and death of the people that have died.TMZ reported on the death of Michael Jackson 6 minutes after he was officially declared dead. There were peopel that knew and loved him who found out that someone close to them died from the internet and from the news media trying to be the first. I really hope that is not how his children found out, or his mother. But sadly, that happens more and more now. I wish that we could have waited a couple hours, let the family make the statement and then begin to cover it. We could celebrate his music and the ways that he legitimately changed the entertainment industry. Rather we have tried to understand every moment and every conversation that Jackson had in the last 48 Hours and we all are now experts on Propofol and other pain killing injections. What is more disturbing is that we are more concerned about passing judgement and jokes about man that was tried several times but never convicted of anything. I know that doesn't mean it didn't happen, but at this point there is little need to continue to speculate on things that we can't prove. We can only hope that the system did its job.

Steve McNair is a wonderful example of what I am talking about. McNair (according to reports from friends and those in Nashville) was a model NFL Player and citizen. He was active in the community, supported charities, by all accounts was a good father, and was an incredible ball player. A life of full of good decisions and an attempt to do the right thing has been totally overshadowed by what happened on the last day of his life. I am not trying to excuse the actions of McNair, nor am I trying to brush away some of the very serious allegations that were made against Jackson, but why do we need to know every detail? Why is it that Good Morning America feels like their is a need to do a one hour in depth story on Michael Jackson's doctor? Why is it that TMZ feels like pictures of McNair and his girlfriend should be fed to the public within 48 Hours of his death?

Did we all really need to see a Barbara Walter's special where she let us watch Farrah Fawcett die? Why did we feel like we needed to watch a dyeing woman vomit and get injections? I know that some will say that it increases awareness about cancer, but I doubt that there was anyone watching taking notes about cancer. We watched it because it was Farrah and we felt like we were getting to see things that we normally don't get to see.

I'm not laying the blame on the media alone. they would not report it and would not spend the resources to get the information. This is a cultural problem. We have a sick need to see the autopsy photos of celebrities when they show up on the internet. We want to see pictures of the guns that killed them, and we want to see all of these things before we even have time to get people buried.

Can you imagine what they would turn up in your life if you were to die in the spotlight? It terrifies me to think that if I were to die in some fluke that people were captivated by, that the media might try to break down my life and dig through my background. I have lived a life where I have striven to do the right thing, but like everyone there are skeletons in closets that have long been locked.

All that said, I will probably watch the funeral tomorrow and when I get home tomorrow night I will watch the special play by play breakdown of the funeral. And thats sad.

What's the Deal?

Do you have the anxiety feeling that you are dreading facing something or someone? Its the feeling that I got when I knew I had to take the report card home to my dad. Its the feeling I got when I knew I was about to break off a relationship, or when I knew I was about to get broke up with. Its the feeling you get when you know you are about to be yell at, or your going to have to face someone you've hurt. It is almost like a dull stomach ache and head ache that radiates through your body. You feel sick, you not the type where you actually get sick. It just lingers in the background so that you know its there. Do you get that feeling?

I've had it for 3 days now, and for the first time in my long history with this feeling, I have no idea why. I can't think of a single thing in my life that I am dreading or that I'm upset or hurt about. Yet strangely, that feeling never seems to be far from the surface. I truly consider myself to be happy with almost all aspects of my life, yet it is there waiting for me to get still and start thinking or trying to sleep and then it consumes me. It strange because I have spent a great deal of time with this particular aspect of my emotional life and I have even found ways to cope with it, but I can't shake it if I can't figure out why it is hanging around me.

Is it possible that I'm dreading life in general? I don't think thats the case, but I'm almost out of reasons why I'm feeling this way. I know that in the next year or two I am going to undergo some major changes in life that are going to shake every part of me. Some are exciting and some are horrifying. Is this some type of preemptive depression that my mind wants to go ahead and get started with? Can you build up a credit on depression phases? Can I go ahead and have one so that when something horrible in life happens I'm able to say, "Wait, I did a voluntary depression a couple months ago. I'd rather not go through one right now". Who knows.

I was around great people tonight. We had a celebration of the birth of Franklin Slaton. I thoroughly enjoyed my time listening and watching what might be the most diverse group of people ever to be assembled in my presence. It was humorous to watch the interaction and the total comfort Franklin has in the midst of this social hodge podge. There were camp people, theater people, college students, 40 somethings, friends of friends people, 30 somethings, 20 somethings, conservatives, liberals, heterosexuals, homosexuals, wealthy, poor, environmentalists, and those who drive over sized trucks because we can. I realized about halfway through that the group assembled in that place was what made Franklin who he is. He is someone that masterfully flows from one group to another allowing each of them to leave their mark on who he is, and he makes no apology for his love for any of these different groups. Franklin is truly good people. I think Jesus would have been impressed with tonight's gathering. I think that moments like tonight are what he had in mind. Which is ironic since some of the people in this gathering couldn't have cared less what Jesus would think.

34

That number has been in my head since Saturday. It has become a number that represents not just a goal, but a new quest. One that will challenge and push me in ways that I'm not even sure i can handle.

34 is the number of dollars that Deb Welsh said that she spent on power last month. I didn't even know that was possible. We were talking about her life and her life without turning her air on and she commented that without it she had transformed the amount she spent on power and the how she had adjusted to summer heat last year.

I thought about it, and even admired her a bit, but i didn't think much about it until Sunday afternoon when I sat down to pay my bills for the month and I wrote a check to Alabama Power for $142.14. That number sounds completely ridiculous when you set it next to 34.. watch 34/142.14. See how huge that number looks?

The problem that I have with Deb is that if I talk to her for too long, she starts making sense. The other problem that i have is that I'm starting to think that she is right. It is ridiculous for me to spend that percentage of my disposable income on air conditioning. So, I have decided to at least try to move toward Deb's 34. Sunday night I moved my thermostat to 85 and ducktaped the control. I know that is a long way from turning it all the way off but the goal for this month is to get the power bill to $75. When we get to that point we will look at how much I have adjusted or how miserable I am and decide where to go from there.

Camp Sumatanga

I don't think that I have anything to add anything to what Lauren Roden wrote about Sumatanga. I also, dont think I could write it better. So I'm just going to post her thoughts. From Lauren Elizabeth Roden Love is a place, part II... As most of you have heard, our beloved Sumatanga is in need. I don't know about you, but I cannot fathom my life without camp and frankly, I'm not even interested in entertaining that possibility. So, what do we do? From what I understand, camp needs a couple of things to move it toward sustainability. 1. They need people to use their facilities. Schedule your next family/college/high school reunion at camp. Send your kid to camp..send your kid's kid to camp... send your neighbor's kid to camp. 2. They need donations- monetary and in-kind gifts. On their website, they have a list of needed items and potential volunteer projects. If you're looking for a small service project for your kids... have them come out to camp for a day help out. 3. They need you to get the word out... Camp is probably one of our most underused resources in the NAC. I know that everyone is watching their money right now, but this strikes me as one of those times where it is important to consider the intangible value that a healthy Sumatanga brings to the NAC (and the world- as cheesy as that sounds). I have met people from all over the country who have heard of Sumatanga and who know how special it is. Just think about the people you know who are a product of the camping programs at Sumatanga (which is only a small facet of the ministry that camp does). Think about how your life was transformed by your experiences there. Try to put a price on it... As the wise poet Wendell Berry said: So, friends, every day do something that won't compute. Love the Lord. Love the world. Work for nothing. Take all that you have and be poor. Love someone who does not deserve it. Ask the questions that have no answers. Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias. Say that your main crop is the forest that you did not plant, that you will not live to harvest. Practice Resurrection.

My Long Coming Rant on our Current Government Situation

To say that I am frustrated with government right now would be a gross understatement. Whether it is the idiocy of the Jefferson County Commission, whether it is the inability of that Alabama Department of Corrections to hold prisoners, or whether it is the Congressional Leadership's inability to understand the realities of economics and this world, I am blown away.

We are continually told by the Obama government right now that we are in the worst financial shape this country has seen in a century. Since the economic stimulus bill that spent $787 BILLION we have lost 1.6 million jobs around America while the Obama White House crows that the money has helped save or created 150,000 jobs. I know that this is insensitive to write, but I would rather have my $787 billion back and let go of the 150,000 jobs. (787,000,000,000 divided by 150,000 = $5,246,666.66 PER JOB.)

For years I have had my liberal friends tell me how ridiculous it is to believe in the theory of trickle down economics. They have talked about the Reagan administration and the first Bush administration lining the pockets of Big Business on the backs of the poor. My question today is, "Why are you not screaming about us handing out $787,000,000,000 to businesses with almost no results?" The answer is simple: Barack Obama is writing the checks. If the name Bush, or Reagan were on the bottoms of these checks we would be inundated with article after article and story after story about the Auto Bailout being about nothing other than trying to make sure that we consumed plenty of oil so that Bush's oil friends could get rich.... where are these stories? Why is no one asking why this money has had little or no effect on the economy?

Also, have you read that Congress is this week working on a bill that will tax health care incentives? Yes, the money will go to continue our ramp up toward socialized medicine. Nomatter whether you are for or against this, lets take a moment to think this out.... We are in the midst of the worst economic downturn in history (a line from Obama himself). We are spending $787,000,000,000 so that we can save jobs, take some burden off struggling businesses and get the economy on its feed. And in the middle of this we are going to put ANOTHER tax on these businesses and add ANOTHER cost to each employee that they have? How does this make sense? How does it make sense to make each employee more expensive? Can anyone else guess where this is headed? More layoffs? So you might ask, why would Congress to this? The answer is easy: THEY DO NOT CARE. They really don't. They are so focused in on making sure that they can pass through their agenda that they are willing to cripple the economy of the country to get there. If the majority of Americans wanted a socialized health care system and if we can find a way to pay for it, then lets do it.

But if we can't pay the bills already and we are in a state of economic panic, how does it make sense to be expanding the financial obligations of the government?

I hate to point to Jefferson Co., Alabama as an example of ANYTHING, but they are going through the same thing that the Federal Government is. They have overextended themselves with promises and services and now that revenue has decreased they are having to find a way to simply survive. They are not trying to expand their services. Quite the opposite. They are looking at every single department that they are running and they are cutting everything that is "non-essential". Why is the federal government not doing the same thing? Why are we not seeing Social Security offices being consolidated to save administrative costs? Why are we not seeing programs that, while worthy, are luxury things not being cut?

DEA, FBI, AFT- cut it in half. Drug enforcement and law enforcement is important, but at times like these you have to get rid of the fat and run on what is only completely necessary.

Post Office - Each town in America no longer needs a stand alone Post Office. Lets consolidate some of them, make the routes more efficient, and don't deliver the mail on Saturday.

National Parks - cut the funding. Protect the land, get rid of the crap.

NO MORE PORK - No more funding for local projects. No subsidies for the World Ketchup Museum. No more town parks or federal grant money for local non-essential building projects.

Each level of administration should cut staffing. Each Senator and Representative can drop 1 or 2 aides. Each Cabinet position can cut staffing by 10%. I know these seem like trivial cuts, but when you multiply this over the enormity of the federal government it adds up.

Why is this not being done? Because Congress can't run the risk of you realizing that you don't really need all these things. If we were to do well without all of those things we might actually demand smaller government.

Want to get upset about your personal tax rate? Go to your boss and have them quit withholding things from your check. You save it all in an account and April 15th of next year write one check for your taxes. All of a sudden it is going to hurt to realize that you made $50,000 and Congress took $18,000 of it. You don't care right now because it doesn't hurt. You don't miss it because you never had it. If tax day was about you having to write the whole thing you would have a stroke and their would be rebellion in the streets.

Please do not read this as a total and complete assault on Barack Obama or the Democratic party alone. I don't believe for a minute that the Republican's or John McCain would have done much of anything different. They would have used the same playbook and gotten the same results. I am not against the government helping people, but we can only do those things when we have the money to do it. This idea that we will just keep spending and hope for the best is idiocy. Anyone who has ever balanced their checkbook knows that at some point you have to make some decisions about what is the most important. Sometimes that means cutting things out of your budget that were worthwhile, and even important. But you have to first keep the lights on and keep the house paid for. When things get better we will start adding in the other stuff again .

The Field of Dreams

The second stop on our Midwestern Adventure was just as cool as the first. We didnt' spend as much time there. Mainly because it is a place where you come, you take it in an you experience it, and then you leave. There was a calming feeling on that field and there was a respect that everyone showed, but it remained unspoken.

I couldn't believe on the ride to Dyersville that I never saw a single sign or mention of the Field of Dreams. I kept waiting for billboards or at least little arrows that had been attached to telephone polls, but there was nothing. It almost got to the point that you started to question whether or not you were going in the right direction. You are going down a very narrow, cheaply paved country road until you are right on it, then you see the first mention of the place, right next to the long driveway. 

It is incredible to believe that the people who own this spot that attracts 65,000 visitors a year have resisted the urge to make this a tourist trap. They have gone out of their way to let the field be what it is. There isn't an attempt to "recreate the magic" or try to pull you in to stopping and wasting a bunch of money. The owner, who lives in the house and keeps the grounds said that he only wants people who really wanted to be here to come. He doesn't want someone to see a sign and make a quick stop through. He wants people to come because they made the decision to be there. There is something rare in that philosophy (and there is a sermon in there).

I can't explain the feeling that you have as you walk around that feel. It isn't dissimilar to the feeling you have walking into the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris or walking into a sanctuary of your youth. There is history there. There is an unspoken respect that transcends any rules that could be posted. 

Late May is not the best time to go if you are wanting the full experience. The corn had only been in the ground for a few weeks so it hadn't grown more than 6 or 8 inches above the ground.  I would have like to walk out of the corn, and I might if I ever return. 

Walking around the field was an interesting experience for me. I can't remember the last time that I actually walked on a baseball field. I'm sure that it was sometime in high school or early in college.

As I walked through the outfield and around the bases I found that my memories were not of Braves games that I had seen, or Barons games that I grew up with. My memories weren't of ghosts that I saw play on this field or of the legends that they represented. My memories were of the fields of the Hoover Baseball park. I thought back to the 1994 Edition of the 9 and 10 year old Dodgers. I thought about the coaches who had picked me to be on their team and had been patient with me when they realized they had wasted a pick. I thought about my mom and dad and the countless hours that we had spent at ballparks. I thought a moment about my first pouch of Big League Chew and the little tickets we got after the game that entitled us to a coke and hot dog from the concession stand. 

Overall, it was a great stop. A place that I will remember fondly, and a place I will return one day with a son. 

SPAM and The Great Midwestern Adventure

I don't know why it has taken me so long to pause and tell you about the greatest adventure of my life so far. It was an adventure that took me and the regionally famous Jeff Moore through 7 states and laid us at the doorstep of two American treasures. Many of you followed our adventure on both Facebook and Twitter. For 16 hours you guessed, pondered, and pontificated on where we could possibly be heading to. Many of you profiled me as th fat guy and automatically assumed I had to be going to Chicago for pizza. You were wrong (but only because I hadn't thought of it at that point). Many of you thought we were heading to St. Louis for Barbecue or the Budweiser plant. Again, wrong, but both were quality guesses. I think my favorite guess was from Scott Coats who at one point was convinced that I was headed to Hannibal, Missouri to visit the birthplace of Mark Twain. Again, great guess, and a worthy destination, but in the end we were only passing through Hannibal.

Our travels took us to Austin, Minnesota. Austin is the home of a corporation that has single handedly fed millions and millions of American at home and abroad. More than feeding people, it has also provided America with one of the most recognizable products in the history of our beloved Democracy. Austin is the home of the Hormel Corporation which took potted meat to a whole new level when it debuted SPAM to the American public in the 1930's.

Jeff and I made it our quest to visit the home of SPAM and tour the SPAM Museum.

SPAM might be just a joke to you, but to the people of Minnesota it is their contribution this great Union we call America.

SPAM has allowed us to fight foreign wars and defeat the likes of Stalin, Hitler, and Hussein. Without SPAM servicemen and women around the world would have been forced to the battlefield without the protein necessary to defend our liberties. 

When we arrived at the Museum, our Tour Guide, Lonny (pictured to the right) couldn't believe that #1, we would drive 1250 miles one way to just see the SPAM Museum. Or #2, we would actually wear that SPAM costume in the museum. Lonny explained to us how many people had been employed by the Hormel Corporation over the years and how the picture shown to the right is a tribute to those people. That large picture is made up of thousands of smaller pictures of Hormel employees that date back almost a century.

I dont' think any of the people really knew what to think as they encountered us on our journey our talked to us. Those who called and who contacted us throught Twitter and Facebook continued over and over to ask one question. "Why SPAM?". Our answer. "Why Not?". Seriously. How many of you continue to go to the same beach every year and stay in the same condo you have always stayed in so that you can go and eat at the same restaurants that you have always eaten in. How many of you can say that you won the SPAM EXAM? Well I can.

That's right. I won the 10 question Trivia contest offered in the museum (as a side note: Jeff won second place). After answering 9 out of 10 questions correctly, I am now a Champion of SPAM EXAM.  

I really wish I had won a shirt or something that would help normal, everyday people on the street recognize my intellect and my expertise on SPAM. 

You laugh? Who would want to know? I can't even begin to tell you how many people have approached me in the last two weeks and started a conversation by saying, "When you went to the SPAM place, did they explain to you _____________?" SPAM is one of those magical things in life that no one wants to admit intrigues them. Why that color? Whats the deal with the jelly stuff on the outside? Is it really safe to eat it raw? How long can it sit on the shelf before it goes bad? There is no longer a need for you to be embrassed. Ask your question. I am here, at your disposal.

Tomorrow, I will recap our second destination. Dyersville, Iowa. The Field of Dreams

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired

I'm tired of being lied to, and quite frankly I think that its time someone be held accountable for it. It started with the Bush Administration's stimulus package and bail out that told us all that these measures would make sure that the economy did not slide into recession. That seemed to work well, oh wait, no, it didn't work at all. Then the Obama Administration comes riding in and gives yet another Stimulus bill and an Automotive Bailout. We were all told that if we would finance the poor management of these companies it would prevent the catastrophic: Automakers going into bankruptcy. How has that worked for us?

In the last two weeks we have found out that Chrysler is going out of business and there are dealerships around the country shutting down on top of the Chrysler plant workers losing their jobs. GM announces today that they are going into bankruptcy and they are working on a quick sale deal to the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. Didn't we already buy this company once 90 days ago?

If we gave BILLIONS and BILLIONS to keep these companies open and they have not been able to do that, I DEMAND that the shareholders of these companies received NOTHING in bankruptcy and the federal government should get every bit of the money back. Whatever they can't pay back the government should receive and hold for no longer than 60 days, at which time it would sell the company back to the employees and a new management structure. This would help salvage some of the jobs, allow the iconic companies to remain (at least in name) and help the tax payers recoup some of the money that has been lost.

Watch what happens in the next couple of days. No one in the national media (except for a couple of the normal truth tellers) will ever ask why we spent all this money if it didn't even come close to working. What will happen to these Presidential "Analysts" that were so far off? Will we turn to them again when we need economic forecasts? Who were the people that were screaming that this would not work? (besides me).

The overall lesson in this is that government is not the answer. There is no reason that all of these companies should not have been sent to bankruptcy at the beginning of the year for reorganization. There would have been some lay offs and there would have been some closing of plants, but each company would have gotten to renegotiate their contracts, and they would have been leaner and more profitable companies that could compete in the local economy.

This is not a critique of the Obama Administration. This is a critique of the federal government. I have full faith that if John McCain had won the election, he too would have provided the bailout to the Auto company.

We have a problem in America. We have a lack of accountability, and we have been taught that when life gets hard we don't have to trim our lifestyles or our companies. We don't have to pick up extra jobs or eat a little bit more rice and beans. We have been trained that the government is going to swoop in and save us. WAKE UP. The government can't save us, because the government itself has pushed it to the point that it can barely survive itself.

Exhausted

There is one word that really sums up how I feel right now. Exhausted. This time of year always wears me out because I’m gearing up for the summer. Camp is coming, vacations bible school is coming and there just seems to be more things to do that are dragging me here and there. That coupled with the end of the semester just wears me out. I finished the semester yesterday and I can say with certainty that I am as burned out with school as I have ever been. I’m taking the summer off and going to try to get my head back on and relax some before the fall. This is going to be a good summer, I feel it.

David graduates from Birmingham Southern tomorrow. It absolutely blows my mind that my younger brother is graduating from college and is gearing up to get married. I’m not sure what it is that has made this so real for me the in the last couple days, but its just weird. I don’t know how many of you know David, but he is worth knowing. He seems by far to be the most driven Miller to do great things. He has a work ethic like no individual I have ever met. If there were a Miller Family “Most Likely to Succeed” David would win it. What would Donald win? “Most Likely to Show up in Lifetime original Movie”. I think this would be a fun blog for next week. Miller Family Who’s Who. Ima come back to that.

I’m really content with my life right now. I am not even close to accomplishing the goals I have set, but I’m making just a little bit of progress every day and I think as I get closer I gain more confidence and its has created a snowball. I think I’ll call it my Snowball of Happiness and Contentment.

Next week I will reveal my new website that will host all my pictures, blog, and other fun stuff. I’m shooting to incorporate all the things that are on my blogs with some of the stuff that I do on Facebook. I’m also going to try to make it helpful for people at church. Church calendar, announcements, contacts, etc. This might be a step in the direction of a church website, but I dont really have the time to go after that right now, so I’ll start it off my personal site and see how much interest and how helpful it is before I make a commitment like that. I have gotten a lot of it done yesterday and today, but I’m going to try to do a bit more before I unveil it. I reserved the address. The address will be www.umcmatt.com. I’ll let you know when its running.

Goodnight.

States Rights? In Montana?

An interesting post by Apopkasnakeranch. (He has links if you are interested in seeing the actual bill, etc)

Evidently Montana has passed a State law that declares all guns, accessories and ammunition that is manufactured used and kept in Montana as "legal". This basically undoes all Federal gun laws in the State of Montana because the Feds have no jurisdiction. The only way they have had jurisdiction in the past is through the Interstate Commerce clause. 

This is going to force a showdown with the Federal government over this issue and the larger issue of Federal intervention in state matters.

Should be fun to watch.

Too Hot To Fish, Too Hot For Golf, and Too Cold in This Classroom

I am beginning to get very concerned about this summer. I have enjoyed the nicer weather, but I really hope that the high temperatures are not an indicator of what is to come for the summer.

Bea Arthur
I've tried several times to write and post a tribute to one of my true loves that has gone on to her reward, Bea Arthur. Me and Donald are sending flowers, and the card attached will say, "Thank you for being a friend. The Millers, BIrmingham, Alabama".



Happy 100 Days!
Well, Barack Obama has been the President for 100 days. We are still here and basic services are still operating. Overall, I have not been any more displeased with him than I was with W there are the end. The only thing that bothers me is that Obama must think that I'm an idiot. We just spent $1 Trillion which was added to the national deficit, and at the same time he is talking about his "comprehensive look at government" and his pledge to cut the national debt by $1 Trillion over the next 10 years. Translation:" I'm about to spend a ridiculous amount of money, but if you let me do it, after that I'll get serious and I'll start getting us back to fiscal discipline."

It's kind of like a husband saying to his wife, "I'm about to cheat on you, but don't worry because once I get this out of my system I will immediately turn my attention to our marriage and getting it back to where it should be".

If we are spending $1 Trillion now, and we are looking to save $1 Trillion over 10 years, would it not be easier to just not spend the money now? . If we need to spend a bunch of money, do it and tell me you are doing it. If we are going to try to cut the deficit, tell me and do it. Don't try to make me think you are doing both at the same time. I'm dumb, but I'm not stupid. I'm just saying.

I Saw God Yesterday
I hate it when I see opportunities to live the faith that I hold, but manage to find ways to blow it. It happened last night. There was a mute homeless guy in the restaurant we were eating in and he came up with a piece of paper asking me to buy him something to eat. I brushed him off but eventually decided that I was going to do it, so I called the waitress over and told her to cook the guy a pizza and take it to him, but not to tell him who bought it.

The waitress told me that he was in there all the time and that I shouldn't do it because he was scamming me and she talked me out of doing it. I didn't really think about it again until I was in the car going home and it hit me, "Why did I let a waitress decide if someone was hungry?" I'm not sure how it happened, but I'll go back next week and hope he is there. I won't get talked out of it again.

So, About My Foot

Some of you are aware that I spent the majority of Wednesday afternoon in the Emergency Room at Methodist Hospital in Memphis.

I was eating lunch at Outback after class with Kim Johnson, April Watson, and Jennifer Sheffield. A good time was had by all and we had paid and were beginning to wrap things up and head back to the seminary. Thats when I heard behind me "oh %$&*" and then felt a cold sensation hit my back and legs and I felt glass hit my flip flop covered feet. You ever have something like that happen where you just sit there for a second, but in your mind you think and think and it seems like a longer time than it really is? You are 1) trying not to scream 2) trying to let what just happened process in your mind so your fully appreciate your predicament and 3) attempting to compose yourself and quickly remind yourself that verbal and physical altercations are not viable options.  Anyway, thats what I did. I decided in that instant that I was not going to kill this waiter.

When I went to stand up and turn around there was a small shard of glass in my flip flop that promptly went into my heel.  Thats when I forgot about #1. I yelled out in pain and you would be SHOCKED, I mean SHOCKED,  at how quickly a manager can appear when a tea covered customer screams out in pain. 

I sat back down and attempted to pull the little piece out of my foot with my hand hoping that it wasn't going to be a big deal, but all I managed to do is cut my finger on the little piece of glass. 

I can't begin to tell you how bad that manager wanted my bleeding, tea drenched, red faced butt out of his restaurant. He paid for my lunch (Sidebar: How ironic is it that this is the one time in my life I wasn't hungry when I went in and I only bought a $5.41 appetizer? Do you know how many times I've dropped $30 in there? Smited again). He got my information and gave me his card and I kid you not, his insurance agent was on my cell phone before I was a mile toward the hospital assuring me that there was no need to escalate this and that they would be more than happy to offer me a settlement "after my serious physical needs" were met. 

To wrap the story up quickly, I sat in the Emergency Room and they brushed out what they could and told me that the rest of it wasn't worth digging in my foot for. It will either work its way out or it will calcify and I will just live with a piece of glass in my foot forever. Either way within a week I should have no pain. 

Moral of the story: If you are going to wear flip flops into Outback, order something expensive. Don't let them get away with a $5 comp.

American Community Survey

Are you kidding me? Have you heard of this ridiculous tool that the government is forcing to me fill out?

I got the survey in the mail a few weeks ago and it was addressed to "Resident", so I did what I always do in that situation. I through it into the garbage can. When it came the second time addressed to "Resident" with a letter explaining that I had to fill it out, I through it away again. THEN, they send it FEDEX!!! Are you kidding me? I had to sign for the thing. I looked over the survey and it was wanting to know what I did, where I worked, the address of my employer, how much I made, how I paid the rent, how much my water bill is, etc. Why does the government need to know those things?

I called the 1800 number on the website because I have never heard of this before and it was soon explained to me that I am LEGALLY OBLIGATED to fill out this survey and return it, and if I do not I am going to be fined up to $500!!!!!!!!!!

I am not going to "go off" and explain why this is a ridiculous use of my tax money. Nor will I go off and explain why this is an invasion of my privacy. Nor will I go off and explain why I feel like the governments involvement in my life is becoming more than oppressive.