The Cost of Success

We all define success in different terms. For many people, especially men, success often seems to be measured in terms of prosperity and influence. The world tells us to work hard, pay our dues, make sacrifices and the American dream of prosperity and financial security can be ours. True enough, there is ample opportunity in this country for most people to realize their American dream in those terms. However, far too often people sacrifice their families in the pursuit of that success. We rationalize that we’re doing it for them, but when our work focus nudges our loved ones aside it can become self-serving and, in the end, it preys on the very people we intended it to benefit. Some people can balance work and home, but there are always choices and trade offs to make in that balancing act. When we begin to trade our families for financial success we might need to take a step back to reexamine our priorities. We can argue that the money is all for them, but in the end real love is always spelled T.I.M.E. When men become the CEO or the Chairman of the Board, but lose their wives or estrange themselves from their children what have they really accomplished. Clearly none of us are perfect, but we all need to take a step back now and again to reconsider our priorities. Otherwise we may find ourselves so entangled in our lives outside the home that we can become strangers to it. As an example of this point I’m going to make it personal by sharing an excerpt from my own father’s unpublished memoirs:

“… in 1967, I began to realize that my business interests and activities, coupled with politics, had led me to increasingly give away more and more of my time and of myself to other people and other causes. Due to the fact that my children were perfect and my wife was a saint, it was so much easier to let other people influence me into these activities for the good of one cause or another, and the most important one of all to me, was to be sufficiently successful so that I could provide for them in an appropriate way. We had been moving up the ladder financially due to these efforts, but that began to look shallow to me compared to the lack of time I was able to spend with them … By early 1968 I was of a mind to sever our marital ties, simply on the grounds that she, being a few years younger than me, could find a husband she deserved a great deal more. It was not a desire to be noble, but I did recognize that I had involved myself in a web of commitments to so many people, in both business and politics, that it would not be easy to extricate myself. I finally convinced her that this was the appropriate thing to do, although she never really agreed to it. And I was acting substantially against the advice of my then closest friend, a prominent Newport Beach psychiatrist who convinced me I either had to give up everything else in order to do right by my family or turn aside to my dreams of being able to be more successful for their benefit. Rightly or wrongly, I chose to secure a divorce.”

So, you see, even in my own family the lure of success and outside commitments became stronger than the bond of commitments at home … even though the family was the initial reason for all of the hard work and outside commitments. In my case I see it as all having worked out for the best, but divorce affects each person differently and also creates a legacy we pass on to our children. They are the unwilling heirs of our success and failure on the home front. In order to illustrate a different perspective, I offer a poem which was written by my younger brother, Scott Carpenter. This poem captures eloquently a recurring dream he had when he was younger and offers valuable insight into a child’s perspective on the choices some people make in order to achieve their particular brand of success.

The Vat
When I was six I had a dream
that my dad took my mom and me
to the warehouse where men work.
It was all dark except for one door
in the side where you could walk out.
In the middle were some stairs that
led up to a giant vat of waste or acid
or something, and at the top of the stairs
partly in the dark stood the devil.
No one said anything but I knew that if
my dad jumped into the vat then the devil
would let my mom and me go free.
The last thing I remember was my dad
standing up on the stairs next to the devil
looking down into the giant vat, and I
remember my mom and I just stood there
silently, staring at their shadows and the vat.
My mom and I got away so he must have
jumped in. I guess he must be a hero.

That was when my dad left home for good.
He didn't really die. That was only a dream.
And He didn't really jump into the vat
of industrial waste. He just had work to do.
Now that I'm grown up I still have the dream
sometimes. When I wake I think about how
quiet and normal it seemed around the devil.
The warehouse isn't so scary or strange.
And now I have a little boy of my own.
He comes to visit me at the office sometimes.
I give him candy and let him play at my desk.
I still haven't told him about the vat.
By Scott Carpenter

When we look at it from that perspective, it reminds us of how our choices affect other people and how their perspectives thereon may be entirely different. We all have our lives to live and many of us are already living with the consequences of decisions which may or may not have brought about the results we desired. What I do know is that our spouses and children are the most precious commodities we possess and we must carefully consider anything which might trade away some part of them, or our relationships with them, for the promise of success … even if they are the intended beneficiaries thereof. In the end what our families desire more than all the stuff in the world is our hearts. We must not, therefore, allow our hearts to become divided.

In conclusion, I hope and pray that we all might weigh our priorities and make our decisions accordingly. I certainly have not done everything right, not by a long shot. However, I would not trade the love of my wife or the respect of my children for any material thing on this earth. We don’t have a lot of stuff, but in the true essentials of life I’m the richest man I know. Each of us must choose our own path, but let us always keep in mind the potentially high cost of success … and the immeasurable value of the loved ones who will share it with us.

A Grateful Nation

There was such a huge response to my July 4th entry I decided to expand briefly upon that theme, especially since I came up with another poem I wish to share. I began writing this poem on Memorial Day, but it never came to fruition. However, I became re-inspired on July 4th and it finally came together. I have had several military friends serving in the Middle East in recent years and have seen first hand the price they paid personally in order serve our country in that way. Regardless of how you may feel about the war, the politics or our national leadership, I charge each American to extend the respect and gratitude our men and women in arms deserve. They are doing their job and their duty, often at great personal cost and inconvenience to themselves and their loved ones. They do so just as our fathers and grandfathers did when they responded to duty’s call in the great wars of the past. And as before, they are fighting not so much to defend our current borders, but the ideals which those borders represent. It must be noted as well that our soldiers have fought and bled and died on foreign soil time and again, while we have never asked for any more new territory than that required to burry our dead.

On Memorial Day we remember those you have made the ultimate sacrifice for this great nation. On July 4th we celebrate the birth of our nation and the founding principles which make it so great. On all the days in between, however, may we continue to remember those who guard our beloved freedom and champion the rights others who deserve those selfsame freedoms. May all those who proudly wear the uniforms of the United States military, who are our heroes, instruments and emissaries, receive the respect they deserve and ever feel the earnest appreciation of a grateful nation.

A Grateful Nation
How little do I understand
Here, so safe and far away
The sacrifices you have made
And the meaning of this day
Never have I risked my life
Or known the kind of loss
Real heroes or their families know
Who pay for freedom’s cost
So here I pause, as each should
To offer up my heartfelt thanks
For those who fought so bravely
And marched in freedom’s ranks
From Lexington and Concord
To Kabul and Baghdad too
You stood for truth and justice
To see your missions through
And the very least you should expect
That you most certainly deserve
Is the gratitude of your nation
And those you so bravely serve
By Frank Carpenter ©

The Forever Factor

I was recently reading Psalm 136, which repeatedly employs the phrase, “His love endures forever.” That got me thinking about the big picture that word forever implies. I’m not quite sure how a finite human mind can even begin to grasp the concept, but suffice it to say that it’s a long time … unimaginably long. With that in mind as a backdrop, I daresay most of us think very little about the future which lies somewhere out there beyond retirement. However, can any of us really afford to ignore that gaping void of eternity future which looms ahead. Let’s call it the “forever factor.” Today, I’d rather speak about this subject in more general terms rather than engage you in a long theological discussion. My observation is that life is relatively short, compared to the magnitude of eternity, so perhaps it behooves us to think and plan towards that inevitable end (or beginning). Our time here can be very distracting and often, before we know it, the years have slipped away and all that time we thought we had left has evaporated. Let us not forget, also, that we have no guarantees about that length of our earthly lives. Usually, I suppose I’m quick to draw conclusions and spout my particular brand of truth, but today I’ll just climb off my soap box and let the great eternal paradox speak for itself. So I l eave you today with food for thought and encouragement to spend some time digesting that food. Don’t take too long, though, because forever is a really long time and none of us can be sure exactly when it’s scheduled to begin.

If you have any questions or thoughts on this subject, I encourage your response. Also, Remember to include your own email address if you’d like me to respond to you. Have a great day … and may you be blessed with many more.

The Shortness of Time
We are so easily entangled
In the daily rituals of life
Wooed into marching with the others
When we hear the drum and fife
Until our time grows so congested
With commitments we have made
That they rule our private worlds
And things eternal seem to fade
We forget about our first love
The God we say we care about
We slowly nudge Him to the background
Until He's shut completely out
Wake up! What are we doing?
These things we've let monopolize
Are merely meaningless diversions
It's time we finally realize
That only the things eternal
Matter in the larger scheme
We must not let the world seduce us
With its promises and dreams
We must shake ourselves and understand
And train ourselves to see
The shortness of the time we have
And the magnitude of eternity
By Frank Carpenter ©

Independence Day and The Declaration of Independence

Well, here we are at another 4th of July. Mostly we shall celebrate this holiday with fireworks and the consumption of great quantities of hot dogs and potato salad. Indeed, with all of the activity, it would be easy to forget exactly what this day is really about. However, on that fateful day 230 years ago when members of the continental congress signed the original Declaration of Independence something amazing began. Those delegates of the original thirteen colonies who signed that document might well have been signing their own death warrants for treason against the British crown. Fortunately, they were victorious in their war for independence and their little experiment in democracy is still going strong today. Furthermore, it has become the example of freedom worldwide over these past two centuries. So let us not take too lightly the gift of our own freedom or the price that has been paid to purchase it for us. Enjoy your fireworks and family fun, but pause for a moment sometime during the holiday to remind your friends and loved ones why we are celebrating. There are still many regimes, even in this modern world, which deny basic freedoms to their people. We owe ours to a small group of courageous men who dreamed of a better life and began the revolution that won it for us. We should all thank God for their foresight and wisdom, as well as the precious and sacred blood which was spilled to purchase their vision for all of us. Along with my own poem on the subject, I have also included below the text of the Declaration of Independence and I encourage you to read it over and share it with others. We need to remember what we have and what they fought so valiantly for. We are the heirs of liberty and we have an obligation to preserve and protect it. Enjoy your 4th of July and may it also be a day of thanksgiving as well. God bless America … and let freedom ever ring in the hearts of men.

Song of Freedom
Still ringing are the battle cries
Of freedom from the past
Sung out by brave young men who spilled
Their blood and breathed their last
Still waving is the flag
They proudly served and held aloft
Yet, we must be ever wary
Lest our resolve grows dim and soft
Our children need to know the legacy
Of freedom which is theirs
As the gauntlet passes on to them
For they are freedom's heirs
Sons and daughters of a liberty
Which was born of trial and strife
Paid for dearly by the countless men
Who gave both limb and life
We must keep the fire burning
May we never let it die
So our children's children's children
Know the sound of freedom's cry
It's not enough to just be born here
We have to guard our liberty
And pass it on so generations
In the future will be free
By Frank Carpenter ©

And here is the text of the Declaration of Independence:

“IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refuted his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred. to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. --And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
… and that’s how it all began, 230 years ago. May we ever let freedom ring.

And, if you’ve bothered to read this far, you deserve a bonus poem, which is one of my personal favorites on this subject:

The Voice of Freedom
I am the voice of freedom
The words of Franklin and Jefferson
The cry of Patrick Henry
And the cheers of the minutemen
Mine was the pen of Francis Scott Key
In the battle of Baltimore
As he saw the stars and stripes flying
At dawn on that smoke shrouded shore
I was at Vicksburg and Shiloh
Harpers Ferry, Pea Ridge and Bull Run
Lincoln spoke of me at Gettysburg
After that bloody battle was done
I was sung by immigrants
As they passed the Statue of Liberty
I was heard in the trenches of France
And I returned at Normandy
Twice, I spread across Europe
As my oppressors fell and fled
Rising out of the hearts of men
Who thought I was left for dead
Even today, I linger
Upon the lips of those who are just
Who right the wrongs of evil men
By making the sacrifices they must
Whenever a people downtrodden
Dare to whisper a prayer of me
Wherever a tyrant is toppled
By the ideals of democracy
I will be there, upon their lips
In the step, in the heart, in the eyes
Of those who struggle against oppressors
For I am their battle cry
I resound throughout the nations
Overcoming both doubt and fear
I am the voice of freedom
The voice all men long to hear
By Frank Carpenter ©

Anchors Aweigh

I have had the great honor and pleasure of participating in the lives of many fine young men and it’s always interesting to observe as they choose their path through life and embark upon it. Those feelings are especially poignant today, as two young friends depart to attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. They are heading off to pursue their higher education, but they have also chosen a lofty and more difficult path as well. Rather than just heading off to college, they will begin with an exhausting summer of boot camp and indoctrination. They will receive one of the finest educations available and then they will be obligated to five years of service as naval officers. It’s a great education, but it’s certainly not a free education. However, I deeply respect their commitment and patriotism. It’s no surprise that these fine young men were both Eagle Scouts and come from strong, religious, conservative and supportive families. I am sure that I will have more to write about them later, but today we just want to wish them good luck, best wishes and farewell! So to Jon and Brandon, I join your families and friends in offering a prayerful, respectful and hearty “Anchors Aweigh!”

Anchors Aweigh
Dear brave young man we have known you
As your family and your friends
Since the commencement of your childhood
Where each man’s story must begin
We have watched with satisfaction
As you grew in every way
To the very brink of manhood
At this, your own induction day
You’ve flourished as a scholar, as an athlete
A brother, friend and son
And as an ambassador for Jesus
Yet those years formative are done
We have known from the beginning
That you were wrought of sterner stuff
That the well-trod path so many choose
Might not prove challenging enough
Indeed, as long as we remember
You have strived for something more
As visions of a different calling
Beckoned from a distant shore
You set your sights upon that calling
The one so few men know or see
Forwarding your application
To the US Naval Academy
And that lofty institution
Which accepts so very few
Promptly returned the compliment
By their acceptance of you
So now we stand together
We who know and love you so
At this juncture on your path through life
As you prepare to go
Behind lie all things familiar
With eighteen years of memories
While the course ahead must surely lead
Through as yet uncharted seas
Yet we trust the firm foundation
You have laid in life thus far
Shall serve to keep you on an even keel
When life’s tempests test your spars
And remember, as you travel
From youth, family and your home
That wherever life may lead you
You shall never be alone
For our hopes and dreams and fervent prayers
Will ever go with you
As will the guiding hand of God
Regardless what you choose to do
So as you loose your mooring lines
And toss them on the quay
Unfurling your new set of sails
As on the sheet you heave away
Look back upon us fondly
For as such will be our gaze
Then turn to sail courageously
From these protected bays
You were born to face the challenges
Reserved for but the best
Still we know that you are up to task
And ready for the test
We honor the achievements
Of your past high school career
Yet they are just the launching point
Of where you’ll go from here
And we can scarce imagine
Where the coming years may lead
But there is little doubt that they
Shall be remarkable indeed
So give your life and service
Everything you have to give
Young man, we are all so proud of you!
May God bless each day you live!
By Frank Carpenter ©

Fathers Day

Well, here we are on Fathers Day. Like most holidays on the calendar, this one is set aside to honor a particular group of important people which I have the great honor and pleasure to count myself among. My own children are far away and, since it was a busy morning just getting out the door to church, I didn’t give much thought to the occasion until the Fathers Day service began. Once it got under way, however, the full spectrum of emotions began to descend upon me. First of all, I was suddenly missing my own grown children and feeling nostalgic about past Fathers Days with little kids around to add their special magic. Those thoughts were heightened by the fact that just yesterday we were cleaning out old boxes in the garage and I had stumbled upon old Fathers Day art they had created in Kindergarten and First Grade. It’s tough to top those kinds of memories. This day is also somewhat somber because it reminds me of my own father, who passed away at the end of 2003. I don’t think about him every day, but there are certain days like this one which can be quite difficult for me. This is especially true because we had a very rich and long standing Fathers Day tradition with another family at an amazing estate up in the hills. That tradition continued for the last few years, even after his passing, but it was discontinued this year. Even when I was young, my dad wasn’t always around that much and during his later years he often lived far away. However, he usually came into town for Fathers Day, which I believe was more important to him even than Christmas. Now I find that losing him, along with our recently discontinued celebration, leave an enormous hole in this day for me. All that being said, I have also been blessed with the most amazing step-dad in history. He came into my life at exactly the right moment and filled all the gaps in my own father’s shortcomings during the formative years of my youth. I’m clearly and unabashedly opposed to divorce and I know that it causes significant emotional damage to a great many children. Somehow, however, God brought me through all that unscathed and gave me the perfect second dad. My real father was the distant and stern disciplinarian, the classic mythical father of that generation, but he didn’t excel at passing on all of the day to day lessons of life. My step-father, on the other hand, turned out to be the expert in that area. He is the shining example of love and devotion who was at the dinner table every night and participated in every imaginable and inconvenient activity we could dream up to test him with. And in that sense, he is just as much my dad. Perhaps the most important lesson I learned from him for my own parenting is that fathers are made of blood, but dads are made of love. While this day is poignant in its sorrow for me personally, because of my loss, there is also great consolation in the fact that I have been twice blessed with fathers. Most men cannot claim to have found such good fortune. Now I realize many folks may read this who come from homes with painful memories and may not even feel as though they were blessed with one good father. There is, however, ample opportunity to celebrate other relationships around us. We’ve all had mentors and other family members who have participated in fatherly roles. We can also honor wonderful fathers in our extended families and acquaintances, as well as being good fathers ourselves. Even if we didn’t receive an honorable legacy in this area, we do have the opportunity to pass one on to our own children. That is the choice all of us can make. In conclusion, I must simply wish a happy Fathers Day to all of you and encourage you to show appreciation to the men in your life who are so deserving of it. All the best to you! God bless and farewell for now.

Gentleness

Of all the virtues, perhaps the least considered is that of gentleness. Nor do you find it praised much in the news or popular media for these are venues reserved primarily for the loud and the proud. Indeed gentleness, by its very nature, does little to call attention to itself. It is usually focused upon others and, therefore, may often be overlooked entirely. However, I have known some amazing men and women who exuded the virtue of gentleness, usually wearing it with grace and dignity. For there is a strength in gentleness which the world often overlooks. It isn’t the thundering strength of war machines or the redundant prattling of a noisy media. Rather it is the kind of quiet strength which patiently shapes the world. Just as solid rocks are slowly broken by the wind and rain and the roots of tiny plants, so gentleness works its way in world … one heart at a time. The rash, the mighty, the selfish; these are the ones who seem to rule the world. However, even though they may conquer and control the world they can never truly win it over. For the world to be truly changed it must be won over, heart and mind. Herein lies the strength of gentleness for it makes the world want to change itself. That is true power, but it can only be wielded by the virtuous, the patient, the loving and the kind. For gentleness, like humility, must well up from within and, likewise, instantly evaporates once self-proclaimed. So take a step back. Calm your spirit and try the higher path of gentleness. You will be amazed at what it can accomplish … and the world might just end up a better place because of it.

Gentleness
There is a strength in gentleness
Not often understood
But the power of a gentle hand
Can do the greatest good
One should never underestimate
The kind and gentle man
Who can change with love and patience
What the cruel one never can
Many a bloody victory
Was won by the iron fist
But victory over the will means naught
If the heart and mind resist
It is only the kind and gentle man
Who wins the heart as well
In the end his love and patience prevail
Thus many a tyrant fell
Brute strength and anger drive away
The real person inside
But the gentle man is a confidant
In whom others seek to confide
His willingness to listen
Also gives him the right to speak
His words are not the words of pride
And are heeded because they are meek
Politics and history
Belong to the selfish and strong
Who love the limelight and the power
And the masses follow along
But down at the root of humanity
Are the real heroes of life
Who change the world one heart at a time
Bringing comfort through trial and strife
Who heal and help and sacrifice
On the front line every day
They make the world a better place
To live and work and play
For it is the kind and gentle man
Who accepts with arms flung wide
The ones who chance to cross his path
Without the prejudice of pride
His contribution might seem small
To those who don't understand
But he is the salt of a hurting world ...
And the instrument of God's hand
By Frank Carpenter ©

Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day. This is the day each year when we, as a nation, celebrate the mortal sacrifices of our service men and women who have lost their lives in defense of this great nation. The exact origin of this tradition remains a little unclear, but it certainly grew out of the Civil War and some type of official celebration began shortly thereafter. At first it was Decoration Day, when the graves of fallen soldiers were decorated to honor them. Then it seems to have grown from there. For those of you interested in such history, I have pasted below what seems to be the actual history of Memorial Day for your further reading. At this time, however, I only wish to encourage any who read these words to remember those who have paid the ultimate price for the freedoms we all enjoy. Remember, also, that brave American men and women are out their risking their lives at this very moment on our behalf. I will not here endeavor to engage anyone on the politics of our current conflicts overseas, except to state our countrymen have died there and continue to live in harm’s way so they, both the living and the dead, deserve all of our honor, respect and support. Today is the day to hang up your flag, to say a prayer, perhaps even make a phone call or write a letter to those who have lost loved ones … or live daily with the fear thereof. Please don’t let this day pass without some act or thought of patriotism and gratitude. To that end, I offer the following poem in honor of those who paid the ultimate price for this great nation and our personal liberties.

Song of Freedom
Still ringing are the battle cries
Of freedom from the past
Sung out by brave young men who spilled
Their blood and breathed their last
Still waving is the flag
They proudly served and held aloft
Yet, we must be ever wary
Lest our resolve grows dim and soft
Our children need to know the legacy
Of freedom which is theirs
As the gauntlet passes on to them
For they are freedom's heirs
Sons and daughters of a liberty
Which was born of trial and strife
Paid for dearly by the countless men
Who gave both limb and life
We must keep the fire burning
May we never let it die
So our children's children's children
Know the sound of freedom's cry
It's not enough to just be born here
We have to guard our liberty
And pass it on so generations
In the future will be free
By Frank Carpenter ©

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.
Information from : http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

Preliminary Thoughts on the Da Vinci Code

Well, this is the long-awaited opening day for “The Da Vinci Code” movie. It promises to be quite an adventure and I’m really looking forward to seeing it. However, there has been a great deal of discussion in both secular and religious circles about many of the refuted historical issues raised in the story. I will certainly wait until after the movie to debate all of the doctrines in question. Nonetheless, I wish to remind my readers, most emphatically, that this movie based upon a work of fiction. Dan Brown’s very popular novel is not a book of history, but a book of historical fiction. That mean’s that he purposely manipulated the facts of history in order to accommodate his plot and story. So when you watch the movie please feel free to enjoy the ride, but always keep in mind that it’s just a movie. The danger is that folks who don’t possess an intimate knowledge of history and/or religion will form doctrinal opinions based upon a thought provoking, though basically false, story. Beware of that pitfall.

That being said, I will endeavor to address some of the more ambiguous discussion points next week … after each of us have had a chance to see the movie. At that time, many of us will have formed some opinions and it may be interesting to see where we all stand. In the mean time, enjoy the movie and the related conversations around the water cooler. In the end, however, my fondest hope is that you shall never look for truth in the fiction isle at your local bookstore or at the movie theater. If you should have any specific questions regarding this subject, please feel free to contact me at the email link above.

A Child's Eyes

Just now I’m sitting on an airplane, somewhere over Arizona or Utah. I was about to pen some wordy commentary about politics. Before I could begin, however, my heart and attention were captured by three small children seated nearby. We smiled and waved and made monster faces at each other and, in the process, I was reminded how amazing the simple joy of a child can be. Suddenly, all my lofty words melted away and seemed utterly unimportant. For what could be more precious or inspirational than the simple laugh of a child. Indeed, right here next to me sat the embodiment of unfettered joy, unspoiled by the prejudice and cynicism which erode the purity of our souls with the passing of time. In a very real way, I was observing the seeds or our future. And it gave me hope.

However old or important you may be, I encourage you to pause along the path of life and interact with children wherever you find them. Treat them with respect. Look into their wondering eyes. Listen to their laughter and songs and let that sweet music penetrate deep into your weary heart. Never let yourself become too busy to care about the most important people in the world, even if they seem to be the smallest ones. For, when seen through their eyes, this tired, dusty, worrisome old world still looks like a magical place filled with unlimited possibilities.

A Child’s Eyes
May I never grow too wise
To see things through a child’s eye
May I always seek the truth
With the innocence of youth
May I learn to love each man
As freely as a child can
May I daily kneel and pray
And with a child’s heart … obey
By Frank Carpenter ©

Mothers Day

Let us not forget that Mothers Day is this Sunday, May 14th. This is a weekend to honor all of our mothers and their contributions to our lives and families. I have been blessed with a wonderful mother, and all the more blessed by being married to an outstanding mother as well. Come to think of it, I even lucked out in the mother-in-law category. I guess I could be said to have won the triple crown of maternal good fortune. In honor of these women who have been so instrumental in my own life and happiness, I offer the follow poem. Feel free to copy my words down if you’d like to use them to express your own feelings to one of the mothers in your life. All that I ask is that you leave my name at the bottom. That being said, some of you have perhaps not had a positive mothering experience- that certainly happens. If you fall into this category, I would still encourage you to offer something positive to your mother or step mother because they went to a great deal of trouble on your behalf and probably love you more than you know. If you can’t even bring yourself to do that, then transfer your best wishes and appreciation to another mother in your life, such as friend or an aunt, and honor their example or treatment of their own children. And what if your mother has passed away? Then I suggest that you honor her memory by sharing her story or love with your own children, nieces, nephews or someone else in your life. We can all do something for this holiday. If you’re one of those cynics who think that all holidays were invented to sell greeting cards and flowers, then don’t prove your point by being a cheapskate and short changing someone you love who’d rather have a card than join your personal protest. Make your own card, cook a big breakfast or do something else creative. The fact is that we should be appreciating mothers every day so don’t waste your opportunity to do so this weekend. In closing, I offer my biggest thanks and mushiest “I love you” to my own wife and the other mothers in my life. May your weekend be a blessed one.

Thank You
I thank you for a thousand little things
Which really aren't so small
And for the countless, thankless jobs
Which upon your shoulders fall
I thank you for the time you take
And for your energy
For the way you balance everything
And how you love the kids and me
I thank you for your gentle touch
And for your helping hand
For always being there for us
And how you seem to understand
There are times to work and cook and clean
And times to simply stop and play
Our kids know they have the funnest mom
Which you prove again each day
Somehow you find a way to do it all
Perhaps far more than you ought to
But we really do appreciate
All those extra things you do
All the things that show how very much
You love the kids and me
And I thank God most every day
For you, and our family
By Frank Carpenter ©

A Final Blessing

To my regular readers, a heartfelt apology for not having posted anything the last week or so. I’ve been a little distracted by family business, but the best kind of business of all. This past weekend our son was married in Missoula, Montana, where he is just graduating from the university. It’s difficult to write from where I am, being somewhere out on the open road between Montana and California, but for any who are interested I offer the poem which I read during the ceremony on Saturday. Usually, I edit out names and genders in my personal writings before posting them in order to broaden their appeal for my audience. However, today I offer this most personal poem just as I recited it during the beautiful outdoor wedding that meant so much to our family.

I’m sure that my family matters are of little interest to many readers. However, weddings play an important part in the life and legacy of any family and serve as valuable milestones for us. These are the times when we gather to celebrate together and renew our kinship with friends and relatives who often live far away. These moments also remind us of some of the most cherished truths in life: the value of relationships, of love and fidelity, and the spiritual aspects of our marriages. We participate as witnesses before God to mankind’s most fundamental institution and have the opportunity to rethink our own vows and what they mean to a lifelong relationship.

So today I close with a wish for all the best to Chris and Lacey as they start their new life together and a big thank you to our new in-laws, the Jacksons, for their wonderful daughter and how much she means to our family. For all the rest of us, let this be a reminder of our own vows and commitments. And wherever you find yourself on the road of life and relationships, always remember that it’s never too late to begin your own happily ever after.

A Final Blessing
All those endless months of planning
And preparing now have passed
And the moment you’ve been waiting for
Is finally here at last
The culmination of your hopes and dreams
The answer to your prayers and plans
Now, here we stand with all your friends
And family near at hand
Just one more kiss and he’ll pronounce
That you are man and wife
Then you’ll turn to walk together
Down the aisle of your life
But before you take that final walk
I feel that you should know
Just how proud we are of each of you
And how we love you so
Our blessing is upon you
Our fondest hopes, our fervent prayers
Wherever life may lead you
Our best wishes follow there
May God grant you love and patience
And a faith which casts off fears
May His Word and wisdom guide you
Through the swiftly flying years
May joy and happiness be yours
May your home a beacon be
Which shines the light of God’s love
And may He bless your family
Dearest Chris and Lacey
Beloved daughter, honored son
Today you leave together
Not as two, but finally one
May you never lose the wonder
Of that most profound mystery
Cherish one another always
And may God grant you unity
May His hand of blessing ever be
Upon the two of you
May every happiness be yours
To last a whole life through
By Frank Carpenter ©

Reflections on Easter Week

Well, if you’re into religious holidays, this is certainly a red letter week. We had Palm Sunday last weekend. Tonight marks the beginning of Passover. Holy Thursday is tomorrow, followed by Good Friday and Easter. Religious holidays, while good reminders of the truth, can often cloud it as well. We are so easily distracted by the food, the fun, the ritual and social aspects of any holiday that it’s easy to leave God out of such a day - even a religious event. All celebrating, church services, egg dying and palm waving aside, I would like to redirect our focus to the person of Jesus Christ, whom we truly celebrate this week. This is the week that dozens of prophetic scriptures were fulfilled through His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday), his eating of the Passover, His betrayal, His mock trial, His death on the cross, and finally His resurrection. We must remember, amidst all the other hoopla, that Jesus is the Son of God, that He actually lived, actually died for our sins, and actually rose from the dead. If any of those facts are untrue, then everything else we celebrate this week is pointless and we might as well sing our hymns to the Easter Bunny. If we do not accept Jesus as our Savior and Messiah, then we are all April Fools and that would be the only relevant holiday. Let us come back to the person of Jesus Christ. A lot of dramatic and public things happened during this, the last week of His life. However, I am most deeply moved by that quiet moment after the Last Supper, and just prior to His betrayal, when He knelt in the garden of Gethsemane and prayed. In that scene of anguish and compassion I most clearly see the Son of God choosing to suffer and die for me personally. Easter is a time to celebrate God’s victory over death, but the foundation of that victory is His great mercy and the sacrifice of His only Son on behalf of an undeserving world. If you have further interest, I have pasted below a partial list of prophesies fulfilled by Jesus during the final week of His life. Have a happy Easter and don’t be an April Fool.

Gethsemane
Jesus knew his time was drawing near
On the eve of that final day
With the weight of the world upon his heart
He came to the garden to pray
He alone knew His Father’s will
And understood His redemption plan
And though He was truly God incarnate
Still, He was fully a man
He knew that pain and suffering
And betrayal were moments away
As He pleaded with God and wept He knew
There simply was no other way
There, in the garden, that fateful night
With the lights of the city in view
Jesus, the Son of God, considered
All that He must go through
The tears of His sorrow freely flowed
That night in Gethsemane
For He understood his path must lead
To the cross at Calvary
He was Christ, the Lord, the King of Kings
Yet, He knelt upon human knees
And willingly chose that night to die
Because of His love for you and me.
By Frank Carpenter ©

Partial list of Prophesies Fulfilled During the Final Week of Jesus’ Life:
Triumphal entry in Jerusalem on a donkey
Zechariah 9:9, Mark 11:7–8, John 12:13–15

Betrayed by a friend
Psalm 41:9, Mark 14:10, 43–45

Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver
Zechariah 11:12, Matthew 26:15

Betrayal money returned for a potter’s field
Zechariah 11:13, Matthew 27:3–10

Accused by false witnesses
Psalm 27:12, Matthew 26:60–61, Mark 14:57

Offers no defense
Isaiah 53:7, Matthew 26:62–63, Matthew 27:12–14

Struck and spat upon
Isaiah 50:6, Matthew 26:67, Mark 14:65, John 19:1–3

Hated without reason
Psalm 109:3–5, John 15:24–25

Soldiers divide His garments and gamble for His clothing
Psalm 22:18, Matthew 27:35

Pierced through hands and feet
Zechariah 12:10, Luke 23:33, John 20:27

Executed with malefactors
Isaiah 53:12, Mark 15:27–28

Agonized in thirst
Psalm 22:15, John 19:28

Given gall and vinegar
Psalm 69:21, Matthew 27:34, 48, John 19:29

No bones broken
Psalm 34:20, John 19:32–36

His side pierced
Zechariah 12:10b, John 19:34

Buried with the rich
Isaiah 53:9, Matthew 27:57–60

Deserted by His followers
Zechariah 13:7, Mark 14:27,Matthew 26:56

Resurrection
Hosea 6:2, Psalm 16:10, Psalm 49:15, Luke 24:6–7

Ascension to Heaven
Psalm 68:18, Luke 24:50–51, Acts 1:11, Ephesians 4:7–10

Counterfeit

As I survey the world we share it becomes quite evident that things are often not as they would seem. In fact, our modern world is full of counterfeits which give us false impressions of beauty and value and skew our thinking in many important areas of life. Perhaps the biggest culprit is our beloved media, which offers movies, television and music for entertainment and enjoyment. These mediums, however, all proffer false realities and downright fiction that affect every part of our world view. For instance, actors, enhanced by surgery, makeup and special effects give us the impression that everyone should look perfect. The result is a whole generation of people who can never live up to such artificial standards. Thus men and women alike live under the judgment this vicious fallacy. One glance at the tabloids or newspapers, however, confirms that no matter how attractive someone appears on screen they are no better on the inside … and often worse. Beauty really is only skin deep, after all. It is much the same with precious stones and metals. With the right lighting, they all look good to the untrained eye. And so it is with many of the things which surround us.

This principle holds true in the spiritual realm of our lives as well. God has provided us with a world of beauty and blessing, but we continue to trade in the real thing for cheap counterfeits which lack intrinsic and lasting value. As mentioned above, our society sacrifices priceless inner beauty and character for temporal external beauty. We stand in line for food that looks and tastes wonderful, yet is terrible for us. We become addicted to various levels of pornography which cheapen the beauty, function and relationship God meant for us to enjoy with one another. We publicly condone and encourage homosexuality which, in my humble opinion, completely deviates from our intended design. We choose earthly pleasure over eternal righteousness. We trust money for security and happiness. The list goes on and on and, and in every case it’s a compromise. In each instance we settle for something less than God intends for us to enjoy in this world. And when we do so, we’re buying a cheap knock off from he who is the evil opposite of God. In a very real sense, then, God intends us for heaven, but we slowly settle for little bits of hell … until we become utterly accustomed to them.

My hope and prayer for us today is that we shall learn not to settle for anything less than the real thing, as it was originally intended. We live in a world of counterfeits. Yet, wise is the one who has faith enough to trust that God only wants the best for each of us.

Counterfeit
Believers know God has a plan
Yet, there is another plan in play
For the evil one is a counterfeiter
Who leads the weak astray
By imitating the good things
That the Lord prepared for us
Perverting them ever so slightly
So that we misplace our trust
He offers lust instead of love
Twists food with gluttony
Makes our work a quest for wealth
Turns blessings to depravity
He strews our path with idols
Of most every shape and size
Which clamor for attention
From our unsuspecting eyes
Tantalizing all our senses
With countless sugar coated lies
The great deceiver draws us into
His fateful web of compromise
Until we can no longer
Distinguish counterfeit from real
Wooed by his empty promises
With all of their appeal
So those who would be faithful
Must guard their hearts and minds
Against the world’s counterfeits
Lest they awake one day to find
That they have bought the bill of goods
The master counterfeiter sold
And traded all God’s blessings
For idols of mere fool’s gold
By Frank Carpenter ©

Television

OK, time for a pop quiz. How many hours of television do you watch per day or week? Don’t be shy because you’re not alone. As a matter of fact, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co., “the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year). In a 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube.” Well, that certainly puts it into perspective. The fact is that most of us watch a great deal of television. Maybe you only watch half as much as the average. That would still put you spending 4 or 5 years of your life in front of the TV. When I think about it like that, I start thinking that something has gone terribly wrong. What could I do with five extra years? Yikes!

Seriously though, when I consider all that life has to offer, I’m amazed at the time we’re willing to spend staring at the old brain box. It makes for an interesting study of our priorities. Now my family doesn’t pay for cable so we only get the alphabet channels, and there was even a time when our kids were younger that we turned the TV completely off for two years. However, it keeps sneaking back into my life and currently plays a fairly prominent role. I’m not exactly saying it’s wrong. However, like other areas of our lives, we have so many good options that we often settle for what may not be the best. (or highest or most honorable) I don’t want to preach too much on this subject so I’ll just offer you my poem, which can be found below and speaks for itself. Below that, you will also find another whole page of national TV watching statistics I came across which I find to be quite disturbing. If you Google the subject and read some of the studies, it’s really rather disconcerting to consider some of the secondary health issue which seem to tie back to all those hours on the sofa. I’ll let you do your own homework if you are interested.

In the meantime, take a moment tonight to consider what all those hours are worth to you and your family. It certainly was a slap in the face when I recently paused to reflect upon my own life and priorities in this area. Television is neither bad nor inherently evil, but it can take over our lives if we’re not careful. Perhaps this is one of those issues where the delicate virtue of moderation is best and wisely applied. In closing, my wish for you today is that your precious hours may be filled with the best that life has to offer and that you may cherish interaction over mere entertainment.

Wasteland
In my living room, a monster lurks
that threatens you and me
And I haven't strength to turn it off
the monster is TV
It fills my precious hours with naught
and charms my senses so
I hardly even realize
where all the evenings go
It baby sits the children
when I need them occupied
While assuring me it educates
but in my heart I know it lied
When I have a moment to myself
to relax or think or pray
I seem to turn the TV on
and the time is washed away
By a flood of sound and color
and a world of fantasy
Which leaves me numb and empty
but still wanting more TV
I can sit and flip the channels
until the early morning hours
Even though I don't enjoy it
I am helpless in its powers
While in the next room stacks of books
are piled by my bed
I choose the mindless entertainer
and the classics go unread
I have a beautiful guitar
a pool, an exercising bike
A host of interests, friends and hobbies
that I cherish and I like
I have a home in need of maintenance
and a dusty Bible too
How can I squeeze in television
when there's so much I want to do
I complain until I'm breathless
how I'm busy, tired and stressed
Then I sink back on the couch again
a hypocrite, obsessed
What message do I send my children
as they learn to deal with life
Are my priorities in order
with my time, my God, my wife
Are Vanna, Bart and Gilligan
worthy of my precious hours
Or are they just the bait
for something larger which devours
Honor, goodness and compassion
leisure, patience, quality
Have I ever read a survey
recommending more TV
No, it certainly is otherwise
and let there be no mistake
That this medium's proponents
are paid endorsers, on the take
Who would have me think it harmless
to watch a million people die
To import crime and infidelity
on purpose, right before my eyes
To have my children taught by actors
how life is and ought to be
So in the end, they can't discern
real life from fantasy
The time has come not to cut back
an hour or two a day
The time has come to pull the plug
and put remote controls away
I hear the world is a better place
because of our technology
But I know my life is emptier
when I fill it with TV
By Frank Carpenter ©

Television Statistics
According to the A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year). In a 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube.

I. FAMILY LIFE
Percentage of households that possess at least one television: 99
Number of TV sets in the average U.S. household: 2.24
Percentage of U.S. homes with three or more TV sets: 66
Number of hours per day that TV is on in an average U.S. home: 6 hours, 47 minutes
Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66
Number of hours of TV watched annually by Americans: 250 billion
Value of that time assuming an average wage of S5/hour: S1.25 trillion
Percentage of Americans who pay for cable TV: 56
Number of videos rented daily in the U.S.: 6 million
Number of public library items checked out daily: 3 million
Percentage of Americans who say they watch too much TV: 49

II CHILDREN
Approximate number of studies examining TV's effects on children: 4,000
Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful
conversation with their children: 3.5
Number of minutes per week that the average child watches television: 1,680
Percentage of day care centers that use TV during a typical day: 70
Percentage of parents who would like to limit their children's TV watching: 73
Percentage of 4-6 year-olds who, when asked to choose between watching TV
and spending time with their fathers, preferred television: 54
Hours per year the average American youth spends in school: 900 hours
Hours per year the average American youth watches television: 1500

III VIOLENCE
Number of murders seen on TV by the time an average child finishes elementary school: 8,000
Number of violent acts seen on TV by age 18: 200,000
Percentage of Americans who believe TV violence helps precipitate real life mayhem: 79

IV. COMMERCIALISM
Number of 30-second TV commercials seen in a year by an average child: 20,000
Number of TV commercials seen by the average person by age 65: 2 million
Percentage of survey participants (1993) who said that TV commercials
aimed at children make them too materialistic: 92
Rank of food products/fast-food restaurants among TV advertisements to kids: 1
Total spending by 100 leading TV advertisers in 1993: $15 billion

V. GENERAL
Percentage of local TV news broadcast time devoted to advertising: 30
Percentage devoted to stories about crime, disaster and war: 53.8
Percentage devoted to public service announcements: 0.7
Percentage of Americans who can name The Three Stooges: 59
Percentage who can name at least three justices of the U.S. Supreme Court: 17
Compiled by TV-Free America
1322 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 887-4036
Information copied from:
http://www.csun.edu/~vceed002/health/docs/tv&health.html

A Wedding Toast

Love seems to be in the air … at least the air around me, so I thought I’d do something just a little different. Today is the 16th wedding anniversary of my little brother and his dear wife. Tomorrow, one of my employees is getting married and at the very same time our friends are throwing a wedding shower for my future daughter-in-law. And, low and behold, there is also an additional wedding reception for my 3rd cousin and his new bride. Not to mention the fact that I’m still deeply in love with my own dear wife of nearly 25 years. I guess it really is the first week of spring. To that end I offer as today’s poem the wedding toast I gave as the best man at my brother’s wedding all those years ago. So it’s happy anniversary to you, Scott and Gina, and a toast to the other blessed events of this weekend as well.

Now, most of us aren’t getting married or celebrating an anniversary this week. However, these words may also apply to you, for everyone desires love and health and happiness and everyone deserves honor and respect. Wherever you are in your own marriage or relationship, take a moment to read through this simple verse for I offer it to you as well. Maybe one or more of these attributes or attitudes is sorely missing or you need to make some extra effort this week to rebuild your momentum. I believe that God designed marriage and it should be a source of joy rather than a cross to bear. In fact, some folks may even be teetering on the brink of separation or divorce just now, but there is yet much hope for you. It starts with an earnest prayer, perhaps some counseling, and a lot of love. Don’t give up, though. It’s worth the trouble and God will honor your stalwart efforts towards preserving and improving your marriage. You can even whisper a little prayer right now and take the words of this poem home with you tonight to call them you own. Pick just one of the words to work on and start from there, or read through 1 Corinthians 13 and choose a word from that passage of strength wisdom. Sometimes it’s difficult to begin, but even the clumsiest word from an honest heart is better than an awkward silence. If you need assistance, feel free to email me through the link above and we can talk it over as well. The first step is always the most difficult, but it makes all the rest of them better.

Perhaps I have strayed from my original subject a bit, but marriage is really the journey which two people choose to share after the ceremony. For all the preparation and stress the wedding is actually the easy part. So here’s to a lifetime of love, not only for those I have mentioned above, but for all who read these words.

A Wedding Toast
May love and health and happiness
Be yours throughout the years
May friendship and fidelity
Bring strength to cast off fears
May honor and respect and trust
Be ever on your hearts
What, therefore, God had joined this day
May nothing cause to part
By Frank Carpenter ©

In Times of Trouble

Sometimes it seems as if life gives us more than we think we are able to bear. Just as there seasons of joy and happiness, we all experience seasons of trial and sorrow as well. When those waves of darkness break against our shores it’s easy to become overwhelmed, to lose hope. Yet, we know that God is a friend to the broken-hearted and He has promised that He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Does that mean we can expect everything go swimmingly and we will be exempt from trials? Certainly not. It merely means that in the big picture, in the light of eternity, God will use our circumstances for His greater good. In the short run, in the here and now, the tempests of life will continue to blow, bringing with them pain and trouble and woe. Take heart, however, for even when it seems that things are out of control, we can rest assured that God is still in control. He just doesn’t work on our schedule or perform according to our feeble human timing. He is powerful, but He is also patient.

But what about today? I cannot possibly know what you are going through right now and it may seem trite for me to wave off your pain with a promise that somehow everything will be alright. The internet is a relatively impersonal place and anyone with a computer, like me, can pass themselves off as an expert and deliver their particular sermon with impunity from the safety of their own home or office. So here’s the deal: I believe what I have stated above is true and that God has indicated it to be so in the bible. But that might not be enough … so if you are struggling or suffering or even questioning, click the email link at the top of this page and I will be happy to engage you on these issues. If you need support or advice I will endeavor to offer it. If you would like someone to pray with or for you, I will be happy to oblige. You are not alone, and whatever you’re going through you need not do so alone. I’m going out on a limb, but I’m also inviting you to do the same. So if you need it, let’s talk. Now if that sounds interesting to you, remember to use the email link and not the “comment” link because comments are anonymous and I’ll have no way to respond to you.

In the mean time, I encourage you to take a step back from your troubles and consider how they might eventually work out for the best, either for you or others. Somehow, God’s going to work it out. I am certainly not wise enough to fully understand that concept, but I do have the simple faith to trust God for what He has promised. I hope this has been helpful and I look forward to hearing from some of you if you have any needs or questions. May God bless you and keep you as you as we travel though this life together.

For the Glory
I’ve asked myself why a thousand times
And I’ve asked God a thousand more
How could he allow us to suffer so?
What purpose could this be for?
But the Lord doesn’t always explain things
In a manner which makes sense to me
So I have learned to put my trust in Him
In His counsel and sovereignty
He has promised all things work for good
And that He shall be glorified
Yet, it’s hard to see the glory
Through all the tears that I have cried
However, I know that the glory
Is shining somewhere up ahead
Somewhere just beyond my troubles
And we can trust in what God has said
So each day I search for the glory
In the trials that come to me
And they don’t seem so difficult to bear
In the light of eternity
By Frank Carpenter ©

St. Patrick's Day

Well, as we all know, today is St Patrick’s Day. Now I’m not Irish, but if you are, or if you are interested, St Patrick is considered the patron saint of Ireland, meaning that he was essentially a missionary of the Christian faith to that land. For your enlightenment, I have pasted the whole story of St Patrick and the origins of this holiday at the bottom of today’s posting. My question today is this: If you are a believer, what are you the patron saint of? How are you changing your little corner of the world? I think we’re called to be the St Patrick of wherever we are. You can be the patron saint of your family, your school, your work, your neighborhood, an athletic team, a car pool, whatever. It’s unlikely you’ll get your own holiday here on earth, but in the gospel of Luke (chapter 14) he records that, “I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” That sounds like enough of a holiday to me. Wear green clothes and drink green beer if you must, but let this day always remind you that you might very well be the patron saint of your own little sphere of influence. That is a lofty calling indeed, yet one altogether worth rising to the occasion of. My hope and prayer for you today is that you’ll be able to look back at your life next week, or next year, and see how you may have affected those around you for the better. For whether you like it or not, you are having an impact on the world around you every day. Make that impact count. And while you’re at it, have a happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Origins of St Patrick’s Day
Just like many other holidays in the United States, St Patrick's Day has its origins in ancient times. A young boy named Patrick lived in the British Isles, a land that had been invaded and conquered first by the Romans and then by Germanic tribes. Patrick was captured and taken as a slave from the British Isles to what is now Ireland. He lived there for several years herding sheep. He was a religious boy and he prayed that he would someday return to his homeland. Legend has it that one night while he was praying, a voice told him to escape from the farm, and find a ship that was waiting for him two hundred miles away. Patrick got to the ship, sailed to Europe, and disembarked in what is now probably France. He led several of the ship's crew through a dangerous forest, praying all the time. Neither Patrick nor any member of his crew was captured. When some of the men were about to die of starvation, wild animals appeared for them to eat. Events such as these appeared to be miracles and gave rise to later legends surrounding Patrick. At home, Patrick felt that he was called by God to perform an important mission. He believed it was his duty to go back to Ireland and convert the Celtic people to the Christian religion. Patrick arrived in Ireland and became a missionary, traveling from village to village and talking about his faith. Once, several members of a tribe approached Patrick and told him that they found it difficult to understand and believe in the Holy Trinity. Patrick thought a moment, then stooped down and picked one of the plentiful shamrocks growing wild around Ireland. "Here are three leaves," he said, "yet it is one plant. Imagine the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit as each of these leaves. Here they are, yet they are one plant." The tribesmen understood, because Patrick had used a familiar object to explain. From that time on, the shamrock has been a revered symbol of Ireland. Stories of Saint Patrick, for by then he was a saint, reached far and wide. His most famous feat is forcing the snakes out of the entire country of Ireland. Even though there are many different stories about how he accomplished such a task, it is probably not true. St Patrick died on March 17 and the Irish people set aside the day to mourn. He became the patron saint of Ireland. Mourning turned to commemorating him and celebrating his life. Americans have inherited this custom. On St Patrick's Day in the United States, millions of people celebrate whether they are Irish or not!
From: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blstpatricksday2.htm

My Next Breath

Today my words do not flow quite so easily, for their inspiration strikes closer to home. Last night, after years of battling with diabetes, kidney failure, lymphoma, and heart and stroke problems our friend Bob passed away. Actually, he is the father of a dear friend, but I have taken to visiting him these past few years when he has been more or less house-bound and he has become family to us. Bob was the original tough guy. He was a college athlete (at USC, no less), served in the Navy, worked as a policeman, and also as an investigator for the Department of Justice. Nothing breaks your heart more than seeing a tough guy crippled by disease and recent years had taken a heavy toll on him. In the end, it proved to be a battle he simply could not win. Yet this story, which probably seems all together too familiar, has a happy ending. You see, Bob knew another tough guy named Jesus Christ, who also suffered and died. However, Jesus was the Son of God and with His death he paid the price for all of our sin and reconciled us back to God. Jesus rose from the dead and promised that anyone who believes in Him and accepts His sacrifice for their sins shall also be rescued from death as well, and spend all of eternity with Him in Heaven. That is the good news of the Gospel of Jesus, a well-founded hope for a better life in a better place. Long ago, Bob made a decision to trust his life to Jesus, which assures him a place in the hereafter. In the here and now, however, the past week has been an excruciatingly difficult one for Bob and his family, but last night something wonderful happened. It doesn’t yet feel wonderful to those of us who are left, who mourn his loss, for we’ll need some time to mend and come to terms with how our own lives have been affected. Yet, we know in our hearts that Bob is far better off today than he was yesterday. For once he took his last breath here on this earth his very next breath was in heaven, and we can scarcely imagine what that must be like. Now Bob knows. Farewell, old friend.

My Next Breath
At the end of the darkest tunnel
No matter how black it may be
No matter the pressures or pain I feel
There is someone who comforts me
He pierces the gloom of my sorrow
Understanding the fears I must face
My God is the hope of tomorrow
Where He waits in that glorious place
In the moments when I truly suffer
When I'm frightened and gasping for breath
Even then, I am strong and triumphant
For I have cheated the prince of death
No disease or disaster can rob me
Of God's promise of victory
For I have been chosen to meet Him
At His throne to spend eternity
So what matter if I draw my last breath
And this life is taken from me
My next breath will be in heaven
And oh, what a breath that will be
By Frank Carpenter ©

The Unforgiving Minute

Life is an endless series of moments, of minutes if you will, and many of them come with choices to make. They will consist primarily of small, seemingly insignificant choices, but some will turn out to be life changing ... even life defining. The secret, therefore, to living a life of honor, value and significance lies in the management of those choices. For every choice counts, and moves us in a particular direction, determining our overall trajectory. I love the end of Rudyard Kipling’s classic poem “If” which concludes with the words:

“If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds worth of distance run
Yours is the world and everything that’s in it
And, what is more, you’ll be a man, my son”

That “unforgiving minute” can take many forms, but as the sands of the hour glass slip through our fingers we must make decisions which will betray our true selves and shape our destiny. Regardless what we have said about ourselves or our beliefs, those choices we make moment to moment shall tell the story of our lives. Like gentle adjustments in the wheel of a ship, they direct our course and even seemingly minor corrections can make the difference between a safe passage and a disaster. There are potentially bad choices which we can back away from or easily correct, yet some will come along which must be borne for a lifetime. So let us choose carefully, lest the unforgiving minute should catch us unawares. Indeed, let us seize each moment, each minute, and make it count.

The Unforgiving Minute
It matters little what folks think
Or how we compare with the rest
In the end, a man must prove himself
When it comes his time to test
For there are moments in each life
When words are simply not enough
When the mettle of a man is tried
And life will call his bluff
Then he finds himself come face to face
And standing all alone
Before the things he fears the most
And his true character is shown
When all his days and months and years
Shall finally culminate
In the unforgiving minute
Which is dealt each man by fate
That moment when he proves himself
To be either false or true
To that which he has long professed
And stood for hitherto
That single unforgiving minute when
His whole lifetime comes to bear
Showing him, at last, triumphant
Or pitching him into despair
Is the moment each man dreams of
And the moment each man fears
The sudden, unforgiving minute
Which defines him all his years
By Frank Carpenter ©