This is the front desk with the wake up call you didn't order.

I made it through my Monday and now I am here again wishing one and all a very blessed Tuesday, here on this very first day of May, 2012. One thing that all the politicians agree on is just how broken Washington is these days. The one thing they don't agree on is whose fault it is that it's in the mess that it is. Sadly, and this is nothing new, the public good ends up being left off the table. While I don't want to be a naysayer here, I just don't see this situation changing anytime soon, and that's regardless of who is elected and what party they represent. Why so negative? We are living at a time when the culture has become thoroughly corrupted and it touches every part of our lives. The recent revelations about some of the untoward activities of some Secret Service and GSA personnel gives insight into the culture that sadly reflects upon us all. Us all. That includes me, you, and the rest of our fellow citizens. Whether it be TV, movies, jokes, video games, books, and all other forms of interactive communications, I think, we all can agree that the culture in general is becoming much more coarse and in many respects, degrading. I'm not talking some goody two shoes gobbly gook here. The other day I heard a fellow who has studied this situation in the area of advertising. He said that today we have commercials running in prime time for children to see that at one time would have been considered totally immoral and out of bounds. He mentioned specifically several that show scantily clothed ladies that are about as close to prime time porn as boundary after boundary is shattered. What does this mean? It could mean that folks grow up without a moral compass and they end up acting out the role models and the media that indoctrinated them. We all need a wake up call here. All of us, including yours truly.

Sounds a little heavy for a way to get the day started? Yeah. But, when you are doing the view from here, I really do have to pretty much take it as it comes to me. Random. Discombobulated. Unfettered. Disconnected, and at times, no doubt, disconcerting. The good news is how that I do attempt to implicate myself as part of the problem. When we leave out that personal unholy trinity, me, myself, and I, we end up being not only hypocritical but also at times we are more or less about as effective as a single cymbal solo. I see this all the time. I am thinking of one person that I grew up with who is a part of a religious group known for their supposed holiness. Some of the Facebook stuff she puts up borders on outright prejudiced hate. She is entitled to her opinion but when we fail to see our own faulty thinking, we end up, in a bad place where our influence is limited to those who are just like we are. The Apostle Paul called himself the chief of sinners. Why? Because he realized where he was when he was so wrapped up in his religion that he actually aligned himself against God Himself. He never forgot that. Sometimes we do. While we may like the quote about were it not for the grace of God there go I, it has to become more than just a slogan for us to begin to see ourselves as a part of the problem. This is why I do try to remind us all that in my case it is me, it's me, it's me, oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer.

Routine. Some folks hate it. I love it. I dare say that perhaps I even need it. Routine and habit are not bad in and of themselves. Going through the motions without heart would be terrible no matter what. But, having habits that are productive and helpful, well, that's good, folks. One of the things Jesus had when He was a child growing up was parents that had habits they were devoted to following God's laws. The Bible tells us that when it came time for them to go up to the feast at Jerusalem they went as it was their faithful habit to do so. We do need good routines. Yes. I do know that routines can become ruts but that's a risk we need to take because having no routines and habits where we seek to exercise discipline for ourselves as well as building a testimony for others, that, in my opinion, leads to a frustrated, selfish, and empty life. That doesn't mean that every detail of how I operate would be best for someone else. But things like prayer, Bible reading and study, attending worship services, and trying to serve others, these are habits that not only build a life pleasing to God, which is our first priority, but it just might be the best way to deal with this cultural crash that we are currently experiencing here in our land. It would help. I know it would. Pray for our nation and for those who lead her. Amen.        ....More later.