Some Perspective

The US gets its fair share of bad press these days. Much of it is, no doubt, deserved. But courtesy of some relation of mine whose connection I cannot fathom, by way of my father and his Tutor Tales, I offer the following narrative snippets to provide some perspective. I can't determine if they're true (via snopes, e.g.), but they are still something to think about, even if they are a little hard on the French.
------------
When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building. He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return." [full snopes story]
--------------
There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break one of the French engineers came back into the room saying, "Have you heard the dumb stunt America has done? They've sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What do they intend to do, bomb them?"
A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly, "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to fee 5000 people three meals a day, they can produce several hundred thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships."
---------------
A US Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the US, England, Canada, Australia, and France. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French Admiral suddenly complained that, "whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English." He then asked, "Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?" Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, "Maybe it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German."
---------------
A group of Americans, retired teachers, recently went to France on a tour. Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. "You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously. "Then you should know enough to have your passport ready." The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have time to show it." "Impossible. Americans always have to show their passports on arrival in France!" Mr. Whiting gave the customs officer a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, "Well, when I cam ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a Frenchman to show it to."
--------------

Like I mentioned, a little hard on the French, yet worth mentioning, perhaps, for a little additional perspective.

1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9..All Done!

Esther counted this morning to 9!  Who knew!?  Neither Megan nor I knew she could count, and yet she counted all the way to 9.  Way to go Esther!

Life in the Burbs

It is possible to find life in the suburbs - a deeper, thick life of connectedness with God, others, and even ourselves.
Goetz says, "In the late nineties, I read an interview with pop artist Jewell in Rolling Stone magazine. ... She said, 'I'm just a person who is honestly trying to live my life and asking, "How do you be spiritual and live in the world without going to a monastery?''' I don't think you can be spiritual and live in the suburbs without the practices of the monastery. If I had to capture the deeper Christian life in two words, I'd choose silence and service within the context, of course, of Christian community. In silence, the flow is between God and me. In service, the flow is from me to the world. ... As I experience the depths of Christ's presence, as my conversation with God matures, silence and service become my life."

This is good. And for silence and service to be become our life, we have to begin somewhere - to take time for silence and start serving someone.

There but by the grace of God go I ...

The Pool Party watched the Ferndale Memorial Day parade this morning. It was a nice small suburban city affair, replete with elderly veterans in odd hats, hand-shaking politicians, and junior high marching bands. We had a couple of friends in the Ferndale Junior High marching band - they were great!

Memorial Day, of course, is the time we've set aside as a people to remember the service of soldiers (and civil servants) who've sacrificed to uphold our way of life. This year a group of paraders honored the men and women of Michigan who've died in Iraq. There was a section for each year, with paraders holding up signs with the names, pictures and hometowns of fallen soldiers. Many of the signs had two pictures, some three. They kept increasing from 2003 to 2004 to 2005 to 2006 to 2007. There were even three or four young men who've died in 2008. It was sobering.

I was in the Army. I resigned my commission in October 2002, after my 8 years of minimum service obligation were completed. Let's just say that Megan strongly encouraged me that it was the right time. Within two months of me getting my honorable discharge paperwork (which I was very surprised they gave me) my branch manager in the Army Reserves Personnel Command starting emailing and calling - at home and work - wondering what I needed to do to get ready for deployment. I kindly informed her I was done. She kindly said, "Prove it." I did. End of discussion.

Here's why I'm telling this story. Had I waited a month or two, I'd very likely be a Major in the Army, possibly on my third Iraq deployment. It might have been my picture on one of those signs. A sobering thought. There but by the grace of God go I.

Saturday Night Party

So I was at this party Saturday night. It was a joint birthday party for some friends
Here I am having a good time ...Then in walks this guy. He's wearing a mask. He gets a friend and they start following around my son ...But then we manage to calm him down. We invite him into our picture. He accepts, but he's shy ... nearby, but distant.
Then, unmasked, the mysterious man is revealed to be none other than Miguel. And we discover that he uses Revlon, as seen in that his hair is still light and bouncy, despite being confined to that mask for so long ...After our little Revlon commercial, we took a moment to get serious, remembering those who suffer without mustaches:Just another Saturday night.

Provision and Pursuing

As often as I've been able over the last month or so, I've woken up early, opened up the window in my den (or whatever other room I find myself in, if traveling), and listen to the birds. Their joyful songs remind me of Jesus' teachings in Matthew 6 - that the birds neither sow nor reap and yet they are provided for. God provides for them. God provides for us. It is good for me to reflect on this.

Megan and I just returned with our team from the 4Ward Conference - the regional leadership gathering of the Vineyard Great Lakes. It was good. I'm pretty stirred up - for God, for the people in our area, for our church. I love our church.

I really want our church to grow - to see more people discover eternal life and freedom in Jesus. I really want our church to know community - vibrant relationships where people are authentically sharing life. But we can't pursue growth. We can't pursue community. If we do, things get all messed up.

Jesus says we're to pursue first God's Kingdom and God's righteousness, and if we do that, then all these other things will be taken care - growth and community and personal satisfaction and a whole load of things besides. To pursue God's Kingdom is to experience reality as it is described in places like Luke 15 and to live out Jesus' agenda as described in places like Luke 4:18-19. As we do this we're pursuing the righteousness of God - all things he considers right and good and just.

So the birds have reminded me this morning that we're to pursue first God's Kingdom and God will provide for what is necessary.

I'm encouraged

Doesn't it feel like good manners are pretty much dead? Meg and I watched a Jane Austen classic last night, Persuasion, and for some reason it really stood out to me how different the cultural manners were. And how generally nice theirs were. Well, anyway, all is not lost. As I was driving through downtown Royal Oak tonight, I saw a young man and woman walking arm-in-arm, Jane Austen style. There was a light rain and everything, but they seemed oblivious. They seemed to be enjoying one another in their own world. Well done, mystery man! Gentleman-ness is alive and well.

Can I Run Faster Than ... ?

If you know Eli, you'll know that he's really into comparisons right now. Bigger, taller, older, stronger, faster ... you get the idea ...

So when Megan puts Eli to bed, she spends time praying with him. Recently she's been praying for him to be protected from the Enemy. "What's the Enemy's name again, mom?" Eli recently asked. "His name is Satan, honey," Megan replied. "Mom," Eli continues, "do you think I could run faster than Satan?"

What do you say to that?

Morning Reflections

I woke up again early this morning. Not quite as early as yesterday, but still pretty early and engaged with my day right from the start. I like to wake up early because it is a quiet space. I also like to spend time with Jesus. I've got a lot of ministry things I'm working on right now and I wanted to spend some good time in prayer, for them, and also to connect with God before engaging in a full day of working on them.

I was just sort of listening to this worship song, Beautiful, and it really dawned on me again how beautiful Jesus is. He's the reason I got up that morning. He's beautiful. And I wanted to gaze on and soak up his beauty. I just sorta sat there taking it all in, and it was good.

Then as I was on my way in to the office and leaving a message on a friend's voicemail, I had this strong impression reminding me that Jesus never fails. Jesus never fails. Jesus' love never fails. Isn't that good? This brings me hope. Man, I was almost moved to tears again, reflecting on how he never fails. He never fails us. He never fails to accomplish his purposes. Jesus, the Beautiful One, never fails.

Jim Pool & Friend or Rob Bell & Maverick?

Is the picture below Jim Pool and his cadet friend or Rob Bell and Maverick on vacation?

You be the judge.

Blast from the Past

Who is this man? And what is he saying?


Its an old picture of me from Army magazine, circa spring 1994. Here's the larger image, to give you a sense of the larger scene. Note the caption.About a dozen of us cadets were given the opportunity to take a (free) trip to the Normandy coast to discuss the D-Day invasion, around the time of the 50th anniversary of that amazing day.

Still preaching. Just a different gospel, I suppose.

Meet Me At The Sign of the Beefcarver

Among most of my friends, the Sign of the Beefcarver has something of a bad reputation. Okay, that's actually understating it. I've heard it openly mocked. But when Megan mentioned tonight that we might need to go out tomorrow to eat because we're a bit low on food, I'm proud to admit that the Sign of the Beefcarver is one place I'm happy to consider.

I like the Beefcarver. Good, solid, heartland food with plenty of older folks and youngish waitresses (and waiters) wishing they were working somewhere else. But they help you to your seat, even without a tip. And it reminds me of my grandma; we used to eat there a fair amount as a kid. Of course, I haven't been to the Beefcarver in years. I was so mocked the last time I went, which was years ago, when our friends Grant & Cheryl Lynn first visited Detroit, that no one has been willing to go back with me. Clarification: it wasn't so much Grant & Cheryl Lynn that mercilessly made fun of me, but it was sort of the prevailing mood.

Anyway, the grandma's of today are eating there still. At least those who haven't gone vegetarian and who practice bikram yoga.

So, friends, meet me at the Sign of the Beefcarver.