Memorial Day--Count our blessings & Thank a Soldier

James J Jackson
copyright, 2009--amyfound.org
As we approach Memorial Day, memories of past celebrations of this holiday come to mind. As a child, Memorial Day signaled the first holiday of the summer (although it technically takes place while it is still Spring).
Memorial Day observance goes back to the Civil War, and was intended to honor and pay homage to soldiers who died in serving the nation. Originally, it was called ‘Decoration Day’, and people visited cemeteries to clean and place flowers at the gravesites of fallen soldiers.
Eventually, the day was expanded to honor all deceased persons. I remember traveling to cemeteries around the Chicago, IL area to visit the graves of my parents and other family members, as well as the graves of men who had served with my uncle/adoptive father during WWII. The day always began in a very solemn mode. The visitations took place early. After visiting gravesites, we often took a trip downtown to watch the Memorial Day parade. Soldiers, sailors, marines and Air Force personnel and machinery would march along the parade route along with veteran’s groups and dignitaries.
We often held a family picnic at one of the many parks. I remember the hot dogs, chips and soda, and taking turns cranking the wooden ice cream maker until our arms were sore. We played games of baseball and basketball, and ran around until our throats were sore and our legs ached. As we gathered around the table to feast on our picnic fare, my Uncle David, the patriarch of the family, would say a prayer for those who had died in service of our country and for those who were currently serving.
This holiday took on a more serious aura than it does today. Memorial Day parades and other activities seemed to be much more well-attended then than they are now. Many view it a simply another day off work. People seem to have forgotten that freedom is not free, and that many have died fighting to preserve our freedom.
Much of the media have labeled our military personnel as barbarians and baby killers, while ignoring the clear fact that, without a strong military, we stand to lose all of our freedoms. Instead of declaring that our military has provided freedom to much of the world, and beat back fascism, Nazism, totalitarianism and numerous despots, they depict our military as something to be hated and despised.
Amazingly, many young people still answer the call to serve. When the draft was eliminated, many people believed we would never be able to raise a standing army, believing that there was insufficient honor or love of country for people to voluntarily serve. Some legislators have called for the reinstatement of the draft, in spite of the fact that most services generally meet or exceed their recruitment targets.
I honor those young people who step up to serve in our armed forces. It is heart-rending when any soldier loses his or her life in war, but it is encouraging to see Christ’s love through the lives of our soldiers. Jesus said, in John 15, “Greater love has no other than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
I try to make it a habit thank God for those who have paid the ultimate price, and to honor any serviceman and women by just saying, “Thanks for what you do for us.” It’s the least we can do, considering what they face on a daily basis for people they don’t even know. God bless them all!

Common Courtesy not common, but crucial

“COMMON COURTESY” NOT COMMON BUT CRUCIAL
By: James J. Jackson

A woman gave my young grandson a small toy, which he took without comment. I told him to thank the lady, but this usually compliant child refused to say the words. The woman insisted that I should not force the child to say “thank you.”

I told him to either thank the lady or return the gift. He reluctantly thanked her; then I explained to him that being thankful and courteous is as much for his own well being as it is for the person being thanked. Recently I witnessed a mother struggling to get her child to apologize for hitting another child. The amount of resistance the child displayed was alarming.

It seems that what used to be considered common courtesy is not so common anymore. Courtesy has been replaced by selfishness and an uncaring attitude toward others. Television programs and movies glorify the in-your-face approach to others and the “all about me” attitude. Young people either have lost or never grasped the art of kindness and respect.

Children who are not taught to treat others as they would want to be treated grow up to contribute to the crowded “Anger Management” classes and, in extreme cases, the prison population. Society seems to preach that being courteous, thankful or apologetic shows some kind of weakness, when, in fact, it shows strength and self-control.

When our four daughters were young, they often had sibling spats. If two sisters displayed anger toward one another my wife would often make them apologize to each other, then hug each other until both smiled. It is heartwarming to watch them pass on to their children the lessons of being courteous and loving toward their siblings and others.

During the 1970’s, one small phrase in the movie, “Love Story” (“Love…means never having to say you’re sorry”), put many viewers on the course toward today’s attitude of failing to take responsibility for one’s actions. It seemed such a profound line. In truth, love means caring enough about someone whom you may have offended or hurt to say you’re sorry and take steps to make it right. It means caring enough to be thankful to others.

Many of today’s distressing social and moral problems stem from a loss of the type of personal and societal ethics that for many years kept in check the level of animosity we showed each other. The Bible tells us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Jesus declared that, after loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, loving each other is the greatest Commandment.

When we exhibit love toward each other, it illustrates God’s love for us. Knowing and seeing all, He knew that His prime creation had fallen into deadly sin, and could not save itself. Rather than watch us struggle and give in and be lost for all eternity, He became one of us, in the Person of Jesus Christ, and took the punishment for our sin and died for us. He then rose from the dead to show us that, through Him, we will rise again also. Any person, no matter how much sin baggage he or she is carrying, who repents, or apologizes to God, asks Christ to come into their life and be their Savior, and thanks Him for the free gift of eternal life, already has eternal life, according to God’s Word.

When we are loving and courteous with each other, we reflect our relationship with Christ, and we show His love to others. All He asks is that we share that love with others, through our actions and words.

Real Answers™jj140Copyright: ©2009 James J. Jackson600 words
THE ELUSIVE SEARCH FOR PEACE
By: James J. Jackson

Almost daily, we see peace protestors in the news. But, what is peace, and when will we know that it has arrived?
The dictionary defines peace as, “1: a state of tranquility or quiet: as a: freedom from civil disturbance; a state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom.
Sadly, many people today define peace as the absence of conflict. This dangerous mind set led us to believe we were experiencing peace while the 911 attackers were feverishly planning their evil deeds. Many people considered the ‘Cold War’ to be a time of peace. As I grew up with a ‘bomb shelter’ in our basement, equipped with water, durable food products, a flashlight, radio, etc, I can tell you that it was not a peaceful time. When we crouched under our desks in school during air raid exercises, I don’t remember experiencing a spirit of peace.
So, the simple absence of obvious conflict is no evidence of the existence of peace.
The second definition in the dictionary says, “2: freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions; harmony in personal relations.
This type of peace is probably the most elusive-inner peace. Many religions provide exercises and rituals designed to bring about inner peace, but their adherents rarely demonstrate any tangible evidence of true peace in their lives. More often, they appear just as ill-at-ease and conflicted as anyone else. One high-profile pro basketball coach is very public about his devotion to such a religion, but his often profanity-laced tirades against a referee or over the lack of productivity of his players demonstrate that he has not yet mastered the ‘peace’ element of his chosen religion.
The third definition says, “A state or period of mutual concord between governments; a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity."
As is demonstrated all around the world, a treaty, cease-fire or any other agreement cannot guarantee peace, and often are violated before the ink dries on the paper. Many people believe that a nation such as the United States, blessed with the means and power to help free others from tyranny, should stand by and watch atrocities take place. I don’t believe God would have us operate in that manner. Contrary to Cain’s declaration, we are our brother’s keeper.
The most profound example of erroneously trusting in this type of peace agreement was illustrated when British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain returned from a conference and announced a peace agreement with Adolph Hitler, Chamberlain had signed the Anglo-German Naval Agreement, declaring it to be evidence of ’peace in our time." Germany immediately invaded Czechoslovakia and other European nations, igniting the war Chamberlain thought his appeasement of evil had averted.
In church, we greet each other with, “God’s peace to you”. This little phrase spells out the only route to peace, God’s grace. The Bible tells us, ‘There will be wars and rumors of war…” in the end times. It also speaks of enmity between parents and children and in all other relationships.
It is naive to believe by ignoring conflict, and through our own efforts, peace will abound. Philippians 4:7 offers, ‘And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
God’s perfect peace, through His Son, Jesus Christ, is the only peace that frees us from the bondage of our sins and enmity toward each other. May each of us bask in that peace, rather than looking for it in places where it does not exist.
"Real Answers™" furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com

Is Someone Trying to Get your Attention?

585 words
IS SOMEONE TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION?
By: James J. Jackson
Have you ever experienced or heard of an ‘ear worm’? According to web search pages, everyone experiences ear worms from time to time. Earworms are songs or tunes that keep running around in one’s head. It may be a song you like, but, more often than not, it will be a tune that you despise, yet find yourself singing or humming over and over again. The harder one tries to stop humming or singing it, the more the tune plays in the mind.
Ear worms are another mystery of the human mind. But, could ear worms sometimes pop up to send you a very important and useful message or remind you that your countenance leaves much to be desired? One frequent ear worm that appears to me (usually when I need to hear it, as opposed to when I might purposely summon it up). is a little song that was intended as a way to instill a life lesson in our daughters.
Years ago, our daughters’ school performed a play called “Music Machine”, which used cute songs to teach the ’fruits of the Spirit’ outlined in the Bible. As we listened to the accompanying tape over and over again, one song became a tool we applied whenever our kids demonstrated impatience with each other or a situation:
Have patience, have patience, don’t be in such a hurry When you get impatient, you only start to worry. Remember, remember, that God is patient, too, And think of all the times when others have to wait for you!
At times, simply singing or humming this little ditty would raise the ire of a child who was enjoying wallowing in impatience. We often had fun with breaking out in the song when least expected. One problem with using such tactics to instill life lessons is that you might just instill the lesson within yourself, as well.
Now, years later, when I find myself being impatient or intolerant with a situation or person, that little song will often appear in my head out of nowhere, and continue in a loop until I deal with the problem in the correct manner. This often entails apologizing and asking forgiveness for my attitude. It proves to be very convicting, and refuses to leave until the issue is dealt with.
Perhaps this is an illustration of the blessings of memorizing Scripture. Once memorized, God’s Word resides in a place just outside one’s consciousness, from which it may quietly, but incessantly, play itself over and over in one’s head until you take the corrective action you know you should take. Sometimes, our human nature just wants to enjoy being in the moment with our impatience, loathing, anger, etc., for a while, but the Lord would have us address the sin issue and move on. Perhaps that is why an ear worm may appear and replay itself in a loop, crowding out the thoughts we would rather dwell on at the time.
I have learned to stop, listen and try to discern whether a particular ear worm is trying to turn my focus to a blind spot in my character, or whether it has arrived just to taunt me and remind me that a void in my idle mind is waiting to be filled with prayer, praise or meditation on God’s word.
Whatever may be the cause of this mystery of the mind, I have learned to be thankful when this particular ear worm shows up to get my attention.
Proverbs tells us, “A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.” Thank God for ear worms!

"Real Answers™" furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com
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Let's Really Celebrate Valentine's Day

By James J Jackson
Valentine’s Day brings thoughts of love and kindness. People exchange greeting cards expressing their love for each other. Children exchange candy ‘kisses’ or heart-shaped candies with love note imprinted on them.
But, like many holidays, Valentine’s Day has become so commercial, that the true meaning is often lost. A recent email told of young children who were asked, “What is the meaning of ‘Love?’.
One five-year-old child answered, “When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.“ Another stated, “Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'. An eight year old warned, “You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget“.Children seem to have a way of viewing complex issues in a very simplistic manner. Their explanations often include an element of truth and clarity that adults often lack. Many grown-ups have a hard time expressing what love means to them. Perhaps adults try so hard to sound profound and bright, that they lose the simplicity of love.
Many of us know the story of St. Valentine, who sent messages of love from prison to his friends and family, always closing with, “Remember your Valentine.” Valentine’s Day is a day to remember loved one’s. Valentine’s Day really should be celebrated every day, but, sadly, it is not.
God wants us to love everyone, including our enemies and strangers. Such love was demonstrated on a daily basis by my parents, who made it a point to show Christian love to others whenever possible. I witnessed my Uncle Dave giving money to homeless people to buy food. When told that the recipient would probably buy alcohol, my uncle would state, “That’s his choice, my job is to fill a need.”
My uncle was never a ‘gawker’ when he came upon an accident or emergency scene. He was always the first one out of his car to give aid and comfort. One time he was swindled out of a large sum of money by a person who lied about his need for money. I asked if he was sorry he had helped. He told me, “When I felt prompted to give, I gave up ownership of the money. If the man lied, he will one day have to answer for that, but, when I stand before God, I will know that I helped the poor, as He commanded me to do“
My Aunt Bessie would drive elderly neighbors to the grocery store, and often would pay for their groceries. Whenever she saw a need, she would extend a helping hand. My wife and I still practice her habit of keeping spare mittens and hats in the car to hand to children at bus stops.
I was taught to love others, even when they seemed un-lovable. I learned unconditional love by example, and extending a helping hand or just showing love and concern for others is automatic in my life. The greatest human example of unconditional love in my life was when my aunt and uncle gave up their idyllic life with their only child to bring into their home ten orphans, after my parents died. The only thing they ever asked in return was that we strive for excellence and be the best we could be.
The premiere example of such love is that Christ died on the cross to pay for the sins of the world, whether we love him or not. In His Word, He tells us, “A new command I give you: Love one another…”. If we all followed this command, every day would be Valentine’s Day.

Making Effective New Years Resolutions

Each new year brings with it new challenges, troubles and concerns, as well as new opportunities, new relationships, etc. One perennial activity is making New Year’s resolutions, promising to get rid of some behavior, habit, issue and so on, in an attempt to make life better.
People resolve to give up smoking, drinking, credit cards and a myriad of other issues, in order to become a healthier or happier person. People sometimes make resolutions that are designed to make changes in another person. Such resolutions are obviously doomed from the outset, since most of us have a terrible time changing ourselves, much less having dominion over the thoughts and actions of others
There are many approaches to New Year resolutions. One site suggests that people either not make resolutions, or only make resolutions that are easily kept, so as to avoid harming our self-esteem if we fail.
Another site suggests that you deliberately make resolutions that you cannot possibly keep, opining that the value is in the struggle-not in whether or not you succeed. That may sound profound and ’deep’, but I have not seen evidence that struggle, itself, builds more character and self-esteem than conquering bad or unproductive areas of one’s life. Another websites suggests a daily steps to as reminder of your New Year’s resolution, like a 12-step program.
Basically, a resolution is a promise to rid one’s self of some habit or characteristic that keeps one from being a better person, and a new year seems like the logical time to make such life changes. Resolutions should be made with a goal of doing the right thing by replacing bad habits with right-living. If the bad behavior is not replaced with good behavior, it is a recipe for failure.
For instance, if I resolve not to be greedy anymore, I am more likely to succeed it I replace the greed with empathy and assistance to the less fortunate. This takes the focus off of me and places it on helping others, which is the opposite of greed.
Our human nature makes it nearly impossible to follow through on resolutions because we all face daily temptation. The Bible tells us we cannot save ourselves from sin or temptation. If we succeed in overcoming a bad habit, another will replace it, or is already there, waiting to come to the fore.
So, how can we succeed in overcoming a bad habit or sin issue in our lives? Alone, we cannot. God, in His infinite wisdom, knew our plight, and that, on our own, we cannot remove one bad habit or sin, or do enough good to pay for one sin. He sent His Son to pay the price for our sin.
We can remove the grip of sin in our lives only when we realize it has already been dealt with and paid for. All we have to do is to accept the free gift from Him who paid for our sins with His body and blood. The Bible also says we have to ‘put to death the old sinful man’ on a daily basis. We can do this if we daily confess our sins and acknowledge that we cannot overcome them alone, but we must lean on Him, and trust the He can deliver us from the bondage of sin and bad habits. Philippians 4 says, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Resolve to trust in Christ alone, and He will help you to succeed in getting rid of bad habits and becoming a better person. See more of James J Jackson's columns at www.amyfound.ogr

Conventional Wisdom Fails Every Time

On a recent TV show, a sociologist said that, since there is no ‘effective’ manual for child rearing, we must rely on “conventional wisdom” in child-rearing. When I was young, parents taught kids life-sustaining lessons and gave them a moral compass by which to live. They instilled core values and gave boundaries to help kids make sound life decisions. Honesty, integrity and the pursuit of excellence were expected. Keeping one’s word, and doing right, even when no one is looking was a consistent lesson.
Youth were taught that rights come with responsibility, and that taking an oath was a very serious matter. Today, a good reputation isn’t considered as valuable as it once was. Today, people who lie under oath and demonstrate self-defeating behavior are often viewed as icons. Kids were taught that actions have consequences. Today, conventional wisdom is to provide programs and excuses to help youth avoid consequences, which often prohibits the person from learning valuable lessons they could learn from facing the consequences of their actions.
Conventional wisdom says that everyone has the right to do as he or she pleases. When consequences arise, conventional wisdom labels the person a ‘victim’. Programs like needle exchange and free condoms are offered to avoid consequences and allow the person to continue in dangerous, self-defeating behaviors. Conventional wisdom believes so-called ’Social Promotion’ of failing students protects self-esteem, but experience shows that it only produces people with a dead-end attitude and no basic job skills.
My parents warned us that illegal, dangerous behavior would severely limit our ability to take care of ourselves, and that we would have no one to blame but ourselves. They promised they would not bail us out of consequences of our bad choice, and that bad life choices only lead to poverty, jail, poor health, and even death, so we should choose wisely. We grew up drug free and crime free.
They used old sayings to help teach us, like ‘If at first, you don’t succeed, try, try again’, Today, conventional wisdom tells us, ‘If your bad choices block your success, stop trying, and you won’t be held responsibility. Instead of a little ‘tough love’, here’s a program‘.
Today‘s flawed “new morality” creates new concepts like ‘situational ethics (which says that each person determines right and wrong for themselves), What’s wrong for you may not be wrong for me; there are no absolutes, and other such nonsense. Anyone who promotes values and standards is considered ‘intolerant’. Schools mistakenly believe they can instill self-esteem in kids without self-control, self-respect, honesty or honor.
Every person inherently knows that it is wrong to participate in self-defeating behaviors, or to fail to seek excellence in school and in life. To do so results failure, defeat and the loss of a sense of self-worth, instead of the intended increase in self-esteem. By contrast, a child who tries hard to master subjects, plays by the rules and treats others properly does not need special treatment to bring about good self-esteem. It is a by-product of hard work and achievement.
Conventional wisdom operates from our failed human perspective, which tells us that there is no effective manual available for raising good children, enjoying happy marriages and enjoying a fulfilled, happy life, but there is. It’s called The Bible, which tells us to “Raise up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from It“. It also includes precise guidelines for every area of life, and it is full of love. It works. Research it for yourself.