So Honored

Wow. I was so shocked today when I got an email saying Dr. Dad had been selected as one of the 5 "Dad Blogs" on About.com's Reader's Choice Awards. I honestly never realized that more than a handful of family and friends ever even saw my blog. I haven't been as faithful to keep up lately, because our lives do get a little crazy around here. I hope maybe a few more people will see my little corner of cyberspace now and I will work on getting back to writing more frequently. We have lots of exciting things coming up here in Tonganoxie, including a new Bassett hound, studying for Family Practice Boards, and soon bees. That's right, Caleb and I are going to start beekeeping and that should provide lots of inspiration and stories in the near future. In any event, thanks for stopping by and checking us out. Thanks to About.com for their recognition. Please come back often, and see what is going on with us.


Bill

Supreme Courts Gone Wild

Well, today I found myself asking, "What in the world just happened?" I am of course referring to the incomprehensible ruling of the Supreme Court. Apparently they ran out of toilet paper in the court's bathroom but someone happened to find a copy of the Constitution laying around and figured it would make a good substitute. I don't know if Justice Roberts had a gun to his head or just got a large sum of money under the table, but whatever the reason he decided that this would be a terrific time to play judicial activist and rewrite the Obamacare law and declare the mandate a "tax". I won't complain about the devastating effects that this will have on the American health care system or the huge loss of individual liberty we all just suffered. If you don't understand that already, then wait a couple of years. No, instead I'd like to take a look back in history at a few other colossal travesties that have been inflicted on our nation by his predecessors.
Take for example the case of Dread Scott vs. Sandford in 1857. Justice Taney (an appointee of our first Democratic president Andrew Jackson) who said in his opinion that Scott had no right to sue, being a black man and thus not an American citizen. He went on to state that blacks were inferior to whites and that as chattel and private property, could not be taken away from their owners without due process. At least the ruling helped launch the political career of Abraham Lincoln and the Republican party who's key issue was ending slavery.
Or take for example Plessy v. Ferguson in which the court refused to overturn the Jim Crow laws ruling that separate but equal was just fine and dandy as far as they were concerned.
Then there was the case of Buck v. Bell in 1927 in which Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (an appointee of our first progressive president, Teddy Roosevelt) upheld forced sterilization of the mentally ill, saying “three generations of imbeciles are enough.”
Those enlightened progressives again trampled on human rights again in the case of Korematsu v. the United States which stated the federal government had the right to lock up thousands of U.S. citizens in concentration camps due to military necessity. (Thank you FDR.)
Most atrocious of them all Wade v. Roe in 1973 granted the right to murder unborn children. We took that right and ran with it. Since then 55,000,000 innocent babies have been slaughtered in the name of personal freedom. Hitler almost seems an amateur in comparison.
Oh there are many other examples of ways the Supreme Court has shredded the constitution and individuals rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness. This list will suffice to give a taste of how our system of government can fail us. Fortunately sometimes they do decide to read the Constitution they claim to rule by.
The one thing that gives me hope is that we have always managed to get back on track and keep this nation running. Most of the time the worst decisions by the Court are eventually overturned. My prayer for my country is that we don't stray too far. I'm trying to stay optimistic, but with a president who ignores the Constitution, a Legislature who plays along with him, and a Supreme Court that seems intent on backing him up, I'm beginning to think that we are way past the point of no return.

Home is where the heart is

     There is a blaring silence reverberating off the wall of our house tonight, this first night of my temporary bachelorhood.  Yes, Karlye and her mother (God love them) through some mix of bravery and insanity took off in our minivan with 5 kids and 3 bikes on a road trip to Texas today.  I at last have the house to myself for a week, no noise, no chaos, no dirty diapers or bedtime battles.  I have been looking forward to this week with great expectation.

     Now that it has come, as glad as I am to have some time to myself, I am finding already that part of me is missing.  My best friend and five greatest treasures are gone and I think they must have packed part of my soul somewhere in the back of that minivan, because for the life of me I can't seem to find it here no matter how hard I look.  Without them, this home has reverted back to a house.  This silence comes at a price.  Things just aren't the same without the nightly routine.  I don't know how Josiah will be able to sleep without me to tuck him in. I won't have Grace stalling getting to sleep with her nightly request for "Two kisses, two hugs, prayer time and tuck me in".  As much as I enjoy the "me" time I am realizing how important the "us" time has become to me.

     I am not completely myself without my wife and children.  I will certainly enjoy my time alone.  I thrive on the respite from the normal cacophony that fills this place.  I will sleep soundly without fear of waking up at 3:30 to Bill O'Reilly when Karlye is having trouble sleeping.  No small person will disturb my slumber by climbing on top of me in the middle of the night.  I just wonder though if a full night of sleep alone is half as good as an interrupted night of sleep shared with the person you love most in the world.

     I know that somewhere in a hotel room in northern Texas tonight, bedlam reigns supreme.  There is arguing and fighting and kids with a days worth of pent up energy are driving their mother and grandmother to the limit of their patience.  I am very happy not to be a part of it, but I wouldn't mind a little glimpse of it, just to know that even though separated from me by 300 miles, that piece of my heart is still beating.

    Sweet dreams my precious ones.  I love you.

Happy Anniversary

     Today is our 12th anniversary.  Somehow it doesn't seem as glitzy or exciting as 10 or 20 years, but then every anniversary is a milestone, which is why we celebrate them.  I'm not sure how I would have pictured us 12 years down the road, if I had taken the time on our wedding day to consider such things, but I probably would have been a little idealistic.  Probably I would have imagined a stunning couple staring lovingly into eachother's eyes cuddled close by a roaring fire or something along those lines.  I doubt I would have envisioned lunch at Jason's Deli with 5 kids, potato chips and hot dog chunks scattered on the floor.  Nothing says romance like hunks of food on the floor.  But then, reality seldom matches up to what we dream it will be.

     I would have thought, in my long lost naivete, that 12 year into a marriage, we would have perfected the whole relationship thing.  I would have imagined that we would be past the point of petty arguments and reached a place where we could look past or laugh off the little annoying quirks we each brought into the relationship.  Yeah, I guess I thought that 2 or 3 years into this marriage, we would have pretty much figured it all out and then could enjoy the next 50 or so just cruising along without conflict or misunderstanding.   

     So much for for pipe dreams.

     The reality is perhaps less glamorous, but I wouldn't trade a minute of it.  I love my wife more today than ever before.  We struggle through the day to day challenges of marriage just like everyone else, but we never even consider giving up.  She helps me to be a better person than I would ever be on my own.  Believe me, I am far from perfect, but I am a much better man because of her.  I hope that in the next 12 years I will become the kind of husband that she truly deserves.

     I hope that she knows how much I love her.  I hope that the love I have for her is always more than words; that it is a love lived out daily in such a real way that it becomes a place where she feels safe and content.  I hope that through the way I love Karlye, my children feel safe and can see a picture of how a man should treat his wife.  I admit, I have a long way to go, but having her in my life makes me want to be better tomorrow than I am today.

     So on this 12th anniversary of our marriage, I want to take the time to tell my wonderful wife a few things that I don't usually take enough time to say.  I love you Karlye.  I love you for being such a stong person.  I love you for the way you care for our five kids.  I appreciate the hard work and grueling effort that you put into making our home a safe and caring environment for me and the kids, each and every day.  Thank you for putting up with my grumpy moods and angry outbursts.  Thank you for the sacrifices you make for me and the family.  Thank you for 12 wonderful years and five terrific children.  I am glad that I will have the chance to grow old with you.  I look forward to the rest of our journey together.  It may not always be a smooth ride, but I'm certain it won't be boring.  I am so glad that God brought us together.  You are my life.  Happy anniversary.

     Ah, back in Tonganoxie.  Traveling to a city like Chicago always reinforces how glad I am that I live in the middle of nowhere.  Surrounded by miles of concrete and buildings and millions of people makes me claustrophobic.  It also makes me feel small.  I get the sense that I am just one small ant in a massive ant hill.  I know some people live for the bustle and movement of the big city.  Me, I'll take the less hectic route through life.  I enjoy knowing the woman at the check out counter at the grocery store.  I like meeting friends every few feet when I walk through the city park.  There is a comfort in the smallness of this corner of the world.  I can breath here.  Maybe I am not made for greatness, but I am content with what I have here; my life, my family, my home.

    I did enjoy watching my kids experience the city.  They adapted very quickly.  I looked at Caleb and could almost see him like some street-wise character from a movie.  Of course, he wasn't all that street wise as several times he attempted to place himself directly in the path of oncoming vehicles.

    The kids loved the Shedd aquarium and the Museum of Science and Industry.  I realize that you don't get stuff like that in the small town.  I suppose that's why we occasionally venture into the big city. 

    I just wonder sometimes if we aren't somehow spoiling our children by taking them too many places.  It seems like the more we go, the less they appreciate what they are getting to do.  I was in awe when I first went to Chicago as a teenager.  I don't think they experienced even the slightest twinge of real excitement.  Sure, they had fun, but for them, it was just another trip. 

     The  again, maybe things will not always be so easy to do.  Maybe the economy will come crashing down even worse than it already has and traveling with 5 kids will become next to impossible.  I guess I should be thankful or the ability to do these things as a family while time and money permit. 

     In the end though, I realize how blessed I am with a wonderful wife who makes me take fie great kids on trips that I would never be willing to take without her prodding.  I come back from them all a little tired but very aware of the great riches I have in this little troupe we call a family.  You can take all the fame and wealth the world offers you.  You can live in your up-scale hi-rise department on Lake Shore Drive.  We're good just the way we are in our little town in Kansas.

The Windy, Rainy, Chilly City

Ahhh Chicago. The last time I was here Barak Obama was some community organizer running for the senate. I actually walked past one of his big promo events and remembered thinking what a weird name he had. That was summer 2004, this is the fall of 2011. I definitely. Prefer the summer weather to this cold rain. 48° never felt so cold before. I think October in Chicago is like March in Seattle with hurricane force winds. The kids seem to be troopers though and as of yet have not been overly whiny about the rain and cold. Okay, enough blogging from my iPhone. Gonna call it a night and maybe tomorrow I'll take more pictures. Unfortunately I left the camera at home.

Preacher Man

     This week at church I preached my second-ever sermon.  I know that I am not made to be a preacher.  I don't like being in the spotlight.  I could write sermons.  I have plenty of opinions and am not at all afraid to say what I think.  I just don't like being front and center.  I don't like to be looked at and watched.  

     When I started dating my wife, my future brother-in-law used to call me Preacher Bill.  I'm sure he meant it with the utmost respect, however I had never preached a single sermon in my life.  I remember going to Christian youth camps as a young teen and they had this this called the "Young Preacher's Club".  I always wanted to give it a whirl, try my hand at the whole fire and brimstone thing, but I was simultaneously terrified of getting up in front of people.  

     Now twice I have filled in for our Pastor while he was away for various reasons.  I have learned a lot of respect for him and what he does just on Sunday morning.  Add in all he does the rest of the week, and I don'r know how he manages to do it week in and week out.  The same goes for all pastors.  This is pastor appreciation month, and I can't think of a group of people who deserve out appreciation more than pastors.

    Pastoring used to be a highly respected profession.    Many of the founders of the country were pastors.  Pastors were the ones who people turned to for guidance and insight, for counseling and encouragement.  They held the nation together through times of tragedy and pushed us to be a better people.

     Today is is most common to see a pastor on TV or in a movie portrayed in a much more disrespectful light.  Hollywood would have us see pastors as backwards and uninformed.  They might be good intentioned, but usually are made out to be hypocritical and scheming snake oil salesmen, who bang on a big Bible and then secretly bed their secretary or live high on the hog off the Social Security checks that their brain washed elderly parishioners send them dutifully each month.  Their children are also usually the most rebellious and promiscuous kids in the local school.

     Sure there are always examples of pastors who have blown it, and I have known my share.  The fact remains though that most pastors serve God faithfully their whole lives, with little or no recognition for the amount of time and effort they pour into their work.  The work long hours studying and preparing sermons and lessons that people will listen to with glazed over eyes.  The are always visiting at the hospital when anyone gets sick.  They get called in the middle of the night.  They spend hours listening to people's problems and seldom have anyone think for a moment that they might occasionally be dealing with some of their own.  It is for the most part a thankless job. Many times they don't have a lot of close friends, because I think most people don't feel comfortable around them.

     I just want to go on the record and say that I am lucky enough to have two amazing and hard working pastors who are as above reproach as men can be.  They deserve a ton of praise for all they do.  I don't know how they keep going week after week and still do such a great job at being husbands and fathers.  They are men of God who put Him first in their lives and live out their faith boldly and without hypocrisy.  Thanks Mike and Mark.  I am proud to know you and call you both friend.

     So anyway, I preached as a fill in for Mike this week.  It was a privilege.  I don't know if anyone else got anything out of the sermon, but I know that I needed to hear what I had to say.  I'll post a link should anyone else want to listen.

Living For Christ In A Hostile World - Sunday 10/9/2011