Goose’s Ramblings

I have waited to post about politics until after the conventions were over. Throughout the last year, I have believed that the GOP was in near disrepair…then Sarah Palin came on the scene. She has absolutely revitalized the entire GOP. Dems are freaking out, because she has captured the public’s imagination. Why? Because unlike everyone else running for office right now, she is herself and the public appreciates that. I had been very disenfranchised by the state of politics in this country, but now I am feeling hopeful (take that obama) for our country’s future. See, I believe our country is hurting from the constant reminder of political correctness. Now she is inspiring politicians to be themselves. She is telling the media and the dems, that women can be pro gun and pro life and be credible. And they hate that. The media is showing us just how biased they are, especially CNN, with their constant attacks on Palin on issues that have been over with for a long time (ie the firing of the commissioner story). Meanwhile, she is forcing the public to look at issues and not letting Obama get away with his avoidance of issues. He has duped so many people in this country by avoiding topics and only preaching hope and change. He is an actor and is awful on his feet when his answers aren’t prepared. I’m happy the debates are coming up, but mad they are on CNN, b/c when McCain whoops up on Obama again in a debate, CNN will slam him and only talk about how presentable Obama is and that is crap. More to come later.

Sorry for the delay, I feel to the awful summer attribute of procrastination.  Every time I was set to write about an issue, I became distracted and put it off…until now.

Here it goes.

This summer, the Lord has been teaching me a lot about being a follower.  See, my entire life, I have either sought out or had leadership positions thrown on me.  I have always accepted these roles and sought my best to fulfill them up to my own standards for the job.  This has also led me to experience a definite downside to leadership.  I let it go to my head.  No I did not become arrogant or really bossy or anything like that.  I instead have allowed leadership to get me antzy, stressed, critical, and obsessed with being in control.  It affected my relationship with God and has permeated in many different areas of my life.

This summer, God has really humbled me and knocked my legs out from under me.  He is showing me how much I need Him in my everyday life how stupid it is to think that I am in control of anything.  He is calling me to follow.  See, I understand leadership and feel as though I do a good job of leading others, but I do not understand following.  I don’t know how to do it, and this has seriously affected my relationship with God.  I am not letting him have control and I have been struggling against Him in the process. God has been allowing me to struggle in my vain attempt at an “independence” that is a foolish attempt.  The only way to have a fulfilled life is by allowing God to have the reigns.  All summer I have struggled with this, and now he is calling me to rest in him.  He is calling me to follow and cultivate the relationships that he has put in my life.  My friend Calvin hit the nail on the head, “No” is going to be a huge word for me this year.  It will take discipline and humility to say no, but I need God to lead, because I have seen the failure of me being in control.

A man that I respect and is in the top 5 most important people to me released his first book tonight. Jason Carr has spent his entire life in Alpharetta and has worked for Student Venture and at Northpoint. He has written a book entitled Halt! Dismount and be Recognized. The book incorporates many lessons he has learned in student ministy and life. He has hardcore impacted my life and with the help of Todd Crane, has been used by God to shape me into who I am today.

One of the sections of the book, which I am starting today is entitled Dismount. I truly believe that in order for God to use us, we need to first dismount off our high horse and surrender our current position to the Lord. God wants us to come before him in humility and I know in my life, I need to do much better at accomplishing this. I think we can all learn a lesson that Jason brings to light. As a body of believers we need to dismount off the “Christian” horse we sit on and come down the level of others so we can minister to them. Think about it, how would this world look like if we were incapable of judgment. I say we give it a shot.

Hey everyone,

I was at the beach last week for some much needed downtime, but was without a computer (which was awesome by the way).  I’m going to soak in some time at home for the first time in two months, and then I’ll return with something more substantial either later tonight or tomorrow.

So I decided to postpone my previously planned post to write about something that has frustrated me for a long time now, and recently came to a head this past Sunday. On the way back from Greenville, my roommate and I stopped at Maurice’s BBQ in Columbia for dinner. What I saw there caused me to decide to write about an issue that has dogged the South for the last 150 years: the Confederate Flag

When we walked into the restaurant, I was blown aback by the presence of an overwhelming number of Confederate battle flags. There were paintings all over the walls glorifying the Southern army defeating the North and of the man who started the KKK. There was a framed secession letter from the state of South Carolina which was prominently placed on the wall. However, what set me off was the presence of a multitude of American flags placed around the windows. I wanted to yell, and here is why.

There is not one justifiable reason why people should display the confederate flag, not one. Especially in this day and time. There is a time when you have to let things go, and the time for the Confederate flag was 1865. People claim heritage and tradition. Traditions of what? Rebellion, pride, hatred, slavery, and selfishness, these are the true meanings of the flag being flown today. The flag represents the KKK and Jim Crow. The flag being flown today is an absolute travesty, and for those like Maurice to condone the flag is utterly apprehensible.

You cannot display the American flag along side the Confederate flag in a way that somehow is supposed to bring honor to the USA-it is an example of twisted logic. At best, those two flags are eternally opposed to each other and the mere presence of the Confederate flag marks a loyalty to something other than the US and therefore is not, can not, and will never be patriotic.

It blew my mind that someone who owned a well known business like Maurice, could have stayed in business for as long as he has while displaying relics of the CSA. The time for the rebel flag has passed and people need to open their eyes and realize that now, this flag is a symbol of hate for an entire segment of the population, and no matter what the stated reason is, hate is the real symbol of the flag, and the public should not tolerate the rebel flag any longer, which means, not patronizing institutions that still display this awful symbol of a time when our country stood divided in hatred and pride. Maurice, please, realize these facts before it is too late, Columbia, do not allow this public space to display these symbols of hate, and everyone needs to not stand complacently by and allow this flag to exists in anywhere but museums and history books any longer.

Kristian Stanfill posted this prayer on his blog, and I believe it is a prayer that everyone in our generation should hold to our hearts.

God…this is what i pray.
shake Your people. wake us up from the apathetic slumber that has taken us hostage. open our spiritual eyes to see where you are moving. let our lives be quiet enough to hear You when You speak and when You speak give us the boldness to follow where You lead. where You are going is better than any place we could go on our own. take me with You.

Amen