Looking Back on 2011

On the last day of 2011 I am finally doing what I have thought about doing for the last two weeks; writing a few thoughts about the year that ends today. My buddy Mark Wingfield gave me that last bit of inspiration I needed. He writes so well and so often and I really enjoy reading his notes. Thanks Mark and hope you keep notes coming!


Here is my lookback:


Early 2011 was a little rough as my Mom passed away in January. She had suffered for several years with COPD and we all knew that the day of her passing would not be far away. It was difficult, especially for my Dad as he said goodbye to his bride of 60 years. Mom was personally ready to go and had that peace of God that Jesus gives right to the end. I know she is with the Lord.


The year brought some more death of people I knew well. Bruce’s Dad, Cecil passed away in March. We all miss Cecil, especially at the Coffee House this year as he used to wear his powered Santa hat and make us all laugh. I also lost a very special friend right before Thanksgiving, Mr. Tom Bass. I spent some great days with Mr. Bass over the last few years. That man taught me a lot and he did it with very few words. I will miss him greatly. I would love to see his face at the table that is set before him now!


At the beginning of 2011 Jordyn got involved with the Richmond Christian Youth Theatre (CYT). She was in two shows and loved it. We enjoyed the process as well and even all the trips to Richmond were fun as we spent that extra time together. We knew Jordyn would be leaving for college in the fall so we tried to squeeze in as much family time as we could this year. Speaking of college, in preparation for those financial challenges, Becky went back to work (outside of home and church) in May after many years devoted to being a teaching Mom and Volunteer Church Administrator.


Jordyn left for Liberty University in August and has completed her first semester as a resident student. She loves it and is doing quite well if I may brag about my daughter. Before she left for college we enjoyed our annual beach trip with Johnny and Pat, Ryan and Holly and Amanda even made it with Jaelynn in tow. That was a great week as always.


2011 was year seven for Community Christian Fellowship. Once again God amazed me through the people that are CCF. I would mention specific church events, worship services, bible studies, prayer meetings, service projects, or the fact that more were baptized through CCF than any other previous year (guess I just did) but it sounds like I am talking more about our accomplishments instead of God’s work. It is all God. Little CCF is part of God’s massive Kingdom here on earth and it is good and just so awesome to be a part of His work. “This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”- Psalm 118:23


As 2011 came to a close for CCF we had our annual Christmas Coffee House and on Christmas Eve Eve, CCF had a first ever impromptu “Christmas Pageant.” It was fun and a blessing as we worshipped the Lord remembering the indescribable gift of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.


On Christmas Day my new baby granddaughter arrived! Zoey Maria Rivera was born to Amanda and Josh and Jaelynn has a little sister. Beck, Jordyn and I were able to head down to Fayetteville the day after Christmas and see that beautiful child! Wow! What a way to end the year! Amanda and baby are doing great and Josh is not on deployment (praise the Lord!) so he is able to be with his family.


As 2011 began I read a biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas and was inspired to focus more on personal self-denial, really taking up my cross and following Jesus. Looking back on 2011, I know that self did not like that idea at all and resisted constantly but on the eve of 2012, the call is the same. I still hear Jesus say “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”


Another year, another chance to die.  I’m preaching about that tomorrow. I pray I can live it in 2012. Happy New Year!

An Unexpected Trip to Bizarro World

Today I drove my Dad to an appointment and while I was sitting in the waiting room the surreal feeling that I once again, was in the “Bizarro World” began to come over me.

The first thing I suddenly found bizarre (although it is becoming rather common) was the obnoxious presence of two wide-screen HD TVs in a small (relatively speaking) room. I noticed my Dad’s voice apparently yelling at the receptionist and then realized that he was not “yelling” but forced to raise his voice over the sound of the televisions and the “surround” sound that was piped through the ceiling speakers. Where was I, “HH Gregg?”

It seems like not long ago that waiting rooms consisted of softly playing“Musac” and “Field and Stream.”

Not that I particularly cared for either of these entertainment choices of yesteryear but it was the ambiance that one expected in a “waiting room.” Never thought I would actually miss that, but I guess those days are gone.

So as I settled down for a protracted wait, I wished I had brought a book to read but wondered if I could have pulled that off anyway in such an environment. The sound was overwhelming!

And what I  heard through the cinema-style speakers, and saw on the wide-screen televisions was the most bizarre element of my whole experience. CNN.

It was CNN and it was bizarre.

Before you label me as an ideologue or hater, know that I used to watch CNN all the time. Way back when the voice of James Earl Jones simply stated “THIS IS CNN.”

I can remember rushing home from work in the 80’s to follow the Iran-Contra Hearings on CNN and watching (and taping) live coverage of the Gulf War in the 90’s as well as following major political campaigns and other big stories through CNN’s coverage.

It was not extremely difficult to detect the liberal slant buildingthrough the years but even with that, you could still get NEWS on CNN. They were in fact “The Worldwide Leader in News." But today, what I saw and heard emanating from CNN was…well, bizarre.

The particular “news” program that was on today was reporting the attack of Anderson Cooper as he tried to cover the story in Egypt.

That in itself is newsworthy but it didn't take long for the coverage to descend into the Bizarro World. The “anchor” began playing clips of David Letterman and Conan O’Brien “yucking it up” about the situation in Egypt climaxing with O’Brien sarcastically wondering about the safety of American journalists in Egypt and how we could “get Glenn Beck over there?”

While such “humor” is expected on late night comedy shows, the look of glee on the CNN anchor’s face while these clips played was nothing short of (repeated for effect) bizarre.

And then as  this “news” program continued, emphasizing the crisis in Egypt, a CNN contributor “reminded” listeners that although “schools were closed, the police force had quit, wide-spread looting was rampant, food was in short-supply, all cameras except for the ones operated by the Egyptian government were banned, and the death toll was climbing because the sheer violence in the streets was continuing to escalate,” it really wasn’t “that bad” over there. Really?

Should we at least consider the importance of the Suez Canal or the statement of the Muslim Brotherhood to its members to “Prepare for war against Israel?”

Should we just maybe, report some of those facts? Maybe keeping in mind a cursory knowledge of world history?

 What about the revolution in Iran in 1979? It didn’t turn out as Utopian as some hoped. Neither did the Weimar Republic in Germany or what followed, the Third Reich. How about some rather notorious regimes like Hitler? Mussolini? Stalin?  How about Mao Tse-Tung in China? How many people died as a result of these regimes?

These men (and their ideas) all rose to power when the people shared a common denominator: a desperate desire for revolution.

And lest we say “but what about the American Revolution? That turned out pretty good!” Remember, those revolutionaries fled to a whole different continent to start a new life. The radicals wishing to force their ways on us followed us to the new land…they came here to fight.

I hope the best for the Egyptian people but I fear that they are ripe for a radical power-grab. Should we not at least inform people of this possiblilty?  What I saw on CNN today was more like the coverage of an anti-war rally from the sixties in America getting a bit out of hand. And to be fair, I have seen a little of this on other “news” channels as well.

Sure, Mubarak may be a dictator but did Obama and Hillary just make that discovery? Or did they just find out that we give the Egyptian government 1.3 billion in aid annually? Ooops! And please don’t say this is a partisan rant.

I know full well that this has been going on for 30 years so the aid is not Obama’s fault alone. The government probably has very strategic reasons for pumping all that money that we don’t have into the Middle East but how does this make sense with the sanctimonious demands for freedom in Egypt now?

Don't forget that the President made his first official international visit to Cairo. Did he demand Mubarak step down then? Or at least make the revelation that the people of Egypt were ruled by a brutal despot?

What are we going to do if there is an uprising in China? Discover a long-lost disdain for communism and demand freedom for the Chinese? Shhhh! Don't you know we owe them almost a trillion dollars? We have to be nice!

I personally think we need Glenn Beck’s voice in this country. Someone who is willing to consider facts. He reports the very words of the players in this very serious game. Their own statements and creeds. Not talking points. Not naïve hopes of a sudden desire for “democracy” to make everything OK. And again, I know this administration's rhetoric is nothing new from an American President.

Glenn Beck doesn’t even claim to be a journalist but at least he tells the truth to the people. I may not agree with all of his opinions and predictions or theories but his perspective comes from documented fact. I personally like truth. 

But yet today I see an anchor on the gentile and compassionate CNN that is working hard to “tone down the hateful rhetoric” beaming at the thought of Beck being beaten in Egypt! Bizarre indeed…and I was forced to continue watching…and listening.

 And then came the CNN coup de grâce: A giggly “Hollywood reporter” excitedly talked about the President’s Super Bowl Party and how Mark Anthony and “J-Lo” were on the guest list.

The “anchor” then joins in with the giggle fest and agrees with the Hollywood girl in dreaming of being on “that guest list!”

While this may interest many and one might expect such material on “The View,” “Inside Edition” or “Entertainment Tonight,” watching this display on CNN as the Middle East teeters on the verge of anarchy gave me that too familiar sensation that I had been transported to the “Bizzarro World.”

And then, none too soon, my Dad came out from the back, apologizing that I had to wait so long. “No problem” I said but couldn’t help but silently rejoice that my little trip was coming to an end and as Dad and I drove home, we talked… a lot! And that was good. I had successfully escaped from the world that seems to lurk in every venue of life...that crazy little place that can only be described as the Bizarro World.

Postscript:

My “Bizarro World” observation is just that, an observation. Egypt is on the southern border of Israel. That in itself makes it a very serious situation so I will continue to follow the news (when I can find it). I am interested but do not fret. Despite any level of violence or threats of any kind, I believe the ultimate outcome in the Middle East is declared in the word of God. For another one of my blogs on U.S. and Middle East relations check out a post of my observations from 2009:

http://thewaxle.blogspot.com/2009/03/as-many-knowpresident-barack-obama.html