"Judge Not Your Brother . . . "

While traveling by air to Los Angeles a few weeks ago, I became immersed in the above titled song by Eric Bibb. As I played it over and over again the words became crystal clear, and my attitude began to change. I found I needed to take a hard look at how I regarded the people in my life, and in doing so also found I owed an apology to several.

As a child I was raised in a home where judgment prevailed right alongside anger and fear. It appears God chose that day in the air - headphones plastered to my ears - to show me how I brought that attitude into my adult life. I believe God let me go deep within myself through the words of this song, and I'm thankful for a Heavenly Father Who never stops showing me new (and old) things about myself.

Judge Not Your Brother (lyrics by Eric Bibb)

Passed a young man on the street dressed in rags couldn’t have been more than 25
Lying on the sidewalk in a sleeping bag and a sign that read:
Your kindness keeps me alive
I remember I stopped and turned around couldn’t hold my tongue saying something about that sign bothers me
So I asked him, “Why’s a guy like you healthy, white and young living off working folk’s charity?” He said,

Judge not your brother
Walk a mile in his shoes
You see he’s doing the best that he can do
Like me and you

My mouth fell open wide shocked by the truth
The look in his eyes was wise and sad
He said, “Brother, I was born a rich man’s son, but I gave it all away, every last dollar I ever had”.
He wanted to know how it felt to be humbled by disdain, pity and indignation.
He asked me if I’d read the book Black Like Me. He said it was his inspiration.

Judge not your brother
Walk a mile in his shoes
You see he’s doing the best that he can do
Like me and you

Just when we think we know what’s really going on
Life serves us a surprise
A lesson to learn again and again
‘Cause we’ve all been victimized by prejudice and lies

Judge not your brother
Walk a mile in his shoes
You see he’s doing the best that he can do
Judge not your brother
Walk a mile in his shoes
You see he’s doing the best that he can do
Like me and you.

Who Moved My Cheese?

2010 has already brought an incredible amount of change to our lives as a semi-retired couple. Life is not at all like it use to be when each of us went our separate ways working long hours striving to save for the "future" now asking ourselves why and wishing we had grabbed hold of quality time together when we were much younger. It's odd how life takes twists and turns and seasons come and go; and yet one thing remains so constant in our lives -- the restorative power of God and His love for us.

Time: such a nice feature of life. We have often said "when we have time, we have no money; when we have money, we have no time." Now there seems to be balance - new and nice and strange and anxiety producing all at the same time. We're making different choices than before, changing our priorities, becoming closer as a couple. I know change is difficult and I think now of the little book I read several years ago entitled "Who Moved My Cheese?"

Amazing Grace

Death is never easy - especially unexpected and untimely death. My heart is heavy today for Scott, Jessica, Jordan, Lauren, and Joseph who are now faced with so many uncertainties following the death of their wife and mother, Veronica. It is difficult even to type Scott's name without adding hers. For me, it has always been Scott and Veronica . . . never one without the other . . . more than a married couple, they were a true team.

Today I'm asking God to pour out His amazing grace on this family, and upon our son, Adam, who has loved them for a very long time.

And to Veronica I say thank you for the difference you made in my son's life.

Overwhelmed

Today I am overwhelmed by God's goodness and faithfulness to our family. Personally, He brought me up from a pit of negativity and despair and has taken me on a life long journey learning how to serve Him by loving others. I shutter to think how my life would look if I had not answered His call 32 years ago this week. God is the ultimate truth, and everything I do or say must be measured by that truth. "Lord, I ask you to continue molding me into the person you want me to be while I continue learning to realize and recognize You for Who You are.

Study

Being a school bus driver gives me lots of opportunity to study human behavior -- especially my own.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

I read a quote today by Henry David Thoreau: "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." Thank you H.D.T. for giving us permission to be ourselves.

Class

This morning I was thinking about social classes . . . you know: lower, middle, upper. I remember my mother feeling as though she never "belonged" because she was raised in a poor family during the depression years. It was difficult for her to feel as though she fit in with folks whose primary bread winner was a white color worker.

I don't have those feelings. Perhaps society has changed. Perhaps I've changed.