Brandstad vs. Culver. The facts on their differences.

There are stark differences between current Gov. Culver, and former Gov. Brandstad.

Brandstad has salt and pepper graying hair. Culver has redish/blond hair.

Culver's wife smokes. Brandstad's wife doesn't. Or not that we know of.

Culver has kids at home. Brandstad has grown children.

Culvers likes to alienate his Union voter base, while Branstad (via Doug Gross), likes to alienate his Evangelical voter base.

Brandstad is Catholic. Culver is Presbyterian.

Culver hasn't raised taxes to cover a big budget. Brandstad has.

Branstad lives in West Des Moines. Culver lives in Des Moines.

Culvers has a -D after his name. Brandstad has a -R after his name.

Culver hasn't expanded gambling in the state. Brandstad oversaw the origin and expansion of gambling in Iowa.

Culver's first name is "Chet." Brandstad's first name is "Terry."

Brandstad was in office when there was a major flood in Des Moines. Culver was in office when there was a major flood in Cedar Rapids.

I'm trying to think of more. Somebody help me out.

Some of my favorite customers

*Inspired by actual people and events* I hope this doesn't come across as complaining. I actually say this because these people are funny. And it would be good if we realized any tendency we have towards this ourselves.

The Engineer:

The engineer comes in and tells you he is considering building his own central vacuum. Yes, he's going to buy the parts on the Internet and the vacuum is going to take up most of one of the stalls in his garage. He rattles off a bunch of technical terms, to make himself feel smart and confirm your ineptness, therefore convincing himself (or more importantly, his wife) that he should build his own central vacuum.

The Snob:

The snob literally does keep their head at an upward slant at all times. They ask brief questions, tell you exactly what they want, and cut you off when you utter more than one short sentence. In between, they pepper in information about "their private secretary" or "at our house in Florida" or "or this stone is from Italy." When you call them, you always go to voice mail (or their private secretary) and they return your calls somewhere between 2 to 5 days later. Usually they are nice people, just superior to you in every way. The ones that aren't nice can literally make you feel like cursing or crying after every interaction.

The Nutty Negotiator:
NN: "Well Wal-Mart has the same TV for $999." Me: "Actually, they don't." NN: "Well, they've got TV's for $999." Me: I thought you were specifically looking for the XBR, and wanted it hung on a mount from your ceiling, with it connected to the satellite receiver and DVD player in the closet, with a remote that works through walls?" NN: "Well, all I know is that Wal-Mart has TV's for $999." Me: "You can buy that TV from Wal-Mart and we can install it the way we discussed." NN: "Why don't you have TV's for $999?" And so on.

The Small Town Builder:
The small town builder calls and asks for a bid on something. They ask you to e-mail it to them. You e-mail it. You call them to make sure they got the e-mail. They then tell you it's been a couple weeks since they got on e-mail. A week later you call again to see if they got the e-mail. They say they have. You don't want to insult them by asking them if they opened the attachment you referred to in the e-mail. Two weeks later, on Friday at 4:30 PM they call and say "Yeah, all that work you bid out for me, I need it done on Monday." You turn in the bid and somehow the guys are able to be out there on Monday. The next day you get a call. Small town builder is upset. "This isn't what we discussed." In the conversation you figure out that they didn't open the attachment that was the bid (they didn't understand "you will find the bid in the attached pdf" written in the text of your e-mail) and therefore everything is all wrong, because they never actually read the bid.

Interesting Little News Story

I found this pretty interesting. I realize we would prefer that people saw abortion from a spiritual perspective, but pragmatism that saves a baby's life is still pretty good. Between stories like this, Abort73, and movies like Juno and Bella, we might be making some real progress on this. As Abort73 explains, the only audience that needs to change their opinion about abortion is women at or before child-bearing age. Of course, that assumes the pro-life movement is actually about saving babies and protecting women, not gaining ground or funds for a certain political party or its politicians.

Three Random Thoughts

1. There are people who are snobs. Most people are misjudged for their snobbery because they are shy, like to dress nice, or have money. However, there are some who are genuinely snobs.


2. Why aren't all my naturalist (or whatever you call it) friends up in arms over government controlled health care? You tirelessly oppose vaccinating your kids, and many of you oppose the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, along with other practices of the medical establishment. If you think the mandatory vaccinations are bad, just wait until they take over everything.


3. Your opinion of the Rick Pitino situation lies solely with your beliefs about abortion. If the abortion removed a tissue blob that was mistakenly fertilized, no harm, no foul. If it ended the life of a unique, unborn human being, he's an accessory to murder. There is absolutely no way to discuss this issue without discussing abortion and it's comical to watch the sports news media try to skate around the issue.

Outburst at Harkin Townhall

This was about as exciting as it got.

Favorite Birthday Free Stuff

These deals are all free. Not buy one, get one. Just free. I've enjoyed all three this year, and now it's time to get back to eating right.

Red Robin Free burger for your birthday. They give you about a week to use the coupon. Dine in only.

Ruby Tuesday Free burger for your birthday. Also about a week to use the coupon. Dine in or carry out.

Cold Stone Creamery Free scoop with stuff in it. Paying full price at this place is just crazy, but free is always good. If you are a 31 year old man, by yourself, and the girl behind the counter asks you if you want them to sing, the correct answers is always "no."

On Authenticity

*If you think this is specifically about you, it probably isn't. I have been contemplating these things for years, writing a blog like this for months, and now have finally written it.*

This is a struggle I have had, and my wife has had. Authenticity. Being who you are.

I grew up in a wonderful, Christian family. As a kid, I saw how people respected my parents and the way they people would come into our household and enjoy the love, freedom, structure, and reliability of it. My parents were not legalistic. Rules were few, and I knew the focus was on God, not on my parents. Somehow, though, I really struggled with self-righteousness. Probably because that is the core of our sin problem..."I can do this myself." As some of you know, when I was about 13 I went through some radical changes, and my faith in Jesus Christ become personal, not just something I knew, or believed, but something that was all-encompassing.

So, over the next couple years I believe God led me to actually take what I believed seriously. If the Bible says "(blank)" than "(blank)" is true and my life needs to be brought into conformity with that reality. I quickly become someone who was searching out truth, and then, usually prematurely, wanting to share that truth with others. Most of us have been there. We learn something, and want to share it with everyone, before, perhaps, it has even taken root in our own lives. In high school I was annoying most of the time. Teenage insecurities and an often hap-hazard passion for God blended into a nice little Pharisee, most of the time. Being a vocal "leader" on spiritual things shored up insecurities with my peers. At least I was good for something. I hope and pray that God broke through on some of the things I said and did, and made some of it useful for something, but I'm sure a lot of it was in vain.

The goal was simple. Strive for the righteous requirement, take comfort and security from any "good" stuff I did, and make sure that I didn't get caught sinning. Yes, people like me struggle, but we admit to stuff like "not spending enough time with the Lord" or "not praying enough." Not stuff like lust, bitterness, jealousy, hatred, slander, and covetousness. Was I always like this? No. Did I ever go to others in honesty, and really pour out who I was, and how imperfect I was? Yes. In private. In big dramatic moments. But I had to cover, cover, cover my daily ongoing struggle with the flesh. Be nice. Say all the right things. Think those profanes words and thoughts, just don't say them. Don't act on them.

I don't have it figured out yet. I know this, Christ in me is the only hope of glory. I want to be a person of integrity. Not because my behavior is flawless. But because my beliefs, thoughts, and actions are all consistent with each other. No acts. No shows. We know from Jesus that our outward words and actions flow out of our hearts (Mt 15:18). The essence of being a Pharisee is stifling anything bad from coming out in public, while pointing out the righteous standard to others, and holding them accountable to keep it. All the while, the inside of the cup is filthy. I want Christ to be formed in me. I want His resurrected life to be what people see when they look at me. I want to be conformed to the image of His Son. And when conduct that looks like Jesus comes out of me, I want it to originate with His life, not my desire to produce my own righteousness that I can feel good about.

Something really ironic happened yesterday (4 days ago, now that I am posting this). I was contemplating writing this blog, and specifically about how good little Christians think swear words, but never say them. About 30 seconds later, as I was driving, two teenage girls started crossing E. 14th (for those of you not from here, that's a major 4 lane highway through town). They just started walking, and all of us got to slow down, or stop, so they could walk across the street. I believe the exact words I said were "frickin idiots!" Oh yes, the Christianized f word and "idiot," a word that Jesus said is bad enough to condemn me to eternal, unquenchable, hell fire (Mt. 5:22). I don't think I would have said that if anyone else was in the car. Maybe my wife, but then it would have been under my breath.

The point is this. I want my behavior to mirror my heart. Authenticity. If something good comes out, it is by the grace of God. If something bad comes out, it is evidence that there's a raging sinful flesh still inside of me. God still has work to do on me, and I don't want to act like He doesn't. Do I just let whatever fly that comes to mind? Of course not. There's something to be said for being wise, not to mention polite. But there's a big difference between being polite and being a Pharisee. Yes, I still have self-righteous tendencies, so even writing this is dangerous because there's some accountability that comes with it. Just thought I would share something that's been on my mind for a long time now.

It's sad when something that should be self evident is controversial

A recent dialog I had has me thinking about fatherless children. It's amazing how culturally we believe that it is fine for children to be raised without fathers, but not okay for children to be raised without mothers. Of course, mothers are soon also going to be unnecessary, too.

This is my source, and these stats are kind of old.

• 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes.

[U. S. D.H.H.S. Bureau of the Census]

• 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes.
• 85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes.

[Center for Disease Control]

• 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes.

[Criminal Justice and Behavior, Vol. 14 p. 403-26]

• 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes.

[National Principals Association Report on the State of High Schools]

• 70% of juveniles in state operated institutions come from fatherless homes

[U.S. Dept. of Justice, Special Report, Sept., 1988]

• 85% of all youths sitting in prisons grew up in a fatherless home.

[Fulton County Georgia Jail Populations and Texas Dept. of Corrections, 1992]

• Nearly 2 of every 5 children in America do not live with their fathers.

[US News and World Report, February 27, 1995, p.39]

What does this mean? Children from fatherless homes are:

• 4.6 times more likely to commit suicide,

• 6.6 times to become teenaged mothers (if they are girls, of course),
• 24.3 times more likely to run away,
• 15.3 times more likely to have behavioral disorders,
• 6.3 times more likely to be in a state-operated institutions,
• 10.8 times more likely to commit rape,
• 6.6 times more likely to drop out of school,
• 15.3 times more likely to end up in prison while a teenager.

I'm currently out of the office rant

I am blown away that a sales rep for a vendor does not leave an "out of office" message on his voicemail or e-mail, nor does he check either one. I am not one of these people who expect you to return my call or e-mail within 30 seconds of getting it, but come on. No out of office message!? While I have a six figure bid I'm working on using their products. Then I find out their offices close at 1:30 on Fridays. Either they have a very high opinion of themselves and a long weekend or they have to cut hours and don't want to tell anyone.

How I contact my Congressmen

Leonard Boswell 202-225-3806
Charles Grassley 202-224-3744
Tom Harkin 202-224-3254

The numbers above are for their D.C. offices. I call during business hours. I tell the person that answers the phone that I am a constituent and I want to give my opinion on an issue. They say, "ok" and I say what I think about given legislation. If they aren't being rude, they get my name and address and I receive a written form letter back.

This is how I do it. I'm sure some of you look up the bill numbers and all of that. I figure they know what I'm talking about when I name a very specific piece of legislation ("the health care bill that recently passed out of House committee").

Your cell phone has no long distance charges, it takes about 2 minutes to do, so there's no excuse for not doing it. I always contact them regardless of their position or party.

Christian Business Man

I resist the notion of being a Christian business man. I resist the idea of marketing myself as a Christian business man, or expecting people to trust me based on the fact that I am a Christian. Part of this is just my rebellion against silly Evangelical trends, like "Christian Business Directories" or those don't do business with unbelievers. Some who market themselves as Christian business people are actually some of the most shady people you have ever met.

So I have these wonderful customers right now. They have made it evident they are Christians. They are just great people, in both a business and personal sense it seems. I keep being tempted to drop a line about my faith, as some sort of connection to them. However, as I said above, I just have this aversion to do this. Now, if this is for genuine motives, this is because I want my actions to be so evident of Christ, that people come to this conclusion on their own. Sometimes I've shared about it after we are done doing business. Then they are judging me on the results, and not on a sales ploy to try to building my credibility.

Just thinking out loud.

I can't sell ice to Eskimos *Kind of personal. If you actually know me, you might care*

At times like this I wish I was one of those natural born salespeople. People that could sell ice to Eskimos, not only sell it, but for a high margin, with plenty of commission in it for themselves.

I am a salesperson. I sell stuff. I find out what my client is after, I bid/design/draw/specify it, and see if I can get them their desired solution for a price they are willing to pay. I only put food on the table when I sell stuff. I have a little product management position, which brings in a fraction of a poverty level income.

Right now it is really hard to be a salesperson, period. Add to that the fact that the products I offer I heavily tied to the housing market. Add to that the fact that my largest client, Regency Homes, collapsed last year, under the weight of clueless, reckless, foolish management. The homes that are moving in this market tend to be bare bones, hardly the type of homes that require all the goodies we offer.

My identity is not wrapped up in being a salesperson. It is my job, my career of choice, not who I am.

I do what I do with, God willing, integrity. I don't jack up one person's price and cut an other's based on my perception of their income or likelihood of buying. I try to earn repeat customer's business not because I know the name of their kid's little league team, but because I deliver on what I said I would, on time, for the quoted price, and I take care of any issues by fighting for my clients when they need service after the sale. To whatever degree I do this, I credit God, because anything good I do in this life originates with Him.

So, the problem. Right now, this career of choice, that I've had at A Tech / Easy Living for 8 years doesn't seem to be enough to live on, in the manner my wife and I have chosen to live. We don't live extravagantly, but we don't have to have two cars, go on an annual vacation, or own two computers. Kelli does work catering some, and recently became a representative for Premier Designs. I'm really not sure what to do.

The easy answer is, "sell more." But since I can't sell ice to Eskimos, it can be difficult for me. I need people who are interested in buying. Unlike some salespeople, I can't use the force of my personality to talk an uninterested person in to buying something from me, nor would I want to, because I don't think I could sleep at night.

I know their are habits I could change. Small things I could do. Our management is pretty loose. They only babysit you when you prove you can't go it alone. No one is looking over my shoulder making sure I do the little things that might help me be a better salesperson.

I guess I'm just sharing what's going on. Nothing really profound, just sharing.

Normal Names with Unique Spellings

Parents, before you decide to make your child's name unique by giving a common name a unique spelling, please be aware that your child's educators and business ties may spell their name wrong indefinitely. There's nothing like finding out that I spelled a common first name wrong all along because I mistakenly thought I knew how to spell it. And yes, I know to ask about Ann(e), K(c)athy, Jo(h)n, and Bri(y)an. I also generally don't like names with like 18 different spellings, like Alycia. It's like if I spelled my name Tod. I'd either need to spell it for everyone or just accept that everyone spelled it Todd.

Free Lunch

So, there is a little secret a lot of us don't realize.

The city of Des Moines offers free lunch in several of the major city parks on weekdays. The program is there to feed needy kids.

My wife has gotten a free lunch for Elena on a couple of occasions. Sounds fine. Nice. Free lunch. They are strict about the food distribution, and make you dispose of any uneaten food. No one can take anything home...it's better to throw in the trash than to let you take it home.

So, I gave it a little thought, and then threw this out to her. Government programs are funded and perpetuated to whatever degree they are utilized. If they give out 100 free lunches at Union Park, then that means 100 needy kids needed lunch. Right? The only problem is, how many of these kids need a lunch? It's convenient. And it's free. But is it needed? Does Mom not have any food at home, or no ability to pack a lunch? In my neighborhood, at Union Park, it looks like there are people this needy. But what about the kids whose parents could pack a lunch, and just don't do it?

I know most of you reading this blog are conservatives. Do you take the lunch? Do you realize you're really being just a tad bit hypocritical by accepting a government hand out that isn't even needed. And for the handful of liberals who look at this...doesn't it seem wrong that kids in need and kids who have plenty are both getting free lunches. One out of poverty, the other out of convenience?

Non-crazy environmental rant

Usually I would not rant about environmental stuff, but this really bugs me.




#1

What's with the people in my office who print all their e-mails? Every single e-mail they receive! I could reply to an e-mail with "yes" or "no" and they would print the e-mail. You're spending our company's money on paper, toner, and you're throwing the paper in the trash can when you're done with it. They are doing their part to contribute to ridiculous fact that our paper consumption has increased since the advent of the computer.

#2

I don't need a bag for the single, tiny item I purchased at your store. For instance, I buy a little Wyler's drink mix pack from Walgreens. You know, the little packets you can put in a 20 oz. bottle of water and shake up? If I don't tell them I don't want one, they put it in a plastic sack 100 times the size of the product. The same thing is true of nearly every retail store.

Please ask me if I want a sack.

When I sell stuff from our retail store, and it's a single small item, I usally ask if people want a sack. I sometimes get a shocked, condescending look. As if to say "What!? Of course I want a sack for this tiny item I purchased which I can easily carry in one hand, along with the receipt, to my car."

I am now trying to tell cashiers not to give me a sack for small purchases. We do recycle these plastic sacks as trash bags in our home, but we have a crazy over abundance of them. Once in awhile I remember to bring a bag full of them back to one of those recycle boxes inside the grocery store.

I could probably think of more rants, but feel free to add your own.

Is it a sin to laugh at other Christians?

I'm not sure if it's the picture or the job title. It must be the combination of the two.

Trip to Minneapolis (Saturday)

Well, one of Kelli's friends got married today, so we ran up to Minneapolis with two little girls. It sounded like a fun reason to get away and enjoy some family time. My line of work hasn't exactly been flourishing in this economy, so we had to do it on the cheap.

Step 1. Book a Marriott with one of our free nights. Yeap, sign up for a Marriott credit card (or many other major hotel chains) and get anywhere from 1 to 3 nights free. Watch out, some of them have annual fees, so we'll be closing our Marriott account here shortly.

Step 2. Pack everything but the kitchen sink. Pack and Play, water toys, food, pop, milk, juice boxes, snacks, beyond the normal overnight stuff that we all need. For those of you who don't have kids yet, you have no clue how much stuff you'll need. Take your normal amount of luggage and triple it (for the first kid).

Step 3. Leave town (on time!)

Step 4. Make the big out-to-eat treat for the weekend the McDonald's dollar menu at a McDonald's with a playland. To quote Elena, "Is this a kid's meal?" "Yes, because you're a kid and you're eating it." Kelli and I ate stuff we packed, minus her side salad. $3 at McDonald's has been our only expenditure so far, other than gas.

Step 5. Go to the wedding. Very nice service. The bride walking down the aisle to "All Creatures of Our God and King" sang by a girls' chorus was pretty cool. This makes the second wedding in as many weeks that I have mistakenly not worn a suit coat to. How do you know what the dress code is at a wedding? Just when you think that no one except the guys in the wedding party, dad, and the pastor wear a suit coat to a wedding, you're shown up two straight weddings. Of course, if I would have fully understood which church this was, and that Central Baptist Seminary was a part of it, that would have clued me in to the necessary suit coat. Being at the church brought back visions of FBBC, mostly good, but some not so good. I still wonder how sinners and tax collectors can be ushered into churches where everyone else is nearly perfect in every way.

Step 6. Go back the hotel and play in the pool for a good hour and a half. Oh yes, go back to the hotel after getting totally lost. In what city do they name a street the same name on both sides of an interstate? In west Minneapolis they do.

Step 7. Do an improvised dinner in a hotel room with the food we packed. Feeding a hyper 18 month old in a hotel room with no kitchen table or high chair is a mess waiting to happen.

Step 8. Spend some family time together, put the girls to bed, and let Kelli run out to do some shopping while I sit here and write this and keep an eye on the girls. And yes, the shopping will also be on the cheap.

The Inward Witness and Outward Fruit, Part 2

So, what is the inward witness and the outward fruit? In other words, what authenticates conversion? The criteria of the Scripture is much higher than a single profession of faith.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
(Rom 8:15-17)

There is one obvious allusion to the inward witness in this passage, and a more subtle reference, also.

Verse 16 says that His Spirit bears witness with our spirit. There must be an inner witness of the Holy Spirit saying to our inner man, "you are a child of God." This is a mystical thing. It is something spiritual, that happens between God's Spirit and our spirit. This is the most crystal clear verse on the inward witness. Anyone who is saved, has this witness.

In verses 15 & 17 we see family kinship with God as a form of inward witness. There is a closeness to God that relates to him as "daddy," versus Supreme Ruler/Creator of the Universe. Verse 16 says we are God's children. Verse 17 says we are fellow heirs with Christ, as if we were His brothers. So, another part of the inward witness is kinship with God.

Other forms of the inward witness I believe are:

1. An ongoing, Romans 7 style struggle with sin (Rom. 7:7-25).
2. Progressive (perhaps) slow inward growth (Phil. 1:6).
3. And others that I won't go into here, like communion with God.

So what about outward fruit? The Scripture is plain. Someone who is getting their supply from the Vine, will bear fruit. Are there death bed conversions? Sure. We know this from the thief on the cross. But you aren't on your death bed, nor are most of the people you know, so the only exception to a fruit-bearing life is a deathbed conversion.

Here are just a few of the many verses that talk about outward fruit:

You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Mat 7:16-21)

As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." (Mat 13:23)

"The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? (Luk 6:43-46)

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (Joh 15:5)
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (Rom 6:1-2)

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Php 2:12-13)

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (Jas 2:17)

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. (Jas 2:26)

If someone professes belief in Christ, and has the inward witness and the outward fruit, the only conclusion that can be made is that he or she is indeed a Christian, saved from their sins and on their way to heaven.

Now the problem that particularly the outward witness presents is this: Innumerable people have made a profession of faith, as discussed in previous blogs, but are not and do not bear fruit in keeping with repentance. What's our attitude towards them? Evangelism. What damage is there in repeating the gospel to someone who has already heard it? Either they will repent of their carnal living and continue to grow (if they were saved), they will reject Christ either actively or passively by continuing to suppress the truth in unrighteousness, or they will be converted.

This inward witness and outward fruit applies to all, but we should go back and think about our children. If and when they make a profession of faith, we should rejoice assuming that they have been born again. But we do not stop teaching the gospel, nor do we present a model of "eternal security" that turns into licence. Then we look for them to have inward confidence that they are a child of God, and display outward fruit confirming God is their Vine. We must look for all three: Profession of belief, inward confidence, and outward fruit.