There’s hardly a week goes by that we don’t see some story on the news about another plague affecting Americans. Cancer, jealousy, sub-prime mortgages (whatever those are!). It’s always something.

How about this one:
• It afflicts 70 million Americans and is faulted for 38000 deaths each year.
• The condition annually costs the U.S. $70 billion dollars worth of productivity.
• Teenagers suffer from it. Studies show that 64% of teens blame it for poor school performance.
• Middle agers face it. Researchers say the most severe cases occur between ages thirty and forty.

3.23.8 – Prisoner, Escape!

There’s a prison in Dalhart and there are county jails in every county and there are more jails all over this country. Usually, they only make the news when something goes wrong. A recent study said that 10% of Americans had spent some time in jail.

The Internet, we’re told, is the place to go for the “real” information. Often, this is said by someone who discounts the commonly held account of a given event (whether we’re talking politics, war, sports or love) in favor of something they have read on-line.

(this sermon was inspired by the Max Lucado book "Traveling Light")

“Lay down your burdens, I will carry you. I will carry you, I will carry you my child my child … “ (Amy Grant, "Carry You")

Think about the heroes of the American movies (back when movies had heroes). Who first comes to mind? John Wayne? Gary Cooper? Clint Eastwood? My favorite was (and is) Jimmy Stewart. He played characters that were sometimes vulnerable, but always came out on top.

Recently, a judge here in Texas ruled that three local school districts couldn’t let the graduating seniors vote on whether to have a prayer at their graduation. Most legal experts expect this ruling to be thrown out as the Supreme Court’s pretty much already ruled on this.

The suit was brought (as usual) by a minority who thinks the Constitution guarantees them a right to not be offended. The judge agreed, ruling that we shouldn’t have freedom of speech if someone else doesn’t want us to.

Two Words

I have on my computer desk at home a small statue of my favorite baseball player: Craig Biggio (who just retired from the Houston Astros). It’s just a plastic replica of a more expensive statue, but I like it. At only about 5 inches tall, it has incredible detail. You can see the stitches on his glove and even read the writing on the patch on his sleeve. There are wrinkles on his jersey and he even has a five o’clock shadow if you look really close.