It's a Girl!

Stephanie (my wife), Nicki, Grandpa and I are headed to Tyler tonight to join the Welcome Home committee for Lily. Lily has been adopted by Stephanie's niece (Jayme) and her husband Brad.
This is their story. Lily is coming from China. We decided to treat the airport as though it were a hospital and go see the baby as soon as possible! Stephanie's sister, Rachel, Rachel's daughter Alisha and her two girls will also be going.
My, how the Road Trip has changed over the years!

3 Weeks...

...until her odyssey is over. December 22nd is departure day for Hannah. Adios to Alcala, Madrid and Segovia (pictured here). From her e-mails, it sounds as though she has had a blast. Surely this has been a semester that will impact her for the rest of her life, and has changed her in ways even she isn't aware of yet (and may never realize).


I'm looking forward to seeing her. Giving her a Dad hug. Enjoying having her around for a bit. Then turning her around to face the world again and whisper, "Go ahead baby. We've got your back."

And wipe a tear from my eye as she keeps growing up.

Another Fall from grace?

Yesterday the news was all about Michael Irvin's latest failing. This morning we hear about another crooked politician http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/29/national/29indict.html?th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1133273046-d4qISdnNpUwI0qR4aD/TgQ. And true to form for the way things are, it's a Republican in trouble. Which makes sense since they control Congress. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

This guy will probably end up in federal prison (just like my state's last governor!), and folks on Air America will have a field day kicking him while he's down. They'll rail about the hypocrisy of Republicans and conservatives. And the pundits will use the cliche about his fall from grace.

But as Kurt put it so well yesterday, our failings aren't a fall from grace. They are precisely the place we need to fall to grace. Those who are perfect have no need of grace. Only we who are human. Cliches can be vapid, but there is one cliche, that, even over-used, still speaks powerfully. To err is human, to forgive divine. It's not grace we fall from; it's the heartfelt acknowledgement of our need for grace that transforms that we fall away from. When someone else screws up we beat the crap out of them, and then when we do the same we demand folks cut us some slack. Not to change, but to continue the same old sh**. That's a cheap grace that kills. Think about it. If you never took another dump how long would you survive? True grace is the freedom to be cleansed. And that grace is offered to us over and over again, day by day.

So I lament the latest of Michael Irvin's escapades, and am angry at Rep. Cunningham's brazen graft. But I see them as they are. Not looking through rose colored glasses that excuses their behavior, neither will I write them off as hypocrits. Hypocrisy isn't the cause of this. It's our fallen nature. We can never rise above our human weakness except by the grace of God. There but for the grace of God go I.

Flawed or Fraud?

Today's big news in Dallas is the Michael Irvin arrest.

Mr. Irvin is the former Dallas Cowboy receiver with a history of being a party animal. Prior to this weekend's arrest, some years ago Irvin was arrested in the Dallas area on cocaine possession charges (nearly an ounce of it if memory serves), an exotic dancer was in the motel room with him and he was supposedly one of the main guys involved in the infamous white house. The "white house" was a rental property near the practice facility that a group of Cowboy players rented for illicit hook-ups and partying. Mr. Irvin has spoken publically about his past and professed changed behavior. A new relationship with God, the support of his family and friends, and his candor have gone a long way toward rehabilitating his image. He has been working as an analyst for ESPN and was considered a strong candidate for inclusion into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next summer. And now this.

Sometimes I look in the mirror and think to myself, "What would people think if they knew the real you?"

See, I know about (some of) my shortcomings as a father, a husband, a friend, an employee and a Christian. You can fool some of the people some of the time...

Already the talk radio hosts are proclaiming Irvin a fraud, saying his declarations of "finding religion" are simply public relations posturing designed to get him back into the good graces of football's royalty and earn millions of dollars.

While I have not heard him speak on the issue, the story being reported seems flimsy. However, as a man who also claims a relationship with God, I want people to tap the brakes before castigating the guy. The whole reason for my reliance on God's grace is because of my flaws. And just what is it I am relying on Him for anyway?

It is not to make me a perfect human. By definition, human is a flawed creature. Instead, I rely on grace to allow me the relationship with God that gives my existence purpose (ironically, which is to represent God). Through my reliance (faith) I find peace in knowing I don't have to be perfect. I just have to trust that God has found the way to deal with it (and so, with me). I'm going to screw up again (and again). But I'm learning to be better at all my relationships. I hope Michael Irvin is doing the same.

So as you move through this hectic holiday season, be thankful for life, consider your part in other's lives (and their's in yours), experience grace, and try spread some joy and good cheer around. We all can use it.