COWARDS!

NEWSFLASH:  Children are human beings.  Not sub-human, inferior, or less than - but genuine, passionate, living, breathing, gifts from God who deserve our guidance and protection.  At the risk of sounding cliché, our young are our future, our hope and all that is right in our broken world.

Enter: The top ranking officials at Penn State. 

According to Penn State's long-awaited internal review over how the university handled the rampant pedophilia of Jerry Sandusky (which can be read in its entirety HERE), former President Graham Spanier, former Vice President Gary Schultz, Paterno, and former athletic director Tim Curley "never demonstrated, through actions or words, any concern for the safety and well-being of Sandusky's victims until after Sandusky's arrest."  

"Four of the most powerful people at The Pennsylvania State University --failed to protect against a child sexual predator harming children for over a decade."

FOR OVER 10 YEARS?!?!?!

 

I’m sick.  We’re all sick.

Allow me to shine a light on our world's ultimate example of COWARDICE:

On Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno:

"On Friday, February 9, 2001, University graduate assistant Michael McQueary observed Sandusky involved in sexual activity with a boy in the coach's shower room in the University's Lasch Building. McQueary met with and reported the incident to Paterno on Saturday, February 10, 2001. Paterno did not immediately report what McQueary told him, explaining that he did not want to interfere with anyone's weekend."

"Paterno told a reporter (regarding the 2001 allegations) that 'I didn't know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was. So I backed away and turned it over to some other people, people I thought would have a little more expertise than I did. It didn't work out that way.'"

"Paterno was asked, "Other than the [2001] incident that Mike McQueary reported to you, do you know in any way, through rumor, direct knowledge, or any fashion, of any other inappropriate sexual conduct by Jerry Sandusky with young boys?" Paterno responded, "I do not know of anything else that Jerry would be involved in of that nature, no. I do not know of it. You did mention -- I think you said something about a rumor. It may have been discussed in my presence, something else about somebody. I don't know. I don't remember, and I could not honestly say I heard a rumor."

Rot in hell, you son of a bitch.

On Penn State's President Graham Spanier:

"By not promptly and fully advising the Board of Trustees about the 1998 and 2001 child sexual abuse allegations against Sandusky and the subsequent Grand Jury investigation of him, Spanier failed in his duties as President. The Board also failed in its duties to oversee the President and senior University officials in 1998 and 2001 by not inquiring about important University matters and by not creating an environment where senior University officials felt accountable."

"Spanier said, in his interview with the Special Investigative Counsel, that he never heard a report from anyone that Sandusky was engaged in any sexual abuse of children. He also said that if he had known or suspected that Sandusky was abusing children, he would have been the first to intervene."

On Penn State's Senior Vice President-Finance and Business Gary C. Schultz:

"Even after criminal charges were announced against Schultz and Curley in November 2011, Spanier continued to downplay the serious harm that could result to Penn State's reputation from the criminal charges, and issued a statement of 'unconditional support' for Schultz and Curley."

"... In order to avoid the consequences of bad publicity, the most powerful leaders at the University -- Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and Curley -- repeatedly concealed critical facts relating to Sandusky's child abuse from the authorities, the University's Board of Trustees, the Penn State community, and the public at large. The avoidance of the consequences of bad publicity is the most significant, but not the only, cause for this failure to protect child victims and report to authorities."

On Athletic Director Timothy M. Curley:

"These men concealed Sandusky's activities from the board of trustees, the university community and authorities. They exhibited a striking lack of empathy for Sandusky's victims by failing to inquire as to their safety and well-being, especially by not attempting to determine the identity of the child who Sandusky assaulted in the Lasch Building in 2001."

"Our most saddening and sobering finding is the total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims by the most senior leaders at Penn State," Freeh wrote. "The most powerful men at Penn State failed to take any steps for 14 years to protect the children who Sandusky victimized."

I'm not sure who deserves worse treatment in prison, Jerry Sandusky or every single on of these dirt bags.

Welcome To Prison You Son of a Bitch

Dear Inmate Sandusky  - 

It seems that you have finally lost control of the fantasy.  The darkness of lusting after young flesh has been brought into the light, and it seems “Coach" that you are now headed to prison. 

I wanted to offer you a word of welcome:

The nighttime is terrifying.  You will shiver often with the mind-numbing fear of his unwelcome hands.  The stench of his filthy teeth will commandeer your sense of smell.  Your body will be riddled with the aching aftermath of his carnal brutality.  Screams of protest will radiate from every cell in your body as your attacker marks YOU as his target.  A mark you will feel every moment of every day, even when he’s not there.  

Welcome to the nighttime that your victims, and your son, know well.

The showers will also pose a problem.  It is a place, as you know, that leaves one quite vulnerable.  Naked.  Exposed.   You will never again be able to bathe alone and in peace.  The cleansing warmth of a simple shower will forever be tainted by the horror of intrusion, the panic of constantly being preyed upon, and the anxiety of relentlessly being watched.  Unfortunately, "Coach", there is no soap that can wash away this fear; no salve that will bring back the experience of losing yourself in the warm embrace of a shower.

Welcome to the shower that your victims, and your son, know well.

All this, and yet the nagging and unyielding embarrassment will be your biggest challenge.  Congratulations!  Your diseased thirst for little boys is now infamous; your name synonymous with "pedophile", "pervert", and "molester".   Your journey on this planet, your legacy, will be forever connected to your predatory assaults on the innocent.  Your history is set in stone.   

Welcome to the hell that you must endure alone.  Every day.  For the rest of your life.

You see, "Coach", your end is your victim’s beginning.  A beginning marked with hope, healing, and light.  You no longer have control over anyone (including yourself).   My deepest prayer is that one day you will find the courage to admit to, for the sake of every boy you’ve ever put your hands on, what you’ve done.

Asking forgiveness is the least you could do.

So, without further ado, welcome to prison you son of a bitch.  May time with your demons usher you into the light.

Sincerely,
A Survivor 

    

Easter: The Magic of Balloons

It is in the rawness of death that the grace of our Creator is revealed.

On January 5, 1997 my brother Jon was killed on our driveway; he was 17 years old.  While lying on his back repairing the oil pump, the brakes of Jon’s old yellow truck suddenly gave way, rolled over his neck and suffocated him.

The scream that bellowed from my mother’s gut is seared into my soul forever.

This Easter Sunday I have no choice but to parallel Jon’s story with Jesus’ Passion, as the wisdom that often partners with death changes one’s perspective on everything - including the nature of God and Holy Week.

Second Class Citizens: Rise Up!!!

I had a very morbid dream the other night.  I dreamt of a man who was stranded in the middle of a desert.  The wind was gusty and the sky dark.  On his knees, the man writhed in pain as his chest suddenly ripped open, exposing his beating heart.  Out of nowhere, pin pricks began appearing on his arms and he slowly bled from each new opening.  As he cried to God in agony, his face grew desperate and his eyes bloodied with tears.

For some strange reason, as the dreamer, I could feel his pain.  It was the pain of this world.  The pain of never having been good enough.  The pain of always feeling inferior.  The pain of longing for approval from the one person from his past who made him feel insignificant and worthless.  The pain of being a second-class citizen.

A pain that every one of us has felt at some point on our journey.

It was heartbreaking . . . and familiar.

When I woke I was greeted by my laptop with a rundown of the weekly news, which included:  more victims coming forward in the Penn State scandal,  a church banning an interracial couple from its walls and new women surfacing in the Herman Cain scandal.  So I clicked over to facebook for a little mindless trolling. . .only to find my childhood church in similar disrepair.

What's happening to us?

Children are being raped and abused (by priests, coaches, teachers and family members) and no one speaks up to protect them.  Children are being bullied so severely that suicide seems like a better option than suffering through even one more day of school.  Women are being sexually harassed by lustful politicians, only to have the media take aim at them.  Humans are deciding who is and who is not good enough to kneel at the throne of God.  Entire groups of people are demanding Christian/Muslim/Jewish monuments be taken down because religious symbols are too offensive to them.   Gay folks are being treated like outcasts.  Mothers are killing their children.  Fathers are killing their pregnant wives.    Our government is using faith as a ploy to control our votes.

Millions of people are bleeding in the desert, made to feel like second-class citizens by cowards.

Enough is enough.

When is this mayhem going to stop?

When we rise up, open our mouths and quit turning a blind eye to the sorrows of our neighbor.  When we accept the fact that we are all precious and valued in the eyes of God.  When we bravely fight for what’s right, hopeful and just - and not just for ourselves, but for one another.  When we base our moral compass on love and common decency.  When we quit searching for heroes on the TV.  When we openly question our government, our churches, our rhetoric and our convictions.    When we choose to base our politics, our religions and our families on the love and mercy of our Creator, rather than the love of ego, money, party politics and antiquated traditions.

When we look up, rather than down.

Cowards perpetuate hate and fear, heroes open their mouths and bravely stand (often alone) for what’s right.

I only hope to be half the hero that this kid is. . .

Thanks, Anne Rice for the link to this video.

Please Watch "Not My Life" - Let's End Human Slavery!

 

Director: We can change the world

A powerful, new documentary film depicting the horrifying and dangerous practices of human trafficking and modern slavery on a global scale airs this weekend on CNN.

Oscar-nominated director Robert Bilheimer says the movie could be key to unlocking public awareness and calls for action.

"People do not recoil from this. They are angered by it and horrified by it. I think it's genuinely possible that we can move the dime on this, that we can put this in the forefront of the public consciousness. That's all you need," he said.

Filmed on five continents over four years, "Not My Life" shows survivors and anti-traffickers with dignity and compassion, and depicts the unspeakable practices of traffickers.

"Not My Life" features inspiring testimony from survivors; depictions of trafficking, exploitation, and slavery in all parts of the world including forced labor in Africa, street begging and garbage picking in India, sexual trafficking in the United States and Southeast Asia, and various forms of child enslavement and abuse in both North and South America.

Bilheimer said: "The potential of "Not My Life" is in its timing – in that it's a time when all these anti-traffickers and law enforcement and government people are coming together, and then there are things like the CNN Freedom Project.

"I think the ground is fertile, and I think "Not My Life" really does have an exceptional opportunity to push to that proverbial tipping point.

"If we are successful in getting this film before the eyes of the millions we are trying for, and if we do make it accessible, then it can become viral, and that may be this one time we can create an example of how a film, literally can change the world."

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY. . .

President Obama's 3rd Annual Back To School Speech

 

President Obama delivered his 3rd annual back to school speech today, which was broadcast throughout classrooms nationwide.  Many parents were unaware of this tradition, so I am posting the speech it its entirety in order to encourage a fruitful discussion with our kids on the political, social and familial issues inherent within his speech.  Have fun!     

9/11: Forgive, But Never Forget.

"Forgiveness is the name of love practiced among people who love poorly. The hard truth is that all people love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour increasingly. That is the great work of love among the fellowship of the weak that is the human family." - Henri J.M. Nouwen

May God restore our world and heal our hearts. 

Where were you on 9-11?

On this ten year anniversary of September 11, 2001 - we honor those we've lost:

Where were you on 9/11/01 when the Twin Towers fell, when the Pentagon was attacked, and when Flight 93 heroically crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania?

I was holed up for the night in a desert motel with my then-boyfriend, Bryan John, as we were driving from Texas to California.  Our hearts broke as we watched the towers crumble one by one through the static of a cheap TV.  "Wait a minute!  I know people there!" was my first response.  Only three months prior I was working as a journalist for a financial publication in Manhattan that had since moved to the South Tower.  I left my beloved NYC when I was accepted into graduate school at UC-Irvine; my decision to move West protected me from being part of the 9-11 death toll.  The sober realization that I was one of the lucky ones is still bittersweet. 

I would love to hear your stories:  Where were you?  Did you lose anyone?  Feel free to tell your story on facebook or below. . .

May God Bless the families, friends, responders, co-workers and distant mourners of the fallen.   

RIP Todd Brown

There is nothing more tragic, confusing and heart-wrenching than the untimely, unexpected death of someone who is at the beginning of his/her life.  Someone who represents the best that is in all of us.  Someone like Todd Brown.

On September 3, 2011 the world lost a very loyal, loving and funny 34 year old son, brother, husband, father of three and soldier named, Todd Brown.  Todd tragically passed on the banks of the Platte River in an ATV accident.  Originally from Schertz, Texas - he was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska.

Todd was a friend of mine from high school who I have watched grow from afar via Facebook.  I cannot think of Todd without a huge smile creeping across my face – his spirit was just that pure, that loyal and that infectious.  This site has allowed me to keep in contact with many of the folks from our high school, many of whom have emailed me regarding Todd’s funeral.  While I have not spoken to Todd (beyond the wires of the internet) in years, I did want post his funeral arrangements - which can be found below.

After losing my brother, Jon, I am well aware of how valuable memories and stories from others can be during the life-long process of grieving.  So, I want to encourage you to share your memories of Todd in the comments sections below, on Facebook or through the funeral home's obituary site. 

Funeral Service:

When:  Monday,  September 12, 2011

Time: 10am

Where:  Schertz Funeral Home
2217 FM 3009

Schertz, TX 78154
Ph:  210.658.9224

Website:  http://www.schertzfuneralhome.com/fh/home/home.cfm?&fh_id=10825

Burial Service (With Air Force Honors):

When:  Monday, September 12, 2011

Time:  12pm

Where:  Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery

1520 Harry Wurzbach Road
San Antonio, TX 78209

Ph:  210.820.3891
(The exact location of the burial will be available on Friday.)

Reception:
(Friends and Family)
When:  Monday, September 12, 2011
Time:  2pm
Where:   VFW Post 8315
1000 FM 78
Schertz, Texas 78154
Ph;  210.658.6325

**In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, 2224 Walsh Tarlton Lane, Suite 200, Austin, Texas 78746, and (800)880-9474.**



CLICK HERE for Todd's Obituary.

Rest in Peace, Sweet Todd.

God's Fencepost: Forgiving "Superman"

“Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.” - Indira Gandhi

I had a dream the other night that I was flying. . .not flying really, but hanging on for dear life to someone from my past who could soar like Superman.  The world around us was dark and on the ground grew millions of knives that looked like medieval weeds.  My “superman” was someone who once deeply scared my soul, so hanging on was not my idea of a good time. . .but neither was plunging to my death.  So in an effort to mend the brokenness (and not end up a pincushion), I forged into a long overdue conversation/diatribe.  Superman could care less and remained aloof.  I faced a dilemma:  I could either keep hold of this cold, unresponsive person or let go and be killed.  So, I kissed him goodbye and let go. . .

. . .and immediately woke up. . .feeling like I had been beaten with a baseball bat. 

What?!?  What on earth did this dream mean?  I hadn’t felt (or even thought about) this scar in years!

I’m a big believer that God speaks to us through dreams and that if you ask Him (or my sister) He’ll let you in on the riddle.  I prayed and remained still.  It didn’t take long to hit me – my dream was about forgiveness.

 

According to the decent definition given by Wikipedia, “Forgiveness is typically defined as the process of concluding resentment, indignation or anger as a result of a perceived offense, difference or mistake, or ceasing to demand punishment or restitution.”

No one ever pitches forgiveness as a painful process.  Nope.  They usually concentrate on the euphoric feelings of weightlessness and the freedoms gained after one truly releases the debt – whether the debtor is oneself or someone else.  In the real world, however, forgiveness is like choosing to fall on a sea of knives; it hurts our ego and requires us to relinquish a part of our being to which we have grown comfortably accustomed.  We have to re-learn how to live without the poison of resentment, which can be a disheartening process of “rinse and repeat”!  Matthew 18:21-35 says:

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

In the middle of The Lord’s Prayer “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” brilliantly reminds us that admitting our faults and releasing our animosity is an important part of our daily commune with God.   

My dream revealed that I unknowingly needed to relinquish the hurt caused by “superman.”  This was a shock - I haven’t thought about this person in years.   But after I realized that the seed of bitterness remained I kissed it goodbye, let go and so, healed the wound.

God is good.

ACTION STEP

Who/what are you hanging onto that you need to forgive and kiss goodbye?  There are millions of people infected by the poison of hurt and resentment - whether it be directed toward (or caused by) ourselves, our families, a tragic event, politics, the government, religion or our neighbor – today is the day to let it go.   

“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” – Mark Twain

Usually the donation/tithe section of God's Fencepost relates to the post of the day.  However, there are hundreds of children in Haiti that my friend, Megan Boudreaux, is currently trying to house, feed and educate.  The situation is dire and they need our help.  So, if you're led - please "LIKE" HER FB PAGE HERE and/or to donate" CLICK HERE. 


 

God’s Fencepost is a weekly meditation/devotional that deals with morality and current events.  I, Shannon Ivey, am an openly flawed human being who simply pens what I perceive to be the important reflections of God’s mercy, creativity and unconditional love.  My mother always said that God can use something as simple as a fencepost as a mouth-piece, so that’s what my column humbly aims to be. . . “God’s Fencepost.”

Are "Hot Saucing" and "Cold Showers" Child Abuse?

Please watch the video below before reading further.  Our exploration of the ramifications surrounding this story will never be fully understood without first viewing for yourself what we are dealing with here. . .

Is punishing a 7-year-old boy by putting hot sauce in his mouth child abuse? How about forcing him, pleading and screaming, into a cold shower?

This week in Anchorage Alaska, a jury will be reviewing the case of Jessica Beagley, a mother charged with misdemeanor child abuse after the above footage appeared on the Dr. Phil show last year.

To be considered abuse, the jury must decide if the punishment was cruel, torturous and disproportionate to what the child did. According to testimony, the boy, one of a set of twins recently adopted from Russia, got into trouble at school for sword-fighting with pencils and then denied it when his mother asked about it.  

To be clear -  he got into trouble at school and lied about it.  Did his "crime" warrant this severe of a punishment?

In my opinion - absolutely not.  I'm really disturbed on a number of levels and vehemently disagree with the methods used by this mother.  However, I'm also just the mother of one 2 year old and am really interested to hear what you think.

Is this child abuse?  Should this mother be thrown in jail?  Do you think punishing this mother would result in the government having more control over how we raise our children?    

A VIDEO OF THE FULL STORY, AS COVERED BY ABC NEWS,  IS BELOW:

Paula Deen Is Worse Than Pedophiles?

Paula Deen is famous because she embodies good 'ole American comfort food.  Whether it's because sugar drips from her hard southern "R's" or the fact that her infectious belly laugh birthed the buttery warm-fuzzy, Paula Deen is America's favorite Southern Grandma.

Paula's charm, no doubt, stems from her humble beginnings.  As a single mother of two boys with horrible agoraphobia, she started a food delivery service out of her own kitchen that grew into one of Georgia's most prized eateries.  She then catapulted to super-stardom after landing a show called, "Paula's Home Cooking" on The Food Network.    Since then she has used her fame to help eradicate childhood hunger.

What a horrible human being, huh?

Well, publicity-starved and Travel Channel host, Anthony Bourdain, thinks so. 

In a recent interview with TV Guide, the "No Reservation" host let his over-inflated ego get the better of him by saying that Deen was “the worst, most dangerous person to America.”

Really?

Out of all of the pedophiles, murderers and lowlifes - this asshat is going to pick on a woman who thinks pie is the key to happiness?

Naturally, he went further by stating:


“She revels in unholy connections with evil corporations, and she’s proud of the fact that her food is f--king bad for you.  I would think twice before telling an already obese nation that it is OK to eat food that is killing us.  Plus, her food sucks"

Them's fightin' words.  Paul Deen's food may be a lot of things - but "sucky" ain't one of them.  Plus, if you don't mind my saying:  You've eaten animal balls, Mr. Bourdain.  I hardly think your palate is on par with the rest of the nation.

I'll concede that Paula's food is fattening and unhealthy, but since when did Grandma's cooking have to be freakishly fat-free?  It is OK to indulge in comfort food every now and again and if you want healthy alternative - don't watch her show! There are loads of healthy cooking shows to watch - Paula Deen's is not responsible for the obesity problem in America.  If you're obese - DON'T EAT HER FOOD!  Good gracious, people are fully capable of making healthy choices - they just don't. 

Seriously Mr. Bourdain -  if you brought to this world even half the light that Paula Deen radiates, you wouldn't need to pick on sweet old ladies to bolster your ratings.  Why don't you just kick a puppy next time?

 

Madonna: 53 Year Old Lioness

Madonna celebrated her 53rd birthday over the weekend by smooching her 24 year old French break-dancer boyfriend, Brahim Zaibat, in the Hamptons.  Her two kids, Mercy and David, played nearby as the world oogled at their "private" moment.  I'm not going to lie - at first glance I was a smidge grossed out.  

What on earth could two people with a nearly 30 year age gap have in common?  Money - plain and simple.  If Madonna wasn't the matriarch of pop music and fully loaded, I dare say that the smooch in this photo would have never taken place.  

Now whether you agree or disagree with what this photo represents - which to me is that women are now making enough money to level the inappropriately large age-mate-gap - one thing is for certain:  Madonna, along with several of her wealthy contemporaries, have leveled the gender playing field once again.  Good for her!   

Question:  What do you think - is this (a) Gross (b) Good for Her (c) A Little of Both?  

Ron Paul: The Republican's Bastard Stepchild

Anyone with half a brain knows that most of the major news organizations are not only biased, but choose a favorite candidate far before the presidential election takes place:  CNN and MSNBC favor the left, FOX favors the right and so on.  However, the coverage (or lack thereof) of Ron Paul's success in Iowa over the past few days is fascinating - they are ALL pretending that he doesn't exist.   What are they so afraid of?  I don't know about you - their distrust makes me want to investigate this guy a little further.

If you're also curious, CLICK HERE for Ron Paul's website.

Watch Jon Stewart's brilliant assessment below:

The Daily Show - Indecision 2012 - Corn Polled Edition - Ron Paul & the Top Tier
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

God's Fencepost: Sex, Sex and More Sex!

I love sex.  I always have.  Its raw, carnal, biological draw is coded somewhere deep within my DNA.  I can’t help it – I’m a slave to masculinity and the sweet surrender of passion is my muse.  Chocolate be damned, I’ll take my untamed man every day of the week. . .and I’m positive that I’m not the only good Christian girl who feels this way.

Oooo – this may get uncomfortable for a few of you, but stay with me.

Like many, my religious upbringing ran contrary to my innate sexual instincts.  I was raised in a Southern Baptist church that unwaveringly subscribed to the tenets of “no sex before marriage.”  We were so resolute, in fact, that alternative education (i.e. birth control, biology and condoms) was not only absent from the discussion, but labeled as “evil.”  Our doctrine even went as far as to say that I would be nailing Jesus to the cross again and again if ever I were to succumb to the “cravings of my flesh.”  It was a confusing education, to say the least. 

So did it work?  Was I virgin when I walked down the aisle? 

Buy Bob's Business For a Buck

Small businesses are the backbone of America.

Ray Harmon & Ron Ruiz

When I was a kid, a couple of guys used to sell BBQ out of a homemade pit on the side of the road.  Despite their meager set-up, people were always lined up for dinner – the food was just that good.  One day, a guy named Bob Catalano decided to invest in Ray Harmon and Ron Ruiz by giving them start-up capital, a storefront and a little encouragement.  Voila!  Harmon’s BBQ was born.  (Side Note:  I’m not exaggerating when I say Harmon’s BBQ is hands-down the best BBQ I’ve ever had – they catered our wedding – and the smoke from their now-enormous outdoor pit can be savored for miles.)

Cavemen Are Sexy

Our world is made of men. . .and of cavemen.

There is something stone-cold sexy about a man who is unapologetically settled in his own masculinity; a man who prefers Levi’s to Gucci and has never stepped foot into a nail salon.  This Fourth of July, I want to savor my freedom of speech by giving a politically incorrect shout out to all of the men out there who can change their own tires.  The cavemen of our society.

Now before you start typing up anti-discrimination emails, let me save you some time by admitting to my crime.  If biologically lusting after the cavemen in our culture is considered bigotry, then so be it -  I am shamelessly sexist.

Here’s my reasoning:

God’s Fencepost: What’s in a name?

What is in a name?

Labeling oneself a Christian and following Jesus in the age of televangelism, clergy abuse, greed and fundamentalism is a tumultuous journey, to say the least.  It seems that those of us who promote His tenets of tolerance, unconditional love and respect for all humankind are losing the name “Christian” to people who kill abortion doctors, picket military funerals and ostracize gay folks (or any folks for that matter).  Out-screaming the misguided minority can prove to be overwhelming to even the most steadfast of followers.

Even so, many of us have been (and will remain) committed to promoting the love and Wisdom of our Creator through the religious tradition of Christianity. . .no matter how lonely it may feel at times.

God’s Fencepost: Our Children

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” – Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa

Within the span of a mere week we have borne witness to yet another child being murdered without closure or consequence; we have seen an airline refuse to sell first-class tickets to infants and toddlers; we have seen an 11-year old child locked in a dog kennel and found dead after YEARS of clearance by child protective services – all while the number of children who are sold into slavery and/or who are starving to death continues to skyrocket.

Patrick McDonald, founder of Viva Network once said, “Why is it that a child’s death amounts to a tragedy, but the death of millions is merely a statistic?”   Why?  Because our society is slowly chipping away at the value of our children.  When a child can make our clothing in a sweatshop in China, be sold as a sex slave in California, tried as an adult in Arizona and yelled at by a complete stranger for crying in the grocery store – they are all devalued.

God’s Fencepost: Light From A Broken Hallelujah

“Maybe there’s a God above
But all I’ve ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
It’s not a cry you can hear at night
It’s not somebody who has seen the light
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah”
-Lyrics from Leonard Cohen’s, “Hallelujah”


Our brightest light ignites from the most broken of places within our soul; this light has been refined and kept aflame in secret.  It is within this raw flame that our Creator burns most brilliantly and it is by harnessing this flame that we can change the world.

This week has been full of heartbreak.  From the mass murder spree in Norway to Amy Winehouse succumbing to her battle with addiction, many of us have been collectively in a place of mourning.  What appropriate timing then that I should be introduced to the Coloura’s, an extraordinarily brave family who lost their son at childbirth.