THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE

Maybe it's because I've worked with youth for more than a half a century that I notice the growing exodus of American youth to join the radical Muslim cause. To some the attraction of youth to Muslim religion and jihad is a puzzle.

It's no puzzle!

In a purposeless society like ours, we can expect our kids to be attracted to purpose; better said, "a cause." Muslims recruit activist kids and give them a cause they're willing to die for, Key here is "a cause" ... and they're finding them.

Our failure to install healthy "purpose" into our American youth makes them drifting candidates for gangs or Muslim jihad. I predict more and more American males will leave for the Muslim life and war. Looking at a young American Muslim convert, dedicated to the purpose of Jihad ... I think, what a powerful activist Christian he could have become!

However we continue with the living for Christ mantra, while many youth would rather die for Allah! They "have a cause" they believe in.

Today's honey coated purposeless living for Jesus just isn't doing it. Where are the Christian activist willing to die for the Jesus, who died to save them. Where are the Pastors and Youth-workers willing to set the example?

We don't see any on the horizon.

Today we're into sit and listen, watch and applaud. Platform stars and music gigs rule. Hollow entertainment at a time of war.

Where are the youth men with the courage to define our cause and challenge their best kids to grab their Bibles and head into the world sharing our Gospel, even if it means death. Where?

I know by experience that "honey dipped" Christianity doesn't attract the strong activist type. It's the tough talk of reality and a challenge that attracts and sends out the true activist.

How can a weak youth-worker talk tough. Good question!

It's time we throw out this secular "politically correct" mentality, along with the soft Christianity, and level with our kids ... 2000 years ago we were called to a cause, it's about time we get back to what we were created to be and what we were created to do ... and it wasn't fun and games!

Every time an American youth leaves his country to head to the Muslim cause ... the Church and youth-workers have failed.

THE HEAVENLY CITY

Having lived in San Diego for sixty-eight years, I have seen it by day, by night, and from every angle; from the shopping malls to the restaurants, through my windshield orderly traffic, and from the air many, many times, however the most impressive view of San Diego I've ever seen was from the hills of Grupo Mexico three miles south of our border. In a slight fog and when the sun is just right, San Diego looks like a heavenly, celestial city in the sky. Maybe it's the dirty, cluttered frame around this awesome sight that makes it so impressive, especially to the Mexican poor who view this city of San Diego day after day.

A paradise so near ... and yet so far away. Spawning impossible dreams.

Contrasting this is the view south from San Diego. The masses of little unkempt buildings and rabbit-trail roads on dry dirty hillsides where the invisible poor live out their lives; barely surviving. A sprawling unkempt city held together with graffiti.

Can we call this living ... or existing? Or do we even care?

Unfortunately the contrast is becoming more apparent. Pressure continues to grow.

To many, but not all, Tijuana is simply a staging area where potential illegals nightly amass to storm the border. To others farther north, it's simply Mexico's problem.

For those of us who work in Tijuana with these poor families, it's a huge field of ministry with countless opportunities. Unfortunately with little or no funds we are limited.

People are people and God sees no fences. People are eternal and they are our treasure. As I read the Bible, God loves the drunk laying on the sidewalk of Zona Norte in his own vomit as He does the educated clean hard working Doctor in his office in San Diego. As a Christian I have to see people the same way.

The unwanted truth is becoming a growing pressure. Tijuana is pretty well bankrupt. At this point the trinity of drugs, prostitution and robbery are holding it together. Employment? There is a high turnover of police, so they continue hiring but ... few factories, no construction, family clans moving in together and pooling their resources ...

And things are not improving!

All of that makes that northern paradise they see every day more inviting then ever.

LOOKING FOR A PATRIOT

This morning we arrived about thirty minutes before the school graduation began. Julio, seventeen, was graduating along with his class and I was to be his "padrino." We found three empty plastic chairs and sat down among the parents and friends of the graduating class. I have been to many, many graduations both here in the United States, Mexico and even South America.

Mexican graduations are different!

The set up area was a large rectangle of people. To my right was the long platform where the school dignitaries sat behind a long decorated table. The speakers podium was located to the right of the dignitaries. Across from us the graduating class sat quietly in their school uniforms. To my left, and where I sat were hundreds of parents, relatives and friends.

Graduations in Mexico are radically different from the graduations here in the United States. The impacting difference is pure patriotism. Mexicans are patriots! (That word may not be familiar with some of you; look it up.)

At the beginning of the ceremony all were asked to stand as the bugles and drums signaled the flag presentation. Six marching girls in uniform marched around the open field proudly presenting the flag of Mexico. Then there was the salute to the flag, followed by the singing of the National Anthem. The flag team then paraded back to their original position. This was a big part of the program.

I was actually witnessing something America lost years ago.

After a couple of speeches the graduates were called one by one to accept their diplomas and shake hands with the school dignitaries. Pretty much standard in graduations.

Then a dozen dancers, guys and gals, danced into the center. Mexican music, Mexican kids in costume ... folkloric at it's best. Cute. Colorful. Another dozen patriots.

Make no mistake, Mexicans are patriotic and they bring their patriotism with them. When they come north, they enter the United States, a country with little or no patriotism left. A vacuum they gladly fill.

Many just don't understand this; primarily because they don't know what a patriot is ...

Along that line, the fourth of July is coming; so this afternoon I went into a large store and saw a small assortment of patriotic items. As I was selecting a small American flag, I felt a flush of guilt and bought an even smaller flag. I wished I had my dark glasses on so no one would recognize me. You see I live in progressive California, the "Left Coast" ... where it's dangerous to be seen a patriot.

THE LEAVEN OF CELEBRITY!

I'll admit it gives me a good feeling when I walk up on the platform and people applaud, and it's a real rush when hundreds of people give you a standing ovation. I know, I've been there. However deep inside me there is an uncomfortable feeling. Applause. Platform. Status. How does this all fit into the picture of a group of Believers? Does it belong in the Church?

Is it because I'm old, and in those olden days we didn't applaud in Church? It could be simply a glitch in adapting to today's culture. In that day applause was reserved for the secular; For entertainment like the theater, opera or sports.

When I hear applause in the church I sometimes wonder if the congregation is applauding the vessel or the creator of the vessel and it's contents ... or maybe both.

Frankly I'm worried about the secular leaven of celebrity. It's that five foot platform and those who act upon it. The performers we look up to. The platform that hosts our Christian Celebrities. Speaker, preacher, soloist, worship leader in a sense become Celebrities.

In the secular world I had no problem with applauding the performers but somehow I find it hard to applaud a brother in Christ who is simply and honestly sharing his gift. Applaud the man or praise God for his gift?

Or do we know the difference between being entertained or being edified?

Is this a cultural problem, or an indication that little by little the leaven of secular celebrity is becoming normal part of the evangelical church.

Are special speakers and popular musicians a cut above the rest of us? It seems so. In conferences and camps, as a speaker, I was often invited to special occasions where only we Celeb's were invited to fellowship with each other. A special time with us special people ... Christian celebrities.

Are there really Christian celebrities today? You better believe it! Christians that are a cut above the rest. Could there be "status" in the family of God?

Dangerous secular leaven slowly creeps into a lukewarm church.

Fortunately in the future there will come a day when we will all become family; we will all become one, where there will be a celebration with out celebrity.

Next time you applaud, think about it!

THE SILENT MINORITY

Some years ago I was in LaPaz Bolivia holding some Bible studies for Christian English speaking teens and bilingual Bolivians. Most of the kids in the room were Christians. It was a Friday night and I was concluding the series. The large room in which we were gathered was full and most of the kids were seated while some were standing against the wall. I was comfortably seated in an easy chair near the corner of the room.

At the conclusion of my message, I asked the group if there were any questions or comments. One older teen, a Bolivian kid, stood up and slowly looked around the room making eye contact with each person. He was a newcomer I had never seen before ... I thought, "This should be interesting." and it was.

He addressed the room full of Christians in good English. "How many of you believe the garbage this guy's been telling us tonight?" (I knew pretty well where I fit in his opinion.) "Let's see the hands of you guys who believe this stuff." There was a painful silence; everyone dropped their eyes. A few slowly raised their hands about halfway but none looked him in the eye.

I was witnessing the truth about so many professing Christians. This one young enthusiastic Communist was challenging the whole room full of "Christians" ... and not one person countered him.

When I dismissed the group, I went over to the young Communist, shook his hand and said the following. "As you know, you and I differ on our philosophies, but may I commend you on your courage! You have more courage in your little finger than this whole room full of so called Christians."

As I see it, things haven't changed much even in the USA. Where is our example? Where is our distinction? Where is our commitment? Where is our courage?

Maybe we should take some lessons from the Muslims. They have a cause; they are not only willing to live for their god, but they are willing to die for him too!

The Muslims make us Christians look like what we really are ... lukewarm, weak and silent ... so silent!

CONQUORING THE DARK!

A group of about thirty near nude Yanowamö were in the small room listening to me explain, through an interpreter, darkness and light. This is a subject that fascinates them. Yanowamo's, like most tribal people, fear the dark and the prince of darkness. We missionaries teach that our God is a powerful light that illuminates the trail we walk.

It was dark outside and the little gasoline generator next to the building was pumping out enough power to light the room.

I find that Indians like examples and remember them.

To make my point about the power of God's light over Satan's darkness, I asked the people to watch what I was about to do.

I went over to the door of the room, slowly opened it and simply asked the question ... "When I opened the door did the light in the room shine outside or did the darkness come inside?" Several took a look and they all concluded that when I opened the door the light in the room shined outside and the darkness was defeated. Fact experienced!

The lesson was so simple and so powerful!

Light always conquers dark! Light is the result of power and darkness has no power of it's own. Indeed darkness is simply the absence of light.

God is light, in Him there is no darkness at all.

We are people of light, God's light, for God, not Edison, is the author of light. As Matthew says, we not only are people of light and have the light but we are lights! We are here on earth to turn back the darkness.

CHALLENGE: Go, find a dark corner somewhere and shine, baby shine!

14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

~ Matthew 5:14-16 (New International Version)

SHOWING LOVE

Last Saturday a little girl at the orphanage with a cute smile offered me a small sucker. A Mexican sucker; they're weird! Salty, sugary and pepper hot! Not the first piece of candy I've been offered and I'm not into candy! But seriously, what does a little kid give to a person who has everything? In their world, as a Gringo, I have everything including a car full of candy. What can they possibly give me?

In the Bible I'm asked to love almighty God with all my mind, heart and soul; but how do I show God love. When God is Spirit, made it all and has it all, what could I possibly give him to show my love?

Interesting thought.

Sunday while waiting to speak to my teens in another orphanage, The kids were watching a blood 'n guts video, I was sitting on a couch with a street teen on either side. One was sleeping, (so much for the blood 'n guts.) As I was sitting there, out of the dark comes this little thirteen year old and sits next to me, then he turned and looked at me and gave me a big hug ... a long hug, an honest hug. I felt his love for me.

Loving God? Hugging won't do, nor will giving God any "thing" do as a gift of love. We love Him in Spirit and in truth. Loving God? ...

How about responding to His gifts?

Yesterday I gave a little ten-year old boy a top! He was literally smiling from ear to ear and jumping up and down ... he took the yellow top, looked at it and then looked up at me and gave me a big "thank you!" and off he ran to get to school. Now that's the way you respond to a gift you really love!

That "thank you" really made my day!

A simple part of loving God is not just obedience, Worship and Praise, but a simple thing like thanking Him regularly for all the little blessings He sends our way. Blessings we often overlook. Thanks, is simply showing an attitude of gratitude ... showing love and appreciation for all He has given us.

Often in my morning prayers, I can spend half an hour just thanking God for blessings He has given me.

Showing God love? ... It isn't hard!

WANTED: GRANULATED CHRISTIANS!

My favorite cow was Daisy and she lived on my uncle's ranch, her wanderings were pretty much limited by a long rope. Within her circular world was a salt-lick; about an 8 inch block of solid salt. When Daisy felt a need of salt, she would come to the block of salt and take a few licks.

In Matthew 5:13 Jesus spoke of salt.

We have a record here of Jesus telling us that we are the salt of the earth. Salt, a uniquely different substance. Salt an essential to life. We are to be a distinctly different people, with a distinctly different purpose, created to spread out and flavor the whole world.

I wonder if He was talking block or granulated? What is the lesson He is trying to give us?

Through the hundreds of years we seem to have created two "salt" philosophies; The granulated Christians and the big block Christians. Those granulated Believers who believe we should be a little piece of Godly salt spreading throughout the world ... then there are the salt-block Christians that believe in becoming a part of the solid block, that will draw those needing our salt to the big white block. Lets be a little creative and put a steeple on our salt-block and call us a church.

It seems the majority of Christians today are content to have the salt of the earth while the other few Christians are happy and content to be the salt of the earth ...

... and isn't that the point?

THE DEADLY DISEASE OF HATE

Working years in the dark recesses of society where the criminal is formed; I've had the dubious privilege of being privy to the birth and creation of criminals. Future social misfits, future social predators. Don't kid yourself, the future hard core criminal begins at a very young age. I've watched the young criminals at play, and studied them as they traveled through puberty and then went on to become adults and later become inmates. I've been able to gain a confidence and a relationship with many even though I don't agree with what their doing. We have many criminals here in Mexico and millions more on the way. A child born into a purposeless and loveless liberty will find his way into crime and destruction. Drugs will make wrong worth the risk. In most cases an absent or dysfunctional father seals the young criminal's direction ... and destiny.

Take little good looking Alex at seven.

I remember, some months ago, at the end of the work day in Pana, we were sitting on a bench in the shower room. Martha had brought in her little four-year-old daughter Juana, pointing out some sores on her legs. I was rubbing some cream on the sores she had shown me. Alex, her seven-year-old son, was standing there watching me.

In casual conversation I asked Martha where her husband worked. At that she threw up her arms and said, "That man! That beast! He's gone ... look at what he's done to me," and she showed me scars on her arms and legs. Then she said to little Alex, "He beats me doesn't he? He gets drunk and hurts me!" Alex looked over at me with a slight smile and hit me, not hard. Then his countenance seemed to change and he hit me again harder. Then, in an uncontrollable rage, he began seriously beating me. His mother started yelling at him to stop, but it did no good. I quickly grabbed his wrists and held them tightly together. Looking in his eyes, I shook him! "Look at me Alex," I said quietly. "Calm down!—Calm down!"—"Calm down." I continued holding him. In about a minute he calmed down.

Little Alex isn't the only boy hating his father, he isn't the only boy who is loaded with a deep, explosive anger. He hates the very person he will grow up to be. Alex hates men because the men that he has seen are angry, worthless drunks who beat their wives, girl friends and kids. Where and when is the next time Alex is going to unload this anger? ... and on whom?

IN GOD WE TRUST?

Remember years ago when in GOLD we trusted ... and in the founding of our nation we trusted in Almighty GOD? Now things have changed big time! Now, It's in God we trusted and in valueless paper we trust!

First we went off the gold standard in favor of paper then a little later we went off the GOD standard in favor of physiologists. Since then the consequences of our decisions are becoming apparent ... we are becoming lost in the very complexity we created. Problems are growing everywhere, while solutions continue to elude us. The new wave of paper, plastic, philosophers and physiologists can't seem to put Humpty Dumpty together again. The omelet he created is a stinking mess!

What fools we've been to put our trust in man.

Fortunately there's still some gold around! And fortunately for us there's some God around.

Not all of us have fallen for the secular's synthetic solution.

When things get bad, and things will get bad! When it hits the fan ... and it will hit the fan. The wise will uncover their gold and reveal their God.

GOOD OLD HYPOCRISY!

Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Martin Luther King, the black trinity. Of these three, in my opinion, only one stands out as an honest champion of the blacks and that was the martyred Martin Luther King. King was one who was for the blacks lifting themselves from their accepted status, and seeing themselves as having as much potential as any other American. Head held high!

Jackson and Sharpton, quickly attaching themselves to King's legacy and are proving themselves cheap fakes making their fortunes off the backs of their own black people.

Two cheap political Reverends content with their stature and competing for power over their black community. Two self appointed political spokesmen for the blacks under them; which they keep chained to their color, history and status.

These two find it quite profitable keeping blacks segregated, disconnected, discontented and enslaved to their past. You will never hear Jackson or Sharpton encourage their people to leave their slavery and history behind and become the people they could be.

Quite a successful strategy!

Keeping blacks diverted from a successful track upward is the goal of these two pundits; their blacks are only to hear what they can't be and will never be. Keep them down and controllable.

Be their savior!

Isn't it interesting to put this in perspective. Look through history at different ethnic groups Like Pollock's, Italians, Irish, that have come to America to make a new life and how they made it. It was tough. Were they persecuted? Of course ... What about the Chinese. Really tortured and persecuted, yet they didn't bitch and complain, they quietly climbed above it. Group after group came over went to school and climbed above it. None of them with the “help” of Jackson or Sharpton

However ... the blacks and Hispanics continue to bitch about their persecution and treatment.

Time for certain cultures to grow up ... and solve their own problems.

I for one, am tired of the constant bitching of blacks ... It's getting old!! ... and I'm tired of being blamed for my great, great grandfather in Germany's involvement in the slavery that existed in early America.

This is so insane!

Have you ever heard anything about the Blacks in Africa that collected and sold their brothers into slavery. Blacks never speak about them. (I wonder why?) Of course not they were black. They're black selling their own, to the blacks that seems O.K. iI's the big bad whites that bought these people that are the problem.

Ahh, good old hypocrisy!

FOR THE SAKE OF THE POOR?

On this health care thing it seems the tune is love and the lyrics are compassion. From every politician's mouth comes, "for the sake of compassion" ... "for the 30 million not covered by health care." From that point on, the heart wrenching narratives roll. From a closed-door meeting, I bet someone suggests, "lets sell this bill on compassion for the poor! Go for the heart ... compassion will sell it!" And they did.

Is that what sold the bill? Of course!!

I for one am tired of heart wrenching rhetoric. The stories may be true but using them to obligate the masses isn't right.

I don't know if you are like me, but I wonder if there isn't a dirty little secret Obama, Nancy, Harry and their bunch of politicians are holding in their personal histories.

I guess you could call me skeptical.

I for one would like to have each one of them open up their personal lives and show us how much they have personally given of their own time and resources to charity for no motive other than compassion for the poor. How much they personally have sacrificed for the poor. How much (proportionally) of their own money they have given to charity. Show us your history of personal charity.

Are these guys true examples of what they preach?

When it comes to generosity and true concern for the poor it seems they all have a great ability of taking other peoples money and distributing it to the poor ... under their own name and for their own political good!

If what they're doing isn't wrong, why they're doing it is. I think we the people have every right to question the motives of the whole crew, from the top man down!

Controlling and manipulating people for their own political ends, and using our money to do it.

It just isn't right.

THE GANG RAPE OF UNCLE SAM!

It seems that our revered congressmen have morphed back into what they were all the time, a pack of dirty dogs! These sleazy politicians had planned a gang rape all along, they just needed a leader ... and so we were dumb enough to deliver the great leader! While we thought all along that his "Yes we can!" was a call for change in America, we didn't think of it as a change of America! Now we find "Yes we can" takes on a whole new meaning. Yes we can! ... and Sunday, we will!

Roll over America, relax, this won't hurt. America screams no!, No you can't do this!! The pack reply's "Yes we can!" "Yes we can!"

One by one the politicians that are lurking around the sidelines are turning from their morals join the pack, excited about their opportunity to enjoy the big rape!

America, relax, don't fight it? You might as well get used to it, we'll have you on the floor again soon.

The dogs are barking, panting with anticipation! "We want our satisfaction and you're going to give it to us!"

Hold on, the raping won't start until Sunday! When? Sunday.

Where? ... All over America.

Remember folks, this is for your own good.

DANIEL AND HIS NAUGHTY LIONS!

Today as I was leaving the church office, my eyes came across a black and white picture laying on a work desk. I looked again; it was a picture page out of a children's coloring book ... depicting the courageous and cruel story about a man of God. This was a story from the Old Testament showing Daniel in the Lion's den.

A rather scary time for Mr. Daniel!

Way back when I was a kid in Sunday School, well, we weren't so politically correct. The way I recall it Daniel was to be placed into a dark smelly den of hungry lions to be cruelly killed and eaten alive.

Chills!

But God intervened! Teaching points, faith in God and courage.

In my day our illustrations were so vivid and detailed you could practically smell the den. These pictures were the result of courageous illustrators who dared to illustrated the truth.

I think that's what caught my eye was today's new type of Curriculum; the difference was so obvious.

In this politically correct color-book picture you see chubby young Daniel with a smile, next to this well-fed and relaxed lion with a smile and a mischievous look. Two friends and a den.

No fangs, blood and broken bones. No skin and bones or lions ready to jump on Daniel and turn him into meat. Nice kitty!

I wonder how the other pages of this Old Testament coloring book were illustrated. How did this sensitive illustrator handle David chopping off Goliath's head? Way too bloody to show kids! Lets just follow David as he walks along picking up his rocks. That will be nicer and isn't nice what truth is all about?

On Television and Cable parents get an advance warning, a disclaimer of sorts protecting their little darlings, lest they catch a picture of reality.

It seems truth is not as important as the spin you give it! Keep life ... smiles, and Happy! Happy! Happy!

And the book will sell well.

OKAY. SO I'M DIFFERENT!

Do you ever think about sameness? Is it something we want to be, or is it something we just become? Do you ever get tired of "sameness" Even God seems to fight it, everything and each thing He makes, is divinely unique. Not so with man; ... Manufactured in Detroit or 'made in China' building millions of identical parts and products, that's man.

Sameness? Not just our people boxes ... sterile condos and apartment styles; people, like so many penguins, driving their SUV's and filling the Malls with a colorful variety of sameness. It seems everywhere there is social sameness, cosmetic sameness, entertainment sameness creating a fog of human sterility.

We've created a politically correct society where we've been encouraged to become one of millions of brainless and 'opinion-less' lemmings, content to follow the south end of the lemming in front of us, hoping the lemming he's following is going the right direction.

Unfortunately the bottom of the cliff brings us to an abrupt but short lasting reality.

Whether we become the waddling penguin or committed lemming, we're content to be, well, the same as everyone else.

Different could be dangerous.

Funny, within our sameness we dare to try and be unique in a sort of subtle safe way. I have a Nisson like a million others, but mine is white like thousands of others but WOW!!! ... my seat covers, now they are different! And look at my bumper stickers! My suit may look like anyone else's, but WOW! ... look at my tie, and here, check my socks out! Oh Oh, my teeth are a bit crooked, better get to an orthodontist quick; so I can look like everyone else.

Most of us strive to be comfortably common and content to located somewhere in the middle. I guess that's not wrong, it's ... normal.

While some of us just don't fit the common mold; not that we really try to be different, but that we simply are unique and quite comfortable with being that way. A refreshingly different person!

Is it a talent? Is it a gift? Is it genetic?

Many things could be said about my father Wolo; a puppeteer, artist, book writer, actor, entertainer, "Mr. San Francisco," but most of all he was a totally unique person. All that knew him would agree. He looked different, dressed different, thought different, spoke different even had a different name; yet somehow he fit into the society of sameness, and even more, was loved by society. In part because he was uniquely fresh. Indeed my father was different!

On rare occasions I'll pause to study myself, and I have to come out with the same observation ... the same conclusion; I'm a totally unique person like my father. I don't know why; I don't consciously try to be different, but maybe, just maybe, I'm different because my father was Wolo. The one and only, Wolo

Ref: http://www.woloart.com/

LIFE IN A NO-WIN WORLD!

The good thing is that the gangs in La Cruces and Laguna aren't fighting each other anymore ... the bad thing is that the have aligned themselves in a mutual hatred against the police and authority.

More excitement. More danger. In every barrio Feral teens are running in packs!

These kids are out gunned and under equipped but well compensated by knowing their territory and their hatred of the authorities.

Police; better watch your backs ... and your families. Hate is inclusive.

Maybe that's why the police cruse these areas in five police car convoys with their Christmas lights flashing! Makes quite a sight. Makes quite a target too.

Testosterone vs. testosterone! As the kids will say, "it all comes down to balls."

In Laguna one day I remember sitting in my car watching a bunch of teens messing around in their basketball court when the police arrived ... half the kids headed every direction like rabbits; the other six didn't run, just quietly stood there. The quiet kids just standing there were cuffed and hauled away in a police pick-up truck, interrogated, beaten and then released to walk home.

These undisciplined kids need their beatings and the police need to beat someone ... I guess they deserve each other.

Last night Victor, 17, father of two little girls, was walking home from work when he encountered the police near his neighborhood. They told him to stand still but instead he ran. Bad move ... the police shot him dead! Victor wasn't really a bad kid. He wasn't even wanted ... but he's a dead kid now! He lived in Laguna.

Another Cop snuffed out a young life. Sleep well Sr. Policia.

At the mortuary last night Victor's teen friends from Laguna gathered to kiss the casket. The police soon appeared looking to take all his teen friends to jail and 'interrogate' them. Fortunately Hortensia was there to talk the police out of it.

If you do, or if you don't, if you're one or many, stand or run ... You'll be pulled, interrogated, beaten and released.

Just a way of life for these wandering packs of feral teens.

These wild teens we work with are in every neighborhood with guns, knives or broken bottles ... they're armed and angry.

They hate! Their target ... the police.

Pray for us as we work their world; trying to make peace, and trying to convince them to take another direction. It's hard while anger and hate blind their minds.

But we Believe all things are possible with God!

By the way, somehow they found out the address of the policeman that shot Victor ... this isn't good! Sr. Policeman, watch your back!

HOW I DEFINE THE POOR

Some have been offended and others confused when I use the term 'the deserving poor'. I'm not putting these people down, I'm simply calling it what it is; poverty that's deserved.

Is it true that Spectrum works with the 'deserving poor'? Yes.

Naturally some of Jesus doctrine on giving to the poor would have a Jewish spin on it. I think what our Lord pushed was helping the poor including the 'deserving poor.' Examples: The leper, the blind, the cripple, the orphaned, the widowed ... those who had little or no part in they're plight. These poor were not responsible for their plight. Those I would call the 'un-deserving' of their plight ... the 'un-deserving' poor.

However another perspective surfaces in Matthew 25 where Jesus does address the 'deserving' poor. 'Visiting those in prison.' Grace appears for the sinners ... those of us who are 'deserving' of our plight.

The Believer's love or compassion must never become affected by 'hairsplitting' legality! The Bible gives no list of do's or don'ts when it comes to helping the poor. A legal doctrine as to how, who, when, and where would simply rule out Grace! Of course we must at times make a judgment call, but always with the honest of motives ... always with the bottom line of grace. The grace we received, we return to others.

I personally help both the 'deserving poor' and the 'un-deserving poor' and I try to free myself of a judgmental attitude.

As to what I call the 'deserving' poor; I would define them as those who are like most of the poor Spectrum works with; people who are living out their own consequences. Most of these 'deserving poor' are where they are because they have made bad decisions; many are lazy or addicted to drugs. Thousands captured and content with their poverty-sub-culture and confirmed by the many well meaning American groups giving them food and clothing.

There is no way we can turn our hearts from the innocent children born into this kind of 'subculture.' Indeed they are 'un-deserving poor' learning the lifestyle of poverty.

In Mexico there is a saying "what I don't see doesn't exist." Even as Christians many of us have the same philosophy and we turn our eyes away from the ugly and uncomfortable truth.

The big question for us as true Christians ... does grace discriminate? The answer is simply no. The way I read it; to God we're all poor, wretched, blind sinners awaiting condemnation.

Enter, God's grace.

How I relate to the poor around me says something about my Christian maturity. If I'm eager to discriminate between the 'deserving poor' and 'un-deserving' poor! It sounds a bit like the bigot Lawyer asking Jesus. “ and who is my neighbor?' The motive behind that question was so clear!

Many who love to argue the issue never give a cent to charity anyway.

It's true that as Christians we must make good and responsible decisions when we are faced with helping the poor, but our response must be the result of a clean and godly motive.

I hope to go through life with a godly balance in meeting the needs of all poor, the deserving; the un-deserving alike, and when I err ... may I err on the side of grace.

God, release my grip on the money you give me to do the good it was intended to do.

FUN AND FOOLS

I was very rich once, but walked away a few hours later ... bankrupt! Just as poor as I was when I started the game. This paper dream was fun while it lasted. Monopoly, one of the most popular board games ever invented! Mini capitalism on a board. Big money, buying and selling. Taking advantage of a simple throw of the dice.

Monopoly!

What powers this game is the same thing that powers Capitalism ... greed!

How fun it is to be rich! Filthy rich! Nothing else matters while you're throwing those dice.

Capitalism is a system that works. Capitalism: regulated greed that's open to all ... can't help but be successful; we all are born with what it takes ... greed! The smart energetic person is rewarded ... the dumb and lazy person, well, he loses. It's as simple as that.

The down side of Capitalism, and there is a down side. Capitalism gives us what we need, and that's good, but then Capitalism gives us what we want and that can be bad. What we want is seldom what we need. We want leisure, ease, pleasure, immorality, entertainment; we want what tastes good. We want, and can afford to buy, what makes us weak.

Alas, the better Capitalism works, the more affluent we get, and the more affluent we get, the more decadent we get. Like a pleasurable and slow acting narcotic we succumb to our desires. Weak. Spoiled.

The fatal blow comes when we begin to realize that it was just a card game and paper wealth after all ... and while playing the game we gained nothing and missed everything.

We missed what life was all about.

OUT OF CONTROL

When the family is out of control, the kids are out of control. Order begins in the family. Discipline begins in the family. Authority begins there too ... we were parented! We didn't grow like weeds.

The other day I saw a little boy in the market crying, screaming and throwing a fit! His mother stood there rather embarrassed with that 'what can I do about it' look on her face. Her little brat carried on for quite a while.

Nice mother, lousy parent!

Things like that just didn't happen in my day, or at least not very often. Why? It simply wasn't tolerated! Authority and order prevailed. We were parented!

Adults had authority. Adults were in control ... and it felt good.

My mother may have been thin but she was in control! Yeah, I grew up poor and I'm not ashamed of it; 1929 just wasn't a good year to be born. They say my first bed was a dresser drawer .... a 1929 'make do' basinet. Papers formed one of my blankets. No pampers only washable diapers. And my mother said food was hard to come by.

Looking back, being poor never hurt me, rather quite the opposite, it helped me ... made me resourceful strong and independent. I was the product of a single parent family; no one likes divorce but that's the way it was. I'm so glad I was parented by a stay at home mom that showed both love and authority ... I'm glad I was brought up the old fashioned way.

When I screwed up, and I did, mom got the coat hanger and used it.

Yeah, mom taught old fashioned ethics ... Fear God. Respect adults. Sparing the rod will spoil the child, kids should be seen and not heard. Telling the truth was an essential and keeping my word fell in that category. Do your best in school, you can do no more. Take care of the toys you have. And, oh yes, always say thank you!

Did we go to church? Of course we did! Every Sunday we walked to church with our Bibles in hand. Mom always found some church somewhere that was filled with Believers.

The old TV set we watched in the store window provided us with good, clean entertainment which was an assist in teaching good Ethics. There were good guys and bad guys and the good guys were the heroes. 'Leave it to Beaver' and 'Father knows best' weren't icons of ridicule but examples of what should be ... examples that helped teach us ethics.

In those early years we watched TV and listened to Radio which actually helped reinforce the ethics we were learning at home.

As kids if we wanted something, it was understood that we would save our money until we could buy it. Most of us learned to work early. My first job was selling magazines. The Saturday Evening Post magazine.

Early I learned that work was a good and necessary ethic if I was to be a man. It may seem shocking today, but I wanted to be a man.

Sadly, everything I've written above seems to clash with the liberal Californians of today. I scratch my white head and quietly ask ... what happened during this span of time? I find I no longer belong!

MY IDENTITY IS BEING STOLEN!

I was born a free individual but ever so gradually I'm being reduced to a statistic.

I'm confused, not only as to who I am but as to where I am. Am I here or have I been painlessly dissected and placed in a billion computers around the world?

I'm tired of being a statistic, a digit, a stroke, or a vague cyber mark. I feel uncomfortable being the target of studies somewhere. Just one ingredient in a demographic stew ... or worse, a piece of data lost in group marketing.

Is my end only to be pounded into a kind of cyber powder and then fed into a millions of databases throughout the world.

Am I not worth more individually than collectively?

Sadly it seems answer is no.

Like everyone else in this age of disconnect, I hunger to be recognized as an authentic flesh and blood individual with a personal name and of personal value ... actually living here in San Diego with real friends.

I'm not a vague entity content to play out my life vicariously

Looking into my mail box doesn't help much. Letters to me addressed Dear Occupant, Dear Customer, Dear Senior Citizen, or Dear Home Owner. These warm and enduring titles leave me flat.

Or the random mechanical phone calls I get that start with "Are you the head of the household?" If so press one, if not press two.

Who knows me, who knows my name? For that matter who cares?

Oh! But this year the censes is coming and just in time. Cheers! Finally they're looking for real people and I'll be included.

Whoopee!

Well, the censes starts off with me as the star, but as we go farther down the list of questions we painlessly merge into the default mode ... 'marketing!' "Do you have a dishwasher in your home?" "Yes, but she's out shopping!" Again, I find myself being painlessly transformed into data ... living data.

Little by little I'm disappearing by simply being absorbed ... into the world of data!