DARE 50.5

A dear friend of mine has been reminding me lately that I am now 50 and a half years old.  She has earned the right to needle me about such things, but being "of a certain age" does cause one to think about what's gone before, and what is left.  This has inspired me to use a "word" for the year rather than beginning several resolutions that will fall by the road by February. I feel it will spare said resolutions the agony of neglect, and will in turn spare me the guilt of causing their demise.

My world for this year is DARE, not to be confused with Drug Abuse Resistance Education.  No my word has no acronyms, it's just a simple yet powerful word.  Webster defines dare as.....fear not good readers!!  I will not use Webster.  It's my word, so I will define it for the year.  Sorry Merriam.  Honestly I'm not sure I can define it succinctly.  Since it is a word that will define the time span of a year, it will evolve and hopefully grow.

I think I can best illustrate my intentions by sharing a daring moment in my life with you.  In the summer 2012 I found myself strapped to a tethered line atop a VERY tall mechanism that was about to fling me over the Royal Gorge near Canon City, Co.  I am not fond of being flung over fabulous vistas, but I felt the need to be daring this day.  My sweet wife and my dear friend of the 50 and a half ilk can attest to the fact that I did NOT want the flinging to occur.   The need to be daring took over, so I pulled the cord that would release me and over the fabulous vista I flew.  See Jamey Being Flung Over Fabulous Vista  This momentous (to me it's momentous) event has reminded me that I can be daring in so many things in my life.

So what do I dare?  I dare to be me this year.  Yes I'm sorry world, but it's going to happen.  Seriously I see this word as a liberating mechanism to allow God to do with me what He's wanted to do for a long time, but through selfishness and through a sense of "doing what others think I should do", I've not allowed Him to work what ever it is He has in mind for me.  That really clears the slate for the year, with one exception.  I truly feel called by Him to make REFUGE a viable ministry in my community.  So God, here I am.  I'm ready to be daring in what I do.  I DARE you to use me.

God bless us one and all.

Jamey

PHIL ROBERTSON AND

THE DIXIE CHICKS 

BOTH HAVE FREE SPEECH.

As I've thought about the controversy over Phil Robertson's interview, I've been struck by the similarity of this situation and The Dixie Chicks when they made disparaging remarks about George W. Bush while they were over seas.  As you can see in this cover pick from Entertainment Weekly they received many of the same comments that Mr. Robertson is receiving today.  Some call them hero and brave, others call them traitors or in Mr. Roberts case bigot. 

In my travels through the world wide web today I've seen mostly comments about free speech being violated.  I can't see that it's being violated in either case.  Phil and Natalie Maines can still say anything they want to about those two particular subjects, and no one is going to arrest them for it.  That's the whole point of free speech, however constitutional protections don't alleviate the consequences of what we say.  The Dixie Chicks employer (their fans) basically fired them for what Natalie said.  A & E has suspended Phil Robertson for what he said. Phil and Natalie can continue to say anything they want to, but like any of us, there may be non-legal consequences for our actions.  Whether you stand with Phil or A & E is your own business and opinion, but we have to realize that when we express a thought, though it may be legally protected, it doesn't stop the people around us, or possibly our employers, from reacting to what we think.  The fans fired Natalie and she can still rant about George W. Bush.  A & E has suspended Phil Robertson, but he can give a television interview tomorrow and still express his opinions about homosexuality.  We just need to understand that when we step out for what we believe in there is usually a price to pay.  

Just my opinion.

Jamey