The Monster in My Closet/What Did David Isbell Say?

The Monster In My Closet

One of my favorite things about being a dad is watching cartoons with my son. Lately he's got a major crush on Scooby Doo. Not just any Scooby Doo cartoon, but only those featuring the entire gang (that's right, take a hike Scrappy). We've weaned him just a bit, but still he's an hour a day Scooby Doo-Aholic. The problem, of course, is that it's scaring the bejesus out of him at night. There's been a couple times when he's asked for an escort to the bathroom. By the time we leave his night light on, the hall light on, his TV on...he's not really sleeping in the dark anymore. So you can see why I would be a little hesitant last week to believe that there was a monster in his closet. Like most boys he’s very persistent, but the more he complained the more I was determined to put the "Monster In My Closet" business to bed fast before it became a nightly event. With every trip to his room I explained "There are no monsters in your closet," and each time he responded "Yes there are!"

After an hour of attempting to break down the wall between what is real and what is a make believe old man dressed up like a zombie, my son finally cried out "Well if it's not a monster then a toy is trying to get out of my closet". Finally I did the only thing I could do...I opened the closet...and screamed like a little girl as a very unhappy cat who had been trapped for a loooooong time lunged at me from the deepest dark of the closet. Needless to say, every night before bed we now check the closet just in case any monsters or kitty cats are hiding inside.

There was a time in this country when we could ignore the boy who cried wolf,  constantly sounding the alarm that trouble was at hand. Sadly those days are long gone as with each new school shooting committed by some deranged lunatic, we learn that yet another senseless act of violence could have been avoided had we taken the first warnings seriously. We can no longer afford to ignore those who dare to speak up in the middle of the night, telling them to pull the covers over their head and go back to sleep. Now more than ever it’s up to every citizen to be watchful of their surroundings at all times so that when the next terrorist decides to act, we don’t get caught pretending monsters aren’t real.

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First, our sincerest praise to David Isbell who assisted in freeing a trapped woman from a rapidly submerging vehicle. The TimesDaily featured Mr. Isbell in a story about the incident and quoted him as saying: 

"It was just (divine intervention), miraculous really, that her Jeep landed upright in the water and that she wasn't seriously hurt or worse."

So what did TD writer Lisa Singleton-Rickman change? Did she remove the name "God" from Isbell's comment? It would certainly be interesting to know...and to know if she was ordered to do so...

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The woman who almost died in the accident stated she was about to become a school bus driver. She also stated she was doing "only" 40 in a torrential downpour. Being terribly fond of the mantra "Old pilots, bold pilots," we suggest in a torrential downpour that one pull to the side of the road if possible. If not possible, a speed limit of 25 mph is a pretty safe bet. It beats drowning in Gnat Pond.

Lost in the Weeds!

It’s been a little over a week since the school shooting occurred in Parkland, Florida. A tragic event in which a 19 year-old man killed 17 teachers and students. Every parent’s nightmare is to lose their child, and I can’t imagine what those families are going through. With that in mind, I want to be very careful in my message this week not to offend or divert from the seriousness of such a horrendous tragedy.

I think as “One Nation Under God” we are missing something and I’ve only heard hints of it in the media these last few days. With the invention of the 24 hour news cycle several years ago, came this need to be the first one in front of a story regardless of whether or not what was being put out into the world was the truth or not. Ratings are now more important than anything else including the truth or the victims involved. Within minutes of the shooting, the story quickly turned from a senseless act of violence to gun control. It felt like grieving for the families involved and the sudden end to so many lives snuffed out in an instant, became an afterthought. Condolences and prayers have been replaced by another podium for every politician and reporter to stand in front of. Riots and protests have replaced good deeds and helping hands.

Now before I go any further, I understand we probably need more gun control laws in the country. This is not an anti or pro gun rant. I also understand that I can’t speak for God as to why bad things happen to people. Personally I’ve been taught that in spite of whatever tragedy takes place, we must fight through all the emotions that come with it and know that there is a greater purpose to everything that happens. I also understand the dangers of judging others and the importance of looking at my own actions before condemning or criticizing those of another. With all that in mind I’m here to tell you that America may have a gun problem, but without a doubt we have a Satan problem!

We don’t teach peace anymore. Look at what we consider entertainment; listen to the music we put in our ears and images before our eyes. Guns may kill, but it’s our lack of faith and our culture of greed that most definitely pulls the trigger. Somebody does you wrong, get revenge. Something makes you feel good, drop all of your responsibilities and get more of it. We’re a nation of dads that sit inside watching porn instead of playing ball outside with their kids. A people full of mothers who leave their children in the parking lot of the club while they dance their cares away because they need a break. Everyday the majority of the people in this country wake up and tell each other what they don’t like, what they hate, what they are fed up with, and not once do they ever try to smile. People have been finding ways to murder one another long before guns were ever thought of and the idea that a few laws are going to stop that is insane.

The answer to gun violence, to drinking and driving, to drug addiction, to porn addition, to all of the thousand different ways we’ve come up with to hurt each other while making ourselves feel better for a few fleeting moments...is God! I promise you that if we would all walk into our homes each night, gather our families around us, and talk about the importance of helping others; we would create so much change. Instead of spending our days focusing on how much we hate everything around us, if we would wake up feeling blessed for receiving the simplest gift of another day on this earth; not only would we change our lives, but also the lives of those around us.

You don’t believe in religion? Fine! That’s not what this is about. I’m talking about spreading peace rather than teaching hate. It’s really that simple. I don’t have to know the history of the latest murderer who was able to get his face plastered all over the Internet at the expense of so many lives to know that somewhere at some point he was either abused, or beaten, or molested, or told he was worthless, or treated like dirt. Maybe not from the very moment he was born, but somewhere along the way the seeds of evil were planted in his heart. I don’t doubt somebody loved him once, tried to help him once , and is out there this very moment wondering what more they could have done. Satan is real and if you don’t believe that then at least wake up and understand that hate does nothing but breed more hate. God is the answer. Preaching and practicing peace is the solution. You want to keep your children off drugs? Teach them to love others as well as themselves. Want to stop your kid from turning into an alcoholic? Turn off the drinking songs and turn on something that inspires them to be better people.

I understand that nobody will ever live a sin free life. There was only one person who was ever perfect. As a country though, we need to understand that evil exists and the only way to stop it is by fighting it with love for one another and faith in God. Until we understand that as a people, tomorrow’s tragic headline might as well already be written.