What are you wearing?

 

Sharing at Glendora Alliance Church on 12/11/2011. I hope it blesses you and points you to the truth.

A penny for your thoughts...

First off, I cannot believe it's been nearly five months since I last posted. In that time, life has turned into a whirlwind. I've got really intensive coursework, a growing daughter, a burgeoning business, a lovely wife, family, ministry, etc. Somewhere in there (usually at the expense of a commitment), I find time to "check out" and get some needed R&R. This past week was an example of that.

My awesome father-in-law, Jeff, was in town for a week. We were like a two person tornado, visiting our destruction on every area of the house and yard. Thankfully, all of our efforts were devoted to fixing up areas of my house for how Michelle and I want it for the long-haul. Our yard got the most attention, with having around 15,000lbs of fill dirt and gravel delivered. We also spent time getting the remaining raised-bed gardens filled and ready for action (with its very own gravel path!).



A visual example of my life for the past couple months.





All this being said, I'm finding that I have ideas at the most inopportune times, and given all the chaos, I don't share those thoughts on this blog. I'm planning on getting a decent audio recorder I can carry around with me. I used to use the recorder on my Blackberry, but the memory became corrupt and can be trusted about as much as Arnold alone with a housekeeper. Be on the lookout for more writing; even this short rehash has been a lot of fun. Catch you on the flippity-flip!

Unfair "Slave" Wages ... really?!?

I recently posted a point on facebook that got pretty widespread criticism...that not having a minimum wage does not equal "slavery" or slave wages. The main thrust of my point was that because both parties are willing participants in the transaction, even when someone accepts work for $2/hr, this is does not constitute "slavery". There is no doubt that employers would like to pay less and employees would like to earn more, but neither unlimited want can be fulfilled. The main cry I heard was of "unfairness" and employers being "uncaring" for offering less than premium pay, especially for those "unskilled" jobs that often only earn minimum wage.

I ran across this take on employee "exploitation" and felt it clearly summarized my point and gave good basis for the concept of win-win transactions (where both parties freely transact because of perceived benefit in the transaction).

"The essence of exchange is the transfer of title. Here's the essence of what happens when I buy a gallon of milk from my grocer. I tell him that I hold title to these three dollars and he holds title to the gallon of milk. Then, I offer: If you transfer your title to that gallon of milk, I will transfer title to these three dollars. Whenever there's voluntary exchange, the only clear conclusion that a third party can make is that both parties, in their opinion, perceived themselves as better off as a result of the exchange; otherwise, they wouldn't have exchanged. I was free to keep my three dollars, and the grocer was free to keep his milk. If you think it's obvious that both parties benefit from voluntary exchange, then how come we hear pronouncements about worker exploitation? Say you offer me a wage of $2 an hour. I'm free to either accept or reject your offer. So what can be concluded if I'm seen working for you at $2 an hour? One clear conclusion is that I must have seen myself as being better off taking your offer than my next best alternative. All other alternatives were less valuable, or else why would I have accepted the $2 offer? How appropriate is it to say that you're exploiting me when you've given me my best offer? Rather than using the term exploitation, you might say you wish I had more desirable alternatives. While people might characterize $2 an hour as exploitation, they wouldn't say the same about $50 an hour. Therefore, for the most part, when people use the term exploitation in reference to voluntary exchange, they simply disagree with the price. If we equate price disagreement with exploitation, then exploitation is everywhere. For example, I not only disagree with my salary, I also disagree with the prices of Gulfstream private jets. By no means do I suggest that you purge your vocabulary of the term exploitation. It's an emotionally valuable term to use to trick others, but in the process of tricking others, one need not trick himself. I'm reminded of charges of exploitation Mrs. Williams used to make early on in our 44-year marriage. She'd charge, "Walter, you're using me!" I'd respond by saying, "Honey, sure, I'm using you. If I had no use for you, I wouldn't have married you in the first place." How many of us would marry a person for whom we had no use? As a matter of fact, the problem of the lonely hearts among us is that they can't find someone to use them."- Dr. Walter E. Williams

Kick it into gear...

This is going to be an interesting season of prioritizing my life. I'm going to get to choose whether or not watching 3 episodes of "Lie to Me" on a given night would be better spent doing ANYTHING else. I get the feeling that my time is like a bank account, where a certain amount is withdrawn at the end of the day. It's my job to decide how I "spend" that time. If it was actual money, I would be tempted to squander it on nonsense; but would that satisfy past the 2nd or 3rd day? I imagine I would look to invest it in something that provides a return; something that will actually make a difference in my life and in the lives of others. How does my time differ from that? At the end of the week, I want to feel that the time deducted, regardless of how I spent it, was spent well. Part of that process is going to include blogging here more often. I find that spending time fleshing out ideas helps me to process them as well. Next update to hopefully include some steps in the right direction.

God's Cruise Ship

A message I shared at Glendora Alliance Church on 9/26/2010. I hope it blesses you and points you to the truth.

I promise...

This is an old message that our family friend Laila left on our old tape message machine back in 1992 or so. Laila was ticked, because she knew we were probably at the arcade (which we weren't supposed to be going to)...she was right! Anyway, it's really cute because she was 4 or so, and her motherly tone cracked everyone up. Now it just makes her blush (married and living in Oregon).

"Coal No More" written March 2000

A pile of fuel lays on the ground. We take notice of one of the pieces. Coarse and dark, it has no form, no hope of being shaped. Existing, with no hint of its imminent demise. Ready to walk into the furnace, but quickly picked out. Picked out by a loving hand, so gentle and caring. Nothing but love to share. This hand, gentle yet strong, forms the black mass into a gem. No matter how dimly it glistens, no matter how uncut, still a gem. It’s hopes of being picked out realized when all was put on the line in exchange. This now gem no better, only more treasured. With every cut and every polish, it glows more brilliantly. Shown the way to everlasting existence, this gem cannot burn in the fire, for it has accepted the form it was given. Everlasting, un-breaking, waiting for the day to shine as a star, to give hope to those still combustible. Remembering it would be no gem had it not been saved. To return to the earth as ashes, not the steadfast, uncompromising strength it has attained. Tempted to jump from the sky to join the others, it knows better, for it is plain to see with nearby lights shining bright. The only way to be a gem was to not try to be a gem at all. It was to allow the gentle, caring hand to form it. Only then can it see what lies ahead. Everlasting brilliance guaranteed by this master craftsman. The most precise cut by this master artist, who aims only to make all dark lifeless forms into His glorious creations. No matter how small, not matter how large, still a gem. No matter how new, no matter how old, still a gem. No matter how opaque, still a gem. Still worthy of being worn, still hoping to be chosen, despite how small it is. Polished now or polished later, the end result is all the same. Is this gem not a gem? Did it not give up all it knew before to be a gem, as did the others; surely this rock can sparkle. If not but with the help and love of those who helped choose this stone. This gem is worthy of existence in someone’s heart, for it is coal no more.