The World has Changed Yet We Must Still Wait

It was an early summer day, sunny and exciting. I was thirteen years old and recently finished with the 7th Grade. I embarked upon the most exciting adventure of my then short life. I boarded a Columbus, Ohio city bus and headed out on the six and one half mile trip to the downtown area. I had never been on a bus alone and had never been downtown alone. My quest, get my own Social Security Card.

It was easy. I went in, took a number and waited (some things have not changed). When called forward I was given a form to complete and return. I was so proud doing adult business. A few minute later I left with my Social Security card. I did not need a birth certificate, proof of address or anything. I was back on the bus and on my way home.

Leap forward 40 years. I am now a resident of Kennett Square, PA and doing my income taxes with Turbo Tax. I had used Turbo Tax for several years, but this year I filed my taxes electronically. As you might know, you need your Social Security number to do an on-line signature. Wow, I was certainly surprised to discover that the Social Security Administration had a different birthday for me than my actual birth date. It was only different by one month, same day and same year.

I called the local Social Security Office the next day. The lady was unpleasant from the first moment. I explained to her that they apparently had made a mistake and entered my birthday into their electronic records incorrectly. She rudely told me that they do not make mistakes. Obviously I gave them incorrect information when I applied for the card so many years earlier. I explained to her that it was a very big day in my life and I would not have made such a mistake. You can imagine how she reacted.

It was time to move forward. I asked her how we might fix the problem. She told me I needed to send my driver’s license and birth certificate to their office and they would up-date their records. I told her I would not send them these documents. She told me I needed to come in with the documents.

I looked for my Social Security Card to no avail. It was lost. I put off the replacement process and filed my taxes year after year with the wrong birth date. I looked for my birth certificate, same deal, lost. No problem, I just put things off.

I’ve lived in Pennsylvania since 1970. Last year I got a new job in Kentucky. I really had a hard time surrendering my PA license and getting a Kentucky driver’s license. Finally my PA license was about to expire and I was forced to change licenses. I also registered my beloved pick-up truck in Kentucky. This was particularly difficult; I had the same PA vanity plate for over 25 years. I also applied for a replacement Social Security card and anew Birth Certificate. The birth certificate came and I got a letter from the Social Security Administration telling me that the letter would serve as a temporary card and I would get my permanent card in the mail. It never came.

I have since changed jobs and moved back to Pennsylvania. The new adventure begins. We are now post 9/11 and the Homeland Security rules are very strict in Pennsylvania. Two days ago I went to the Driver’s License center to apply for a Pennsylvania Driver’s License. I only had to wait 40 minutes. I then was called to a counter and filled out an application. Then the clerk asked me for my birth certificate and Social Security Card. Plus two proofs of residency. I had brought my cable television bill and natural gas company bill to prove residency and address. I did not have my birth certificate with me and I had never received my replacement Social Security Card. I drove the 17 miles home and got my birth certificate. I then drove the 22 miles to the local Social Security Administration office with Kentucky driver’s license and birth certificate in hand.

I took a number and waited for about 35 minutes. I was called to a window and a very pleasant woman took my driver’s license and birth certificate and made copies. She then advised that they must send my birth certificate information to Ohio for verification and then they would send me a new Social Security Card and up-date their records regarding my birth date. She said it would take four to six weeks depending on how fast Ohio responded. I patiently explained that my birth certificate was stamped with an official seal. She explained that this was the required procedure. I told her I could not get a Pennsylvania driver’s license without my Social Security Card.

Yesterday, I drove to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. I want e to at least get my truck registered again in PA. Another government office, another number, and an unusually short wait before I was called to another window. I was given forms to fill out and did everything needed to register my pick-up in Pennsylvania again with my old vanity plate. Then the rub, I needed a PA driver’s license to register my truck in PA. Foiled again!

I took the long drive home very discouraged. Just after 5:00 p.m. the nice lady from the Social Security office called to tell me that she faxed my information to Ohio that morning and they responded that afternoon. I could come in the next day and get my replacement social security card and that my birth date would be revised effective that next day. Wow, after one disappointment after another I got some good news.Her I sit Thursday evening with my new Pennsylvania Driver’s License (same license number I had before). My truck sits in the driveway with my vanity plate attached and all is right with the world. Things have changed since 1961 and some things are the same. No one takes your word for anything now we must have proof for everything. We can’t smoke in government buildings anymore. Yet I take comfort that government offices really have changed very little. Come in, take a number and wait.

An Evil World

The recent shootings at Virginia Tech have brought out the very best and the very worst in our society. The very best has been shown by the students and their support of law enforcement personnel, medical suport and University Administration. The very best has been shown by the Governor of Virginia and the President of the United States along with leaders across the country in their loving support. The very best has been shown by the population at-large by their love, support and prayers. Much still needs to be done to help students and families deal with this evil tragedy and recover from the extraordinary pain of loss. I believe that we are up to the challenge particularly assisted by the Lord.

The worst of our society raised its ugly head even before the death count was known. The talking heads on television immediately were looking for someone to blame. The accusation was that the University did not do enough to prevent the second shooting or lock down a major university in a snap. The anti-gun folks were decrying gun violence and lax Virginia gun laws before the identity of the shooter was known. Blame, blame, blame is the only response by the media and the so-called experts. Does someone have to be at fault other than the deranged gunman?

Our society seems incapable of dealing with tragedy as part of the human experience. The majority of people in this world live with tragedy every day. 127 people were killed this morning in Bagdad in four bombings. It was reported as just another fact squeezed between so-called experts on recognizing nut-jobs before they shoot up schools. Tens of thousands of people die regularly from starvation, sectarian violence, civil war, earthquakes, storms and much more. Yet, if it does not happen where we feel it it just does not exist. We are a society that has isolated itself from the real world. We seem to think that it is written somewhere that bad things are not supposed to happen to us. When bad things do happen we insist on finding someone to blame and sue.

Let's try something new. Let us mourn for the dead students. Let us comfort the parents, siblings, friends and wounded. Let us pray for them and for ourselves. Let us commend the police and medical personnel, and the administrative people for doing the very best job possible in a very difficult situation. Let us be thankful that we have unprecedented resources to handle tragedy on such a massive scale. Let us thank God for His grace and mercy even when we refuse to acknowledge Him.

Clearing Brush and Other Presidential Stuff

We live on a small farm that has pastures with horse run-ins and a wonderful four-stall barn. The property is for sale and we moved out of state March 1, 2006. I hired someone to mow the property and keep the fence lines clear. That did not happen. You cannot trust someone to do work like that if you are not there to monitor what they do. We visited in late July and found that the property was totally overgrown.

This is probably what the President has to deal with as well. He often returns to his ranch in Crawford, TX and ends up clearing brush. First, it is cathartic, second, even he can't count on someone else doing what needs to be done.

We moved back to the farm temporarily to beat back mother nature. The weather here has been the driest August on record and it made brush clearing so much easier than expected. This weekend Ernesto hit the area and we have had more than enough rain. It has made brush clearing so much more difficult.

Today my wife, sons, daughter-in-love, brother and grandchildren all pursued the brush clearing. We worked all day, burned brush, dodged poison ivy and generally made a huge dent in the overgrowth. I have been working evenings and extra hours for several weeks. All the help today was a tremendous blessing. Tomorrow we mow the lawns and pastures again. Why? We have a showing Tuesday and are praying for the best. I am exhausted, but there is a wonderful cathartic effect clubbing through thick brush with a machete or trudging along behind a brush mower.

If it were a perfect world we would pay this place off, move our children into the houses, build a third house for my wife and me and then enjoy watching our grandchildren grow. But, after all, I still need to work and you don't always get what you want.

"So What!"

The “So What” Factor Many years ago I adopted a very simple critique method for all my sermons and teachings, my writing and my discussions. I simply asked the question, “So what?” I am not attempting to be glib or disrespectful. My intention in asking the question was simple. Did what I have to say have any permanent value? Did it bring honor to Jesus Christ? Did it have lasting eternal value to those that listened? Sadly, I had to confess to myself that much of what I said was of no real value. I spent hours studying, reading, researching and preparing sermons, lessons and articles. Was my time well spent? I grew spiritually and professionally, so the time was not completely wasted, yet, what I delivered to others often was of little real kingdom value. As a result, I began to think differently, prepare differently, write differently, and speak differently. How could I stand before Jesus one day and give an account for my own wasted talents and the time and talents of others? I could hardly bear the thought. Major changes began to percolate within me. I became motivated to not waste any effort. If I cannot give my best then I must not expend the energy. The same goes for my preaching, writing and speaking. To the best of my ability I strive to offer value, eternal value through what I say and write. The “so what” factor now permeates all that I do professionally and personally. I am not perfect in this as my close friends, colleagues and family will readily point out, but I am striving for the prize. An immediate way to evaluate what we think and do whether it is trips, conferences, meetings, phone conferences, etc. is to ask ourselves regularly, “so what?” I invite you to join me in asking this telling question. Apply to everything you do.