ONLY THE TRUTH WILL SAVE US

 When I was a small boy, my parents called me into the kitchen one night. They held up a pair of my pajamas; small holes were cut in both the shirt and pants. They asked me what happened to cause those cuts, and I told them that I didn’t know. I was spanked “not for cutting the holes but for lying about not having cut them.”  

When I was in high school, I allowed a girlfriend to drive my mother’s car. That night when I arrived home, Mother asked why I’d let the girl drive. I denied having done so, but she told me our insurance agent had, in fact, observed the girl driving down Oak Ridge Highway. She took the keys from me and informed me that I couldn’t drive for a month for letting someone else drive the car and for lying.  

I’ve always been a fan of Judge Judy. I especially enjoy watching her tear into folks who present flimsy evidence in their cases. In regard to teenagers, she says the way to tell that they are lying is by watching the mouths. She declares, “If a teen’s lips are moving, he or she is lying.” 

The same pronouncement might be used with politicians. In the past month, many of those who represent us have spread a bed lies as thick as peanut butter on a slice of bread. Many of those falsehoods have dealt with the presidential election. The claims of fraud, illegal voting procedures, ballot stuffing, and other sins have been repeated so often that people accept them as facts. Even after 60 court rulings have determined no evidence substantiates such claims, pols and citizens continue to believe the tall tales.  

Every American citizen knows what happened on January 6. A riotous crowd stormed the Capitol, knocked in doors and windows, and trashed many areas, all while the House and Senate worked to certify the electoral college votes. Five people died during that assault on our government. The goal of the intruders was to stop the certification of the election and to take hostage or even murder members of Congress.  

Now that it’s over, the perpetrators deny that they were violent, deny that they destroyed anything, and denied intended harm. Some even claim another extremist group infiltrated their demonstration and caused all the damage.  

After the insurrection, our governmental bodies returned to finish their work. Senator Romney decried the request to form a committee to investigate. He said the only way to stop the conflict was by simply telling folks the truth. For that, the senator received a standing ovation.  

Okay, the truth, then, is that the president, his family members, his attorneys, and some in Congress stoked the flames of the attack on the Capitol. The truth is that five people died in the melee. The truth is that the halls of that historic building were defiled by blood shed during beatings, destruction of windows and doors, and even by human excrement. How in the world is any of this part of the defense of the United States democracy? The truth is none of it is.  

We are in one hell of a mess. Extremists promise to return this week, this time with weapons. A legally elected president will be inaugurated, but security forces must be increased to guard against violence. State capitols are also at risk of demonstrations by gun-toting malcontents. The truth is simple: This is not the America that most of us want. We must demand justice for the attacks on our democracy and the death of an officer trying to protect it. The thugs that perpetrated this travesty must pay a price, as well as other higher-ups. Most of all, all Americans must stand up and shout “Enough!” Let this old president fade away so that the country can address real problems that exist: Covid-19, a struggling economy, hungry people, and the country’s wounded status as that bright city on the hill.  

Only truth will save us.  

BAD TIMES AND A BIT OF GOOD

Good-bye 2020! I’m glad you’re gone. The past year has been one of the worst that I have spent in my life. Others with whom I’ve talked feel the same way, and too many experienced the loss of loved ones to this pandemic during the year. That makes my squawking about being stuck at home sound more than a little petty. Still, I remember past winters that tried my patience and spirits as well.  

The mumps was a disease with which we older folks dealt. My brother Jim and I had them at the same time, and our poor mother fell ill with them as well. A throat that was so sore it hurt just to swallow saliva was one downside. Daddy worked split shifts, so my mother’s parents came to stay with us. I’m not sure how they kept from being infected. Having energy enough to play for a few minutes quickly gave way to feeling tired, achy, and feverish. 

Nearly every kid in school came down with cases of the measles, either the full-blown version or the 3-day variety. A rash covered our bodies, and a fever accompanied that. We were confined to bed and, in general, felt lousy. A young child can only lie in bed for just so long before he turns grumpy and moody. At that age, children still enjoy school and want to be in the classroom with friends every day. To make things even worse, no television or reading was recommended as those activities could cause harm to young eyes.  

Jim contracted hepatitis when he was in elementary school. His eyes and skin both had a yellow tint, and he was a sick puppy. He had no appetite, and weight fell off him in no time. I realized the danger of the disease by watching the faces of my parents. They were scared for Jim’s return to good health and the lasting effects of hepatitis. All I knew is my best friend and playmate was confined to bed for weeks. I worried about him and missed my twin.  

The winters of 1965, 1996, and 2003 were brutal. In those years, my dad, mother, and brother passed. Going through holidays without them for the first time brought nothing but heartbreak and a sense of pessimism. Watching those persons we loved waste away from the attacks of cancer eroded my faith in something bigger than myself. It was only as I got far enough away from the pain that I realized that, in fact, a God was walking with me every painful step.  

The fact is that this shutdown of life that we’ve experienced for the last year hasn’t been all bad. We’ve discovered that home is that safe place that we all need. The rest of the world might be crawling with Covid-19, but home has, thus far, been a place where we can escape the danger.  

Many families have strengthened during this time. Without of doubt, times have arisen when family members have driven each other crazy. However, when crises have arisen, it’s those same people in the that household that offer the support and comfort. Some parents and children have learned new respect for each other as they’ve been forced to remain in the close confines of home.  

Let’s hope 2021 sees the end of this cursed pandemic. At the same time, let’s hope we have learned a bit more compassion and appreciation for each other. Bad things will continue to occur in our lives, but perhaps we learned to better handle them. Be well this year, wear a mask, wash your hands, and defeat this killer once and for all. Then we can once again gather for fellowship and activities.   

FAITH AND HOPE IN A NEW YEAR

In a short time, two of the biggest days of the year are arriving. Christmas and New Years are times for many of us to realize again just how lucky we are to have a base of faith on which we can depend during the tough times. For the year 2020, our faith has been tested, and many have drawn on it as they have faced the serious effects of Covid-19 and the loss of a loved one to the virus.  

For folks who have a belief in something bigger than themselves, God, regardless of the name used to call Him, has a central role in our lives. We ask for His help in fighting this new illness; we cry to him after losing a family member or friend; and we draw nearer to him as we fear what the future might hold.  

At this special season, however, we live in the belief that with the arrival of Christ on earth that our lives have forever been changed. His life and death give us hope. We are confident that God will always walk with us, not necessarily changing events that befall us, but there, just the same, to help us deal with the trials and triumphs. We place our faith is something better than ourselves, and we believe that nothing in our power can separate us from the love of that being. 

New Years is always a time for parties, countdowns, and fireworks. I suppose that most of us will ring in the coming year with a delirious joy that 2020 is gone. To be frank, the year has been less than stellar. We’ve spent it quarantining, socially distancing, and mask-wearing. Our country has experienced a contentious presidential election that has divided the country. Even after the votes are counted, objections and court filings have continued in a hope that the results would be overturned. The extremists on both sides engage in violence against each other.  

New Years is also a time of excitement and hope. We look toward a future in this country where Covid-19 is eradicated with the help of vaccines. Individuals want to return to work to provide financial security for themselves and their families. The possibilities and surprises of the future keep us going because, for the most part, we humans are an optimistic bunch, no matter how much we gripe and moan.  

We’ve experienced a once-in-a-generation pandemic that has knocked the props out from under us. Our tendency toward complacency has been erased. The losses in family, friends, and financial security have awakened us. Those of us who follow a belief in God will rely on his guidance through the coming year as we rebuild our lives. Perhaps our faith is stronger, or maybe someone has discovered a relationship with God. That would be good. Others will look to the coming year with a feeling that things will be better. Some might eat black-eyed peas, greens, and cornbread for good luck.  

I hope that each of you has a wonderful Christmas and holiday season, and I further hope that you find good luck, good health, and good fortune in the coming year. Give the country and all people a chance; we all might be surprised how quickly we unite into a strong and loving citizenry.  

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year!