"HOW SHALL WE THEN LIVE?" Francis Schaeffer

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Mark Sandford; Redemption/Re-election

MARK SANDFORD is running for election and seeking redemption.

"The disgraced ex-South Carolina governor is back on the trail seeking forgiveness for the sins that caused his political career to collapse in spectacular fashion four years ago: The mysterious days-long disappearance, the lies about hiking the Appalachian Trail and the extramarital affair with an Argentine woman that splintered the Republican’s picture-perfect family and shattered his presidential aspirations.

“I’m not in any way unaware of how I’ve let you down. I’m not in any way unaware of my well-chronicled failings as a human being,” Sanford told a Hilton Head Island Republican group last week, in the first public speech of his campaign. “But I am equally aware that God forgives people who are imperfect.”"

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/the-mark-sanford-confessional-campaign-87411.html#ixzz2KY7ybAHB




At times like this, one wishes for god like knowledge to judge the heart and motives of Mark Sandford.

I certainly believe in forgiveness; I'm in constant need of it.  But it's also easy to be a little cynical about a politician who failed miserably, lost his source of status and income and now asks for forgiveness and re-instatement.  His abandoned wife, Jenny Sandford, has not spoken yet, maybe never will.  

Sandford puts forth an interesting doctrinal statement that is true but incomplete.
"....God forgives people who are imperfect."
A)  I believe that statement is true --
B)  But there are often long lasting consequences that follow moral failings ( sins).

He and Jenny are divorced and he intends to marry the Argentinian lady with whom he had his affair.  I don't know him, I don't know her but I am uneasy about his continuing the relationship with the woman of his affair.  I'm not sure it shows good judgment.   The odds of them having a lasting marriage are pretty poor.  She will be in a very difficult position; the   "home-wrecker" wife of a high level politician.  I suspect the gossip and innuendo will be be difficult and ongoing.  It can take years to live something like that down.  His political enemies will forever use it against him as they embarrass her.  

Then there is the wife he has betrayed, Jenny.   Bright, very attractive, appears to be quite the lady.   You think to yourself, "Who in their right mind would leave her?"

Of course we do not know the details of their relationship; we don't know where all the fractures were but it does appear, she was/is a stand-up lady.  

At least on the surface, Mark Sandford continues to make bad choices; not working to save his long marriage to his wife and the mother of his children, but instead chasing a Argentinian lady who's moral compass appears somewhat suspect.

Based upon current available information, I don't think I could vote for him  But then again I have my own skeletons.

UPDATE:  Jenny Sandford has spoken - in fact wrote a book.  Here's one review.

http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2010/02/jenny_sanfords_gentle_revenge.single.html

Monday, February 04, 2013

PIEDMONT HIGH SCHOOL Class of 1969.

     A few years ago, while searching YOUTUBE for the Blood, Sweat and Tears version of "Fire and Rain," I discovered this video which honored the now deceased members of Piedmont High School Class of '69.  The faces look familiar, they are very much my era and Piedmont appears to be similar to my own suburban high school.  The video was created by Robert Nelson, himself a member of the class.
     The video itself is a wonderful tribute to the now deceased classmates.
At their 40th reunion, they paid tribute to those deceased classmates and teachers;  choosing 1 alumni for each of the departed classmates.  Each classmate was given a eulogy.
     The eulogies are well done, it gives one a desire to have known these individuals being eulogized.   They all experienced adult life, a couple died within 20 years of the high school graduation, others died only in the last couple of years, but all of them before their "time."
     Also eulogized were several teachers and the librarian.  They too were wonderfully remembered.
     The Piedmont High School Class of '69 must have had some extraordinary people because they have shown great caring and respect for their teachers and classmates who were a part of their lives, a part of their school community and who have now gone on to meet their creator and God.

KUDOS, Piedmont High School, Class of 1969.

Friday, February 01, 2013

MAYBE SHE DIDN'T HAVE A FATHER

     Sitting at a light on a very busy street in my city, I note the car ahead of me has a dangerously low rear tire.  I roll down my window, honk a few times and wave my arm.  The driver looks around and I point towards the rear tire.  She opens her door, peers back at the tire and yells "thank you" as she closes the door.  I am relieved.  She appears to be about my daughter's age.  The light turned green, she edged over into the right lane and then, to my utter amazement, headed up a freeway onramp heading North on I 95.  I watched helplessly thru my rearview mirror as she accelerated on up the cloverleaf.
   I thought to myself, "What in the world is wrong with you" as I drove on down the road.  What kind of young lady would purposely get onto the freeway with a very low tire?
   Later I thought, maybe she didn't have a father.  My own children, in their driving careers, have been lectured (sometimes rather loudly) when they have encountered problems on the road;  running out of gas, having oil light indicators come on or temperature gauges climbing into the red zone or calling to ask why their car is pulling to one side or making loud thumping noises or asking why there's smoke coming out from under the hood..
    I have a standard, intense response;  "PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY."  "STOP THE CAR IN THE FIRST SAFE PLACE, TURN OFF THE ENGINE."  I believe I say this in my best Shouting-Dad-Tone-of-Voice.  I think this is what Dads do.  For most fathers my age ( the plus side of 60) our first vehicles were generally "beaters."  You quickly learned from your own father or from sad experience that your car needs careful attention and maintenance if you intend to drive it a few thousand miles then sell it to your most gullible friend.
    Then somewhere along the line you become a father and watch in horror as your 16 year old takes your car to school.   But I guarantee this; they don't drive without a list of safety measures yelled into their ear.  Even today if I were to discover that my married daughter purposely drove onto a freeway knowing she had a low tire, I'd be doing the Dad Bellow despite the fact she has a husband and lives in another country. That's what Dad's do.   You try to help your children fend off vehicle disaster as best you can; generally that involves a lot of yelling.
    So I'm thinking, maybe this young lady with the dangerously low rear tire didn't have the benefit of growing up in a family where Dad yelled at her to protect her from harm and vehicular disaster.  'Cause if she'd had that yelling Dad, she would NEVER have driven up the freeway on ramp before getting the tire inflated immediately (32-34 P.S.I) at the nearest gas station or tire store..
    That's exactly why Dads exist.