What a Year! Wrap Your Arms Around That!

Dec. 31, 2008 was the first day of our What a Year! year. Our second grandson was born. The year is ending with new thoughts about a Savior. Brock was the sixth live birth in our family. Every single birth was an invitation to a life-changing relationship - no Christmas would ever be the same.

As we prepared for Christmas 2009 my mind goes back to another live birth. Wait, hold on, not that one yet. A mere 50 years ago my parents had a new baby boy to add to the Christmas celebration. Six weeks old at the time, I was more than a baby. I was a new relationship for the next 50 years of their journey. A day would not go by that I would not at least cross their minds. The first 25 years there were plenty of long conversations. The last 25 not as many but always a thought.

Much has been said about the Savior, Christ the Lord. Although absolute truth slept in a manger when the Way, Truth, and Life came to earth, the ramifications move beyond. The Word became flesh also offered a new relationship. Jesus is Savior, but Jesus is also a new relationship. He is a God so big I can't wrap my brain around Him, yet He became so small that I could wrap my arms around Him. A God and a relationship in one. Awesome! Merry Christmas 2009 from the Senesi family.

Welcome?

A friend prompted me to search for Oregon signs. The old sign said something like, "Welcome to Oregon, unless you are from California." Since I spend a bunch of time in the church world it would be too easy for me to ask, "What does the welcome sign at your church say?" So, I am not.

Our default mode is to speak harshly about big picture stuff that is out of our control and probably not our responsibility. Maybe it would be like throwing a grenade at a safe distance. For example, I can get a chuckle out of a state border sign that according to Google Maps is 2,651 miles away from my front door. Yet when you read the story behind the sign there are perfectly good reasons people in Oregon might feel that way.

So, here is the bottom line. In my life today there is a great big welcome sign. Unfortunately there is a great big exception, or two, or three. The scary part? Most of the exceptions in my life I am totally blind to -- my nature is tribal. We all are that way I think, or most of us are. We love people who are just like us. We either pity (we confuse this with caring) or make fun of all the rest. So the challenge today is not to the state of Oregon. The challenge is to me first. Then I will toss a grenade your way. Don't worry if you don't need this. I did. Maybe you can toss it another direction if you didn't . . . 2,651 miles in another direction if you want . . .

White Knuckle Drunk - Observations from "The Swamp"

If you have any connection with the recovery community you probably have already heard the expression, "the white-knuckled drunk." I spent almost ten years in New Orleans deeply involved in the recovery community. I learned so much -- I need to put more of it in print.

I wondered, as I Twittered and Facebooked through "The Swamp" with my great friend Manley, if there was anyway I could connect sports with life. I understand that most of you don't quite have the "football love" that some of my friends and I do. BTW, for you, "The Swamp" is the home field of the Florida Gators. Florida's football success over the past four years may place them as the greatest college football team in history, or at least in the top five.

I went for friendship and the experience -- my team, the Tennessee Vols, were expected to be slaughtered by the powerful Gators. Long story short -- it did not happen as the whole world, including me, expected. The Gators won, but not by so much. But, unlike most Vol fans, I was not as inspired by the heart, courage, and resilience of my team. Don't get me wrong, those traits were all there and deserve a smattering of applause. I was proud.

The bottom line is to win. As optimistic fans we can always talk about being "on the verge," effort, and moral victories. I was there, I sat closer to the action than any other live college, pro, or high school game in my life. The Vols were much closer to being embarrassed like everyone predicted than winning. One more "no fumble" yard by Tim Tebow and the route would have been on. My team was battling way too hard not to come closer to win. The Vols will lose again this season. At least 5 more times -- probably more. Way too many white knuckles on the Big Orange sidelines. Way too many white knuckles on the field.

Now, the bridge -- My concern in The Swamp about my team, is my concern about me at times, and you. My team was working way too hard not to get better results. If there is not more than your best effort pushing you forward, although you may be coming close, you will collapse before you will ever win.

Hopefully, some personal application is coming to view for you here -- I want to think about it more before I try to be profound. I walked away more bothered than encouraged Saturday. But, the greater point -- I may be wrong about Vol football (I hope so) but I don't think I am wrong about life. My best effort alone at being smarter, better at relationships, more moral, more loving, less dysfunctional -- will only leave me with white knuckles and an eventual collapse. I need outside help. Let's talk more about that this week.

Leonardo da Vinci Senesi

A new dog will be moving into our house soon. The sworn limit of two, four-legged pets has been lifted. The girls are happy. I am questioning my resolve. We have already met Leonardo, and as you can tell, named him, etc. Leonardo is lucky, he was born in a good home (our friends, the Cockrells) and will move to a good home. Plenty of love to go around.

Reminded of the old story about an ad in the newspaper: Lost dog, walks with a limp, has the mange, one eye, answers to the name of Lucky. "Lucky" as the story goes, really was named correctly. Lucky was lucky because someone cared enough to look for him.

Michael Vick's dogs were not very lucky. As the story continues to be written, the gruesome nature of his crimes have come to light. Michael Vick was wrong and deserved punishment. Yet (thinking out loud) I feel so conflicted. I watch our confused culture continue punish a person for something he has already been punished for. If his mistakes were drugs, adultery, abortion, etc. he would have been forgiven years ago (if those would have been considered offensive in the first place) by the NFL and others. I am a Steve McNair fan, as a football player. But the sordid and tragic details of his lifestyle seemed to be only a small part of the story of this football hero.

Second chances are all relative, right? You deserve a second chance in direct proportion to how much I am repulsed (offended) by what you did the first time. I will think of dogs every time I see Michael Vick this season. I can't help it. I may hide Leonardo's eyes when he comes on the screen. Stitch does not watch T.V. (our other dog), he lives outdoors, so no protection needed there. But I will be reminded of second, third, and fourth chances I have received from God, my wife, my children, and my friends. I will remember (in spite of some cracker jack sermons) my tendency to be offended by the sins in others I have never committed, and not offended by the sins I have committed (and still do commit).

Will Michael Vick sin again? Yep, I'll bet he has. Will he abuse dogs again? Maybe. Our tendency to relapse is great. Will I be sorry I wrote this if he does? Nope, not at all. We have no hope but grace. Thank you Lord. I need some now.