Here’s my take: Christians should not join political parties.  I’m not saying that it’s sin to be a registered Democrat or an abomination to be sold out to the Republican party, but I am saying that it is not the ideal.

Here’s why:  Parties change.  Their agendas shift, their focus alters, and their causes morph.  On the flip-side the basic values of an orthodox Christian worldview stay the same: Human rights for all stages of life, from conception to natural demise; marriage as a commitment between one man and one woman for one lifetime; mercy and assistance for the helpless and weak, just to name a few of the biggies.  These things and more stay the same.

Therefore, Christians should be values or issues voters rather than simple “party” voters.  Now, for a season it may seem that these values align more with one party than another and you might find yourself aligning quite often with one party over another.  But don’t be deceived things will shift, they will change…that is the very definition of politics.

We should be very cautious about hitching our wagons without reservation to one group or another.  Why?  Because we’ve already hitched our hearts to God the Father through Christ the Son, He should therefore be the driving factor in our decisions.

But then again, Jesus did ride into Jerusalem on a donkey.  Maybe he was trying to tell us something.  I’m just saying…

The party conventions are just moments away which means that we in the American public find ourlseves in the middle of a politcal full court press.  Between now and November 4th it will be nothing but ads on television, pundits on talk shows, and candidates holding “town hall meetings” comprised of pre-screened questions and pre-written answers.

But beneath the usual political push there is another battle being waged between Barack Hussein and John Sidney.  It’s the battle for coolest pop-culture crap; you know, t-shirts, action figures, and key chains.

And when it comes to the battle for who can generate the most stuff to one day fill a cardboard box in your mom’s basement or eventually be sold in a bundle on Ebay the clear winner is Obama.  Forget the bland stuff sold on his official web-site, this guy has inspired some really great stuff being sold all over the internet.  Just check out this t-shirt.  And then, take a look at this action figure.  Forget the guy’s stance on taxes and human right’s issues (abortion) that figure is fully poseable!  I smell a collector’s item.   Seriously, I want one.

Contrast it to what pop-culture has created for John McCain (click here and here) and there is no contest.  The ironic thing is that McCain has all of the credentials for an incredible action figure.  If 5 and a half years as a prisoner of war doesn’t earn you your own G.I. Joe then nothing does.

On a serious note, I wonder why it is that Obama seems to generate so much more pop-culture energy.  Is it because he resonates more with a younger crowd?  Is it that he truly is an inspiriational figure?  Does he simply have a more attractive, marketable look?  I don’t know.

The biggest question of all however is whether a cool t-shirt can translate to actual votes in November.  We’ll see.

We’ve gone over the edge.  It’s time to sell your house, grab the kids and move to Mongolia.  I know a guy.  He can get us a deal.

Why the move?  Well, let’s see: the economy is tanking, Brett Favre plays for Jets and Paris Hilton has now become a factor in the Presidential election.  Did you not read The Late, Great Planet Earth?  The end is near.  Pack your stuff, and c’mon!

Yeah, as you likely know Paris Hilton put out a video responding to John McCain’s campaign ad where he compared Barack Hussein to Paris and Britney.  To see for yourself, click HERE and then HERE.  It amazes me how pop-culture continues to make its way into everything these days.  I mean, what is the star of The Hottie and the Nottie doing getting time on Anderson Cooper 360 during their election coverage? 

Paris Hilton has a campaign commercial.  (Revelation 17:1-8)

What’s next?  John McCain releases a sex tape?  See you in Mongolia.

You’ve probably heard the sad story surrounding the death of Steven Curtis Chapman’s 5-year-old daughter.  Playing in the yard, she was accidentally run over by her older brother as he she ran to greet him when he pulled into the family driveway.

It’s been a couple of months since the tragedy and the family is starting to talk about the whole deal - what happened, their pain, their faith, their questions.  As an aside, I could write a freaking book about how incredible this family seems to be.  They are very shaken but their love for one another and for Jesus almost outshines their pain as they speak.

In their recounting of what happened something stuck with me and has been ringing in my ears since I heard it.  Having a 3-year-old of my own this story has really torn me up.

Apparently, as dad was racing out of the driveway to take his near lifeless little girl to the hospital he had the presence of mind to stop, roll down the window, and yell as loud as he could muster to his 17 year old son who was crumpled in the front lawn, fearing that he’d killed his sister.  With tears streaming down his eyes and a rattle in his voice Steven yelled, “Will Franklin, your father loves you very much!”

Commenting on it Steven said that all he could think was, “I will not lose two children today.”

For me, there is no better metaphor - picture - whatever, of the gospel than that moment.  As a child lays broken with guilt and overcome by the magnitude of his mistake, his dad sees him, calls out to him, and says, “Your father still loves you.”  Isn’t that what God has done for us?  Despite our mistakes, despite our outright disobedience He tells us that He loves us, that He forgives us, and that He’s determined not to lose us.  To prove it, to accomplish it, He gives us Jesus.

Yeah, I know a little on the Hallmark side but I had to share it.   Man, fatherhood has made me so emotional…..

I went to the eye doctor last week.  It was time for new contact lenses.  I was sitting in the chair, going through the whole bit, when I realized why I hate the eye doctor so much.  Actually, I don’t hate the doctor - she’s nice and all - I just hate what she puts me through.

The eye doctor is the only one of the doctors that makes you do all of the work.  Yeah, they have the giant gizmo that they scrunch up against your face and flip knobs and turn junk but the pressure - the “get it right or you’ll have a headache for a year because your insurance only pays for one shot” pressure - is all on you.

They throw row after row of ever-shrinking letters on the wall and it’s your job to tell them what looks the best.  Sure at first it’s a no-brainer, 1 is definitely better than 2, but before long you’re sweating over the tiny differences in clarity.

Your mind starts to race: “Was 2 better than 1 this time?!  I’m not sure.  Oh, crap go back!  Go back!  I can’t trust my eyes.  That’s why I’m here!  That’s why you went to eye school!  Why am I blinking so much?”

Hasn’t technology developed to the point that they can jsut scan our eyes figure this out and save me the worry?  That seems to be the clearest choice of all.

I’ve never liked the Green Bay Packers but I have always appreciated Brett Favre.  Growing up a Lions fan I have spent much of my life watching him run all over my boys in blue and silver.  And he did with it grit, with sweat, with hard work and ingenuity - which has endeared him to millions, particularly the working class folks that make up the majority of the Upper Midwest.

But earlier this year, Favre retired.  Like many guys who spend their careers putting wear and tear on the body as a welder, a roofer, or a mechanic, eventually your mind is in it but your bones just aint.  And using very similar words, Brett said, in no uncertain terms that he was “done.”

However there’s a big part of the blue collar work ethic that Favre seems to be missing: being a man of your word.  For some time now, word has been leaking out that Favre wants back in.  No, he hasn’t said anything but his relatives have, his friends and his agent have.  But him?  Not a peep.  That is, until a few days ago when he came out and said, “Yeah, I want to return;” making sure to also share his shock that people are frustrated and annoyed at his last second, about-face.

Forget the fact that there is a billion dollar organization, players who’d like to fill his spot, and crazy ‘cheeseheads’ who all thought the Favre-era was over.  Apparently, in the Favre world, “done” doesn’t mean “done.”
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I’m off of work this week, just hanging out at the house soaking in the family.  It’s crazy to me how when I’m home like this the amount of stuff I notice about my kid that I just don’t seem to catch when I’m zooming in and out of the house doing ministry.

Yesterday I discovered that she likes to use the word “delicious” to describe just about everything.  Apparently petting the cat is “dee-wish-us.”  Also, her new favorite phrase is, “I promise.”  Even though she clearly doesn’t grasp it’s appropriate context, which makes for good comedy.

Me:  Ava, how old are you?

Ava:  I promise!

Me:  Honey, that doesn’t make any sense.  You’re gonna be 3 in a few weeks, remember?

Ava:  Delicious.

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Something strange happens to me whenever I take time off of work: I get angry.  Does this happen to anyone else?  Actually, to be clear, it’s less of an “anger” really, and more of a grumpy, frustrated, fear-filled sense of annoyance.  Yeah, that clears things up.

It’s tough to explain, but every time I take time off for a vaction the first day - and just the first day - is spent in a total funk.  It’s as if my mind needs 24 hours to completely detox from work in order to fully enjoy the time being spent with family.  Now, this is not to say that my job is some kind of toxic addiction.  No, those of you who know me know that I love what I do and that I am blessed to serve in a pretty balanced ministry.  But still, when the time comes to shut it down for a few days, those first few hours aren’t pretty.

If I had to figure out just “why” this happens, I’d spin it like this:  For each of us the demands and responsibilities of our vocations are what drive our daily existence.  They’re the motivators moving us from one moment to the next.  Dinner’s gotta happen, the meeting has to take place, the sermon must be done, the emails need to be written.  And it’s not a bad thing.  Actually, its a good thing because God is working through each of our callings to do stuff in His world and provide things for His world.

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I’m kind of a political nut.  Yeah, I’m into things like AM talk radio, op-ed pages, and keeping a cable news channel running in the background of wherever I am.  That’s me.

My dream job is being a pastor, so I can’t complain.  But a close second would be that of “professional cable news talking head.”  Part of me would love to be one of those guys that occupies a quarter of the screen on “Hardball” and trades jabs with someone in another quarter - say, James Carville or Paul Begala.  So sad.  But so true.

And amongst cable news junkies, political wannabes, and folks who just plain liked being “in the know” there was really no bigger, more respected name than Tim Russert.  Each week as host of “Meet the Press” he interviewed the major players in American politics and did so with great intensity and unusual balance.   He made politics simple and palatable to the oft-confused masses like yours truly.

But what I liked the most about the guy was how real he seemed.  He was unabashed in his love for Buffalo, NY.  He talked a lot about his son, he wrote a book about his dad.  He went to church every Sunday.  If my own father had somehow worked his way out of the railroad, got a degree, and made a name for himself talking about things like the electoral college and super delegates, I imagine he would be exactly like Tim Russert.  I think that’s why I liked him.

My fondness for the guy was reinforced when I read this article.  In outlining his final hours it talks about how the guy took a break from prepping “Meet the Press” to go hang out at his sons’ apartment and wait for the cable guy to show up.  This is a man with millions to his name.  He was the most influential television journalist in the U.S.   He was on a first name basis with every living President.  He’d hung out with the Pope.  And yet he dropped everything to do his kid a favor and wait for the Comcast dude to show up.  [pause] I love that.

I really respected the guy for the excellence with which he handled politics.  But I respect him even more for the way he handled his priorities.

May the same be said of me.

As you’ve noticed I’ve been off the blog quite a bit in the last two weeks.  My apologies.  It’s been a very rough couple of weeks in my family.  In the last 13 days we’ve traveled back to Michigan twice in order to bury close relatives.  No fun.  Very sad.

If you get a chance, keep the Popovits clan in your prayers.  I’ll be back.

Jesus lives.