Race Weekend: Fort Worth Half Marathon

 

Downtown Cowtown

I fell just short of my goal this weekend with a 2:01:51 race time in the Cowtown half marathon. My goal was to finish just under 2 hours, but given the hilliness of the course I’m content with my time. It was clear during training that I wasn’t going to keep the required 9:00 pace for the big event. Throughout my practice runs the best I could do was keep 9:30 for 10 miles. After that I pretty much fell off a cliff time wise. I’d worked to improve this over the last couple of weeks. It paid off.

It’s not enough to get the right pace, you also have to hold it right up to the end. I know that sounds obvious. But the biggest difference between other races I’ve had and this one is the last couple of miles. Thankfully I was much stronger in the legs and in the lungs this time. I didn't fall apart once I'd finished either. Exhausted for sure, but not ready to throw up and swear off any mention of a race ever again.

 Despite a cold start (32 degrees) I was never uncomfortable or wished I’d have dressed differently. I had a long sleeve t-shirt and cold gear tights under shorts. I almost opted for shorts but I didn’t want to freeze for the first 30 minutes. The gear I had on was comfortable the whole time.

My brother and I drove into Fort Worth on Saturday before the race. I needed to get my packet and try and map out the course. I like to do this so I have some idea of where the tough spots are. This allows me to plan my run a little better. For instance, I knew I’d need extra energy for the big hill at mile 9. It’s late in the race by that point and a lot of my energy is already dwindling. I sucked down a gel packet just after mile 7 hoping to get a boost for the climb.

Usually I don’t eat before or during a race. Any amount of food just sits heavy in my stomach. Some runners always eat something, even fruit or cereal just before a race. It depends on what you’re used to. Lately I’ve been feeling dizzy after longer runs and I couldn’t risk not having enough strength to finish. How much of that depended on mapping out the route beforehand? It's tough to say but I wouldn't change it.

The first half of the course went through the northern chunk of the city. We started at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, went up to the Stockyards and continued south into the downtown area. From downtown it was a straight shot back at the Will Rogers Memorial Center. While driving around on Saturday and trying to follow the map, my brother kept pointing out how long some of the hills were. I noticed it too but didn’t say much. Fortunately I always practice running hills, the question is did I practice enough? The race organizers mostly front loaded the tougher parts of the course. The last 2 miles was downhill, a relief when you’re tired.

One unexpected part of large races is the enthusiasm from the bystanders. You might think it doesn’t matter that random people are cheering you on along the way, but it does. That’s why city runs are more fun than trail or nature marathons. And also because you get to see a different city than you’re used to. There were at least 10 different live bands playing along the route while friendly onlookers held funny signs. I think the funniest one I saw said “We’ve been trying to reach you about your car warranty”.

My brother surprised me at one point. Just as I entered the downtown leg of the race he waved at me and asked how I was feeling. I gave him the thumbs up and continued lumbering down the street. He left the convention center and followed my progress on the race app. He found the best spot to stop and encourage me. That in itself was tricky. The city shut half the roads to accommodate the race. He’d found just the right area and hurried back to the finish line. All the driving we did the day before helped him navigate the city.

Despite missing my time goal, I improved considerably from the last race so I’ll take the win. I had fun and I plan to do it next year.

 

Putin's New War and Motivations

 

So Russia started bombing targets in Ukraine last night. What does Putin want with Ukraine anyway?

 He’s always wanted to reestablish a sphere of influence among his neighbors the way the Soviet Union did. I think that’s the largest part of it. He made a bet that NATO wouldn’t stop him too. The way we left Afghanistan showed a lot of world leaders that we aren’t serious anymore. Leaving equipment and people behind in the time it takes to change the oil on a Humvee, was disgraceful.

 Putin saw that, Xi saw that.

I’ll admit right up front that I’m completely ignorant on surrounding events. Up to this point an invasion looked like a bluff, like maybe the Russians wanted some concession on Ukraine I thought. When it comes to information I’m more careful to make declarative statements about anything. We live in a time of upheaval and a lot of "news" is disinformation. 

But even the conservatives are a light on good information lately. Ted Cruz even called the January 6 incident at the Capitol a “terrorist attack”. They’re all for defending Ukraine against Russian aggression which is, I guess OK. Vladimir Putin is a thug, no argument from me. Maybe defending Ukraine with troops and sanctions and no fly zones or whatever ‘cease and desist’ methods we can create is necessary. But I’m not an automatic vote on another military exercise. Actually I’m a strong no right now, I’d need a serious change of heart and I don’t know who could offer it.

How relevant is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) right now? The wealthiest partner in Europe, Germany, is awaiting completion of a pipeline running through the Baltic Sea for much of its energy needs. It’s called Nordstream 2 and its purpose is to send Russian gas (Gazprom) to central Europe. So the gravest threat to European safety and sovereignty, Russia, is actively building pipelines for greater control? This doesn’t make sense from a strategic point of view. Either Russia isn’t quite as scary as advertised or Germany is really desperate.

Since the invasion Russia has been hit with sanctions, the pipeline might not go after all. Still, how did it get this far? Energy isn’t like cheap clothing and rubber tires, it’s a strategic commodity and whoever controls it controls your country. And yes, I’m fully aware that the China sells the US most of its consumer goods, electronics, steel and medicine. This isn’t a criticism of Germany as much as a way to put Russian power into context. How bad are they really if you’re letting them control such a crucial engine of your economy? Germany used to get a significant part of its energy needs from nuclear power, which makes sense. It’s cheap and clean.

But the greens are ruining Germany. I don’t mean the party necessarily but in the way we’ve all bought into climate change and the notion that we can reverse it by being poor. Or better yet, lower the world temperature by getting rid of fossil fuels. You know who doesn’t believe it? Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. Oh sure they’ll go to these ridiculous summits (Paris) and talk about how they’re cleaning up coal and restricting fossil fuels. They’ll even present a full color map outline with timelines, who doesn’t love timelines? And promise to reduce carbon. It’s what the West does anyway. They promise to reverse climate change knowing the benchmarks are irrelevant. The agreement is all that matters.

 Nuclear power produces more than enough and it’s carbon free which is usually the chief gripe from the greens. But after the Fukushima Daiichi core reactor meltdown in 2011 they decided to phase them out quicker. The public largely supports it I guess too. But from a green point of view they’ve just traded a carbon free technology for a heavy carbon one.

France is better positioned. Nuclear power still supplies 70% of the country’s grids. They have to import Uranium to fuel them, creating a not so ideal dependence on others, but it’s better than Germany. I recognize both countries and their predicament with regard to energy. These plans for windmills and solar power are a scam. Sure they produce a little power but it’s a long way off from the consistency of gas. And a supposedly adversarial country is set to supply our biggest allies with it.

For now at least I’m against another NATO effort. Let Ukraine make a deal with Putin. I think of Ukraine the way I think of Cuba on the verge of a takeover by Castro, another thug. Havana was a playland for Mafia types until Castro took all their interests and made them nacional.

A much darker thought comes to mind as well. What if Western elites (like Hunter Biden) have something to hide in Ukraine? When you have carte blanche to play around in a corrupt nation you might do some illegal things. I also remember Trump sending Rudy Giuliani over there to find a the missing DNC server. Is it actually there or is this just a conspiracy? I think we might find out soon.  

Pray for the people of Ukraine.

 

Training Day: Winter Weather Struggles

 

Today is the last official long run before my half marathon, ready or not. 

I’m exactly one week away from running in the Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth. Before today, I hadn’t run outdoors in at least 4 weeks and I needed to suck it up and embrace the icy breeze. I’ve doubled (probably tripled) my running total for each week since I decided to participate in this thing. What was the impetus for choosing a race so early in the year, when the weather is likely still chilly? Because I needed a jogging goal beyond my usual twice per week obligations.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m pleased with my consistency but sometimes you need to step it up. I haven’t trained for a race in over a year, content to keep a regular regimen. It felt like I needed a little extra push this time. My speed exactly where it was a year ago. Also I wanted to do something in the Dallas area were my brother lives. I try to visit a few times per year. It’s nice to have another reason to go.

The treadmill has taken the brunt of my workouts lately. I only run outdoors on Saturday, Sunday if I can’t do Saturday. The reason is simple. I like to train before work which limits my time. I can do up to 5 miles if I get an early start. Mostly I run 3 or 4 because it’s what the training programs call for. I live in the city and running outside, early and in the dark is not my idea of exhilarating. There is way too much traffic and I don’t have time to head to the river or a suburban park like Lafortune.

Treadmill workouts are a bore but they’re convenient. The last few weeks have been miserable for being outdoors in the morning. So maybe I could’ve put in one or two early runs and dealt with the cold and wind? Yes, but I wimped out. I had a treadmill option anyway. I needed to get at least one more long run in before next Sunday. I managed almost 10 miles today which was a small miracle considering how windy and miserable I was. How many times did I want to turn back? I lost count.

The early morning gusts nearly blew me off the path. I lost a little time that way I’m sure. Timing wasn’t my biggest goal however. I needed to put in the distance and not sweat the per minute small stuff. I took the difficult route because I needed the hills. It’s been almost 2 months (probably) since I chose that path. It showed. I had to stop a few times, too winded and dizzy to continue. After a little water a half granola bar I righted the ship for a while. Somewhere along the way I stopped again to rest, already disappointed with myself.

I kept thinking ‘This is weird. I haven’t felt this exhausted in a long time. What gives’? The truth is I’m not sure. Weather, lack of outdoor training, lack of hill training or is something else to blame? For the first time I considered maybe eating something before I run next time. I don’t now and never have. I like to run on empty. It’s what I’m used to. But the dizziness is kind of a new thing. Maybe it’s just all the extra training I’ve been up to.

On my work cubicle wall is a 12 week training program for the half marathon I downloaded from a running website. I started at the 5 week mark, checking off the days with different distances on them. Middle days like Tuesday and Wednesday are 3 or 4 mile days at varying paces. The fastest I was actually able to run was at 8:30 per mile for 3 miles. Anything further than that is just too much for me. My goal for the Cowtown half marathon is still just under 2 hours but after the last few big days, I’ll be fine with just over 2. I figured I’d be at a much quicker pace by now but I haven’t been able to keep the under 9:30 for more than a few miles. My watch might be a little off but it’s not that far off.

But like always I won’t lose my mind if I can’t quite get there. I’ll just reassess and train earlier next time. I’ll have a race update next week. Can’t wait!

Faith is the Currency of the Kingdom

 

“Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God” (verse 18)

 It’s the first response Jesus asks of the man from Mark 10:17-22 that we call the “rich young ruler”. Mark doesn’t give us much else about this man. It’s clear he is rich and curious the way a college student might be. He is eager to learn the things of God. At least that’s usually the way I read this section.

But the young man’s question to Jesus “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” sounds self-serving to me.

He essentially wants something that money and position can’t buy--eternal life? It’s easy to see this ruler as interested in the welfare of those he is meant to manage. Most people at his age want relationships, money, status and stuff. He already has it. He also believes the best way to get what he wants is through a life of service. He doesn’t serve to elevate those around him. He does it because he believes it benefits his own condition. He’s more transactional we realize.

The rich young ruler isn’t necessarily a nasty character, but we elevate him in our minds because of his pious behavior. He’s set to inherit a kingdom and rule over a people. We aren’t sure how large but this is someone who has been groomed for it. Try to put yourself in his position. You stand to inherent wealth and power. You will have to know how to lead people because they are looking to you. You are a leader who needs wisdom.

 Are you going to ask a great teacher how you can live forever? Here is how he phrases it: “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

Now it’s possible that he heard Jesus talking about eternal life in one of his sermons. John 3:16 for instance, he who believes will have eternal life. But to me he sees service as a means to an end. Which is why in the next verse Jesus makes the statement “You know the commandments: ‘Do not steal, ‘Do not bear false witness, ‘Do not defraud, ‘Honor your father and your mother.’

Jesus needed to connect the commandments to the rich young ruler’s title “Good Teacher” as a way of saying no one is good, it’s why the commandments exist. Human beings are flawed and sinful and destined for judgement. We can’t do anything to save ourselves. However, God Who is good, made a way for us to live surrounded in sin but not defined by it.

I saw an episode of a TV drama the other day. A mother lay sick and dying in her bed while her sons stood at her bedside before death took her. She reminded one of them that he his heart is good and he must always do what’s right. It’s a nice thought, we all want to think our kids are inherently good or true. But it’s nonsense.

We are only good through Christ. It’s not something we gain or achieve. We aren’t born with it or given it through natural inheritance. We can’t trade for it or buy it with any amount of money. The only way to eternal life is through Jesus. The best part is it’s free, but it does come at a price. You have to surrender the notion that you can achieve eternal life.

Nothing is wrong with personal achievement. Nothing is wrong with keeping the commandments or serving the poor. Those like the rich young ruler are raised at an early age to value the things of God. But if we don’t learn the purpose of service and discipline we make them the currency for exchange. They don’t exist as currency in the kingdom of God, faith does.

In response to Jesus’ mention of the commandments he says “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” Jesus tests him in the next verse and says “Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven: and come take up the cross, and follow Me. But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

Immediately after Jesus asks his disciples how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom. The ruler thought his adherence to the commandments provided him access to more and greater. He associated his sacrifice of earthly pleasures with membership to exclusive benefits. 

What do you get the man who has everything? Eternal life. It’s the one thing you can’t buy because Jesus already paid for it. Our faith makes it real. 

 

 

No More Trouble in the World: PJ O'Rourke

 

Sad news. PJ O'Rourke passed away yesterday. I saw this and thought to dust off an old tribute I wrote a few years ago. I cleaned it up a little and added here and there. But mostly it's the same as it was.

Anyone who knows me well knows I love P.J. O’Rourke. 

 Most writers can do either stories or facts but not both. PJ O’Rourke is great at both; it’s what attracted me to his books early in my life. I’ll admit a lot of the history and references went over my head at first. I discovered PJ while in Army. I found myself in the library perusing the shelfs for interesting finds. 

Yes really. 

I used to like picking an aisle at random and just grabbing books a couple at a time. If an image or title caught my attention I’d pry it open and read the summary or introduction for a sense of the thing. It was in this spirit that I came across “Give War A Chance” and fell in love. I recognized his talent even though a lot of the references were to people or institutions I had never heard of.

After college I enjoyed him a lot more. I picked up on the references with more education.

The book was almost 10 years out of date but I loved it. Also I got a sense of what people thought during that time. Or at least I got a sense of how journalists and pundits thought. Mostly I just wanted to write like him, funny and smart. He can tell a funny story down to a granular detail and explore the larger implications to the world and culture. It’s the Economist meets National Lampoon, a magazine PJ wrote for in the seventies.  A lot of his journalism was with the Rolling Stone before he started on books. He wrote for some car magazines as well. Some of his early books are collections of essays he wrote driving across the country. Always with an eye for the larger picture, he writes the way I think. He writes the way I wish I thought.

I don’t know if I intentionally copy this technique when describing an occasion or if I’m so accustomed to reading that type of stuff that it flows naturally. I won’t say it’s brilliant like O’Rourke but I hope it’s at least familiar. We all have motivations for what we love and chances are a person we admire showed us how good it could be.  

Sometimes we need a reminder of why we love certain things. It has a way of resetting out passion, for breathing life into worn out projects. O’Rourke reminds me of what great journalism looks like. I never cared for Hunter S Thompson even though both men did the same kind of writing. Thompson is too self absorbed and mean for my taste. P.J. is appropriately caustic and cynical but also managed to become an adult, which is what we are supposed to do.

He had become a bit of a bore in his later years though. On the Ricochet podcast he called Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the Maricopa County top cop, a “Big Fat Slob”. For what exactly PJ? Keeping illegals off the streets when the federal government refused to do its job?

There were a slew of articles in magazines where he went full elite snob. It wasn’t that funny anymore either. He’d lost his understanding of what made the country great and sounded like a snarky brat. A lot of writers I used to admire changed stripes when Trump got elected. Or maybe they didn’t change as much as we saw through their act. 

He came to Tulsa a few years back and I went to see him with my then girlfriend. The first thing I told her is that there would be a lot of people in their middle 50’s and up. He is a classic Baby Boomer who grew up a 60’s radical and mellowed out enough to become a Republican. Not a conservative Republican but a squishy sort of moderate with libertarian leanings. After the show, which was a little sluggish I thought, I got in line for a signature and my girlfriend took a picture (See above). I had him sign my copy of “All the Trouble in the World”. I didn’t say much except the usual ‘big fan’ kind of stuff. I’m not great at the chit chat.

 I do remember thinking “What a great way to make a living”, writing and lectures.

I’m sure it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, but it comes with a certain air of importance I always found attractive. Someday maybe I’ll be doing the same as my favorite author.

He signed my copy "No Troubles" which I'm sure he does frequently with that book.

Well same to you PJ...no troubles.

 

 

Protest Bowl: Year II

 

I’m not watching the Super Bowl again for the second year in a row. Not that it’s a big deal for me anymore but given the fact that it’s the largest game of the year, even non-fans watch. It’s tonight and the whole weekend has been a reminder of the big game. From church themed jersey night to TV programing all centered around football.

A friend of mine said he was rooting for funny commercials, which is a great line.

Last year was the first year of my “Go To Hell NFL” protest, patent pending (just kidding). Looking back my attitude toward America’s favorite sport held a bitter edge. I loved to tell people why I was done with it. I tossed most of my Chicago Bears gear. I quit talking with my buddy about the comings and goings of our favorite team. “Who started this week at quarterback, how’s the defense look, is the running back healthy?” Sadly it kept us in touch. Not that we don’t communicate anymore, we’re too good of friends for that. But our back and forth banter decreased to a trickle.

 I blame myself for not replacing the dialogue with something else.

 But I was angry with the league and their support of Black Lives Matter. And yes, angry that more of my friends cooled on the idea of a protest. I’m not angry anymore. At the league, Yes. Always. But at consumers who love the game? No. Once you go down the boycott road it forces you to see companies as filters through which left wing agitators push their message.

 It’s tough to sort out a company’s politics, it’s tough to keep track of good guys and bad guys. Honestly I don’t want to know a company’s politics.  

But a lot of them are under pressure to apologize for past misdeeds, perceived slights against aggrieved communities. The Washington Redskins finally caved to a name change this past year. There is no courage for shareholders (or private owners) money is king. But this is the world the left wanted. It wants all businesses to pay fealty to the new morality. But it’s impossible to know what’s going to be offensive in a few years, or how a marketing campaign will play in the future. That’s also the point though. The Left wants to be the decider of that too. They want to say “Yes, we told you it was perfectly fine yesterday but now you must renounce it”.

And how do these dopey corporate boards respond to the pressure? They collapse like a lineman with a torn meniscus. We see this played out all the time. Joe Rogan just issued his second apology because they strung together a clip of him using the N word on his podcast. What was the context? Does it even matter anymore? There is a serious lack of direction in the corporate world on why they exist in the first place. Right now the direction is wherever the pressure is coming from. But it’s the world they’ve created. By allowing outside voices to influence the direction of the company they’ve acquiesced to future campaigns.

Give the devil and inch he’ll take a mile. Then he’ll blame you for not having enough transgender representation along the mile.

But it’s impossible to keep up and avoid using products from spineless companies. It’s a non-stop cycle of outrage for past mistakes and ridiculous apologies.

So I get not boycotting football. It’s a product after all and it’s such a part of our lives it’s tough to peel it off in one full tear. But we have to say no to something, to someone, eventually. If not our allowable speech will consist of such narrow confines it won’t be worth listening to.

 Do a quick inventory in your head of all types of speech that might be restricted in the future, sex and gender issues, the dangers of obesity, the dangers of drug use. We’re already close on the first two. It’s become controversial to define men and women. Overweight women are regularly featured in add campaigns designed to change the image of fat people as unhealthy, like the fat girls dance group.

How about morality? Marriage is only marriage if it’s between a man and a woman. Is it possible even this truth goes away? It certainly is when you let the enemy tell you what’s acceptable speech and what’s not. At the very least don’t participate in it. If we can’t risk losing some comforts now, what will we say when all contrary speech is effectively outlawed? It’s impossible to boycott and protest every company that runs afoul of your personal belief system. It’s impossible to keep track of all the craziness from the left in this country. But make no mistake, we are at war.

This is mostly played out behind the scenes. Dark forces pull the strings of their loyal slaves from all corners of society, business, media, Hollywood, sports and pop culture. I don’t think of my little football protest as a boycott but it is. It’s not part of a larger effort to hit the league where it hurts, it would be nice though. For me, I can’t watch another game and pretend like the NFL didn’t bend the knee to a hate group. And then, make the players swear allegiance to a bunch of grifters who got rich watching American cities burn.

Go To Hell NFL indeed.

Diesel Justice: Canadian Style

 

What can I say about the Canadian Truckers that hasn’t already been said?

 I’m in awe of their determination and I’m hopeful that it spreads. A friend of mine posted the phrase “Workers of the word are uniting” in reference to the truckers and their allies. By the way, everyone who loves freedom is an ally. I cringed a little at the phrase. It’s pure Marx. I always hated the idea that people are locked into an eternal struggle of revolution. Karl Marx’s goal was to see the workers all over the world rise up and throw off the slavery of capitalism.

How odd that now the working class (forgive the phrase) are now the biggest supporters of capitalism. It’s the ruling class that’s wants collectivism. Any collectivist form of government is slavery because the decisions are top down. Endless bureaucratic rules and regulations keep commerce from spreading throughout the country. Capitalism is ruthless in its efficiency but far better than one that restricts. The marketplace is where ideas either live or die.

 In Marxist countries speech is restricted, freedoms are curtailed, religion is outlawed, daily life is planned. Work has no relationship to supply and demand, money has no relationship to value. Everything is monitored from health scores to credit. The incentive system of profit that encourages risk no longer exists. We’ve been heading that way for 2 years and I’m overjoyed that Canadians finally noticed. Actually they didn’t just notice. They’ve put up with an onslaught of mask protocols, vaccine mandates and shutdowns since March of 2020.

Like most of us they’ve seen the lies pushed by their national health ministers. The vaccines are universally shit and everyone knows it. Oh sure they tell you it’s better to have than to not. But Covid is still with us and the countries with high levels of inoculation rates have some of the highest levels of death rates, like Uruguay and the Maldives. Why is such compliance needed is the vaccine is so great? Why are kids masking up when evidence shows there are hardly affected?

 Canada is in a slightly different place than the US. Their laws were more sweeping than ours. States and cities decide things like mask policies and businesses decide vaccination requirements. Even though Joe Biden tried to push national vaccine laws on everyone the courts have mostly slapped them down.

 States like Oklahoma have all but done away with their Covid policies. Large swathes of the country have tossed them out. Canada is getting crushed and you can tell by the support the truckers are having that the middle class is done with it. They have support from the tow truck companies, restaurants, farmers and countless industries. Crowd funded site GiveSendGo has raised millions for them and their families. And the best part, it's a protest with some teeth. Without trucks, commerce grinds to a halt. The blockades to the United States stop commerce between countries as well, and there is a lot of it. Canada is a major trading partner.

The trucker's demands are straightforward, give us back are freedom and we’ll leave. People who want vaccines can get them. They’ve been able to for a year now, why force everyone to do it? Trudeau and his technocrats have used up whatever good will they had in the early days, the fifteen days to flatten the curve, to get cooperation. The citizens of Canada, like in the US, have mostly complied. But it’s clear now that the globalists’ cure was worse than the disease. They’re reluctant to let go of their new found power even in the face of a defacto economic protest. This is what a protest looks like. It’s not burning and looting. It’s peaceful and it’s righteous.

People all over the world are getting a sense of what’s coming if they don’t stand up to the tyranny right now. In Europe the citizens march every week against vaccine mandates. A good number of those people have taken the shot too. For the first time in two years I feel like the anti-reset forces are winning. It might get violent. It depends on if the government cracks down and starts hauling protestors to jail. It’s an uphill battle for Trudeau. He’s lost the argument for forced vaccines and the trust of Canadians.

  Freedom isn’t free, but maybe we’ve forgotten what it actually costs. How often have we been forced to make genuine sacrifices for it? Not very often. Don’t worry, the Canadian truckers are reminding us all how sweet it is with every honk.

Veterans and Recovery: 3 options for PTSD

 

 The Third Way for Recovery

Andy Stumpf is a former Navy Seal, Cross Fit consultant and pilot. I heard him on Joe Rogan's podcast the other day. He also used to skydive in those crazy dangerous winged suits. I guess he still does some of that, in addition to podcasting and public speaking. Rogan covers a lot of ground in 3 hours with every guest. It wasn’t until the end that Stumpf touched on something that’s always been an irritation to me—the portrayal of the broken down veteran in movies and TV.

To be fair it’s not without merit. A considerable amount of veterans (those in war especially) struggle to adjust to civilian life. The Veterans Administration showed that just over 37,000 veterans experienced homelessness in 2020. For some it’s a transitional phase when they’re waiting for housing or before they start a rehabilitation program. For too many though it represents a loss of confidence or hope.

Our culture offers two philosophical tracts for veterans struggling with PTSD. The “broken toys” narrative that Andy Stumpf mentioned and the “superman” approach to overcoming obstacles. Both are inadequate but well meaning. But without the spiritual truth of identity in Christ it’s a futile exercise in self evaluation. Councilors deal with trauma from all areas of life but because we owe so much to veterans it feels more important.

Theories of Self

Both philosophies are at opposite ends of the “identity spectrum”. That’s my phrase. It’s not great but it sums up the heart of the matter as one of inner value. An individual’s perception of self will dictate the choices they make. Do they blame others for their circumstances or take responsibility? Does this veteran see themselves as victim or champion? Neither theory exists in isolation from community. Communities reinforce individual worth, good or bad. 

Proponents of the broken toys narrative encourage a victim mentality. It’s less important what actually constitutes victimhood. We are all victims of something. Kids that escape crippling poverty to become wealthy business owners are still victims. War is a victimizer. It doesn’t care where you’re from or what your family life was like, it leaves scars no matter how long you are in it. But the individual is only a victim when they accept it in the mind.

Opposite that is the superman approach. Where the victim can’t see past their oppressor, the superman sees the self as the hero in the story. He won’t blame others but also won’t look for help. He sees the self as an engine in need of a spark. Its fuel is positivity and its payoff is the progress it makes navigating conflict, stress and addiction. The superman believes in the power of the human spirit and the relentless drive to self-actualization.

Real Life Struggle

I went to a men’s breakfast event at my church recently. An Iraq veteran, Adam Grover, shared his recovery story from alcoholism and PTSD to freedom and mental clarity. He experienced both philosophies in an effort to escape the hell of a chaotic existence. “They feed that victim mentality to you while you’re in treatment…they coddle you and that doesn’t serve you very well on the other side of that treatment.”

He called it the “poor wounded animal treatment” that serves as an excuse for bad behavior. In vivid detail he described a road rage incident where he actually wanted to kill the woman who smashed into him.

 But going it alone didn’t work either. “I have a history of trying to do it alone and guess what, it doesn’t work, plain and simple.” Even surrounded by family and loved ones the heavy burden of PTSD proved too much. Once surrounded by a community of believers he says “I began to see how Jesus really saw Adam and it’s changed my life.”

Coping Mechanisms

PTSD and depression are made worse with drugs and alcohol. They are the first things we seem to turn to. Adam acknowledged this much. They do permit some level of coping, although temporary. The numbness helps for a while. But proper discipline and the type of physical adrenaline Andy Stumpf is about help too. Plenty of former addicts find comfort in martial arts or extreme fitness.

I think it’s why the superman approach is so enticing for men. It draws on existing reserves of male protectionism. Protection equals worth and men that can’t protect themselves can’t protect others, therefore worthless. But both approaches look inward for solutions.

One gives us a pass on responsibility and the other leaves us empty.

Fortunately in Christ we find the answer. He is the source of our comfort, strength and hope. Both philosophies downplay the role of the Creator. We are creatures made to overcome the world because Jesus did it first. In Him we are victorious.

God created us with minds that reason through the chaos of the world. We can accomplish a lot through positive thinking and mental toughness alone. But it’s a limited world view because it’s not rooted in anything larger than self. I don’t mean to say it’s selfish. 

Personal responsibility isn’t selfish. 

Achievement isn’t selfish. 

Reaching for greatness isn’t selfish.

But with humanism the man is ultimately responsible for his success and failure. No one else can claim credit, not even family and councilors with their classes and workshops. Man made the decision and followed through, he gets the victory. This isn’t how we are created. 

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Inner strength without purpose beyond ourselves can only lead to misery; life is short and our impact is less significant than we might imagine. If we are created for "good works" than looking inward will only get us so far. Good works are what we do for each other. Through charity, compassion and even mentorship we demonstrate the character of our Creator. We start to see ourselves as belonging to something larger than personal achievement. Our lives become more than the sum of our accomplishments and our identity is renewed.

The culture offers veterans two philosophical paths, broken toys or supermen. Both are flawed and lead to disappointment and emptiness. Humans are meant to be reflections of our Creator and find our strength in Him. We find rest in His plan because it’s tailored to our particular skills and desires.

 Identity starts there and it changes everything.

 

Authority Begins Through Self Evaluation

 

Luke 10:1-20: God's plan for Cities

Two powerful events take place in the first half of Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy disciples and warns those cities against rejecting their message.

 Modern cities reflect ancient ones. Both are often run by wicked officials; both are subject to God's judgement. Authority is given to disciples to show people a better way to live.

The Commission

Jesus gives His followers a commission for the lost. “The harvest truly is great but the laborers are few: therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”(verse 2) He then gives instructions about how to behave in a foreign city “Carry neither money, bag nor knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. But whatever house you enter say ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not it will return to you.” (verse 4-6)

From there He tells them to “heal the sick” in every city and proclaim the kingdom of God. This isn’t just instruction for disciples, it’s also a warning to those who choose to ignore the goodness of God.

 Jesus warns 3 cities Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. Those cities are contrasted with 2 others, Tyre and Sidon. We don’t have details about those ancient cities except that the first 3 are coastal and Jewish and the other two are inland and Gentile. The Gentiles didn’t get the benefit of Christ’s ministry while he was alive. The Jewish leaders thought they knew better than God and rejected calls to change.

God gives cities a choice the same way he does for individuals, accept my Son or face judgement.

Authority of Leaders

We know that the Jewish cities saw signs and wonders there but refused to repent and turn away from sin. It’s also interesting that none of them is around today. Every one shows evidence of homes and vibrant life, but all disappeared leaving nothing but ruins for archeologists to find.

So what? After all cities rise and fall throughout history, what’s the big deal with these particular places?

It’s really the leadership and institutions that Jesus condemns. It’s their decisions that either permit or reject morality. Looting and theft are legally permissible in a few cities in California. Drug abuse and sex trafficking are routinely ignored, as is prostitution in countless others. Abortion is permissible in New York beyond 24 weeks. 

In a spiritual sense city officials are responsible for the judgement of an area. Cities elect (or appoint) leaders that will choose their spiritual direction. Think of all the problems modern cities have. From sanitation and taxes to crime and homelessness, these aren’t different from ancient problems. But responsible leaders either tackle problems for those who live there, or take advantage of their position and benefit themselves.

Rejection of Goodness

People are sinful. We are slaves to selfishness and our decisions lead to disease, homelessness, crime and death. But the gospel is a reprieve for a dying world, a city in throes of darkness. It’s redemption for both leaders and citizens. When it’s allowed to spread it brings justice and peace even in the darkest of places.

The entire city doesn’t need to be transformed overnight, but when it specifically rejects the work of God it brings judgement on itself. Samaritan’s Purse set up a field hospital in New York City in 2020. They responded to the spreading Corona virus that was supposed to cripple the nation. New York with its massive population did see high numbers of hospitalizations. But the city kicked them out after a month. Samaritan’s Purse, led by Franklin Graham, believes in a biblical view of marriage so they had to go. City officials that have their authority from God decided the mere presence of a Christian organization was an offence.

The scriptures talk about choices, the fool and wise, the straight and the narrow path. But choosing to honor God or reject His goodness isn’t like picking the wrong door in a game show. We don’t accidentally choose to reject the things of God as if our decision were a roll of the dice. Since God is good than everything from Him is also good. Our lives reflect the image of our maker and we produce fruit. We decide how to live with every choice we make.

Selfish leaders will permit crime and even encourage it. They’ll continue in their recklessness to ignore the voice of God and make it difficult for goodness to exist. They are slaves to sin and they care nothing for their constituents. It explains Andrew Cuomo (New York’s former governor) decision to pack the nursing homes full of Covid positive patients. It led to countless deaths he later tried to cover up. It explains why Seattle and Portland both denied worship leader Sean Feucht a permit to hold worship services outdoors. Both cities permitted Black Lives Matter marches earlier in the year.

“Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you. But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.” (verses 11-12)

Good News

Grace and forgiveness are for everyone, including those in authority who’ve acted selfishly. But continual rejection of God’s goodness for those under your authority brings a promise of judgement. It’s easy to see sin and corruption in cities and shake our heads in disgust. Real maturity forces us to evaluate our own authority and clean up our sin. The Christian should always ask “Where have I permitted callousness toward God’s judgement? Have I closed a door to forgiveness, or repentance?”

But there is good news for those who submit to the Father and become disciples. He gives us the “…authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (verse 19)

We become like the seventy sent out when we recognize that our authority is under heaven. Our responsibility is for our own lives first and then to those around us.  

 We will see a transformation in our cities when we look inward and remember the Commission.