Winnie-the-Pooh used to say, "keep it simple."  Therefore, I intend to keep this blog post simple.

Last week, an amendment - if passed - would have blocked funding for a National Security Adminstration  program that collects phone call records from Americans and suspected foreign terrorist alike.  This funding would have ended the NSA's authority for the blanket collection of records under the Patriot Act.  While the NSA is not listening in on every conversation and reading every email, most reports out of Washington confirm that they are storing them in a facility in Utah.  So now, the federal government is storing your phone records and emails along with your credit card transaction information and soon-to-be health care record information.

The amendment failed by a razor, slim margin.  94 members of the GOP and 111 democrats voted to defund the NSA.  However, the leadership in both parties, lead by minorirty leader Pelosi and Speaker Boehner voted to keep the funding in tact.  This vote was another assault on our Constitution and individual liberty.

The framers of the Constitution did not trust big government.  In fact, they created a framework that protected people's freedoms from the government.  Without the Bill of Rights (the first 10 amendments), the 13 orignal states would not have ratified the Constitution.  These amendments protect the individual rights of the people - see amendment four regarding search and seizure.  Simply put - they protect liberty.  

The Congressmen/Congresswomen who voted to keep funding this NSA program will make these two arguments:  1) if you are doing nothing wrong, why worry and 2) we don't understand the terrorist threats and need to spy on everyone in order to catch suspected terrorists.  The problem with #1 is that government can't be trusted now or in the future - what if we elect a president who uses this program for nefarious reasons.  The issue with #2 is that while threats exist, we can't protect everyone and everytime.  Evil exists in this world and we cannot create a risk free country.

BELIEVE in the Constitution and believe in nuturing the individual and not the government.
ACT by reading the Constitution and its Bill of Rights
SERVE by educating each other on why protecting individual liberty is paramount

We the People are the target of the government plain and simple.

Anyone who voted against the amendment to defund the NSA and its domestic spying program betrayed our nation's history, its founding and our individual liberties we hold so very dear here in the U.S., which is about as simple as I can be.

One of my fondest memories of childhood was riding my bike on warm, summer evenings to my grandfather's house in Lititz.  It was on his front porch that we would listen to baseball games on the radio.  As we soaked in the announcers' voices, Grandpa Reedy, who served as the mayor of Lititz for more than a decade, instilled in me much of the political views that I hold so very dear today.  Most importantly, he implanted in me that we are called to serve each other.  Service is a calling and must be done in a humble manner, no matter how big or seemingly insignificant it may appear. He used to say, "Don't brag. Don't boast.  Just help out where you can and you will make a difference." 

Esther's story from the Bible seemingly was written for secular Hollywood.  The script is a story about a young, extremely attractive girl who becomes part of a King's harem.  There are no prayers to God in the book.  In fact, Esther is mentioned nowhere else in the Bible.  This orphan girl, who was raised by her uncle and faced the fear of death for speaking to the King, saves her people (the Jews) from elimination.  Without mentioning God, the entire book of Esther is littered with God's handiwork.  Esther willingly followed God's prompting even though the consequences could have been disastrous for her.  She didn't brag.  She didn't boast.  She just listened to her heart and mind, despite what others may have thought at the time.

• BELIEVE that we all have been called to perform a specific purpose 
  
• ACT on this belief by listening and waiting for God's purpose for your life
  
• SERVE God, then your family, then society
  

For years, many who know me contend that one of my purposes in life is to serve the community via public office.  Like Esther, people have said that God has been working behind the scenes in my life to get me prepared for public office.  I have been getting a strong sense recently that running for public office is what I am supposed to do, despite the tremendous, long odds of actually winning and/or finding people to help me in a campaign.  Although I am a member of a political party, I have never been involved "politically", if that makes sense.  I have been informed by many in the political know that someone with little to no political experience cannot be taken seriously by the local party faithful, let alone run for office.  Fresh ideas don't matter.  Only being an involved member of the party matters.  It’s nice I want to serve the public, but just buy a barbeque ticket instead. 

God calls anyone for a specific purpose no matter their shortcomings, past problems, insurmountable odds or issues.  If those called do not heed His calling, He will call someone else for that purpose.  Since late last fall, I have been wrestling with God about what I believe He wants me to do.   

I know what Esther would do if she had this sense.
I know what my grandfather would say to me if he were alive.
I even what what my message is supposed to be to voters.

However, at this point, I'm still asking God, "why me?"

Almost 75 years ago, a young Judy Garland sang a song that still is remembered and sung today.  During the black and white portion of the movie The Wizard of Oz, she sings these lines as she gaze skyward: "Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, And the dreams that you dare to dream, Really do come true."

We all have rainbows in our lives that we long to get over in order to achieve a better life.  The blue skies over the rainbow may be a new job, a future spouse, a car, a new way of life or a vacation spot where you can unwind.  Many people in foreign lands believe the United States lies over the rainbow and long to start anew here under our blue skies.

Since the first settlement at Jamestown, America has been the place where dreams - along with hard work, perseverance, and shear determination to forge out a better life - can come true.  Simply put, our nation provided and still provides the opportunity for anyone to achieve their dreams, no matter how big or small.   As legal immigrants and natural born citizens alike pursued their dreams with little to no government assistance, they became empowered because they were able to see the fruits of their labor.  Likewise, their self-esteem and work ethic was contagious enough to fuel advancement, innovation and wealth building to others, leading America to becoming the number one economic power worldwide.  Most importantly, because of this hard work and wealth, America's citizens are also the most generous in the world, always seemingly willing to give of their time, money and talents whenever disasters strike.

While we are still the number one economic power, our lofty ranking is slowly eroding.  Cities are going bankrupt.  Taxes are levied against wealth builders, thus reducing the amount of capital being poured back into the economy.  Jobs are being lost.  Blame - it seems - is targeted to anyone in power; however, those in power today seem to be made of teflon.  Rarely do these power brokers ever take responsibility for their actions.  It is easier to blame the other side of the aisle rather than examining the polices that have produced this ever growing dependence on government.

BELIEVE that hard work and not the government empowers the individual to do great things.

ACT by taking responsibility for your actions

SERVE others in a humble, sacrificial manner

America is still the land of the free and the home of the brave.  We must preach to our youth that society is best served by hard work by individuals and not by continuing a reliance on government agencies.  Constant hand outs enslave the individual to become more dependent.  Dirty, working hands empower the individual to succeed with little help.  And sometimes, failure is a good thing. 

As I heard Joe Paterno once say to his team, "...after you are tackled, get back up right away --- don't dwell on being down."  This positive message must resonate throughout the land.

America is still the land that lies over the rainbow, but for how long?

I have been wrestling with a specific situation in my life where I am struggling to be obedient - obedient to a specific calling that I have been sensing.   Most people would be quick to discount this calling because I have not be trained or groomed by those in the know.   

Recently, three Christian ladies in my life - my wife, a member of our small group, and a person who I serve with in the community - all reminded me of the importance of obedience.   Big or small...being obedient to God and Biblical teachings is a must.

However, despite the many verses regarding obedience in the Bible, I continue to act like Jonah and run from God.  Mainly, I am running because I find it hard to believe that God wants me to do what I am sensing He wants me to do. 

In 2013, whenever you mention in public that you are being "lead" to something, the skeptic police come out in full force.  And, those skeptics seem to be able to sway the public so that the one who is lead is deemed crazy, silly or just in it for themselves - in other words, they are playing the God card in order to win people over.

I realize by now that you are asking 'ok Tim, what are you being lead to do?'  Shortly, I will be sharing my story after which this posting will become clearer.  Until then, I am asking you to pray the following:

"Dear God.  Please give Tim the strength to obey God and to not be swayed by those things of this world.  Please bring those individuals into Tim's life that will make his obedience decision a no-brainer."  Amen.    

Thanks for praying.

BELIEVE in the power of prayer
ACT by praying every day
SERVE others before yourself

"Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?"

The song "Seasons of Love" was the main anthem of the long running broadway show "Rent."  'How do you measure a year?'  was a recurring line and focal point from the song, such as 'do you measure it' in sunsets, daylights, or cups of coffee?  Mainly, the lyricist challenged the listener to look deep inside themselves.  For me, the song magnified the point that time is precious and should not be wasted; however, time means something different to each one of us.

As I write this post, I am on a plane from Indianapolis to Charlotte.  The flight time is 87 minutes or a mere fraction of the minutes in a year.  As I scan the cabin, the other passengers are spending their 87 minutes reading the paper, sleeping, listening to music, tapping the keys of their laptop, talking, drinking soda or just staring into space, no doubt dreaming of better places they could be at this moment rather than sitting in a plane 31,000 feet above the ground.

My point is that we all spend our precious minutes differently whether in a plane, at home, at school, at work, in a car or playing in a park.  Moreover, as we grow older, we begin to realize how few of those minutes we have left here on earth.  With each passing minute, we lose time that we could have used in order to make an impact on someone else's life.

Six months ago, I am certain that God laid three words on my heart: Believe-Act-Serve.  By following this path of believing in something to acting on that belief by serving others, your precious minutes will not be wasted.  For example, if you...

•   Believe in helping the poor,
•   Act by locating a local food bank or mission and then
•   Serve the poor by volunteering your time at the mission or donating money to the food bank.

So I challenge you, my faithful blog reader.  You have 525,600 minutes until this exact time next year.  How will you use them in order to make a positive impact in someone else's life?  You can choose to waste them by focusing on you and you alone.  Or, you can take a page out of Jesus' life and focus your time on serving others. 

"Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?"

Believe.Act.Serve.  The choice is yours.  Now, there are only 525,598 left.

In the Disney movie Finding Nemo, the little blue fish named Dori reminds her newly found buddy Marlin to "just keep swimming" when life gets you down.  Moreover, she was truly saying, "persevere through life's challenges."  

I was reminded last week of this profound message when I was confronted about my involvement in a local, upcoming community event later this fall.  This particular event is more polarizing than I ever imagined mainly because of the lack of understanding behind its genesis and goal.  Rather than seeking ways to embrace the event and seek ways to spin it positively, many have taken to negatively judging not only the event's planners but the future participants as well.

Twenty years ago, an event like the upcoming Zombie Run would have never been on the radar in Lititz.  Likewise, who would have perceived the ongoing national debate on gay marriage 20 years ago?  No one. 

My point is that our culture is morphing before us.  Sadly, Republicans, Christians and Christian churches and even, dare I say it, the Tea Party, have been criticizing this change rather than seeking ways to preventing it.  Megaphones and silly signs turn people off.  All I can do is look to Jesus who embraced the culture of His day and went directly to the people with His message.  Jesus swam towards His detractors and those who needed to hear what He was sent to Earth to proclaim.  It is important to note that Jesus never conformed to His detractors, rather He spoke, ate and socialized with them.  My view is that Jesus wanted to be their friend regardless of their beliefs because of His never ceasing love for them.  He wanted to understand where they were coming from so that He could speak their language so-to-speak. 

• BELIEVE that we are all part of God's family
  
• ACT by befriending someone of opposing views and to treat them with love and humility
  
• SERVE in the community so that you can affect someone's life positively
  

As a libertarian-leaning, conservative Christian father of four, I could very easily get down on the world today.  However, I have chosen to keep swimming in order to get my message across.

Jesus kept swimming.  Why can't you?