Cardboard Boxes For Christmas

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”― Confucius

 

 

  Christmas is right around the corner and the spending frenzy has been outrageous since Thanksgiving day. I was browsing through the toy department at Toys R Us the other day with my son, David. As I looked at the wide array of super hero action figures, game systems, bicycles, electronics and more, I recall thinking to myself; "Oh, that I were a child again".  

 

  As with all things pertaining to progress, nothing today is the same as it was 'yesterday', so actually it is unfair for me to go off on a tirade about how when I was a child my super hero costume consisted of a bath towel tied around my neck. (Even though that is the truth).  But I will say that in our day we, (those of us over the age of 50, give or take a few years) did have to employ a bit more imagination when it came to our playtime. I can remember how even a rainy day couldn't interfere with our having fun. It was then we would get Popsicle sticks and race them along the curbside as they were carried by the rushing rainwater. Other than trying to be the winner, the real trick was to catch your stick before it went down the sewer drain.  My good friend, Alex, and I would spend countless hours every week drawing comics and inventing story after story. Watching my sisters and the other neighborhood girls jump rope and do Double-Dutch was always so amazing to me and sometimes we boys would try to get in on the act but the girls were always superior at jump rope. Other familiar sounds which resounded throughout the neighborhood  were football games and baseball games easily played in the streets or an open field, girls playing Hop Scotch and Jacks on the sidewalks and the quick hand-slapping of younger girls while singing "Oh, Mary Mack, Mack, Mack all dressed in black, black, black".  And I believe that my older brothers loved collecting marbles more than actually playing the game.

 

  Recently in Ohio a preschool teacher named Pete Kaser removed all of the toys and learning materials from his classroom and replaced them with raw materials, such as boxes and egg cartons. To his surprise the kids did not ask for their toys back or even inquired as to where they were, but instead, immediately began exploring the materials and working together to build a variety of creations they dreamed up on their own; an igloo, a pirate ship, a rocket ship, a hotel and houses with makeshift kitchens.  
"I just spent so many years looking at all my teaching materials and thinking that so much of them have a preassigned value to them," Kaser said. "I wasn’t getting the imagination out of the children that I wanted."

 

A toy phone, for example, is going to look like a toy phone and function as a toy phone to most children, Kaser explained. The same goes for a cash register, or a train. But if you ask a child what he or she sees with a cardboard box, you might get 10 different answers and thus, more creativity, he argued.
Kaser said he plans to continue with the box experiment until the children no longer show interest, but so far, he said, the students are still engaged. In addition, several of the shyer children have come out of their shells and taken to leading some of the projects.

   

  So what is the moral of this story? I gently urge you to remember that after Christmas life will still go on so spend wisely; you have all year to get the things you want. I shy away from instructing others on how to run their own homes, but I never hesitate to compel others to remember the less fortunate. Do you always have to give gifts of hand-me-downs? I dare you to bless someone outside of your home in a manner unheard of. And above all, remember the lesson of the cardboard boxes. Sometimes simple really is better.

 

  I love you all,

  Dennis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Holding On To Family

"There is no such thing as the perfect family. Every family is unique with its own combination of strengths and weaknesses." -Unknown

"Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” -Matthew 12:49-50

  Another Thanksgiving has passed and we all now move into the next phase of holiday; Christmas. It's always about this time that many choose to display acts of kindness, charity, and goodwill to their fellow man which has, for the most part, been absent throughout the year. I always say that it will be a terrible thing if Jesus returns in June. By this I simply am inferring that the time of the year or season should not be what compels one to love their neighbor without boundaries. I am cognizant of the many charitable deeds that have been, and still are being, performed for the families in New York who have suffered such a devastating loss as a result of hurricane Sandy, but in truth, there were many in New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Seattle, (and wherever you now live), who have been in need of a helping hand long before any monumental tragedy occured.

  It's something how we see children wearing ragged clothes or shoes that are noticeably too small for their feet and all we do is shake our heads in pity. Some justify the withholding of a gift because the parents of those needy children may be smokers or drinkers and they say " If they don't care, why should I?"; but if they would realize that a person's addiction usually takes precedence over their common sense then they would believe that the children should not suffer.  And then there are those who needed our help last month and now it appears that they still need a helping hand this month. I ask you, is it in your power to do it?  I also ask you, have you ever been in a valley, and if so, how long did it take for you to reach your horizon or to see daylight?

  I believe the attitude of selfishness largely comes from the fact that people have forgotten just who family is. Too often we see family as only those who have been born from the same womb you came from, or who, in some way, share your bloodline. When in truth many of us can say that we have encountered people who have been closer than our family of origin in so many ways. 

  Some will beg to differ, but I believe that God blesses others through those who have. Yes, it is easier to say "I will keep you and your situation in prayer" rather than reach into your wallet or purse and give something more substantial than coffee change. I know I have spoken on this subject before and I know it will not be the last time because the hardest thing for people to do is to loosen their grip to help someone else, when in reality this is how we receive our blessings. 

  It would be nice if the Spirit of Christmas began in January and continued through December and on again, but sadly, this is not always true for so many. So I will continue to pray and do what I can to help those who are in need, knowing that there is always someone worse off than me.  I've had friends in my life who were so dear to me that if I had $5.00 I would give them half, if needed, and they did the same for me. 
How long will this message be preached? How long will it continue to be easier for a camel to pass through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter into heaven?
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.
 
May the true meaning of life and love be endowed upon us all.
I love you all,
Dennis

The Journey Through

 

"Will it ever end"?
   Have you asked yourself this question lately?  It could have been in regards to a number of things; Relationships, finances, health issues, family issues, car trouble, situations on the job, situations in the home. Perhaps, for some, it's all of these things and we wonder will we ever get any peace?   "People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire."  (Job 5:7) Knowing this is reason to always keep a positive tune in our heart and a mindful thought of the good things occurring in our lives, as opposed to always thinking on the negative. 
 
  How do we do this? By remembering that last month we had to borrow money from a friend in order to make it to payday but not this month. We recall how we complained about the high price of gasoline but we forgot how we were able to fill up our tank and still have money left over to do other things. Some were asked to usher up prayers for someone who had fallen ill to cancer and if they would have done a follow-up they would have learned that their prayers did indeed work for the person is miraculously healed and living well.  There was a time in my young life when I was having extreme financial problems due to bad stewardship of my money. I remember how I would stress out so badly on pay day because it was time to run about town and figure out a way to pay Peter while robbing Paul. (Some of you know exactly what I'm talking about while some have become too proud to admit where they have come from). i would become so depressed by the end of the day because of the little money I had left in my pockets. My stress did not stop until one day I slowed down enough to realize a very clear truth; At least I had the money to pay my bills! There were others I knew who were not able to do even that. I soon began to examine what else was better in my life than I may have overlooked.  You would be surprised at the long list of things I was able to draft up. My life, health and strength were but the beginning of my blessings.

  So when troubles fly up as sparks from a fire will naturally do, I will remember that my light afflictions have not caused me to shed one drop of blood. Being forever mindful of the One who gave all for me...the world, am I not able to bear my trials brought upon me by the sin of my father, Adam?

  You cannot bring everyone into this mode of thinking but you can be an example of thankfulness to those around you.

  Love your life today.
  Dennis

My Band Of Brothers

 

"There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother."

Proverbs 18:24 (New Living Translation)

 

  Concerning the posted photo of the sharp Army soldier; we call him Q-Dawg but his real name is Hector. He was my driver during my tour of duty in Operation Desert Storm; an unforgettable war in the Middle East which kicked into full gear in January, 1991. I will write more of him at a later time but it is because of Q-Dawg, (and many other soldiers in my past), that I am now awake.

 

  It is presently November 13, 2012. The hour is 2:24 A.M. and I am very much awake. I anticipated such but, as usual, I strove to overcome it this time.  Yesterday was Veteran's Day; one of several military observances which always provokes memories within my subconscious which are normally dormant during my waking hours or not readily re-visited aside from my dreams and certain triggers. I have lain awake since going to bed at 9:40 P.M. thinking about my soldiers, our journeys and adventures together, and how much I love them all even today.  

 

 My wife had long drifted off into a deep sleep and I convinced myself that I, too, was exhausted. Earlier, she had made the holiday a very special day for me from the moment I had awakened. After years of living with a career soldier she has learned much about being a military wife and subsequently earned her own stripes which she wears with strength and honour.  As I reflect back on the events of the day; going out to breakfast, shopping, a new wrist watch for me, a seafood lunch and later how she sat in my "man cave" with me for hours watching television, (even a bit of Monday Night Football), until she was ready for bed, I now believe she purposely saw to it that my day was peaceful and without incident. On these particular holidays she has seen me somberly travel back to certain military times; especially the war, and has learned of my disdain for that war and any war, and has come to understand my frequent insomnia. She knows of my love for my own "Band of Brothers" from my Army life. I still remain in contact with several of my Desert Storm troops and my pre-war soldiers through Facebook. Hector, Michael, Frank, Smitty, Roger, Donald, William, Nestor, Adrian, Greg and Edward; to name a few.  We do not talk much but we check in on one another frequently. And should the need arise for either of us to express a thought and a distant memory or to share an incident which suddenly came alive in our hearts, or perhaps to simply say, "Hey, man. I remember the time...and I just want to let you know how much you meant to me both then and now", it will be expressed openly and without shame or fear of being considered unmanly for we all came through the same fire and we know who we have become. 

 

  I will always love my soldiers; both from peace-time and war-time. Serving alongside of them was not like going to work at a grocery store or some factory; where once you clock-out you do not think of your co-workers until the next working day.  We were, and still are, a family. We knew more about each other than our own families of origin and we proved, more than once, that we would do anything for the other.  As for me, my soldiers were my friends, my peers, my support group and my most dear and trusted allies.  I feel sorry for anyone who has never known such friends during their lifetime.

 

  I bid each of them, alive and dead, a Happy Veteran's Day and a sincere "Thank you" for being my friend and brother.

 

Sleep good, soldiers. I'm up on perimeter.

I love you all.

Dennis   

 

 

 

 

Veteran's Day, 2012

 

  Someone once said the older you get, the faster time seems to go by. I find this to be very true. Appointments on my calendar come almost before I can prepare for them and a month appears to be only two or three weeks long.  I have done so much over the past few weeks including driving to Cincinnati to bury my wife's sister, Vanessa, as well as her aunt, Ruth.  In spite of his having autism, our son, David, continues to advance both mentally and physically; which makes us so very thankful and proud.  And I still find it painful to see New York, a city that has seen so much heartbreak in such a short time, still reeling from the devastation caused by Super storm Sandy.  The presidential election is over and our country remains divided. I pray for better days ahead. Today is Veteran's Day and the wife has taken David out for some activities around town and has lovingly left me to lounge in bed or watch all of the NFL I desire.  So why am I showered, dressed and ready to get out and about?  Probably because it's nice and sunny outside and the Mustang is calling my name. Maybe it's because the Carolina Panthers are not faring too well against the Broncos and it's the third quarter, or perhaps I am just restless and want to do it all.  Whatever I decide to do it will be a good thing.  I am happy to be alive today. I leave you with this inspiring poem:

“Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.

To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you.”
― Christian D. Larson, Your Forces and How to Use Them

  I pray you all enjoy each other, your weekend, and your holiday.   
  I love you all.
  Dennis

The Morning After

 The election is over. Barack Obama has been re-elected and obviously there are tears of joy and elation in favor of the outcome and tears of disappointment from the supporters of his opponent. As much as I or many others may say that this election was not about color this statement continues to be tested on a daily basis. It doesn't help when congressional senators openly express their disdain for our President in words that should be considered downright illegal. Recently the government has taken swift action against active duty uniformed soldiers for attacking, (whether verbally or in writing),  our Commander-in-Chief. And there remains those  political bobble-heads, such as Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh, (to name a few), who daily disperse the fuel of hate, racism, and separatism on the eyes and ears of millions of Americans from their self-fabricated thrones.

  I suppose the only valid question which remains is "Where do we go from here"? For both Democrat and Republican I say "It is time to stop crying over spilt milk". Do we continue to haggle over differences which are not worthy of the walls they have built between us and our neighbor or do we call a truce and recognize that we are all Americans and are in this soup together. Will we ever accept the truth that we need each other to regain our footing from tragedies such as the Oklahoma City bombing, the recent wars and 9/11?We must bind together as one if we are to obliterate such dire issues as poverty, homelessness, crime, sub-standard education, and other impacting topics.  I do not gloat in President Obama's win and I shy away from others who do so; but for many reasons, both personal and public, I am extremely glad about it.  But now I am very ready to get on with "Nation Building"; healing our internal wounds, helping the Veterans and soldiers re-connect with their lives, and seeking to be a right example to the world.  As a people we must cease to view ourselves as just The United States and start viewing ourselves as Planet Earth. After all, climate change, natural disasters, genocide, disease and environmental concerns have no political affiliation.

  I love you all.
  Dennis

Remembering Our First Lessons

"He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing".

Deuteronomy 10:18

 

  There's something about the political season that brings about a certain tension among people; particularly the last two elections. I believe this is primarily because our nation has successfully elected the first African American to the nation's highest office in the person of Barack Obama. While this was an unprecedented and historical event, four years later the idea of a black man being the leader of the free world does not sit well with many people. I can sincerely say that I always vote my conscience and not according to what is popular among others. In truth, if the ideals of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney were completely reversed I would vote for Mr. Romney without hesitation. But that is not the case.

  When I was in the military I strove to attain the highest rank because I believed that I would be more successful in initiating changes that would better my soldiers and the entire unit as a whole; however, I soon learned that the higher one may go in position the more ugly the view becomes at the top. I discovered that decisions were not always made fairly or for the betterment of a particular person(s), but rather, for purely political reasons.  I did not always fare well with my counterparts because I had a knack for standing up for my soldiers and against what I perceived to be acts of prejudice, racism, favoritism, or just outright evil to a certain caste. Nevertheless, I fought to maintain my learned morals and would do so again, if necessary.

  When I study the actions of both President Obama and Governor Romney I can clearly see the contrast in their views and aspirations for America. Undoubtedly, President Obama is at a huge advantage due to having served a term in office and has heard, seen, and dealt with issues that Governor Romney can't begin to imagine. What I do find remarkable is how in the face of the the many blatant attacks Barack Obama has suffered regarding his race, education, place of birth and every other negative distraction directed at him, he has steadfastly argued for quality education for all Americans, the proper distribution of wealth, the discontinuation of horrendous wars which have robbed so many of their loved ones, aiding corporations, (i.e. banks, auto industries, housing markets), so that our American way of life would not need to be farmed out to other nations, health care which favors the needy over large conglomerates, and a stimulus plan which many states have benefited from.  

  Our president is not popular among some because of some of the things I have mentioned beforehand, but I believe that his adherence to solid Christian values such as charity, truth, the command to live peaceably with all men, caring for the poor, the disenfranchised and the powerless is what truly causes so many to attack his person and his presidency. How easy it can be for the rich to get richer and for those who do not fight to advocate war.  I am proud to have a leader who empathizes so openly and sincerely with the common man; a leader who has not forgotten his own humble beginnings.

  I can only pray that whatever the outcome of the next presidential election, that we, as a people, will not allow our hearts to become cold towards our fellow man and that all men will keep God at the forefront of all their actions and decisions with the sincere belief that after this life there will be another.  

Love thy neighbor.
Dennis