Ok, I think I've had it...
Say you're walking out of the store and you encounter someone in need, some one who claims they are in dire straits, needing a substantial amount of money to "make things right." And as soon as you hand over your treasure, whatever amount of money you agreed would make things right for that person, they turn to a well dressed man, standing in a three piece Italian suit, those nice pointed toe shoes, holding a hand full of cash, reaching towards the precious dollars you just handed to the "needy" person and adds it to the stack they are counting. How would that make you feel?
Needless to say, AIG's actions in the last week of paying its employees bonuses based on pre-existing contractual agreements with money they are receiving from bail out funds has incited an uproar deep from the bellies of Americans across the nations yelling loudly "What the heck?"
Here are excerpts from CNN's story:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/17/aig.bonuses/index.html
AIG has been under fire for awarding seven-figure bonuses to employees while being kept afloat by more than $170 billion from the U.S. government's financial bailout.
The company insists the payouts are needed to keep talented executives on the payroll, but public anger over the moves has prompted Congress and the Obama administration to seek some ways to reclaim the money.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced on the Senate floor Tuesday that the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee will pursue a legislative fix in such a way that the "recipients of those bonuses will not be able to keep all their money -- and that's an understatement."
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Montana, will propose a special tax within the next 24 hours, Reid said.
"I don't think those bonuses should be paid," Baucus said Tuesday.
What do you think about all this?
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
One Phone Call to Freedom
This morning, as I type this message, tears continually well in my eyes and cascade down the profile of my face. My emotions are raging for a number of reasons today, but tears didn’t fall until I received a call from a relative. She was calling just to say that she loved me and missed me, totally opposite the message I anticipated receiving once I spoke to her today. Several years back, there were two incidences that drove a wedge between us. There were two incidents, one incident in 2000 and another in 2005, both of which left a bad taste in our mouths concerning one another. Since that time, we had seldom had any conversation between the two of us and even at family events, have steered clear of one another as much as we could. The break in our relationship has caused me quite a bit of anguish over the years considering how close we were before these things took place. I apologized, she apologized, but there was never really a mending of the hearts to reconcile us. We were both content to just go along with our lives and leave the past behind.
I have prayed about this before, but had stopped praying about 3 years ago. I figured it was best to leave well enough alone (as the old folks say) and let it be. She often comes to mind, however, in the caverns of my own mind and heart when songs that she liked are heard. What she might say or how she might react come to mind as I’m going through my days. And just last week, I laughed to myself thinking about this dance she used to do. I miss her tremendously in my life. She notices bull from 1500 miles away and she’s always been so pleasant to be around, funny, insightful, opinionated, and intelligent. She’s a ride or die woman, and her absence in my life a hard pill to swallow but I had resolved to live without her presence. From time to time however, I was saddened that she would never be apart of my “future” and I wished it didn’t have to be that way.
Saturday we had a huge family event and she was there. We were cordial and busy, no real time to talk (or more accurately, no reason to talk even if we had time). Sunday evening, I missed her calling twice and received a text from her stating she wanted to talk with me about something. I saw the missed calls and text this morning when I woke up and immediately my stomach was in knots anticipating what she might say. I anticipated that I had done something, said something to upset her at the family gathering and was bracing myself for a harsh, critical conversation when she called this morning. She called at 10:37 am, and I answered the phone with an upbeat voice, hoping to at least start in with happy thoughts and intentions.
Thank God that sometimes things don’t go the way we expect them too. She was calling to say she loved me and missed me and was sorry we didn’t have a chance to talk this weekend. She asked how I was and what I was up to and wanted to catch up on what’s been going on. And that when my tears started. And that’s when my gratitude filled me to the brim, so much so it had to flood my eye lids and spill over onto my cheeks and down to puddle on my chin like rain gathering at the tip of a leaf. A huge wave of relief engulfed my body as I begin to pour about what had been going on with me and how much I missed her and what I had been thinking. She said she just wanted us to be good to one another and I didn’t have to be afraid to call her and she wouldn’t be afraid to call me. I agreed and promised not to be a stranger. After flipping my phone shut, I began my internal thank you’s to the Creator. He had worked on our hearts all those years while we were apart. He had matured us and caused us to go through some things and live through circumstances that prepared our hearts to receive one another again. WOW! I never imagined this would happen.
If you have loved ones that you have estranged relationships with, I encourage you to do two things: pray and pick up the phone. You see, I had abandoned that prayer years ago, thinking the answer to our reconciliation was no. I had moved on. Don’t abandon your prayer. Secondly, as much as it may grate against your pride and faith, pick up the phone and call that loved one. No matter who is at fault, pray that your vision is focused on resolution as opposed to winning. Truths may be revealed, responsibility accepted, hurts confessed, hate uncovered. It all needs to come to the surface so a sure foundation can be laid to rebuild again. It is possible. Today I stand a living witness.
The Creator is always working on the hearts of man and one phone call could be the swinging demolition ball to break down the barriers between you and a loved one. Do it afraid.
Freedom can come in phones calls. Answer the phone.
Reconciliation
Sometimes
When your not looking
Things fall into place
From work you didn’t do
And effort you didn’t exert
After you’ve long released it to the hands of the creator
After no more thought given to resolution
After walking out of the valley
Leaving those dry bones behind
Moving on narrow paths toward the mountain top
Without them near
But somewhere
Along the journey
You remember them
And mourn for brief moments
Their absence along the way
But continue on
Towards your destination
But heaven
With its eyes seeing all
See’s hearts longings
And sometimes
When your not looking
Restores that which was taken
In the rigors of life’s mistakes
And brings it around
Sweet as honeydew melon
On hot summer days
How wonderful to experience
The restoration of peace and love
of fellowship and communion
between two who’s love
had waxed cold
introducing you again
to the future
and to tears
that fall on new seeds
planted in the soil of forgiveness
rooted in love
ready to grow again
11:02 AM 3/2/09
I have prayed about this before, but had stopped praying about 3 years ago. I figured it was best to leave well enough alone (as the old folks say) and let it be. She often comes to mind, however, in the caverns of my own mind and heart when songs that she liked are heard. What she might say or how she might react come to mind as I’m going through my days. And just last week, I laughed to myself thinking about this dance she used to do. I miss her tremendously in my life. She notices bull from 1500 miles away and she’s always been so pleasant to be around, funny, insightful, opinionated, and intelligent. She’s a ride or die woman, and her absence in my life a hard pill to swallow but I had resolved to live without her presence. From time to time however, I was saddened that she would never be apart of my “future” and I wished it didn’t have to be that way.
Saturday we had a huge family event and she was there. We were cordial and busy, no real time to talk (or more accurately, no reason to talk even if we had time). Sunday evening, I missed her calling twice and received a text from her stating she wanted to talk with me about something. I saw the missed calls and text this morning when I woke up and immediately my stomach was in knots anticipating what she might say. I anticipated that I had done something, said something to upset her at the family gathering and was bracing myself for a harsh, critical conversation when she called this morning. She called at 10:37 am, and I answered the phone with an upbeat voice, hoping to at least start in with happy thoughts and intentions.
Thank God that sometimes things don’t go the way we expect them too. She was calling to say she loved me and missed me and was sorry we didn’t have a chance to talk this weekend. She asked how I was and what I was up to and wanted to catch up on what’s been going on. And that when my tears started. And that’s when my gratitude filled me to the brim, so much so it had to flood my eye lids and spill over onto my cheeks and down to puddle on my chin like rain gathering at the tip of a leaf. A huge wave of relief engulfed my body as I begin to pour about what had been going on with me and how much I missed her and what I had been thinking. She said she just wanted us to be good to one another and I didn’t have to be afraid to call her and she wouldn’t be afraid to call me. I agreed and promised not to be a stranger. After flipping my phone shut, I began my internal thank you’s to the Creator. He had worked on our hearts all those years while we were apart. He had matured us and caused us to go through some things and live through circumstances that prepared our hearts to receive one another again. WOW! I never imagined this would happen.
If you have loved ones that you have estranged relationships with, I encourage you to do two things: pray and pick up the phone. You see, I had abandoned that prayer years ago, thinking the answer to our reconciliation was no. I had moved on. Don’t abandon your prayer. Secondly, as much as it may grate against your pride and faith, pick up the phone and call that loved one. No matter who is at fault, pray that your vision is focused on resolution as opposed to winning. Truths may be revealed, responsibility accepted, hurts confessed, hate uncovered. It all needs to come to the surface so a sure foundation can be laid to rebuild again. It is possible. Today I stand a living witness.
The Creator is always working on the hearts of man and one phone call could be the swinging demolition ball to break down the barriers between you and a loved one. Do it afraid.
Freedom can come in phones calls. Answer the phone.
Reconciliation
Sometimes
When your not looking
Things fall into place
From work you didn’t do
And effort you didn’t exert
After you’ve long released it to the hands of the creator
After no more thought given to resolution
After walking out of the valley
Leaving those dry bones behind
Moving on narrow paths toward the mountain top
Without them near
But somewhere
Along the journey
You remember them
And mourn for brief moments
Their absence along the way
But continue on
Towards your destination
But heaven
With its eyes seeing all
See’s hearts longings
And sometimes
When your not looking
Restores that which was taken
In the rigors of life’s mistakes
And brings it around
Sweet as honeydew melon
On hot summer days
How wonderful to experience
The restoration of peace and love
of fellowship and communion
between two who’s love
had waxed cold
introducing you again
to the future
and to tears
that fall on new seeds
planted in the soil of forgiveness
rooted in love
ready to grow again
11:02 AM 3/2/09
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