Chicago Police Contract

One of the most unexpected benefits of my current position is my exposure to law enforcement professionals from a multitude of other departments; local, county, state and federal. It has taught me a number of things, primarily, that the men and women who serve us in law enforcement are a credit and a boon to America and secondly I come from a good department.

I have gotten to know a number of Chicago Officers while I was going through my master’s program and then met even more now we are all working together to pull illicit drugs off the street. They are being disserved by the Daley administration. The officers have been without a contract since 2007 and yet other city services find a way to increase their pay and benefits package (See Chicago Aldermen). Mayor Daley has made the simple calculation that it is cheaper to keep the money with the city and eventually pay out retro checks then to settle the contract quickly, well unless he can get the union to make substantial cuts into the proposed benefit package. This is coming dangerously close to the Cook County Model in which when one contract is finally negotiated, they have to instantly begin new contract negotiations because once the new contract is approved and signed it has expired.

I brought up the problem that Chicago PD is going through to a group of my non-law enforcement friends and immediately the response was, “Well they should be taking a pay cut like everyone else.”

That got me thinking about the unique characteristics concerning Police contracts.

First, the general purpose of the employee contract rather individual employment/ at will employment is to; theoretically, remove the politics and personal gain issues that affect private sector employment. If you are in negotiations as a group, then individual actions can not improve individual employment keeping Officers actions on the street for law enforcement purposes and not for personal gain.

Second, everyone regardless of individual performance gets paid the same. In patrol for instance the lowest ticket writer gets paid the same as the highest. The only change in pay comes with either positions (investigators get paid the same as other investigators but higher than patrolmen), promotion or time on the job.

Third, the reason the Officers do not deserve a pay cut is primarily due to point two. When economic times are positive Officers upward mobility in both position and pay is restricted. Promotion comes only through a testing process that is conducted only once every couple of years. The Officer also does not get increases based on performance but rather negotiated raises throughout the year. In the private sector when a company is successful and the employee is performing at a high standard, their compensation is improved whenever the company deems fit. I get all kinds of calls from my friends wondering why I picked this profession when I could be making so much more money in the private sector. When times are bad I get calls to the reverse. The bottom line is that public sector pay is a slow line increasing up and we can not take advantage of the good times and are not hurt as badly during the down times. However if a pay cut is implemented for a contract employee it is a permanent loss since you do not get a corresponding pay increase when times are good to offset the loss.

Finally, the last in this post but certainly not the last element concerning contracts is the retro check. When a post due contract is finally signed and ratified the pay that the Officer should have received is calculated and put into a check. The problem for larger Police departments unions is sometimes the money that the city can make in interest and alternate use is greater than what they will eventually issue in retro checks. So in essence there is little hurry for the city to negotiate when they are essentially making money by holding up the contract negotiations.

These are just the concepts I brought up that night and there are a multitude more to choose from but I can see how frustrating it can be to work for years without knowing how much you are making and what is your benefits package.

The bottom line is Chicago Officers deserve a contract.

Chicago Police FOP Rosanna Pulido 2009

I have made a point of staying apolitical but for one post I will rescind my policy.

I hosted Rosanna Pulido, the Republican candidate for the Illinois 5th congressional seat at my home for a meet and greet. She stayed for four hours. I can say with certainty that she is pro law enforcement...she was even a dispatcher for Northfield Police Department. I was impressed with her dedication, intelligence and well thought out positions.

The Chicago Police Department FOP members had a rally on April 2, 2009 around City Hall. These Officers have been without a contract since 2007 and yet the Mayor's office and the city alderman seem to have no problem finding pay increases for their positions and the positions of their subordinates. Rosanna was there and marching with the Officers. The democratic candidate was no where to be found. This was noticed...

Rosanna Pulido, Republican candidate for the 5th Congressional District. What a kick in the teeth it would be for a Republican to win Rahm Emmanuel's old seat. We don't care if she's not your typical candidate. She was there. Quigley wasn't. What does that tell you? That is from Second City Cop Blog http://secondcitycop.blogspot.com

If the FOP really wants to send a message. Back Rosanna and get her elected to the 5th...this is a very heavy CPD area. The democratic party is so sure of the FOP/police vote they have become contemptuous. Why would they help if they are guaranteed the vote.

If Rosanna is elected not only would a pro-police politician be in office but she would be beholden to FOP and intervene on their behalf. Do you really believe that Quigley would take on Daley?
They need to vote for their own best interest and not to keep their piece of the Chicago dum-o-cratic machine.

Rosanna's links

http://www.rosannapulido2009.com

http://www.wbbm780.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=3594532

Interesting

I am always intreguied by the different unique abilities people have, here are three videos that I found interesting. One sand, one hand and one band...enjoy. Matthew 7:11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!




Pilobolus Dance Theatre - Free videos are just a click away

Similar Fates Similar Struggles

I have written in a couple of early posts (See entries at beginning of the life of this blog like may 22 2008) concerning my placement on my Sgt test and my reactions to it. In my self centered, egotistical approach to my life one of my constant mistakes is that I believe that everything that happens to me is unique. Well its not. Below is an e-mail sent to me by a brother in Christ that recently learned about his placement on his departments list. We eventually arrived at the same conclusion but unfortunately for me and fortunately for him, I certainly thrashed around A LOT more than he before settling down and trying to see things from God's prospective. Its is a credit to his mature walk with Christ and another wake up call about mine...

Note the team is our Pastoral Security Team...

Hey team! I just wanted to thank you for your prayers, supportive emails, and phone calls this week. I ended up dead in the middle of the eligibility list…#11. What that means is 10 supervisors would have to vacate their positions in the next three years for me to move up….probably not going to happen, but then again…..

Please no consolation emails (but sarcastic jeers are fine J), as I am perfectly content with it all and I know I did my best. The blessings in my life are abundant, and my focus in life is Jesus Christ, my family, you all, and the career I am so fortunate to have. God gave me some clarity to this, this morning…before I even knew the results. There’s really only one eligibility list that matters when it’s all said and done, and numerical rank does not exist…I’ll take that promotion any day!!

Romans 8:9
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Duracoating Firearms

I just ran into this product Duracoat. It is a non-heat treatment that refinishes handguns/shot guns/ rifles to whatever design you want. According to their literature it is a permanent finish that has the same life as the firearm itself. It also is not that expensive (well as aftermarket gun customization goes). The examples go from cool to silly. I might consider this treatment when I finally hang up the ol' side arms and stick it on a plaque.

For your consideration...

Greg Laurie

I had the privilege of meeting Greg Laurie and his son Jonathon (really mostly Jonathon) when they came to my church to speak and for a book signing. I was very impressed with Jonathon-a guy who was sick, that just got off a plane and still had the time to share his message and spend a little time with this knuckle head. We all have our stories about where we were before we came to Christ and what changed after but few have the ability to articulate the journey Greg and his family have been on.

Saying your a Christian is easy when the times are easy but the real proof of a transformed life is when the trials and the tragedy come.

He tells his story here



Titled I Still Believe

Ask or look up white arrow stickers/pins (Christopher Laurie).

Psalm 59:16
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

PS more than 600 people received Christ between the three services where Greg and Jonathon preached together.

Love and Valentine's Day

The origin of Valentine's Day is really the celebration of the sacrifices and martyrdom of a number of early Christians named Valentine. I think this is a better lens to view Love then the current "I love you" cards and candies (I still participate in those too, I want to stay married). So while celebrating this day keep in mind...

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

And... well... let's not forget also...


Song of Solomon 1:1-4

1 Solomon's Song of Songs.


Beloved [a]
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
for your love is more delightful than wine.
3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
your name is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the maidens love you!

4 Take me away with you—let us hurry!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.

The Sinners and Me

Anyone who interacts regularly with the criminal mind quickly discoverers two quirky mental processes that they pretty much all exhibit.

The first is that they will always ask you not judge them by the act that has brought them into your temporary sphere of influence. They all will insist that they are basically good people except for, the car they stole, the drugs they sold, the wife they hit...etc.

The second is that criminals see the world through their criminal actions. For example, higher end illicit drug dealing is not really about the drugs but much more about a lazy short cut to achieve wealth. This person views everyone through the lens of greed. A well dressed investigator will walk through the room and the drug dealer will always tell you that, while they do not know that officer they can tell they are on the take. Or the drug dealer will suggest that if you had been in his or her shoes you would do the same things that they did. It simply does not compute to them that you may have chose to suffer in poverty than sell cocaine/heroin etc. I have seen this for the rapist (world view-restrained lust), abuser (world view- powerlessness) and a multitude of other major crimes. One of the primary reasons recidivism is so pervasive is due to the inability of the person to shift their decision making from a egocentric self serving paradigm to an altruistic one.

I always make a point of telling the person that I am being forced to work with that it is their actions that are the true indication of what type of person they really are. A "good person" does not sell drugs, strike their wife, steal from their job etc. If they want to be considered a "good person" he or she needs to start doing positive things now and if they show a consistent pattern of positive behavior then I will shift them from the category of "bad person" to "good person". I have had many people who have no remorse for what they have done get visibly upset and cry because the police officers have decided the are a "bad person".

As for the other quirk of lack of the ability to consider an alternate perspective, I long ago gave up trying to convince them that I or anyone else would have proceeded with a different series of decisions then the ones that they choose that led to their capture. It only leads to an endless series of unprovable scenarios for both parties.

What a hypocrite I am. If another person observed me going through my day would they view my actions as the actions of a follower of Jesus? Or would they take the totality of my day and then place me in the "bad" category. This stance of mine is really developed from the prospective that I am better then the person that I am dealing with...that I am not a drug dealer so I am not only better than they thus I am "good". How does that stand when the standard Jesus set is perfection? What I should have been saying is because of the love that Christ has for me, I have been given the honor of making less negative decisions than you. We are all sinners, we are all "bad people" but I can hang my sins on the only one that is blameless and perfect that can take the sins away from me, rather then you who keeps then wrapped around you like a cloak of evil ready at any moment to pull you down to the pit.

We are all "bad people". The only split category is "saved" and "unsaved".

Matthew 5:27-29

27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'[a] 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

KettleBells

I was working with two ATF agents the other day and we had a couple of hours of down time and we got to talking (after we had used up the typical police conversations) about workout routines. One of the agents told me that he has had serve shoulder problems ever since he finished playing College ball (football), and had to give up his free weight routines because of the pain. But he looked around for a while and he found a solution...he had discovered kettlebells. He told me that not only had he gotten stronger but had improved his flexibility. He then told me that the entire workout takes about 30-45 minutes.

My free weight work out takes about two hours and I simply have not had the time to maintain it as I should. So I went to Dick's Sporting Goods and picked up a couple of 'Bells'.

I have now been at this workout for two weeks or so and I have to say I am getting really positive results. The same results in 30 minutes as my two hour free weight workout plus my right side second degree untreated shoulder separation has not once twinged. I would highly recommend it.

The agent said to stay away from the fad workouts with this system and focus on the work of Russian Special Forces systems. I started with Pavel Tsatsouline.

I believe this is certainly worth a look.

Judges 3:21-23

21 Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king's belly. 22 Even the handle sank in after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23 Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

The New Year-New Beginnings

The Lord has recently and consistently been pointing out two areas/actions/practices in my life that I need to cease and for the first time these do not concern ethics or learning to forgive others or try to deprioritize my desires but rather for the first time,lifestyle personal actions. One I have probably been doing for 26 years and the other for 16 years.

I thought that while it might be a little hard to get rid of these two things, I thought, a little will power and it would slowly extinguish itself out with little fuss. Strangely in my attempts to rid myself these self inflicted sins, they have wrapped themselves tighter around me, more so than ever before. It seems that now that I have been directed to excise these actions out of my life, they have become a focus and gained a stronger foothold then they ever had before. I have had a few good runs but then POW I am back in the saddle again.

This personal trial and subsequent multiple failures has coincided with the new year to remind me that while God is in ultimate judgement he also is a God that forgives failures and failings. It is the source of my joy and hope, that not only will he aid me in this personal purification but he will not turn his back on me while I struggle through the process. The list below are Biblical examples of failings and regeneration back into God's plan.

Peter-Matthew 26:75 Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Thomas-John 20:24-29 24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." 26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." 28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" 29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

The Twelve-Mark 9:33-35 33They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" 34But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

Paul(Saul)-Acts 8:1 And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. [ The Church Persecuted and Scattered ] On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

Zacchaeus-Luke 19:1-9 1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' " 8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." 9Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Samaritan Woman-John 4:17-18,28-42 17"I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true." 28Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29"Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ[b]?" 30They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41And because of his words many more became believers. 42They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

I truly thank God that this list could go on and on and on. That is one of the Hopes to be found in Jesus Christ.

Christmas

This is Christmas-Nothing else matters.

Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Job Security

In an economy that is still heading into a deeper recession it is good to know that my clientele is still out there needing our life style management aid programs. There are two main ones...the right cuff and the left cuff.

Psalm 74:22 Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long.

Tokyoflash Shinshoku-my new watch

I was surfing the Internet the other day and I started wondering if there was a way to tell time that was not an analog dial or digital number readout. Well I found it in the Tokyoflash Shinshoku. It uses a row of red LED's for hours, yellow LED's for minutes and green LED's for 15 minutes segments. It took me a little while to learn to read it quickly but in the end it warmed the Japanese Techno geek part of my heart. I got it direct from Japan and my wife made me promise that if I ever get another item from Japan I will have to go to the post office to sign the customs, deleration forms, because she will not ever do it again (took 45 min...waiting in line, postal employees finding right forms, finding the package itself and arguing about what procedures had to followed).

While I have worn the watch around off duty I so far have not quite got the gumption to wear it on duty...


A brief explanation form their site. Link: http://www.tokyoflash.com/en/watches/tokyoflash/shinshoku/ Industrially designed to make a truly individual statement, this unique time piece has become one of the most popular designs to emerge from the Tokyoflash design studio. Shinshoku's solid, continuous stainless steel band wraps comfortably around your wrist and features a matrix of punched out holes with twenty-nine super bright LEDs beneath the surface which illuminate to present the time. A single touch of the upper button animates the LEDs which then cascade across the band to present the time. Pressing the lower button skips this animation and presents the time immediately. Twelve red LEDs indicate the hour, three green LEDs indicate 15, 30 and 45 minutes past the hour and fourteen yellow LEDs indicate single minutes. This unique time telling method makes it easy to see the approximate time quickly, whether it's quarter past, half past or quarter to the hour whilst also telling the precise time.


"Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. " Colossians 1:29

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. " James 1:17

We beat Texas A and M!!! (Blog spot will not allow use of the "and" sign)

Griffin leads Baylor to 41-21 win over Texas A and M on November 15, 2008

Since I do not get to say this much about my Alma Mater/Baylor Bears football team I will use this post to celebrate this, an unfortunate all to rare, football victory. In the history of these two schools stating in 1908 the record is slightly in the Aggies favor at 54-28-8. The last time we beat the Aggies was in 2004, and that was when Baylor defeated its first ranked opponent since 1998, #16 ranked Texas A and M, by a score of 35-34 in overtime on a two-point conversion.

The following is the write up of the game from ESPN's web stie.

Link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=283200239

WACO, Texas -- With a couple of long passes and some nifty pitches, Robert Griffin helped lead Baylor to a rare victory over Texas A&M that ensured the turnover-plagued Aggies a losing season.

Griffin threw touchdown passes of 31 and 55 yards and Jacoby Jones ran for two scores after taking late pitches from Griffin in Baylor's 41-21 victory Saturday. It was only the second time the Bears won in their last 23 meetings against Texas A&M.

The Aggies (4-7, 2-5 Big 12) came in with slim bowl hopes in their first season under coach Mike Sherman, but had five turnovers. That included two interceptions by linebacker Joe Pawelek, the second coming in the end zone in the fourth quarter.

Jay Finley added a 12-yard TD run for Baylor (4-7, 2-5), which played its home finale for first-year coach Art Briles.

Griffin, an 18-year-old freshman, didn't start the season opener at home in late August. But he entered that game before halftime and has started ever since. The dual-threat quarterback has accounted for a school-record 25 touchdowns (14 passing, 11 rushing).

Jones had a clear path to the end zone along the right sideline for a 12-yard TD that made it 13-0 after Griffin, while shedding a tackler, pitched the ball. Then on a fourth-and-1 late in the third quarter, Jones scored on an 18-yard run when Griffin got rid of the ball just before being slammed to the ground by a defender.

Griffin was 13-of-23 for 241 yards and added 56 yards on 12 rushes. Finley carried 23 times for 116 yards.

The Aggies' Jerrod Johnson was 19-of-30 for 244 yards with four interceptions and a late touchdown. He had only four passes picked off in his first eight games before throwing two in A&M's 66-28 loss to Oklahoma last week.

Jorvorskie Lane scored on a pair of 1-yard runs, increasing his A&M school records to 49 career rushing TDs and 50 overall.

Baylor led 6-0 after Ben Parks had field goals of 42 and 28 yards, the first on the Bears' opening drive of the game and the second after Leon Freeman recovered a fumble caused when Johnson was tackled from behind by Zac Scotton.

Dwain Crawford's interception set up the drive that led to Jones' first TD and included Griffin's 49-yard pass to Ernest Smith to convert a third-and-14.

The Aggies finally scored when Lane plunged in over the left side after Johnson's 51-yard pass to Mike Goodson, who made a leaping, stretching catch between three defenders.

Woo Hoo!!!!!!

Pieces of the puzzle

Carol and I have been pretty active socially tying to reinvigorate our friendships that got put on hold a bit because of my masters program. It struck me recently all the different vocations of our friends. There was a: cardio-tech, mamogramist, supervisor of a work crew for a country forest preserve system, elementary school teacher, police officer, full time student, private investigator, quality control supervisor of a major drug company, a watch salesman, a coffee bean sales rep, two retirees, a Police Chief, a nurse, a Colon-Rectal surgeon and an esthetician.

I tend to get caught up in a Christian law enforcement prospective and forget that God has his people in all places and in all professions. We are all working for his glory and to further a small part of his Holy plan. I find this comforting. In a time in America where we find ourselves confronted by change, economic hardship and threats to our safety from both domestic and foreign sources, it is nice to know that we are surrounded by a Christian "safety net" that covers all places and all situations and not simply ones that deal with just law enforcement circumstances.

Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.


1 Peter 4:11
If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.

Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Romans 15:17
Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.

I am a Dufus

Maybe one day I can tell the story once it is declassified...anyway it involves our President elect, more than a couple of millions of dollars and embarrassing myself in front of him and a bunch of secrete service...and the best part is that none of these elements are associated in anyway with each other, think three cars crashing at a three way intersection from three separate directions.

The things people do

I am continually amazed by the means in which people find to make money (legally) and what they do for hobbies. Case in point. I have a friend that I met at church who is a Police Officer for another suburban township. We were talking over the cell (I suddenly have a lot of down travel time) when we starting talking about my desire to one day own a 1978-1980 firebird/trans am, the Smokey and the Bandit, style. He then told me that his hobby was talking 1980's pontiac trans am's and making them into KITT (The car from the television show Night Rider). He then sent me these photographs of one that he had put together. It really looks like the real/fake tv show car. I included the pictures he sent me. His final plan is to make the television in the consul really receive feeds from cameras placed around the car. It is a excellent example of so nerdy that its cool, or at least I think its cool...so what does that make me? Anyway right now I am trying to think of a joint project with him that would include a cheap old classic car jazzed up to look like a famous movie/tv car.

1 Corinthians 3:10
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.

Election Judge

I have been following this presidential election closely and probably a little too passionately, so to back up my political oration to friends, family, strangers and my dog, I became a Republican Election Judge. The term in office is for two years. I felt I do not have a right to criticize the process unless I participated in the the process, so...here I am.

I took a three hour orientation and certification course and now I can and will serve on election day.

I took away one insight from the class that was not on the course syllabus. In Illinois there is a record number of registered voters (1.7 million) and they are forecasting a 70%-80% voter turnout. If this prediction comes to pass this presidential election will produce the most votes ever cast in any election in Illinois' history. The usual voter turn out is a little above 30%.

So all the acrimony and accusations have led to an incredible American voter participation in the election process, which is a good thing. It makes true of our forefathers wish of a bloodless revolution every four years.

Probably the single biggest benefit anything associated with this election is a renewed interest in the processes of governance of our country.

SO VOTE!

Romans 13
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

I have Graduated

I have finally graduated...when I started it seemed like it would take forever and now that I am looking back, it seems like time just flew by. Prospective is everything.

The ceremony was at the Symphony Center in Chicago last Sunday. So I am now the proud owner of a Masters in Police Psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology. I am currently attempting to discern what God would have me do with this degree since I will remain full time in law enforcement.

Right now I am in the application process for adjunct professorship at a couple of Universities and Junior Colleges. I hope this is the right path, if not I am confident He will show me the way.

Psalm 17:4-6

4 As for the deeds of men—
by the word of your lips
I have kept myself
from the ways of the violent.

5 My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.

6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.

Christian Rock

I have been very very busy at work and have fallen off my target of two posts a week. However now that my master's program has concluded I should have the time to stay on target.

Carol and I have begun attending Christian concerts on a fairly regular bases in the last year or so because of our discovery of: Jeremy Camp, Mercy Me and the News Boys. Carol and I and a bunch of our couple friends have attended a number of concerts by these three bands. However at the last Christian music festival I was talking to the other husbands, that while these three artists were our priority in selecting which concerts to attend, it would be nice to have a heavy metal/hard rock alternative. Well I think we have may have found one.

Brian Welch was a founding member of Korn and their lead guitarist, when he became addicted to crystal meth, hit bottom and found the Lord. I have listened to his album and I like it and we may going to the next local place he plays. I am approaching his recent works with caution because salvation is the greatest step but nevertheless the first step on a long road. Brian's got the "Matthew 11:28" tattooed to his neck and "Jesus" on his knuckles but like all of us he is a work in progress that I hope provides a lasting positive influence on Christian heavy metal but then again may falter.

Here is the article in the Chicago Tribune where I found out about his conversation.

Ex-Korn guitarist Welch navigates his new path
Louis R. Carlozo, Tribune reporter
October 6, 2008
In the heavy rock band Korn, Brian "Head" Welch provided the guitar attack for a collective whose lyrics ranked among the raunchiest around. Then Welch found God, became a Christian and left the top-selling act. In Chicago to promote his debut solo album "Save Me From Myself" (Driven Music), Welch talked about his new path, old bandmates and the trials of not fitting in to any musical camp:

Q Have you shared what's going on in your Christian life with your former Korn band mates?

A They all know what happened to me. One of the other guys in the band actually got saved too; he's just working within the band. But for me it was like, 'I'm out, I've gotta go.' I want to give everything that I am, I want to have that resurrected life. And that's just so good. So they understand where I'm coming from. But I don't really talk to them. I talked to them last summer and we were going to hook up but it didn't really happen. I'm just doing my own thing and they're doing theirs; they wish the best for me and I wish the best for them.

Q How are you tackling the challenge of getting your music exposure? I'm sure it was much easier in Korn than it is now.

A You know if Korn puts out an album, they'll get play on every radio station, the best radio stations. I put out mine and it's a struggle, it's a fight. Some stations are really cool. They're playing it a little bit here on Q101, but some stations are just like, 'No thanks.' Maybe because they know what happened to me and they think maybe 'That's it.'

Q You say you're trying to provide an alternative by making very heavy music, but with a positive message. Tell us about that.

A I was one of those kids who was just not happy in my own skin. I drank and did drugs all the time. You call it fun, but the real reason you do it is that you don't like yourself, and you're just trying to escape, because you want to be happy and feel good. The whole thing about God was my eyes were opened, and I want to do anything I can with my power and my gifts to open as many eyes as I can. My message is, 'Don't listen to me, go try talking to God yourself and trying to change your life, and you're going to believe.'

Q Have you listened to much Christian music?

A It just seems like the Christian radio stations, it's all one type of music. I guess it's made for praise and worship. But it seems like there's this one group of bands that they play over and over, and I just wish they'd expand more—especially the Christian media too.

Q It seems you're misunderstood in the Christian world.

A I've got a new video out on my website, and it's really raw. It's about drugs and flesh, and there are girls in it who are sensual with each other, and they're playing with this pink powder that's supposed to symbolize drugs. I've gotten comments on my site that are saying, 'How could you show that stuff?.' When I saw my video, I was like that too: 'Can I do this?' I'm a Christian but I got over it. I like to be shocking, not for the sake of it, but to show people what's going on. I'm not called to be a Sunday school teacher. I want to bring a message and use the media as much as I can, and I don't want to sugarcoat it. The cheese has to go.

Link to his Web site (cut n paste): http://www.brianheadwelch.net
His book: http://www.amazon.com/Save-Me-Myself-Found-Kicked/dp/0061251844