Teddy Kennedy, Sarah Palin, Waterboarding, and Me - by John Godfrey

I'll warn you that this blog is a little long, but I feel that it is important to think about and it will only take a few minutes to read.

I've been watching the news like most of you I'm sure and of course we all have heard about the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy. When someone passes from this life I always feel sad for the family because I have personally been in the same position as they are, so I know the pain of the loss of a loved one. Certainly I've had my disagreements with most of Senator Kennedy's political stands simply because my conservative pro-life beliefs were on the opposite side of his more liberal views. I will give him this though; it seems that he was a passionate person about his policies and he never gave up...he worked almost till the end of his life for what he believed in. Lets face it, he did not work because he needed the money, he worked because that was his life. I can respect him for that and wish more conservatives had the same drive or passion.

As the nation honors and mourns Senator Kennedy's loss I have to look at a few things about his life from a different light than many. No it's not about his policies, and my views expressed may anger some, but that's okay too because sometimes we need to take a closer look at the way America handles the truth. Senator Kennedy has seen his share of the spotlight and tragedy just because he is part of a well known, but tragic family. We are all aware of his two brothers that were assassinated, President John F Kennedy, and then his other brother Bobby. The recent death of his sister and a little earlier the tragic death of his nephew John Kennedy Jr. who died in a plane crash. He has known sadness and as a fellow human being my heart goes out to him for that. However, the way he has been respected and honored in his life and the way he is being remembered now, stand in stark contrast to the way that (for an example) someone like Sarah Palin has been treated. Even though normally we should do our best to speak good of those that pass from this life to the next, there are times as Americans that we must think back a little more before we speak or act and here's why.

Most have forgotten that in spite of all the good things Senator Kennedy has been credited for throughout his life, that there were serious problems with the Kennedy Family and with the Senator himself that must be remembered. The Bible said that there would be a time when "Evil" will be called "Good" and "Good" will be called "Evil" and we are now seeing that everywhere we turn. The Kennedy's as we all know are very rich. Did you know that most of the money came from illegal gain back during prohibition? Alcohol sales were illegal, but Joe Kennedy still made a fortune. Have we forgotten also that Senator Kennedy had a terrible accident at Chappaquiddick Virginia where he ran his car off the road in a drunken state of mind and into the deep water. He then climbed out of the car and left a lady in the vehicle to drown. She did die! He left a lady that night to die; she was another woman that was not his wife. Ted Kennedy simply staggered his way home to sleep it off and the authorities did not know about the accident until the next morning. I know you're asking why would I bring these terrible things up just as they prepare to lay him to rest? The timing may not seem great and I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but there is a point that needs to be made here.

In contrast, lets look at Sarah Palin the ex-governor of Alaska. Here is a lady that came to the national stage when John McCain chose her as his presidential running-mate. She was fresh thinking, truthful, married to a man she loves, has children she loves including one with down syndrome, and she paraded them all with pride in front of millions. She also is a lady of strong spiritual convictions that she had no problem in sharing. However, unlike the respect and honor that has continually been given to the late Senator Kennedy; the main stream press, the late night shows, the politicians, and anyone else that could get a word in edgewise has ridiculed her and made fun until it basically in my opinion drove her from office! Did America win when that happened? I think not. Governor Palin represents what America needs now more than ever and we don't even know it! Is this one instance of "Good" being called "Evil" and visa versa? I really think so.

One more issue in the news that is highlighting our change in fundamental truths is this issue of "Waterboading" the captured terrorist at Guantanamo. Of course this has been done in order to gain information that would hopefully prevent further attacks on our soldiers and our nations, thus saving lives in the long run! Waterboarding and sleep deprivation are being called torture as you know. We are a civilized nation and torture should not be a part of our makeup for sure. But please....Give me a break! You call this torture? I'm sure that our enemies laugh at our ignorance! We lay a prisoner down on a board and cover his face. Then we turn the water on and the prisoner has the feeling that he will drown. He doesn't, but it is uncomfortable to say the least. Meanwhile the terrorist drag our soldiers through the streets and burn their bodies for the world to see! They cut off and saw off the heads of America's best and bravest on the worldwide web. But, back at "Gitmo"we are wetting heads and keeping the prisoners awake! Ooooooh... we are so bad! Sorry..sometimes our stupidity makes me angry! No, I'm not saying that Waterboarding is all good or sleep deprivation is a great thing to endure, but I am saying that we have gone crazy in our comparisons of techniques. So our president continues his world apology tours as if we are the bad guys! More "Good" is "Evil" here as well

If the treatment we give to captured terrorist is torture then I think that I and my son Kerry have a case for a potential law suit against the USA! In bootcamp we both were deprived of sleep in order to make us comply with the wishes of our drill sergeants etc. I personally had to go through rooms filled with smoke so thick that I could not see or breath! Then we moved on to the "Tear Gas" chamber for a fun filled time of burning eyes, clogged lungs, and vomiting (sorry)! I've been placed in a large room with thousands of gallons of fuel that were set on fire! Flames were everywhere from top to bottom of that room and we were ordered to stay! We had a choice to put them out or possibly explode while all of our exits were blocked! My son went through more than I did as he served in the Marines. I think that he would tell you that his "Frostbitten" and blackened hands at the end of the "Crucible" that he endured at the end of bootcamp were not a picknic either! Neither were his tours overseas.

Here is my point. As Americans we have to find a way to uncover the real truth about our leaders, issues, and the world around us. We are not called to be judges of every soul, but with a little effort and prayer we can discern the real "Evil" from the real "Good". No we are not perfect, but things are definitely not always as they are portrayed to us by those that want to destroy our way of life. The truth is usually buried under the lies of hypocrisy! What is called "Good" or "Evil"may be in fact just the opposite.

One day the very essence of Evil will appear as an angel of light. The world will willingly believe everything he has to say while rejecting the real truth. We are now getting just a taste of that kind of "blind faith" that multitudes are lavishing on some of our elected leaders so it is easy to see how people will continue to accept lies for truth, or how they will trade Good for Evil when they are finally promised the world by the man with all the answers...the Antichrist. I believe by the way we are acting now that it's is closer than we think! Right now its more important than ever to not accept what we hear at face value.

"The One Thing We All Have In Common"- by John Godfrey

There she is. She is a beautiful site to say the least! No matter what the weather looks like, no mater what mood I'm in, I always seem to think the same thing when I look at her from here. There is just something special about the view of the Chattanooga valley from high atop Missionary Ridge. I've traveled much of the world and no doubt there were many beautiful places that I've seen, but there always seems to be a calming and peaceful effect that I feel as I drive along this winding scenic road gazing at the view along the way. The truth is that I've almost run off the side of this big ridge more than once because my attention was more on the scene below rather than on the road ahead like it should have been.



As beautiful as the view is from here, I still know that when I look closely enough I can pick out certain areas in the city that are far from calm, outside of some of the people that live there you can see no real beauty, and there are real life and death struggles going on. These are facts that are evident to anyone that lives in or around Chattanooga. Without a doubt, these are what many call the "Lower Class"or "Ghetto" sections of the city where the crime rate is so very high that I would not dare to drive through them without an awful good reason!


On the other hand, up here where I am now and looking across to the mountains on the other side of town, it's another story. Behind the royal looking gates with their adjoining extravagant fences, there are the so called "High Class" neighborhoods where all seems to go perfectly for the residents there. The beautiful homes with immaculate lawns, the fancy cars, the fine clothes, memberships in the perfect clubs, and those that are associated with the largest, most elaborate churches in the area, are all part of the physical makeup for most of those that reside on top of the high terrain. What a wonderful life it must be to live in a place with seemingly no problems and lots of money!

Then as you continue to look below you can let your eyes travel out further to the suburbs on every side and you will find the scenario remains mostly the same, except that in many cases the money may not flow quite as freely, but they are still considered to be the "Middle to Upper Class" areas.

So what is the one thing that we could all possibly have in common? Get ready...here it is...it's MASK! From the so called "Lower Class" ghettos, to the so called "Middle Class" suburbs, to the so called "High Class" people on the ridges and mountain tops, we all have our mask that we put on to cover the real lives that we're living. Here's a news flash! No matter what you have, or what your position or status is, or where you live, people are really hurting and hiding! For some reason we as human kind want to give the appearance that we are always doing fine. We want others to think that we are always completely happy and fulfilled and we are where we want to be. But I gotta tell ya, I would go so far as to say that if I were a betting man... I would bet that you...yes you...are not always living the way you portray yourself to others, nor am I. Most likely you are either hurting in some way now, or you have recently gone through things that have caused you a lot of pain. I would also bet that there are things in your life that you are hiding...things that you prefer to keep to yourself. You may have not shared this pain or secret with anyone because you think ..."Who would really care or who would really understand?" I wonder...if we could see into your house and then deeper into your soul what would we see? If you could look into mine, what would you see?

So in order to be seen as one that has it all together, or one that has the "great trouble free home" where everything is just hunky dory...we put on our mask. Behind the smiles, behind the stuff we buy and care for, behind our clubs, behind the schools we attend, behind our jobs, and even behind our church memberships...we hide the truth. Its sad but even on Sunday mornings we venture into our churches and the mask are everywhere! From the minute we walk into the door we smile and ask each other "How are you today?" Then we all respond "Great...and you?" Usually the conversations are brief and forgive me but in many instances they are not truthful. I can hear you saying..."John, are you saying that we are telling lies in church?" Well...um...I guess...that would be a yep! Okay calm down, I know we are just being polite and we feel that we do not want to air out our dirty laundry for all to see, but the truth is that we are not being truthful when we cover up and say all is well when it is not. No, church should not be a place of whining and complaining, God forbid there are enough people that want to gripe and complain on a regular basis, but it should be a place to drop our mask and to be real with each other!

Why can't we be honest when things are not going well or when our life burdens are heavy and say, "No, things are not fine...I would love for you to remember me in your prayers." No explanation necessary. Christians should be willing to pray for you without having all the facts. Those that need all the facts are usually the church gossips and they are the last ones that you should share your needs with. Its up to you, and you alone to say how much you want others to know about your struggles, but we still need to share without fear.

Here is the bottom line, we simply need to work at dropping the mask and at being "real" in our lives. As most know, I am far from having it "all together" and most likely you have your moments too! Many of our children do not want what we have spiritually because they are waiting for us to be real. They see our actions everyday at home and then they see how we act in front of others...they see our mask and frankly...I believe it turns them off! I believe that they actually lose a little more respect for us each time they see us put on our mask in front of others. However, there could be one thing worse than turning off our children by our hypocrisy and that would be if our children decide to play the same church type games that many of us have done.

I'm not trying to be harsh or critical, just realistic. Maybe we could start in our homes by communicating our feelings in an honest kind way rather than hiding our feelings and just hoping the other person figures out what we are not communication. Sometimes we are simply manipulating others in order to get our own way instead of honest communication. I know that there are always two sides to every story. But that should show us that we should do our best to see things from other person's perspective too in order to react properly. I admit that I have a hard time doing that myself at times, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to be open and honest.

Wouldn't it be great to be able to drop the mask in our churches in order to share without fear of not fitting in, or without the fear of being judged, or becoming the object of the "gossip chain"? Pastors, leaders, and teachers need the same freedom to drop the mask too. Many times we expect too much perfection of them and their families. Of all the places in the world where we should be able to share and seek help without fear, regardless of our pain, sin, or failures, it should be the church. But, that is where we seem to hide the most!

It will take effort by serious individuals that are willing to drop the mask. It will be those that really want to stop "playing the game of church" in order for "realness" to become a reality in our churches and at home as well. Maybe we need to drop the high expectations that we place on each other. We, at times expect more than is humanly possible. People have to grow spiritually by learning from those that have already traveled the road before and they will never learn if we hide and act like we have arrived without ever having a care.

Now is the time to turn our attention inward to see what's behind our own mask. Being "unmasked" or "real" can be very scary because we are afraid that others will think less of us, but without it we are simply living a lie and we lose our effectiveness. I'm not saying that we should be bluntly harsh and unkind by he way we honestly speak the truth to others. The bible says to speak the truth in love; I'm simply talking about being honest as to who you really are and what you are dealing with in life. Maybe it's time to ask God to help reveal to us the mask that we unknowingly wear and then ask for help removing them. I've got my mask that I'm working on just like you even though you may or may not see them.

Don't forget that just like the beautiful Chattanooga valley below, our view from a distance appears calm and beautiful, but when we look closely it is evident there definitely is one thing that we all have in common. We all are hiding at some point or other behind our mask. I believe it's way past time to take em' off!

Just Another Sunrise - by John Godfrey

The other morning was up, out the door, and on the job early as usual. It seems that lately I'm always in a rush! I guess I was having a "pity party" for myself thinking that everyday it seems that I have to be somewhere, or do something for somebody. Of course that's not really the case, I know that in reality I do more for myself than others and there are days that I needlessly waste time that I could use more effectively in order to keep myself from feeling pressured...but hey that's me and I'm too old to change now I guess.

Soon I found myself sitting on a hill getting ready o rush into one of my normal morning stops when I noticed the sun coming up behind the silhouetted images of power lines and cell towers that continuously blanket our landscapes. So I grabbed a camera and took a quick snapshot out of my car window! That sunrise reminded me just how insignificant our concerns are when we take into a look at the full picture of this life.

If I miss my job there are certainly circumstances that will follow. My job will not get done, my employer will not be a happy camper, and if I lose my employment there will be bill collectors waiting at my door. But... if that sun fails to come up then we are in deep...we are doomed! If it simply moves closer to us than it should then we burn to death! If it moves farther away from us than it is supposed to then we freeze our toes off (and more)! Kinda make my problems small huh?

That ole sun has been rising and burning for thousands of years just like clockwork. Morning after morning after morning the sun is there. Why doesn't that thing burn up? That is for smarter folks than I am to answer. However, we take it for granted don't we. I just don't understand people that never take the time to look at a sunrise or a sunset? Or the beauty of the clouds? Or any art of nature for that fact! How anyone can look at nature and believe its all an accident is beyond me! The planets have to be lined up correctly, the Earth has to spin in her orbit, gravity keeps us from floating into space, our air is just the right mixture for us to live! Please...Just Give Me Break! It takes much more faith not to believe in a God that is the supreme designer than it does to accept it by faith. The Bible says that the heavens reveal his glory and without a doubt it does.
By the way...There was another "Son"rise 2000 years ago that was just as sure as the sun that we see rising everyday. We cannot survive without that Son either...For those of us who believe and trust Him, He is our existence. Unfortunately for those that decide to be without him there will be no hope. That is one choice that we must make and I pray that it will not be the wrong one for any of you. You're not an accident either. You're here for a purpose!

Just Curious! - A thought for the day by John Godfrey

I was just thinking while viewing this family of ducks as they swam along in the pond.....the ducks and my thoughts are in no way connected. Please note that no ducks were harmed in the making of this blog entry! (I always wanted to say something like that!)

Anyway here is my profound thought.

If you have a two-headed man driving a car headed south at only 3 miles per hour and he runs his car into a woman with four arms that was driving north at 1 mile per hour, and somehow both are killed in the wreck....would you call that a Freak Accident? Think about it!

By the way...I didn't want to use the ducks that I photographed here as my example in the wreck because that would be a nasty "Quack-Up!" Sorry I couldn't resist that one.