Always Thankful

Roots in Ripon
Chuck Roots
21 November 2016
www.chuckroots.com

Always Thankful

Thankfulness is a decision of the heart. It is an attitude that you decide to embrace in the face of all that life throws at you. This is one of the reasons why I have always appreciated this passage from the Bible which says, “In everything, give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

I will admit that this passage threw me for a loop in my early days as a Christian. I was twenty-four, knowing little about the Bible or Jesus or anything else pertaining to living a life for God. Thankfulness was one of the first sensations I experienced the moment I accepted Jesus as my Savior. As a sergeant in the Marine Corps I was not exactly a boy scout. I didn’t grow up attending church except on rare occasions with the family. And the church we attended at those infrequent times wasn’t even Christian.

The thankfulness that I experienced was harbored deep in the soul as I began to fully realize how much God in Christ was willing to sacrifice so that I could be free from the penalty of sin. Jesus paid that price once and for all – and I accepted his forgiveness with my entire being. The dark night of the soul that had been nipping at my heels for far too long was now over. Thankfulness blossomed in me like the burst of sunshine at dawn.

It is not my intent to portray myself as some sort of super holy person. I am not that at all. In fact, I am flawed, walking with feet of clay. Knowing my personal weakness could be quite damaging to my state of being were it not for the fact that God’s promises are not contingent upon how successful I am in my walk with Jesus. It is my desire to live for him in all that I say and do, despite the many times when I fall woefully short. He has declared me to be his child; to be an heir of God’s kingdom; and to have an address in heaven waiting for me.

This may sound to some like so much “pie in the sky,” but I assure you, based again on God’s Word, that such a reality for those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior is a promise which God says is true.

Here’s what always gets to me and why I am thankful in all things. If God is in fact God of the universe and everything that exists, then his power is beyond incredible. It could only be described as being beyond our finite understanding of what we know about this time-and-space stage we live upon for such an oh-so-brief moment in eternity.

So, I boil this down to my life and what takes place each and every day. As both good and bad come my way I can easily find myself worked up over bad situations and equally bad people, seething over circumstances and problems I have no control over. Truth be told, it’s better that I would not have control over such circumstances for fear I would choose to handle them in a way that might make things even worse. You see, if God is as big as I believe he is, and as powerful as I’ve mentioned earlier, then it only makes sense that he can take care of any trouble in my life. If I don’t believe this about God, then I have, in essence, shrunk God down to the size of a lesser god, or a superman, if you will. Such a personage can still do many great things, appearing to be the answer to our problems, but they yet lack the mantle of God who is All-knowing, All-powerful, and Everywhere at once.

It is in these same scriptures that we are told to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and don’t lean on your own understanding.” I may think I’m really smart, and according to the way the world measures being smart, I guess I would be considered pretty smart. With a bachelor’s, a master’s, and a doctorate degree most folks assume I’m smart. But, compared to what? In my 68 years, I have spent well over twenty years earning an education. The education I have received is no small matter, and I am very thankful for the privilege. But even the Bible warns against too much education: “Much study wearies the body.” How true this is! But the greater concern is to not be caught up in our own academic achievements. We are not to think more highly of ourselves than we should. When it comes to my need to trust God, I am cautioned not to rely on my own understanding. Why? Because I may well have the wrong picture of who God really is. I certainly had a distorted view of God growing up. Had it not been for his mercy, I would have continued on through life believing God to be something other than, and therefore lesser than, who he actually is.

So, this Thursday I will gather with family and friends around the table, thankful to God for the multitude of blessings I have received from his gracious hand. But, if I lost it all on Friday, I would still praise him with a thankful heart for one simple reason: He alone is God, and he will always do what is right. I may not think so at the time. But my view of things is skewed, whereas God’s view is perfect. But even as Job suffered much, he spoke these words: “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.”

God may yet lead me into situations I do not understand, but with my trust fully in him, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Regardless of what happens, I will either still be here on earth, or I will be in heaven. And, it’s God’s decision where and when my time on earth ends, and my new residence in Glory begins!

I am always thankful every day for God’s promises.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Reflections on the Election

Roots in Ripon
Chuck Roots
14 November 2016
www.chuckroots.com

Reflections on the Election

Well, now! This is a fine kettle of fish we find ourselves in. The presidential election is over and the winner will assume the mantle of President of the United States in about 70 days. The election process, as outlined in the Constitution, still works just fine whether or not your choice of candidate won.

As is the case in all elections, not everyone is happy with the outcome. Expectations run high, hoping your candidate wins. But let’s face it: about fifty percent of the folks who vote are going to be disappointed with the outcome, and rightly so. But good for you for engaging in this wonderful process of voting. Remember – four years from now you will have the opportunity to vote again for the highest office in the land. That’s what’s so beautiful about our American Republic.

And this is where I want to take this article. Far too many Americans are under the mistaken impression that the United States of America is a democracy. It is not. It is a republic. You may be asking, “What’s the difference?” Glad you asked!

A nation working in a clear democracy operates on the basis of a simple majority (50.1%) to elect candidates or enact legislation. In the history of the world such a system has never succeeded for long. Our Founding Fathers knew this which is why they set up a different process to protect America from the ravages of majority rule. You see, majority rule is only good if you are the one in the majority.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, by definition, a democracy is “a government by the people; especially: rule of the majority.”

Now, in contrast, what is a republic form of government? Once again, Webster’s Dictionary tells us that a republic is “a country that is governed by elected representatives and by an elected leader (such as a president) rather than a king or queen.”

Just as the Continental Congress was wrapping up its efforts at establishing a new form of government for the United States in the late 1780s, Benjamin Franklin was approached by a woman asking what sort of government was decided upon. In his pithy, yet direct manner, Franklin replied, “A republic, madam, if you can keep it.”

Therein lies the rub. The success or failure of this new government would not rest on the elected leaders or politicians. Instead, it would reside squarely on the shoulders of the American people. A republic is made up of folks who vote to elect their representatives. Ever notice the words in the Pledge of Allegiance? “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands . . .” Did you see that? To the republic?

Now this is where the Electoral College comes in. What is the Electoral College anyway? Just as many Americans do not know that we are a republic, and not a democracy, a frighteningly greater number seem to have little or no knowledge of the purpose and function of the Electoral College. Every election cycle I will hear people call for the elimination of the Electoral College. This would be disastrous to America. It is the sole safe-guard that the Founding Fathers inserted into the Constitution so that every person’s vote would count.

The History Channel reported on the Electoral College, describing it this way: “The Electoral College was created for two reasons. The first purpose was to create a buffer between population and the selection of a President. The second as part of the structure of the government that gave extra power to the smaller states.” “The Founding Fathers were afraid of direct election to the Presidency. They feared a tyrant could manipulate public opinion and come to power.”

I would postulate that though a tyrant certainly could coerce voters to support them, the second reason for the Electoral College, at least in my way of thinking, is most important. The smaller states have a very definite say and influence despite the huge populace vote from larger and more heavily populated areas.

The Electoral College is a body of elected officials who choose who will be the President and the Vice President. These elected persons, known as electors, are chosen by election by the people in each state. So, the electors in any state are, at a minimum, three. That would be two senators (each state has two regardless of population size), and each state has at least one representative (serving in Congress). Depending on the size of the population, a state that is much smaller in size may have a large population, such as Florida. Whereas a state of significant geographic size, such as Alaska, has a relatively small population. The number of representatives is determined by the number of people in the state. Wyoming has a ridiculously small number of people compared to California with its two enormously populated cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Yet, the smaller population of Wyoming has more power in voting in the Electoral College because each representative in Wyoming has more people it is representing compared to the number of citizens a representative in California is responsible for.

And this is why every Electoral College vote is valued by the candidates. One of the hits on Hillary Clinton’s campaign was not paying closer attention to the “Rust Belt” where she hardly made any personal appearances. Politicos and pundits are speculating that this is one of the reasons she lost her bid for the White House.

So, in conclusion, I hope you see why the Electoral College looms large in the election process. Otherwise, if we functioned purely on popular vote, the large cities would always dictate the outcome, leaving smaller populated states out in the dark. And candidates would pitch their tents in the large urban areas, and would ignore the rest of America.

Is the Electoral College a perfect system? No. But it was genius on the part of the Founding Fathers, many of who never lived long enough to see it work.

The next time you vote, remember that the Founding Fathers set this election process up so that every American who votes has a say in the outcome.

Is this a great country, or what?!

Congratulations, America!

Roots in Ripon

Chuck Roots

7 November 2016

www.chuckroots.com

Congratulations, America!

As you read this we will be most likely in the midst of Election Day Tuesday, November 8, 2016. This means our Constitutional system of government is still intact. No person, or party, or military strongman has taken over the government to establish a dictatorship, a socialistic government, or a junta.

Regardless of how the election results turn out, America is the winner because our nation continues to move along following the political and philosophical dreams of our Founding Fathers. Now, don’t misunderstand. Everything is not all lollypops and roses in our country. I have attempted to highlight many of the problems in the past several weeks. But America has not had to endure the endless cycle of government takeovers, or changes, with new or rewritten constitutions the way many countries have. Last I read, Italy has changed governments (not just leaders within their government, but restructure of how their country is run) 19 different times since the end of Mussolini and World War II. Here in America we have had one government for the past 240 years, with the Constitution being ratified by all 13 original states in 1790, our nation has moved along fairly well by staying within the Constitutional guidelines.

Since the end of World War II we have had 12 presidents. The 13^th will either be Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. And in line of succession, our newest president will be the 45^th president of the United States.

If you reflect on this achievement, it is quite spectacular that our nation has been able to stay focused on the importance of the rule of law as laid out in the Constitution. The office of the president is still bigger than any single person. Each elected candidate to this highest office of the land is awed and humbled by the role and responsibilities associated with the position. Some men have been crushed by the sheer weight of the job. Others have managed to keep their heads above water (barely, in some cases), and yet others seem to have been born to the job.

My pastor delivered a sermon this past Sunday, entitled, “Being a Christian in an Election Year.” It was very well done. I am going to share the gist of it, hopefully doing it justice.

The basic premise of the message was this: During an election year, we tend to be, 1. Fearful, 2. Prideful, 3. Selfish, and 4. Divisive. These are not necessarily stand-alone characteristics. Instead, when you allow fear to enter into your thinking, the other three (pride, ego, and division) are nipping at your heels. I would share with you a passage written by the Apostle Paul in which he admonishes us to focus on the right things. Read this section carefully. Philippians 4:6-9:

"Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies." [“The Message” Translation]

This is great encouragement because regardless of the election results, a lot of people are going to be unhappy. So then, based upon this Bible passage, if God is seated on his eternal throne, then all is well, and we need not fear anything. However, if God is not on his throne, then he does not exist and we should be full of fear because we are all in a world of hurt.

The naysayers from both political parties foresee the worst-case scenarios should their candidate lose. It’s easy to get caught up in this fearmongering and forget that God is still very much involved in the affairs of the human race.

As for me, I choose to trust in God. He has blessed the United States of America, and I believe he still wants to, in spite of our wandering hearts as a nation.

So, that’s why I say, Congratulations, America! Now watch and see what God has yet to accomplish. Be prepared to be amazed!

God bless America!

Just Do the Job

Roots in Ripon
Chuck Roots
31 October 2016
www.chuckroots.com

Just Do the Job

There is no way a Hollywood screenwriter would have been able to come up with the crazy shenanigans “We the People” have been subjected to during this presidential election season. Seriously, have you ever seen the like?

My wife and I are finding that we are experiencing “newscycle fatigue”. I don’t know if this is an actual term or not, but it certainly describes the way the two of us are feeling at this point with eight days yet remaining before election day. If I see one more “Breaking” news banner announcing another woman has come forth accusing Donald Trump of unwanted sexual advances, or a new batch of emails uncovered concerning Hillary Clinton, I may just have to seclude myself in a quiet room with copious amounts of comfort food until November 9.

The Scottish bard, Sir Walter Scott, famously wrote this insightful ditty that most of us have heard at one time or another: “O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!” Such practiced deception seems to be standard operating procedure throughout our government.

From my private pristine perch in the Central Valley of California I am able to critique the political blathering nabobs who inhabit the far country known as Washington DC. Someone might point out that all the politicians are not bad. And I would agree. However, they have all been infected. The political game is seriously flawed. It is virtually impossible for a right-hearted person to be a genuine re-creation of Mr. Smith from the movie, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” played by the one-and-only Jimmy Stewart. In one scene, Stewart, as Senator Jefferson Smith, says, “You see, boys forget what their country means by just reading ‘The Land of the Free’ in history books. Then they get to be men they forget even more. Liberty’s too precious a thing to be buried in books, Miss Saunders. Men should hold it up in front of them every single day of their lives and say: I’m free to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn’t. I can, and my children will. Boys ought to grow up remembering that.”

The infection the politicians of every party and stripe experience is known as Power. Because the money collected from Americans flows into the coffers of our nation’s capital, the idea that these taxes can be used for whatever the political establishment desires is heady stuff. The Republicans want this power, and so do the Democrats. Political groups and special interest groups all want to sit at the table with the powerful heads of government. Several phrases come to mind that highlight this condition evidenced inside the DC Beltway. “Live by the Golden Rule! Because he who has the gold, makes the rules.” Then there’s this one, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” You get the idea.

Many a well-intentioned, aspiring politician from small-town USA has been sent to our capital by their constituents with high hopes of making a difference by shaking up the entrenched establishment, and poking a finger in the eye of the good-old-boy system that has been, and continues to be, a cancer within the hallowed halls of the three branches of government: the executive (president), the legislative (Congress), and the judicial (Supreme Court).

The political power brokers will quickly explain the rules of the game to any new freshman senators and representatives. It is very simple. It goes something like this: “If you want to get anything done in this town, you will go along with the way we do things. If you fight us, you will find yourself unable to get any legislation passed through Congress that would otherwise benefit your constituents. You will find yourself being a one-term Congressman.”

This corrupt system of running the world’s most powerful and financially muscular nation needs a good housecleaning. And this is yet another reason why I wholly reject Hillary. She is bought and paid for many times over, contributing to this wretched system currently in place. The depth of her corruption is staggering and, according to the FBI, is still under investigation, possibly extending well into the next presidential term. “The Donald”, on the other hand, is a total outsider who, as a businessman has learned how to work within this system, as well as outside of it, in order to build a most impressive real estate empire. However, he fully recognizes the rottenness that is at the core of this DC good-old-boy game. And Trump is not beholding to anyone. In other words, he’s not a politician.

Of all the presidential candidates that I have watched march across the stage of life in their quest to become the President of the United States, Trump is the only one who has the toughness of character and desire to get into DC where he can begin to rock the city to its very core. He has already made a list of conservative constitutionalists who he would select for the Supreme Court of the United States. The Court would once again do its job which is to interpret the law. Congress would do its job by creating law. And the president would do the job of protecting and defending the law.

This is why I want to see Donald Trump become our next president. He understands the job of the president as outlined in the Constitution: “The President is both the head of state and head of government of the United States of America, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. Under Article II of the Constitution, the President is responsible for the execution and enforcement of the laws created by Congress.”

All of the foolishness of this election aside, I believe Donald Trump is the candidate for president who will change Washington DC by first simply fulfilling the duties of the job. Now that would be refreshing!

Up With Life

Roots in Ripon
Chuck Roots
24 October 2016
www.chuckroots.com

Up With Life

The election for the next president of the United States is in two weeks. The outcome is being announced already in the mainstream media. They are gushing over a Hillary victory. The polls are supposedly providing the necessary support for such an expected outcome. Hogwash!

In our nation’s history, we have had a number of surprise or unexpected results. A classic is the 1948 Thomas Dewey/Harry Truman election night results. The Chicago Daily Tribune (later changed to the Chicago Tribune) made an egregious faux-pas by prematurely announcing that New York governor Thomas Dewey, a republican, had won the election. The words, “Dewey Defeats Truman” were emblazoned across the top fold of the paper’s early edition. Why was this mistake made? Two reasons: 1. The early results of the race seemed to favor a clear victory for Dewey, and 2. The Tribune had recently begun to use a new form of newspaper type which required that they beginning the process of printing the first edition a few hours earlier than had been required previously. Some 150,000 copies were distributed before the actual results were confirmed with Truman the clear runaway winner.

It was no secret at the time that the Chicago paper was Republican-leaning in its handling of political news. They had referred to Truman as a “nincompoop” and Truman was no fan of the paper either. When Truman saw the paper the day after the election he was elated, holding up the erroneous headline for the press corps that was following him. The now famous picture of a smilingly victorious Truman with paper in hand is part of American history. Adding insult to injury, the Chicago Daily Tribune had also announced that the Republicans would hold onto the seats in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Neither turned out to be true.

So, pardon me if I don’t get too worked up over polls, papers, politicos and pundits ballyhooing election results before the election has even taken place. This is especially true since the Democrats seem to have control over a political machine that can dictate what it desires. Fair and balanced, they are not.

Let’s remember something at this point. Because the political system is broken beyond repair, at least within the DC Beltway, Americans have become increasingly distrusting of anything coming out of our nation’s capitol. Consider the rapid rise and popularity of the Republican-leaning FOX News network. Many Americans are conservative in their outlook both politically and socially. Because of the apparent bias in the rest of the media, many Americans who care very much about the state of affairs in our country feel they no longer have a voice. Many of those have dropped out of being involved to the point of no longer believing that it matters. The game is rigged.

Yet along comes a person who is not part of the political system, and who is not a politician, and is saying many of the things that the disenfranchised electorate has been feeling for a very long time. Are they factored into the polls? I don’t know. What I do know is this: It ain’t over till it’s over.

A segment in the third and final presidential debate last week crystalized my position as to who I would vote for on November 8^th. The question of abortion came up in which Hillary Clinton stated clearly that she was all about protecting women’s rights, going so far as to say it was okay to abort a baby as late as the third trimester, even during the ninth month. Donald Trump came out strongly against this heinous, dreadful, inhumane practice that has plagued our nation for the last 43 years. Even in the 1973 Roe v Wade landmark decision made by the United States Supreme Court didn’t go as far as Hillary would like to go, legalizing the aborting of a baby only in the first two trimesters.

Some may cry that I am setting up a litmus test for who I would vote for in the presidential election. And you know what? That would be exactly right.

You see, for us as a nation to wantonly destroy the life of a baby in the womb of its mother is still, for me, after all these decades, too horrific an injustice to ever become acceptable. In the last nine years my wife and I have been blessed with three precious grandchildren. We were present for the birth of all of them. I look into their faces and I see the face of God. Each one is a miracle, handcrafted by a loving Creator. My heart thrills at them being alive and part of our family. To think that they would no longer be a part of our lives brings such a heaviness in my soul that I am reduced to the depths of sorrow.

I have said it many times during my years of counseling, and simply sharing with people, that if a woman is contemplating an abortion, I would plead with them to carry this baby to full term at which point I would assume full responsibility for the child regardless of the baby’s health, and absolving the mother (and father) of any and all responsibilities. I still hold this position. As a Christian, I can do nothing less than this.

Donald Trump is for protecting the unborn and giving them a chance at life. Hillary is not. That makes my presidential decision very simple.

Political Folderol

Roots in Ripon
Chuck Roots
17 October 2016
www.chuckroots.com

Political Folderol

Every election cycle brings out the same old hackneyed accusations and “gotcha!” revelations by each candidate about their opponent. And now that we’re in the final few weeks of the 2016 presidential election, each candidate and their nudniks are using the most broad-brushed black paint in characterizing their political opponent.

I’m sure looking forward to this childish nonsense to end. Then maybe my email Inbox can return to some semblance of normality. Can I get an “Amen”?

So then, what are we the American people to do with two candidates that have the lowest approval level in history (or so it is reported)? One simple answer: VOTE! Set aside the personal quirks, oddities, blunders and foolishness of both Clinton and Trump, and engage in some due diligence by studying the pressing issues that confront our nation right now. Who is most likely to handle these challenges?

1.   National Debt – Our nation is rocketing toward an indebtedness that is unthinkable. We are nearly 20 trillion dollars in debt, doubling in the past eight years. It is clear to “We the People” that Congress and the President do not know how to properly use the monies obtained from us, the American taxpayers. So, which of the two candidates is most likely to stop the hemorrhaging of out-of-control spending by our elected representatives?

2.   Military Readiness – It is reported that our military has been weakened to the point that we are as unprepared to handle the exigencies of world-wide threats today as we were in the late 1930s leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor which, ready-or-not (and we were definitely NOT), launched us into World War Two. Just this week missiles have been wantonly launched numerous times against our Navy warships off the coast of Somalia. Benghazi and Syria also come to mind. There’s a robust Communist China and a bellicose Russia, to boot. So, which candidate will have the steely resolve to stand against the world’s bullies?

3.   Loss of Jobs – Over the past number of years the unemployment rate has been toyed with by the current administration to make it appear as though the unemployment rate has gone down. The truth is voodoo economics. Whole categories of people are used or ignored to “fudge” the numbers. Large companies and corporations are either moving to “business-friendly” states, or relocating outside of the United States in an attempt to reduce the costs of doing business. Which candidate is more likely to turn this behemoth problem around by creating an environment where businesses can once again thrive?

4.   National Security – The alarming rate of people from around the world who are crossing our borders illegally is appalling. Americans who live along the Rio Grande River are watching people simply walk across into the United States. Many of these Americans are assaulted and terrorized by these illegals. Our Border patrol is woefully undermanned and incapable of putting a stop to this abuse of our national borders. Again, which candidate is most likely to take the necessary steps to stem this flow of illegals into our country?

5.   Threat of ISIS – Any number of Islamic groups, ISIS being the “threat du jour”, are targeting our country for take-over. It is the intent of Islam to subjugate all peoples under the banner of Islam. So if they can neutralize America and its power against them, the rest of the world should be much easier to conquer. Even a cursory study of Islam will enlighten you as to the projected goals of world dominance by this far from benign religion. Islam has been attacking the United States aggressively since 1968 with the assassination of Bobby Kennedy by Sirhan Sirhan. Which of the two presidential hopefuls will have the courage to go against the conventional thinking that wants to believe that Islam is a religion of peace and take aggressive action against this murderous threat to our nation?

6.   Constitutional Anemia – The very core of our nation, and the basis upon which all laws and policies derive is the Constitution. This singular document, lovingly crafted by men who had never before experienced the freedoms they hoped for the rest of us, and under the guiding hand of James Madison, the Father of the Constitution, is now under serious threat of being weakened by those who have chosen to give variant interpretations to its meaning and purpose, specifically the first, second and fourth amendments. Which of the candidates is most likely to honor the Constitution and uphold its rightful place in governing our nation?

It would be easy to list many more issues that we Americans must face

under a new administration, but you get the idea.

          The beauty of our country and its laws and form of governance is that “We the People” get to choose by election in the ballot box the person we want to lead us into the future. Study the issues. Get to know more about your candidate. And then cast your vote.

          The Bible declares, “What is impossible with man, is possible with God.” This is why we can still pray and expect God to bless America.