Seedless Watermelons

    
I may not be a master gardener, I mean really my farming resume includes growing up and working on my grandparent’s farm and then creating a yearly garden with students in a summer STEM like camp. My expertise could be summed up in the fact that I know and recognize that if you plant a seed and nurture that seed as it becomes a plant, there is a strong possibility that it will produce its fruit. I feel that is a safe presumption, one that we all pretty much hold as a basic truth, even if our green thumb is just a slight shade of sage. Okay, if it is safe to assume that everyone has a basic understanding of how the gardening process works then answer me this, if it takes a seed to grow the plant in the first place, then how is it that we have seedless watermelons? Don't laugh at me! I mean really, if you think about it plants produce seeds, which we in turn take those seeds and produce the next harvest of the same plant during the next growing season. So, what about seedless watermelons?? You know that thing Paul talked about in Galatians 6:7 "...whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." So, if we are going to reap seedless watermelons where do the seeds come from? I know "Google that and move on" you're saying, but the point of today's FTM is to get you thinking about the things we just take at face value, the fact that we just accept things with a "well that's the way it's always been" attitude and then we just keep moving on down the line.
     As an educator, I hope I have instilled in my students a desire to question and then seek out answers. Just because you read it in a book or just because someone stands before you and tells you that this is the way it is doesn't necessarily mean that it is always the "way it is", it may be that it is just the way that it has always been. One of the most annoying phrases I hear that dampens creativeness and outside of the box thinking is "well we've always done it this way." If we want our kids to grow up with a mindset that anything is possible then we have to teach them that just because things have always been a certain way, doesn't always mean that that is the best way. Just because we have done something one particular way, or just because we have been taught to believe that some things are just the way they are, doesn't necessarily mean that it's true.
     Down through history men and women have asked questions and then went out to find answers. They didn't ask questions and then say "Oh well I guess it's just that way" or "well that's the way we've always done it so that must be the right way to do it." No what has gotten us to this point in civilization that we can communicate with one another around the world on a wireless, cordless rectangular box made of plastic and metal is that very mindset of asking why and how.
     We must instill the drive to ask questions and foster that inquisitive spirit in our children, but more importantly we must assure that we ourselves never lose that innate desire to question and then seek out answers in our own lives. For us as adults it's not necessarily asking where do seedless watermelons get seeds so that they can be grown, but instead it is more about asking "Why is it that we have to do things a certain way?" or "How come it has to be this way or that way?" When we just accept things as "the way they have always been" we are moving on a conveyor belt and our destination is being determined for us. When you are faced with a problem at work, at home, at school, or even during your daily commute don't sit there stuck in the trap of well that's just the way it is. You have the power to change "the way things are", you have the ability to solve problems, create new pathways, or to formulate new answers to tired, old solutions that were tabulated before you came along. One of the worst things you can ever say is "I've tried everything and nothing worked". To be honest with you that is giving up. Throw that phrase out, get with some positive, like-minded people, and soon you will find that you really have just reached the tip of the iceberg in the solution bank.
      Today's Flat Tire is about asking questions and not accepting the status quo. We too often accept things and move on to the next thing leaving behind opportunity and potential solutions that could possibly change lives for one or for hundreds. I'll end today's message with a story coming from research done decades ago involving some chimps and some bananas. Researchers placed a small group of chimps in a room that included a climbing rope with a dangling bunch of bananas at the top. As the chimps realized that the fruit was just a short climb away they began to climb up the rope. As each monkey neared the treasure grove of bananas a jet of water blasted the chimp forcing him to scamper back down the rope. Time after time the monkeys were greeted with the same water bath when they would climb the rope. Eventually none of the monkeys would attempt to climb the rope. Then the researchers took one of the chimps out of the room and replaced him with another primate that had not been in this situation. When this new chimp noticed the bananas he quickly made the move towards the rope. His fellow chimps wanting to spare him the anguish of getting doused with the jet of water pulled him down and would not let him climb the rope. One by one the researchers exchanged the chimps in the room and each time they continued pulling down the new member to their group in an effort to save them from a cold-water bath. At the end of the experiment, the room was filled with a group of chimpanzees that would not allow any in their group to make an attempt on the rope to obtain the desired fruit. The sad part is that no chimp in the room at that time had ever been squirted by the water, they were just going along with the crowd. Ask questions, seek answers, don't accept things as that's just the way they are, and for heaven's sake somebody tell me where do seedless watermelons get their seeds!!
Have a wonderful week and for those in the profession of educating our children, enjoy your summer break! You deserve it!
Coach Carter

Running on Empty

      
I have a bad tendency to run my vehicle down to way past what would be good sense practice. Most later model vehicles have low fuel warning sensors and several vehicles come equipped with a digital read out displaying estimated miles remaining in your tank. Not the case back in 1990, my little Ford Ranger doesn't even have a low fuel warning light! My best warning signal is when the fuel display needle meets the white line where the "E" is situated. I haven't run out of fuel to date, but I'm pretty sure if I keep pushing my luck and continue allowing the needle and white "Empty" line to blur, pretty soon that is bound to happen. Fortunately, there exists a quick fix for this situation which involves me taking the time to pull in to a gas station and fueling up L'il Red. We're lucky to have fuel for our vehicles so readily available and easily accessible, but what about your mental gas tank? Where do you go when you need a fill up?
      It's not as easy for us to refuel our tank as it is to fill up our car's tank. I mean you have to first find what truly energizes you, and then you have to find a source of that energy to tap. Too often, we are guilty of attempting to refuel on things of this world that actually end up dragging us down instead of providing us with energy to move forward. If you think sitting down on the couch and watching multiple hours of television will reboot your life, I sadly want to inform you that more than likely you won't come away from that experience with any additional positive energy. The majority of things promoted on television only serve to make us feel like we are missing out on what "everyone" else is experiencing, or the news or lack of news barrages us with the sad state of things in this world ranging from drug addiction, murder, hatred and even war. It just doesn't seem to be anything that could serve to energize us, no my friend television just doesn't seem to be the answer.
     How about social media and the wide array of options to check in, keep up, and check out what's going on around the world with our "friends"? The more I see on social media the less I want to be on it! I use Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to share Flat Tire Ministries, and Twitter as a resource for the successes of our students, but outside of that I rarely spend any measurable amount of time on social media. From what I gather it appears to be a platform for people to compare their lives to the lives of others and in many cases, create a false sense of reality for others to envy or duplicate. The "social" aspect of social media is in reality anti-social!
      What about money, material possessions, drugs, alcohol, or whatever it looks like as you attempt to keep up with the Jones'? Nope, nope, nope, nope, and a double nope! You might find temporary fixes in each of these, but it's like pulling up to the gas station and putting two dollar’s worth of gas in an empty tank. It will get you a little further down the road, but sooner than later you are going to need another pit stop to keep you going. If none of the things listed above will provide you with sustaining motivation and energy to reach your life's goals then the question begs, "Where should my strength come from?"
      Isaiah 58:11 provides us with the answer to that very question. When you are feeling run down, when you have hit a brick wall, when you can't see anything but a tunnel with no light at the end in sight, or even when you have fallen and you don't think you can get back up, we have this promise; "The Lord will always lead you. He will meet the needs of your soul in the dry times and give strength to your body. You will be like a garden that has enough water, like a well of water that never dries up." NLV.  This is where I find the strength to carry on and go forward in all situations and under any circumstances. You can knock me down, but you can't keep me down! I may fall 100 times, but I will get up 101 times or as many times as it takes to reach my destination. Just think about what Isaiah is promising here, if we will call on Him he will always lead us, when we feel like we are out of fuel in our tank He will give us the strength we need if we will only trust and believe, and the source of this inner strength will never run dry! If you possess this inner strength then you know what I am talking about. If you know where this strength comes from, but you have made the decision to fuel up at a different station then you can make a U-turn anytime you like and pull back in to the true filling station. If you are lost and trying to find a source of energy that will sustain your life, and never leave you wanting then our Lord and Savior is the one that can put a "tiger in your tank!" Don't wait for your tank to register empty before you seek a refill, look to the mountains from whence my strength comes from, my strength comes from the Lord the Maker of Heaven and earth! He is there waiting on you, is it time for a fill up?

Beauty in the Weeds

      
     This weekend I participated in the Panther Prowl 5K sponsored by one of our local high schools to support our Special Olympic athletes for their upcoming state competition. Great event and an amazing group of educators lifting up our student athletes. Go Olympians!! The course for this particular race was more of a cross country run set at Panther Creek State Park, hence the name Panther Prowl. For those of you that run on a regular basis this may be an understatement, but road running and trail running are two different beasts. Obviously, you have to be alert to traffic and potential potholes or breaks in concrete, but on a trail run the obstacles are all part of the run. Roots, rocks, washed out areas, and uphill/downhill jaunts make cross country runs so much more challenging.
     Another distinction between these two different types of running events is the scenery surrounding you. In most cases road races are marked with cityscapes of buildings, cars, and the road. Not that there aren't things to admire, but trail running provides a constant deluge of nature's beauty at its finest. That brings me to today's Flat Tire Ministries thought for the week. As I was running a stretch of the trail that was straight enough and flat enough to allow me to look around for a minute, my eyes caught a glimpse of a plant that had the deepest red purple stem. Nothing else remarkably beautiful about the plant, but that stem stood out in the midst of all of the wildflowers and ferns growing under the canopy of trees the woods provided. That made me start looking around even more to see what else I might be missing. What I found was that many times on nature walks, or runs in this case, we are looking for that magnificent wildflower that sets off the area with bright and vibrant colors. Many times, we see the weeds that are growing around the same area as a nuisance, a hindrance to the beauty of the wildflowers, but on this run I was able to see the beauty of the whole creation. The "weeds" partnered with the wildflowers to make the scene complete. If that same weed popped up in our manicured lawns we would pluck it out of the ground so quick because we wouldn't want it to mess up our beautiful green carpet. Yet, on the other hand, in nature that same weed compliments the flowers, plants, and other foliage. Without each part nature would not be as beautiful or complete. Sadly, we do the same with those that we might label "weeds" in our own lives.
      In education the portrayed, perfect vision is one of walking into a classroom and just like our lawns everyone is in their place, neat rows, books open, and hands crossed with eyes locked on the teacher. That is the image of a perfect lawn in the classroom. In reality, most classrooms I have ever been a part of are more like the forested area I ran at Panther Creek Park. Students come into our classrooms with complex and myriad issues each day. Special needs, economic challenges, disrupted family settings, and other learning challenges, in the manicured classroom would be called the weeds by some. Pluck anyone out of the room that doesn't fit perfectly into what is viewed as the "normal" child and I could do so much with my class is the view of the jaded educator. We have to remember just as the weed, everyone has a role to play, everyone is beautiful in their own way, and in the right setting everyone has a contribution to make to the classroom and also in society.
     Success, beauty, is a varied plant. It will look differently to each of us, and it’s true beauty can only be found in an area where it is appreciated and fulfills its purpose. In life, we must find that role for each person. There are no weeds in this life, there are only plants that need to find their purpose and then be appreciated for what beauty they provide. Too many times we make those that don't fit into the perfect mold of what society says is acceptable feel like they don't fit in, they don't belong and we want them plucked out of our flowerbed. In nature, the flowerbed is dependent on all of the plants to produce the beauty of the forest. It is our responsibility to assure everyone finds the place they fit instead of forcing them to fit into confines of our lawns.
       I Peter 3:3-4 tells us that, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." Keep this in mind as we go about our day walking about and doing life. We should all be looking beyond the outward appearance of someone and spend more time finding out about what is inside a person's heart. The flowers are beautiful to look at, but in nature the "weeds" are what make the scene complete! 
 Coach Carter 

 

"Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do"

     
In society, today the value of a hard day's work just doesn't seem to carry the same measure of merit that it did to previous generations. The creation of the computer and the advent of fully automated systems was designed to make life easier on mankind and allow us to experience more time to do things with our minds instead of our backs. In exchange, this new-found time would then allow men and women to use their minds to create new technology, medical advances, and even provide us with more time to spend with family and friends. Not so sure that worked out the way those geniuses that modernized the computer envisioned it! I'm just saying, in today's society we have the technology to find out information in the blink of an eye, we have robots that lift tremendous amounts of weight that before would have taken a number of men an extensive amount of time to accomplish the same goal. We have more time to devote to thinking, creating, and solving world problems, yet if you look around, you will find a population of people that are actually being less productive and more self-absorbed. The mindset of having more time to be more productive is definitely one that we should embrace, I'm just not so sure that we are taking advantage of our best and most productive asset, YOU!
      In Matthew West's song "Do Something" the singer starts out the song sharing his disgust and dismay with all the hurt and trouble that he sees all around him in the news and in his own life. He gets so upset that he shakes his fist at Heaven and shouts out "God, why don't You do something?". In response to this question God simply replies, " I did, I created YOU!" We are the answer to the issues of this world. We are to be God's hands and feet where we live, and I just don't believe we can as effectively accomplish this responsibility by going about our lives in the manner where we currently reside. "A day's hard work never killed anyone" is what I've always heard, and I am more inclined to agree with that statement each day that I live and breathe!
      The title of today's FTM is "Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do" which comes from a verse in the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon the author of this book was known as the wisest man on earth in his time and there are so many of his proverbs and sayings that we use today without even knowing their origin. In Ecclesiastes 9:10 Solomon moves us to action with this statement "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning, nor knowledge, nor wisdom. In other words, if you see something that needs to be done, what are you waiting for, because when you die it will definitely be too late to do anything about it then! Problem solving skills, yes, we need them for sure, but once we have a solution in mind, we need people to go out and execute the plan! We need YOU to go out and do something! Too many people looking around saying, "Why doesn't somebody do something to help?" Guess what you've got the question right, you just need to be asking it to yourself!
     Paul was a man of God and a man of action. His life after his conversion on the Damascus road created in him a call to relentlessly serve God and to spread the message of salvation and eternal life until the day he died. And that is exactly what he did. Two of my favorite verses that Paul penned are found back to back in the book of Colossians chapter 3. In verse 17 Paul encourages us the reader that "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through Him". So, here Paul tells us that whatever we are doing give thanks to God for the opportunity. That's coming from a guy that was imprisoned and beaten for the work he was doing. From a guy that was hunted down and almost stoned to death for his belief, and a man that gave thanks for the opportunity to serve God in all of those situations. Wherever his hands were found he went to work! The second verse is found in verse 23 where Paul speaking to slaves of the day that "Whatever you are working at, do it with all your might, and do it as you were doing it for the Lord and not for man." What this says to me is that it doesn't matter what your circumstances are and it doesn't matter how menial a task it might appear to be, go at it with all you have and give it your best!
     I believe we can definitely take some of Paul's advice and apply it to our own level of engagement. What are we doing with our time? What kind of effort do we put into getting the job done? Are we looking for more ways to get involved or are we numb to the opportunities that are staring us in the face? Do we spend the "time" that was created by computers and technology doing meaningful and intentional projects that will help our fellow man, or do we sit idly allowing the very technology that was created so we would have more time, to take up all of our spare time? We don't need to ask "Why doesn't somebody do something?" We need to be asking "What can I do? and then get started doing it!
Coach Carter

Don't Make Excuses, Make It Happen!

      My friend and mentor during my first year in my new position working in Career & Technical Education, KC Alvarado, recently added a quote from a legendary American entrepreneur and motivational speaker/author named Jim Rohn to her email template. (You know it's pretty common today for people to place a motivational quote, scripture, or saying at the bottom of their emails, just a hint, it might not be a bad idea to read a few of those every now and then, they generally have motivated the sender and often times may very well serve as a motivation to the reader!)I'm just saying... I enjoyed this quote so much that I have found myself relating it to my daily schedule and also to how I have responded to some not so cozy situations in my everyday walk. Mr. Rhon's quote goes like this, “If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse.” In today's FTM Thought we are going to take a look at how this simple yet powerful quote can propel each of us forward or how it just as easily can serve as an anchor to keep us exactly where we currently reside in life. Unfortunately the outcomes of how we live in accordance to this quote can actually take us backwards if we allow our minds to talk us out of taking some chances or accepting some challenges. Let's dig in a little deeper shall we?
      How true Jim Rhon's statement is. Think about it if you really want to do something you're going to make it happen. Of course I'm speaking from my own experience and positive mindset, but I guess some of you out there are stirring this around in your head thinking "you know I rarely ever have the opportunity to do something outside my daily, regularly scheduled day." Or you may be thinking, "well he doesn't know what I have going on, there are so many obstacles in my path that I just don't have the chances to do that thing that I have always dreamed of doing." Guess what? If you had those thoughts cross your mind you are exactly the person Jim Rhon was addressing with this motivational mantra.
     I'm guessing if you would take a few minutes to really think about all the things you have always wanted to do, but haven't you could make a list of reasons why you haven't successfully accomplished those goals. It may be that the things on your list aren't goals, but instead they are things that you need to do, but your escape mechanism is creating a boat load of reasons why you can't make them happen. Think about it, that's exactly what the quote in today's blog is all about, we don't actually want to do some things because they take us out of our comfort zone, or we don't really want to exert the energy needed to accomplish the goal that is set in front of us. When there is something out there that needs our attention, but we do not seize the opportunity, we convince ourselves that we don't want to do it. That is an excuse in itself. If you don't want to do something you will find a way out of doing it. Is that healthy? Is that what you were created for? I'm sorry, but I don't think so.
     I have to believe that there are so many things that are out there for me to still accomplish and I want to make sure that "I" am not the very stumbling block that will prevent me from doing those things I want to accomplish. On the cover of a writing journal I picked up the other day was a quote that read "I haven't been all around the world, but I have it on my list". Don't let yourself keep you from doing what you are intended to do in this world. It doesn't necessarily have to be traveling around the world, it can be as simple as going to visit a friend that you haven't seen in years. It's easy to talk yourself out of going on that visit if you don't really, really want to go. You'll convince yourself that you just don't have time to do that, you have deadlines, appointments, etc... and you just don't have time. Excuse, excuse, excuse. It is much easier to make an excuse and then not do what needs to be done, but that doesn't make it right or acceptable. You have to be able to stop, process your priorities, and then make a decision about what needs your attention or what needs to be done.
       Two scriptures come to mind when I think about today's message. The first goes out to all those that make their "escapegoat" self-deprivation. I can't do that because, I'm not strong enough, I'm not smart enough, I don't know how to do that, I don't have time, I've never been able to do that. Again, excuse, excuse, excuse, and excuse! Remember "If you want to do something you'll find a way!" My Bible tells me that "I can do ALL things through Christ which gives me strength" Philippians 4:13 (My emphasis on ALL), but I believe if Paul had an all caps button he would have used it there as well. You may not get it done like the textbook explanation describes it, but if you want to see something become a reality, you can do it! That just doesn't apply to work or maybe sports, this scripture says ALL things. Your family, your marriage, your children, your goals, your challenges, or overcoming the tragic events that happen in your life are all subject to this verse in life's motivational guidebook. If it is important enough to you then you will find a way to make it happen. Stop, if you are saying well that isn't important to me so that is why I'm not going to do _____________, then make sure you aren't lying to yourself and that the "I don't want to attitude" isn't your fall back excuse in all of life's not so comfortable situations. That happens way too easy for way too many people!
     The other scripture that comes to mind is one I refer to frequently when I start to tap out with an excuse of I can't do that. Psalm 121:1-2 reminds me that "... my strength comes from the Lord, maker of Heaven and Earth". If my strength comes from God then how could I ever make the excuse that "I can't" do whatever it is I'm about to bow out of due to lack of skill, time, or resources? If you have a personal relationship with the Creator of Heaven and Earth, then what exactly can He not do in your life? What right do you have to limit His power or His authority over all things that exist? Trust and believe, dig in deeper, pray harder, trust longer, and hold tight to your faith and hope. You can do all things "through" Christ, that is the key. On our own, yes we are limited to what we can do, that is why we usually make excuses, because we are thinking about the likelihood of us being able to do things on our own. If that is where you are residing, you are right, you may have more than an excuse to fall back on in your decision-making process. Yet, if you know your Maker and you believe in Him, then you do not have an excuse to make, you just have to hold tight and never stop believing. 
     My prayer for each of you today is that you have a relationship with your Maker, and if you don't that you will seek Him, He is always there and you will find Him if you only look! Once you have that relationship established, a true relationship that is based on spending time together with your Lord and Savior, your list of excuses will start to fade and your list of accomplishments will start to grow. May this week be a week of saying "Yes I can" and "yes I will"! GO, GO, GET"EM GO!
Coach Carter

Neither In Nor Out is Just Stuck in the Middle

     I was taking advantage of a light schedule and the beautiful spring weather yesterday by changing the oil in my truck, doing some planting and pruning, and eventually mowing the grass. You know when you're busy time sure seems to get away from you! Well that's exactly what happened as my afternoon was quickly creeping away and the backyard was still lying out there needing to be mowed before Sunday's weather forecast delivered it's rain showers. As I was finishing up the front yard, my eagerness to take as few swoops as possible on the back and forth pattern landed me in a little bit of a predicament. It appeared to me that the last swath of grass could be taken down with one final pass, but as I started down the line it quickly became obvious that the stretch of grass was wider than my mower's blade width. Problem was I had it in my head that I could somehow make this work. Much to my chagrin, what ended up happening was two small lines of grass remained, one on each side of the mower as my failed attempt to run down the middle unfolded. What I had envisioned as one last passing, created two additional turns. As my mind works, this little visual provided me with the impetus for today's Flat Tire Ministries Thought. Being in the middle is not the place you want to be found in most situations and definitely in our faith.
     Standing on a fence post you find yourself neither on the right side or the left side of the fence, you my friend are right in the middle. Believing in God and following God are two different sides of the fence. The Bible is quick to point this out "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." James 2:19. So if believing there is a God is one side of the faith fence, what does the other side look like? To me it's all about trust and hope. If we trust that God has a plan for our lives then our faith will play out completely different. In our struggles, when we face adversity or afflictions this is where our faith begins to display itself. When you have a firm foundation cast in faith, you will trust that everything that happens, happens for a reason bigger than ourselves or our ways of thinking. When our trust is fortified and tested the end result is an undying hope that whatever the purpose of the events in our life is, it is meant to be of a benefit for myself or for the benefit of someone else I may or may not even know. That is hope in action. Jesus spoke of this type of hope in the parable of the house built on the firm foundation. "Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock" Matthew 24-27. This is why so many people collapse when calamity visits, there is no hope to be found in just believing that there is a God, you must have faith and that faith can only come through trusting that God is in control, and then moving forward with the hope that the outcome of whatever you are facing is going to be exactly what is supposed to happen. 
     Standing on the fence post or mowing the grass down the middle isn't the answer and won't get the job done, we must make a commitment to trust in God or to trust in man or self. It may be my opinion, but I just don't think that's the way to peace or progress in your life. As a matter of fact the Bible actually speaks about those that are stuck in the middle of their walk of faith in Revelation 3:15-16 "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." That doesn't have to be the case for you or I. We don't have to face life alone, we don't have to walk in the middle of the road, that's where you will get ran over! No, if you have faith it will also have works. Faith alone without works is dead, that is what is found preceding the scripture in the same chapter of James that was referenced earlier in this post about faith. James 2:14-18.
Trust, builds hope, and hope builds faith, and faith will carry you through whatever life throws your way! Believe and proceed! 
Coach Carter

 
     
    

Serving Up Compassion

     My heart was broken this week. On Thursday, April 5, 2018 some form of immigration raid ended up taking place in our home town of Morristown, Tennessee. This is not a political blog nor do I intend for it to become a politically charged post based on emotions and stances. What I do plan to share with you today are the acts of human compassion that have taken place since the events of April 5th. Human beings, families, students, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and grandparents were all potential targets of this tragic incident. To think that a child could go to school happy and content just like any other normal school day and by the time the dismissal bell rang at 3:00, her world had been turned upside down completely, this blows my mind and does not register in my head. Her mother had just been detained and now stands to be deported out of the United States, leaving her daughter all alone here in a country that she now believes does not want her either. This was the story over and over on that day, which is a travesty and a challenge for our elected officials going forward. Today's Flat Tire Ministries Thought is not about what our government needs to do or not do, no today's FTM is about what transpired after the detainment occurred and is still going on as I sit to write this posting.
     What happened gives me hope, what took place warms my soul, it encourages me to always remember that you and I can make a difference. You may only be one person, but what I have seen is so many individuals joining together to form what can only be labeled as an extended community effort joining forces in support of human beings in a complete act of selfless compassion. Place yourself in their shoes. Life turned upside down and no way to figure out what is going to happen next. I can't give you a visual picture that would do justice to the look of dismay that I witnessed, but I can share with you the compassion that was on display as educators, community members, businesses, restaurants, legal support systems, and yes even children came to the need of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
     To say it was amazing wouldn't do it justice, but the outpouring of contributions, donations, and volunteerism has been a point of pride during this moment in our community. It isn't a political thing, it is a human being thing, it is a Christian "thing" if you want to get right down to it. If you don't believe me go to the textbook of those of the faith and read the parable that Jesus shared in Matthew 25:31-46. In this parable, Jesus compares all people from all nations to sheep and goats. He goes on to explain that God will one day place the sheep in his right hand, and the goats will be placed on His left hand. For the ones on the right, His sheep, he will be able to identify them because they fed Him when He was hungry, gave Him something to drink when He was thirsty, and provided Him somewhere to stay when He was without a bed to sleep. The "sheep" will say to Him "When did I ever do this for you Oh Lord?" And here is where it gets interesting, Jesus will reply "When you did this for the least of mine, you did it for me." That is what I saw on display and am still seeing it this weekend as members of our community and other neighboring communities continue to pour out food, clothes, and other support items along with a generous amount of compassion for our fellow man.
     I'm not expecting some type of outpouring of donations due to this blog being posted. No instead I am hoping that you can feel a twinge of empathy for your fellow man and understand that doing something is what we are supposed to do. Giving your time, donating supplies, supporting those in need are all means by which you and I can share empathy for our fellow man, woman, and child. It is my prayer that you will be moved to share of your time and your resources. Oh, but what about the goats in the parable? At the end of the story Jesus shared that the goats, were the ones that didn't feed Him, clothe Him, or support Him in His time of need. This group was also oblivious and asked when did we not give to you? To which Jesus basically said, " When you didn't do that for the least of mine, you actually didn't do it for me."
Compassion is real when you pair it with empathy, not sympathy. Put yourself in the shoes of someone else. Thank you to each and every person that has contributed to the families of this event. As I stated before, we aren't talking about whether this is the right thing or not, that needs to be settled through our judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government, but the matter of what should we do to support our fellow man that answer is pretty simple and clear. If you are doing something to help the least of our ranks, you are hitting the target, do something today to help those that are in need.
Chuck