Best Guy On Radio

Colin Cowherd is the best guy on radio right now. If you don't listen to him - you are missing out. Very funny & intelligent, with a great command of radio. Good insight on culture as well as sports. Highly recommended.

The Sea Lion

I love John Eldredge. The following is from The Journey of Desire which is one of my favorite books. Many a times this piece has encouraged me...

• Once upon a time there lived a sea lion who had lost the sea. He lived in a country known as the barren lands. High on a plateau, far from any coast, it was a place so dry and dusty that it could only be called a desert. A kind of coarse grass grew in patches here and there, and a few trees were scattered across the horizon. But mostly, it was dust. And sometimes wind, which together make one very thirsty. Of course, it must seem strange to you that such a beautiful creature should wind up in a desert at all. He was, mind you, a sea lion. But things like this do happen. How the sea lion came to the barren lands, no one can remember. It all seemed so very long ago. So long, in fact, it appeared as though he had always been there. Not that he belonged in such an arid place. How could that be? He was, after all, a sea lion. But as you know, once you have lived so long in a certain spot, not matter how odd, you come to think of it as home.
• There was a time, many years back, when the sea lion knew he was lost. In those days, he would stop every traveler he met to see if he might help him find his way back to the sea. But no one seemed to know the way. On he searched, but never finding. After years without success, the sea lion took refuge beneath a solitary tree beside a very small water hole. The tree provided refuge from the burning rays of the sun, which was very fierce in that place. And the water hole, though small and muddy, was wet, in its own way. Here he settled down and got on as best he could.
• Had you journeyed in those days through the barren lands, you might have seen the sea lion for yourself. Quite often in the evening, he would go and sit upon his favorite rock, a very large boulder, which lifted him off the burning sand and allowed him a view of the entire country. There he would remain for hours into the night, silhouetted against the sky. And on the best nights, when the wind shifted to the east, a faint smell of salt air would come to him on the breeze. Then he would close his eyes and imagine himself once more at the sea. When he lay himself down to sleep, he would dream of a vast, deep ocean. Twisting and turning, diving and twirling, he would swim and swim and swim. When he awoke, he thought he heard the sound of breakers. The sea was calling to him.
• The sea lion loved his rock, and he even loved waiting night after night for the sea breezes that might come. Especially he loved the dreams those memories would stir. But as you well know, even the best of dreams cannot go on, and in the morning when the sea lion woke, he was still in the barren lands. Sometimes he would close his eyes and try to fall back asleep. It never seemed to work, for the sun was always very bright. Eventually, it became too much for him to bear. He began to visit his rock only on occasion. "I have too much to do," he told himself. "I cannot waste my time just idling about." He really did not have so much to do. The truth of it was, waking so far from home was such a disappointment, he did not want to have those wonderful dreams anymore. The day finally came when he stopped going to his rock altogether, and he no longer lifted his nose to the wind when the sea breezes blew.
• The sea lion was not entirely alone in those parts. For it was there he met the tortoise. Now this tortoise was an ancient creature, so weathered by his life in the barren lands that at first, the sea lion mistook him for a rock. He told the tortoise of his plight, hoping that this wise one might be able to help him. "Perhaps," the tortoise mused, "this is the sea." His eyes appeared to be shut against the bright sun, but he was watching the sea lion very closely. The sea lion swept his flippers once against his side, gliding to the end of the water hole and back. "I don't know," he said. "It isn't very deep." "Isn't it?" "Somehow, I thought the sea would be broader, deeper. At least, I hoped so."
• "You must learn to be happy here," the tortoise told him one day. "For it is unlikely you shall ever find this sea of yours." Deep in his old and shriveled heart, the tortoise envied the sea lion and his sea. "But I belong to the sea. We are made for each other." "Perhaps. But you have been gone so long now, the sea has probably forgotten you." This thought had never occurred to the sea lion. But it was true, he had been gone for a long, long time. "If this is not my home, how can I ever feel at home here?" the sea lion asked. "You will, in time." The tortoise appeared to be squinting, his eyes a thin slit. "I have seen the sea, and it is no better than what you have found here." "You have seen the sea!" "Yes. Come closer," whispered the tortoise, "and I will tell you a secret. I am not a tortoise. I am a sea turtle. But I left the sea of my own accord, many years ago, in search of better things. If you stay with me, I will tell you stories of my adventures."
• The stories of the ancient tortoise were enchanting and soon cast their spell upon the sea lion. As weeks passed into months, his memory of the sea faded. "The desert," whispered the tortoise, "is all that is, or was, or ever will be." When the sun grew fierce and burned his skin, the sea lion would hide in the shade of the tree, listening to the tales woven by the tortoise. When the dry winds cracked his flippers and filled his eyes with dust, the sea lion would retreat to the water hole. And so the sea lion remained, living his days between water hole and tree. The sea no longer filled his dreams.
• It was in May that the winds began to blow. The sea lion had grown used to wind, and at first he did not pay much heed at all. Years of desert life had taught him to turn his back in the direction from which the wind came and cover his eyes with his flippers, so that the dust would not get in. Eventually, the winds would always pass.
• But not this time. Day and night it came, howling across the barren lands. There was nothing to stop its fury, nothing to even slow it down. For forty days and forty nights the wind blew. And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped. The sea lion lifted himself to have a look around. He could hardly believe his eyes.
• Every single leaf had been stripped from his tree. The branches that remained, with only a twig or two upon them, looked like an old scarecrow. And I do not need to tell you there was no longer any shade in which to hide. But worse than this, much worse indeed, was what the sea lion saw next. The water hole was completely dry.
• Three weeks after the wind ceased to blow, the sea lion had a dream. Now, as I told you before, there were other nights in which he had dreamed of the sea. But those were long ago and nearly forgotten. Even still, the ocean that filled his dreams this night was so beautiful and clear, so vast and deep, it was if he were seeing it for the first time. The sunlight glittered on its surface, and as he dived, the waters all around him shone like an emerald. If he swam quite deep, it turned to jade, cool and dark and mysterious. But he was never frightened; not at all. For I must tell you that in all his dreams of the sea, he had never before found himself in the company of other sea lions. This night there were many, round about him, diving and turning, spinning and twirling. They were playing.
• Oh, how he hated to wake from that wonderful dream. The tears running down his face were the first wet thing he had felt in three weeks. But he did not pause even to wipe them away; he did not pause, in fact, for anything at all. He set his face to the east, and he began to walk as best a sea lion can.
• "Where are you going?" asked the tortoise.
• "I am going to find the sea."

Cyncism

"To all the people watching, I can never thank you enough for your kindness to me and I'll think about it for the rest of my life. All I ask of you is one thing: please don't be cynical. I hate cynicism - it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen." -Conan O'Brien-

I will miss the Conan O'Brien version of the Tonight Show. Personally I think he is a lot funnier than Leno or Letterman. His final show last week Friday was awesome and finished well. I have been stuck on his words of encouragement before joining Will Ferrell for a hilarious version of Free Bird to end the show. I do not understand why I tend to be so cynical. There are obvious factors such as my relatively young age, being an American, and growing up having a lot of things. But why I choose to take a bitter, pessimistic outlook on situations, people, and things must mainly come because I choose to be a cynic. That choice, like the choice for many people, comes from not getting everything I think I should get. This is more then just stuff. It includes opportunities, experiences, and "good luck." For whatever reason, when denied anything I feel like I am deserved it leads to adding more bitterness to my life. I don't know how to break through it all - other then to simply stop being cynical. Cold turkey. No more cynicism. We'll see how it turns out, but for now I am simply thankful for the encouragement Mr. O'Brien.

Polarizing

"He [Tweed] did everything on a grand scale and left a trail of clashing images: the outgoing, backslapping leader uniting the city and helping the poor; the conniving schemer lining his pocket and monopolizing power; the victim of politically driven prosecutors; the guilty architect of the largest municipal fraud in history. Tweed proudly insisted he had always kept his word, even while fixing a vote or skimming a contract. In the end, even after his epic crimes becasem public knowledge, people respected his integrity, especially in facing his accusers, serving time in jail, and, in the end, confessing his guilt. It made him an oddly moral man for the most outrageous thief of his generation." (Ackerman, Kenneth D., Boss Tweed: The Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conconceived the Soul of Modern New York, New York: Carrol & Graf Publishers, 2005).

Polarizing. I just finished Ackerman's excellent study on the life of William Tweed. In a general look back in history, all we see is a man who stole millions (today's billions) in graft & illegal contracts. A man who destroyed the financial structure of New York City. A man who died in prison - a place he earned a placement in. Yet, as the book pointed out - there is far more to the man, myth, and legend of Boss Tweed. His perceptions on politics, leadership, corruption, and people were ingenious if not outright devious most of the time. I found myself strangely supporting the guy even as I read accounts of his thievery. On one hand, I cheered some of his actions on, while on the other hand I supported Tilden & Co. for bringing him to justice. In the end, I am left looking at a guy who not only polarized politics in 19th century New York City - but also polarized the inner feelings of people then and now alike. If nothing else, we learn that charisma, wit, and personality go a long ways in winning the hearts of people. And that is the greatest path towards success.

No Space for Politics

I like the announcement of former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush coming together and being commissioned by current President Barack Obama to spearhead a relief effort for Haiti. This is a time to set aside political differences and discover that in joining together we form the best opportunity to help. Politics do not have a place in relief & compassion. If we could only realize that more often - perhaps we could help the people of this world out a lot better.

Hate

I am still in shock over the brutal and senseless words of Pat Robertson the other day in regards to the tragedy in Haiti. How a person could speak out against a people in utter misery and to essentially applaud the death and destruction as an act of God in revenge is beyond belief. The worst part is that Pat continues to be the spokesperson for those who claim to follow the path and ways of Jesus Christ. Of course, many believers will say he does not represent them - but until there is a unifed stance by the church against people like him, we will continue to be lumped in with losers like him. I see nothing but hate, evil, and a lust for attention when Pat Robertson speaks up like he did. And for what gain? What possible good does it to bring up his own personal beliefs? Throughout the Bible we see a God who who is passionate about the hurting & downtrodden. Even in the midst of our worst depravity - sin - we see a God that desires above all else, reconciliation. Right now is a time for love, care, and compassion. What the people of Haiti need - is for the the world to embrace them in their sorrow and anguish and help them. Money, supplies, time, and prayer should all be sent to Haiti. Instead, Pat used his time to spread a message of pure hate. Way to go Pat. You just showed us who Jesus Christ is not.

2010

I recently finished a book on Leonardo da Vinci. Although the book was only so-so, there were some interesting things I discovered about Leonardo (the guy was totally unreliable - literally most people figured he would not finish a project when they gave it to him). The two things though that stuck out the most to me were Leonardo's views on: experience & opportunities. As 2010 starts, I find myself in pretty much the same position I was in during 2009. I believe I am afraid and I therefore never take opportunities as they present themselves. The consequence is that I never experience anything beyond that which I feel completely comfortable with. The downside is that I think I miss out & will continue to miss out on so much. Charles Nicholl uses a quote from Leonardo in regards to opportunitism where Leonardo stated, "fortune must be grasped by the hair as she passes - not a moment too late, for behind she is bald." I think that is an incredibly true axiom for life itself. If I fail to grab it in the moment - I'll lose part of it forever. 2010 cannot be another year I simply let slide by. I must make this year different by taking on new challenges, experiencing new paths, and most of all, seizing hold of each moment and not being afraid to do what I truly think I am suppose to do with my life. The only alternative is to simply "keep on keeping" and realize my life is but a mere use of time.

Greed

Poland itself survived its difficult birth and even flourished for a time. It had not won back all its historic territories, but it was still a big country and it had its window on the Baltic. These gains, however, came at a huge cost. The powers, even the French, thought the Poles greedy and feckless. And its neighbors had much to resent: Lithuania, the Vilna region; the Soviet Union, the 150-mile-wide strip of what had been Russian territory; Czechoslovakia, the conflict over Teschen; and Germany, the corridor and Danzig. In the summer of 1939 Poland disappeared from the map yet again. -MacMillan, Margaret. Paris 1919. New York, 2001., underline mine-

Greed is a funny thing. It creates within each of us a desire for more and more while feelings of justification that all the excess we desire - we simultaneously deserve. Even when others [including our friends & allies] point out our selfishness, we tend to retreat to our own selfishness that they must be wrong and do not understand the pains we feel or why we deserve more. I cannot help but identify with Poland in 1919. It understandably wanted its own country and right to exist. It understandably had past grievances & injustices that it wanted paid back. Yet in its quest for all that it "deserved," Poland became alienated by creating hostility & resentment from all those who surrounded it. Eventually this lead to its downfall. What is the cost of all our greed and selfishness? At what point have we overstepped our boundaries in our quest to get all the injustice done to us paid back? In the end is it really worth it to us to gain while creating resentment all around us? Unfortunately, greed blinds our eyes and hearts to seeing the devastation we cause by the pursuit of self. Poland paid dearly for it. What will the cost be in my life for all my own greed?

Time

So I love the new show Modern Family on abc. It is so hilarious. The interesting thing about it is the hidden nuggets of truth that get expressed almost by mistake it seems. A few episodes back, the character Jay (Ed O'Neill) mentions in regards to being a dad to his step-son the line: "90 percent of being a dad is just showing up." That line has stuck with me ever since. Today marks the second straight day of being off of work. I took Thursday off and today is my one day off during the week. The boys and I have had so much fun wrestling, playing Transformers, playing Hulk & Spiderman, watching Phineas & Ferb, and eating (a favorite boy activity in our house). Throughout it all I have realized that what my boys need more then anything else is simply for me to show up. They need my time. We have had so much fun together and I realize it has all been by the simple idea of spending time with them. Too often with my job, extra schooling, and taking care of tasks I forget that my kids (and my wife!) need my time more then anything. I cannot say that I will be perfect at this going forward - but I definitely realize just how good of a dad I can be by hanging out with my kids. They need it, they love it, and I benefit the most from it.

Temperament

Most of us develop our Christianity along the line of our temperament, not along the line of God.

-Oswald Chambers-

The above quote from Oswald Chambers forces me to ponder two things. The first is: what are the key characteristics of of my temperament? In pondering this I suppose it would be far more useful to ask others what they know/observe instead of simply trusting my own flawed opinion about myself. We tend to be terrible observers about ourselves and therefore I might shave off the rougher edges of my temperament. The second would naturally be: how is my Christianity impacted based upon those key personal temperament traits? I think this is critical because my natural emotional, physical, and mental traits can easily block and destroy the path of true discipleship in my life despite my thinking I am actually representing Christ. What does it all mean? I think it forces me to confront my own failures and limitations as a person. Not only because they are weakening me as a person but also because they taint the view of what it means to be the ultimate person I know I need to be.

Is "hope" an accomplishment?

So President Obama is the latest Nobel Peace Prize Award winner. In talking about the award, Obama himself admitted it was not given "as a recognition of my [Obama] own accomplishments." So how does one win an award for not doing anything. I'm sorry but that is is like giving the Cy Young Award to Stephen Strasburg simply for being picked number one and having a good college career with electric stuff. The word award equates to giving something that is due or merited - so based upon his own admission - Obama does not deserve to win it. Since when has "tone" become the standard for peace in the world? And I question as to whether or not he has really brought a radical shift of hope to this world.

He called the receiving of the award as a "call to action" and you better believe it is. If the world was ready to crucify (and rightly so in some regards) Bush for his "Mission Accomplished" banner speech - then the world better be prepared to condemn President Obama if he fails to deliver on all that he has so greatly promised. As an American I want to see this hope. I want to see economic recovery. I want to see the anti-peace actions of Iran, North Korea, and of course Afghanistan brought to an end. I want to see all the tales that Obama weaved for us while running for office come true. Because in the end that is what will mean peace - not some falsified vision of peace as dictated by "giving hope."

Apparently the committee giving the award thinks it is rare for someone to give us hope - but in the end hope only lasts so long. What we need in this world is results & accomplishments. President Obama may sweep us all off our feet with his great speeches, style, and charisma - but in the end all I care about is results. The bottom line. If that cannot be delievered - then what is the point of the Nobel Peace Prize anyway? In the end - maybe that is my issue. Barack Obama never asked to receive this award - maybe the real question is why do we even care about an award that apparently has lost all of its meaning and intended purpose?

Struggle for Supremacy

"The local war between Austria and Serbia was connected with Franz Ferdinand & Sophie, but the Great War was not; the world war, which was not really the same conflict, was caused by the struggle for supremacy among the great European powers. The desire to be number one may have been a deplorable reason for starting a war, but it was neither surprising nor puzzling that it was what motivated the powers. Germany deliberately started a European war to keep from being overtaken by Russia." -David Fromkin-

In the ninth chapter of Luke, we see that the disciples began to argue amongst themselves as to who will be the greatest of the disciples. Jesus rebukes them and gives them a principle built upon the physical example of a child stating, "For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest." I cannot help but think of this example from Christ as I study the maelstrom that developed into World War I. You have a bunch of different nations and groups of people all concerned about power and the need to be respected. Each of them willing to go to war in order to protect themselves and their stature amongst the European world as well as eventually the entire world. Millions of lives would eventually falter as a result of leaders and nations unwilling to take second place to anyone else. I then reflect upon my own life and see the destruction that the desire to be "number one" has caused in my own life. I am no different then the disciples or even guys like Berchtold, Falkenhayn, Conrad, Grey, Jagow, or Moltke - in that I am more then willing to fight when it concerns my status yet unwilling to lay down my life, status, or prestige for the sake of the greater good. How many people have I hurt? How far have I strayed from giving Christ true Lordship of my life? How much have I simply missed the point of being a disciple - simply because the struggle for supremacy is the banner I most often fight under. Is it ever my intention to be "the least" as Christ calls me to be? Would the conflagration of WWI have started if the leaders of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Serbia, France, and England been willing to take the path of humility? What destruction could I avoid if I sought the path that Christ called for instead of the path tread by the European powers of 1914? These are the questions I wrestle today as I seek to learn from the past instead of repeating it for the future.

Shake It

So potty-training kids has to rank up there with taming wild bears or wrestling alligators. It took forever with Trenton. The easiest method ended up being letting him pee on the wall outside. Eventually that turned in to being able to go in the toilet - but he definitely still prefers a wall, tree, or anything outdoors. So we decided to start with Sawyer. He is still pretty young, and unlike some parents we aren't overly militant with training regiments. But nevertheless, we figured it would be a good idea to start to slowly break him in. Well he has been doing pretty decent and is showing signs of understanding the process. My favorite part though has been watching Trenton give him helpful hints along the way. This is how it went today...

Sawyer: "Dad...pee, toilet"
Dad: "Ok - good job at asking"
Sawyer: "I do it" (as he refuses help in pulling off his undies or in getting up onto the big toilet)
Dad: "Fine - just don't whiz on the seat, point the rocket down"
Sawyer: "Done" (as he finished peeing)
Trenton: "Hey shake it Bobby (as he still calls Sawyer), shake it!"
Sawyer: "Shake it, shake it"

So now Sawyer has been trained by his brother to finish each pee session with a shake to get out the last drops. Good to Sawyer learning from the wise-old-sage Trenton.

Commitment to Courage

The Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in 1918 was Sir Douglas Haig. In one of the final offensives launched by the Germans, Haig gave a message to his troops. It stated, "With our backs to the wall and believing in the justice of our cause, each one of us must fight on to the end...Every position must be held to the last man. There must be no retirement." It would become one of the most famous directives given in the Great War. A couple of months later, the same tenacity would be shown when U.S. Marines were encouraged to retreat along with the French soldiers at Belleau Wood. Captain Lloyd Williams replied, "Retreat? Hell, we just got here." [Thx to John Keegen & M.E.S. Harries for the stories]

What I love about both stories, is the commitment to courage being displayed. Retreating & retiring were not options. The only option was to stick their ground and fight for what they believed in. In the face of adversity - they chose to keep going. I admire that spirit and desire it for my own life. How many times have I duck & run when adversity and struggles hit? How many times have I allowed fear to dictate my response to situations? If I truly believe in what I am doing - why shouldn't my response be to stand my ground? Too often when my back is against the wall I choose to simply roll over and die. This is probably for a variety of reasons, but the primary one seems to center on my lack of commitment to courage. Until I can learn to overcame that, I - unlike the soldiers under Haig & Williams - will never learn to defeat the obstacles and challenges in my life.

In proving foresight may be vain

Plans. Goals. They are absolutely necessary, but what happens when they go askew? What happens when on paper your plan looks great - but when reality hits you realize that success does not have a chance. How do you modify your plans when bumps come along the path of life that prevent your plan from working? The German Empire had the Schlieffen Plan in tow. On paper it would have crushed France in 40 days which would theoretically keep England out of the war and allow the German Empire to concentrate on breaking down Russia (which it would eventually do with help from the Bolsheviks). But problems along the way prevented that from happening and the Germans went from a succesful war strategy to trench warfare to losing and getting devastated in the aftermath of "peace." I can resonate with the German Empire. Sometimes I struggle with even thinking plans & goals - because so often life prevents obstacles that I just cannot be prepared for. My plans go to as they say "hell in a hand-basket" so often that I question the point of plans. I get stressed out in making new plans because I fear those to will fall apart. And yet I know that plans do prevail sometimes. So how do you go about making the right plans? And when even the best plans go askew what do you do to keep going on? For now I read Robert Burns and realize even the best schemes...can bring grief & pain.

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,

In proving foresight may be vain:

The best laid schemes o' mice an' men

Gang aft agley,

An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,

For promis'd joy!

Send It On

Ridiculous how a Disney song can get stuck in your head to the point that you actually start liking it. While watching Phineas & Ferb with the boys, I kept hearing the song "Send It On" by Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, and the other two chicks that I don't know. Well now it is stuck in my head and I find myself singing it. My goodness what has the world come to.

Superar

Evaluation of enemy strength is not an absolute, but a matter of piecing together scraps of reconnaissance and intelligence to form a picture, if possible a picture to fit preconceived theories or to suit the demands of a particular strategy. What a staff makes out of the available evidence depends upon the degree of optimism or pessimism prevailing among them, on what they want to believe or fear to believe, and sometimes upon the sensitivity or intuition of an individual. -Barbara W. Tuchman-

It is impossible to pre-determine the decisions a person will make in any given situation. As people, when faced with decisions and situations we often deploy a variety of strategies and thought processes based upon a number of circumstances. I am fascinated by the notion that in a tough situation - how much my decision making has already been made up. Preconceived thoughts predicate certain actions to be more likely, while the degree of optimism (actually more likely pessimism with me) cant tilt me further or closer towards one side of those notions. The questions becomes, though, how do I make the best possible decision when I know that my preconceived thoughts, potential fears, and pessimism might all betray my ability to make that best possible decision? In other words, can I make a decision that is divorced from the forces within me that would unwittingly lead to a poor choice? A study of history showcases a long line of men & women who were unable to do so and thus sealed their doom/fate. The strongest decision makers seem to be the ones who are able to master themselves and rise about their own deficiencies in the process of decision making. Easier said then done.

Sangfroid

I hate Kobe Bryant. There are many reasons why, but in the end I think it comes down to the fact that he maintains sangfroid so well on the basketball court. I envy that ability to have "cold blood," as the French call it, in moments of stress, high pressure, and anxiety. Faced with everything on the line, Kobe wants the ball. He is willing to take that shot - even though failure and the complete letdown of the team has a better then 50% chance of happening. I don't have that ability. Given the choice, I would take the safe route and zone of comfort 10 out of 10 times. In the end, I don't suffer the humiliation and pain of failure but I die a little bit more each day. You see I cannot maintain sangfroid - because when given the opportunity I run from it. In the end the net of safety I have put up will keep me from falling hard - but it will also keep me from living the life God designed me to live. What I must ask myself, then, is what's the point of life???

Thanks Mitch

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival." -C.S. Lewis-

I had the opportunity to hang out with my good friend Mitch this morning. He helped me by coming out of his way to help with re-doing my blog. Thanks Mitch! I'll continue to tinker with it and hopefully start blogging more.

Based on actions

I read an article on CNN today about a guy who was sentenced to life in prison for murdering his wife. The story is awful. I wanted to throw up hearing how a man could savagely murder the person who should have meant the most to him. What was interesting in the article was how his family and loved ones continously tried to portray him as this incredible guy - "a church-going, gentle man who always went out of his way to help others." Yet in one act all of that was changed. The prosecuting lawyer (Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda) said it best, stating, "Unfortunately, the best example we have of his character is in what he did. This shows his best character." There is no BS with actions. What you do defines you - and often times it is in those greatest moments of weakness that you show who you are. So many times in life I have experienced people telling me one thing - but by their subsequent actions showcase who they truly are and what they truly think. Its hard to believe you have faith in me if everything you do (and say behind my back) is to the contrary. The same goes for my very own life. I can say this & that - but in the end if my actions reflect something else, what are people to believe? It might not be fair to base assessment off of the poor choices we make - but ultimately those speak as much if not more volume to the people we actually are. So the question is who are you? Does the evidence support it?