Super Bowl Week Post- Get the Kleenex

In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy, was busily working when a new voice came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register 4. Kurtis was almost finished, and wanted to get some fresh air, and decided to answer the call. As he approached the check-out stand a distant smile caught his eye, the new check-out girl was beautiful. She was an older woman (maybe 26, and he was only 22) and he fell in love.
Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by the punch clock to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him, took her card and punched out, then left. He looked at her card, BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road. Next day, he waited outside as she left the supermarket, and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She simply said it wasn't possible.
He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn't afford a baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following Saturday. That Saturday night he arrived at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The baby-sitter had called and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, "Well, let's take the kids with us."
She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not taking no for an answer, he pressed. Finally Brenda, brought him inside to meet her children. She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis thought, then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair. He was born a paraplegic with Down Syndrome.
Kurtis asked Brenda, "I still don't understand why the kids can't come with us?" Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman with two kids, especially if one had disabilities - just like her first husband and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary - - - he had a different mindset.
That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him. When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the end of the evening, Brenda knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life with.
A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children. Since then they have added two more kids.
So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl? Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona , where he is currently employed as the quarterback of the National Football League Arizona Cardinals and has his Cardinals in the Super Bowl. Is this a surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person.
It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. He has also been the NLF's Most Valuable Player twice and the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player.

August Rush- Great Movie

My wife and I watched an incredible movie on Saturday night, its almost a guarantee if Hollywood misses a movie, and says its not that great, then you know its a can't miss. The only disclaimer, the first scene is not appropriate for young, impressionable viewers, because it clearly glorifies a one night stand between two very beautiful people. Although, when I brought this up with my wife, she made a great point, she didn't feel the movie glorified it at all, because the main character loses her child for 11 years, and loses what could have been true love for 11 years, that's not glorifying anything. It makes the point though, that sex is Good and powerful. The analogy is of a fire, when a fire is lit in a fireplace, it has the power to warm an entire house. But when the exact same fire is lit in a forest, it has the power to destroy. When the fire of sex happens in marriage, it has the power to hold two people together for a lifetime, and give warmth. But outside of marriage, it has the power to destroy.

But back to the movie, because our lives don't always go according to plan, and we all fall, that's why we need a savior, and God can bring incalculable good out of the worst situation. The child in the movie, is a music prodigy, he is a child that in most instances would have been headed for an abortion. I think its important to realize how many musicians, how many scientists, how many great moms, etc., did not see their first breath because of abortion. Some in the pro-life community don't like making this point, because they will say "what about the babies with disabilities, with handicaps, that will never cure a disease, will never compose a symphony, never lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl (That's what the Pro-life community says in Philadelphia) these children with disabilities also deserve to live, so to highlight all the greatness that we missed out on through abortion, misses the point all together, that life is always valuable," I agree with all of that, but there are gifts that God freely gives that make life better for everyone, and its fair to say, and in my opinion important to say, that because of legal abortion, we are missing the gifts that a life can bring us. But again, God can bring incredible good out of anything, and our culture has really been most unfair to women who have decided to have an abortion, so for anyone who may read this, who has been involved in an abortion, there's hope and peace for you as well. One of my closest friends, was involved in 3 abortions before his conversion, and since has spent his life doing and living what St. Paul said, "charity covers a multitude of sins,",and I know has found great peace in the mercy of Christ.

Lastly, the movie highlights something dear to my heart, the power of music. There is a mystery in music that fascinates me. It has the power to literally heal us (think of all the times that music has brought joy to your life), and the power to harm us (think of the power that heavy metal music holds on people). Its amazing that Gods gifts are often this way. But truth be told, we wouldn't want it to be any different, because if we took the risk out of life, the risk out of God's gifts, we would lose the power and the mystery when we use God's gifts the right way. That's why prayer is so important, that we give our heart to Jesus, and allow Him to transform it, and allow Him to show us how to use His incredible Goods for truth, and beauty.

So Much to learn from the Greatest Generation

Two great men that I knew well died last week, both were in their mid 80's and part of everything that was important about "The Greatest Generation". I also picked up for the 2nd time Tom Brokaw's book recently, which has really gotten me thinking about this generation in America. But before I go into everything to be emulated and admired, I need to say that this generation was far from perfect, and people much smarter than I am need to write a book about why this incredible generation of Americans were unable to pass on their faith and their culture to the coming generations. To be fair, much of this wasn't their fault, but my wife had an interesting perspective, she believed that because The Greatest Generation suffered so much and watched so much suffering during The Great depression, and World War II that they wanted to shield their children from all forms of suffering, and the easiest way to do that is to give material comfort. Sadly, the root cause of much of the rebellion in the following generations may be due to the effects on the soul of being a spoiled child. John Paul II stated, "If you want your kids to be happy, teach them austerity," The opposite could also be stated, "If you want your kids to be sad and rebellious, give them anything they want,". Spoiled kids have a sense of entitlement, and they rarely take responsibility seriously, making happiness at best very difficult.

That is why this current economic crises can really be an opportunity for our country spiritually. What has struck me about the Greatest Generation is their constant gratitude and their simplicity. Even their music was cheerful, if you listen to a 40's station on the radio, everything is bright and alive, this during a time that was incredibly difficult. Listen to the music of this decade, even at its best, it is way to dark, and narcissistic, this at a time that materially has been the easiest in human history. When it came to their families, how they viewed work, everything led back to gratitude. My wife and I love going on vacation to Florida, just to be around this generation, and even with the physical suffering of old age, you can see the gratitude in their eyes. They took responsibility seriously, knowing that with hard work and God's Grace anything is possible. The thing to learn is what the Greatest Generation knew so well. People and love make us happy, mere things do not.

Protector- Part of Man's DNA

I got this thought over the weekend listening to a talk by Jim Stenston, on his website parentleadership.com. He made a statement that really struck me, that a huge part of a man's identity is built on his role as protector! That doesn't mean that women don't see their role as a protector, but its built into the life of a man, its something that should give a man great happiness, because God clearly made men in this way to protect. I am always telling my boys, "God gave you, your strength so that you can protect your mom and your sisters," I say this partly to build them up, but also to protect my daughters, because both of my older sons have realized very early that they are much stronger than my daughters. Again, God does not make mistakes, so He either made men physically stronger so that they could dominate women, or He made men physically stronger so that they could protect and serve.
This is a point that doesn't get made enough in explaining the life of chastity for men. Because Chastity does not stop at marriage, Chastity is a life long virtue. Plus, the beauty of being human, that we choose our identity, if we did not live our calling to protect women in the past, we can begin anew today. I really believe that pornography would go out of business if men looked at their identity in this way, as someone who protects. Because it would become very difficult after a while for men to continue lusting after women in a magazine or on the Internet if they saw their role in life as someone who was put here to protect that women.
It is so liberating to see yourself in this light, as someone who protects, because every time we do, we are affirming who we are as men. While every time we act against our nature and play the role of predator and not protector, we weaken ourselves, and weaken our joy!