Max Lucado

NOTE: This is an updated version of the blog originally posted 2/24/16. This expanded version was published 2/26/16 by the Washington Post.

As the father of three daughters, I reserved the right to interview their dates. Seemed only fair to me. After all, my wife and I’d spent 16 or 17 years feeding them, dressing them, funding braces, and driving them to volleyball tournaments and piano recitals. A five-minute face-to-face with the guy was a fair expectation. I was entrusting the love of my life to him. For the next few hours, she would be dependent upon his ability to drive a car, avoid the bad crowds, and stay sober. I wanted to know if he could do it. I wanted to know if he was decent.

This was my word: “decent.” Did he behave in a decent manner? Would he treat my daughter with kindness and respect? Could he be trusted to bring her home on time? In his language, actions, and decisions, would he be a decent guy?

Decency mattered to me as a dad.

Decency matters to you. We take note of the person who pays their debts. We appreciate the physician who takes time to listen. When the husband honors his wedding vows, when the teacher makes time for the struggling student, when the employee refuses to gossip about her co-worker, when the losing team congratulates the winning team, we can characterize their behavior with the word decent.

We appreciate decency. We applaud decency. We teach decency. We seek to develop decency. Decency matters, right?

Then why isn’t decency doing better in the presidential race?

The leading Republican candidate to be the next leader of the free world would not pass my decency interview. I’d send him away. I’d tell my daughter to stay home. I wouldn’t entrust her to his care.

I don’t know Mr. Trump. But I’ve been chagrined at his antics. He ridiculed a war hero. He made a mockery of a reporter’s menstrual cycle. He made fun of a disabled reporter. He referred to the former first lady, Barbara Bush as “mommy,” and belittled Jeb Bush for bringing her on the campaign trail. He routinely calls people “stupid,” and “dummy.”¹ One writer catalogued sixty-four occasions that he called someone “loser.”² These were not off-line, backstage, overheard, not-to-be-repeated comments. They were publicly and intentionally tweeted, recorded, and presented.

Such insensitivities wouldn’t be acceptable even for a middle school student body election. But for the Oval Office? And to do so while brandishing a Bible and boasting of his Christian faith?

I have no inside track on the intricacies of a presidential campaign. I’m a pastor. I don’t endorse candidates or place bumper stickers on my car. But I am protective of the Christian faith. If a public personality calls on Christ one day and calls someone a “bimbo” the next, is something not awry? And to do so, not once, but repeatedly? Unrepentantly? Unapologetically? Can we not expect a tone that would set a good example for our children? We stand against bullying in schools. Shouldn’t we do the same in presidential politics?

Could concerns not be raised about other Christian candidates? Absolutely. But the concern of this article is not policy, but tone and decorum. When it comes to language, Mr. Trump is in a league of his own. “It is out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks,” Jesus said.³ Let speech befit the call. We, as Christians, would do well to summon any Christian leader to a higher standard. This includes pastors (especially this one), teachers, coaches and, by all means, presidential candidates.

All of them.

I was having a conversation with a member of may family that will remained unnamed.  That person mentioned the fact that they did not feel that as their parent I was proud of them.  Maybe another way of saying it would be that I was more proud of one more than another. 

As a modern day parent how does one proclaim their pride in their children from the roof top without being a total ass.   

So as I sit and think about that I have just a couple of questions.

Where can a parent that is proud of his child state that so the world can see it?  I know of people that spend a significant part of their lives promoting how bright, knowledgeable, accomplished, and perfect their children are.  Regardless of they are Making sure the proper pictures are posted on the right website.  Making sure the magazine or local newspaper has access to the latest and greatest event . . . significant or not . . . that will make them a star. 

Well!  It's election time again and the Clintons are out and about pressing the flesh . . . no pun intended especially for Bill.

It always gives me the willies about how they can do things so blatantly against the law showing poor judgement, real criminal activity, collusion, selling access, and nothing stick . . . I think they are two of the most ethically devoid people I have seen BUT GREAT POLITICIANS

Onyx the Wonder Dog

A mutt for a mutt.

This was my life long pal Onyx.

We got her from friend as just a normal mutt puppy We soon realized that she was a puppy full of worms and diseased . . . yes Sick as a DOG!!!

Marilyn fed her and nursed her back to health and even though Marilyn was initially responsible for her health, even her life, to me, she became MY dog.

The kids grew and so did Onyx. She grew physically to her full height (about knee high at the top of her head) and developed a life long love affair with chasing green fluorescent tennis balls. She loved them and would chase all thrown balls, even those hit with a tennis racket until she was unable to run another step, lay down for 90 seconds, and then run until unable to move again.

As our kids matured they did what all kids are supposed to do. They graduated from high school and prepared for things afterward.

The girls went off to bastions of high education. The boys served the Lord as missionaries.

As my children went off; Onyx, my true blue pal stayed right with me.

She was patient and understanding, always happy to see me, truly thrilled for just bit of attention usually in the form of scratched ears and tummy