This is the last name of a young baseball player in the minor leagues who was traded to another team for a few bats. Really. A few bats. It made the news in the not too distant past and quickly became fodder for the late night comedians, and nearly everyone laughed about it, including Mr. Odom. Some time later this story was revisited when the young man was found dead, the result of a downward spiral of drugs, alcohol, and self-destructive behavior.

The facts as stated are a sad tale, but I mention this story because of the preponderance of views expressed in various blogs which I read at the time. They fell into two distinct camps: First, those that portrayed this a simple case of a young man addicted to dangerous drugs which led to his demise; and second, those that made a connection between his early death and the rough, if not humiliating and even de-humanizing treatment he had endured, but only as a sign of character weakness on his part: a kind of social Darwinism at its most extreme. Wow! Did I hear that correctly?

Well, no one really wants to be his 'brother's keeper,' but that I submit is our lot in this life: What we do and say influences how folks view themselves and their place in this world, and the reverse is equally true. In all the verbal traffic surrounding this saga, I remember one exceptionally quick and insightful quote: "If you tell people enough that they're not worth anything - one day they'll start to believe it." And when they believe it, ladies and gentlemen, that is a sad day, and one that many of us can help avoid for the people whose lives we touch.

"Heavenly Father, In the gift of speech you have given us much power: Help us to open our mouths and speak kindness and caring, and empathy and encouragement to your children on this earth. Amen."

I rarely delve into the world of international geo-politics, but Iran has made the news quite a bit of late: First, by continued advancement in its determined nuclear development program, which has now reached the stage of producing weapons grade uranium; and second by the increasingly sophisticated weapons delivery options at its disposal, for example, long-range rockets capable of striking targets far from its borders.

Of course, we have been hearing this news for many years. And for years nothing much has happened, except that Iran has quietly, but persistently marched ahead. The Iranians have officially maintained that their nuclear development is for peaceful purposes only, to be occasionally interrupted by their president who has, and continues to make direct and reckless threats against both Israel and the United States. All, while the international community has done little; because, candidly, there is little that can be done.

This is a complex situation, made more difficult by the Iranian leader's belief that he himself, is a divine and destined agent on this earth: not as a light for peace among all peoples, but rather for violence and retribution against God's children, Israel; through whom Yahweh chose to bless the whole earth, even to the sending of his only Son, to do His will.

"Lord, give this world's leaders wisdom and courage to pursue peace, knowing that you yourself will call them 'Children of God'; and give the rest of us the wisdom to seek your face and the courage to do your bidding while we await your joyful return. Amen."

This is the process whereby often well-intentioned people, trying to be helpful, manage to once again make us feel even worse. It's a pandemic. Simply stated, the belief is that we create our own luck, and therefore bad luck, by the things we say, or do, or our mindset, or how we're able to channel our energies. It sounds reasonable. Of course, at its most basic level, there is much truth, in a generic sense here; but taken to extremes, this view once again leads to increased guilt and misplaced fault at the foot of the sick, or hurt, or injured party. How?

I've witnessed this many times: folks with serious health problems, including cancer, have been blamed for their disease, due, not to smoking, or life-style choices, or bad genetics, but to metaphysical concepts: for example, lack of proper thinking, or too little faith, or failure to mentally ward off a certain disease at its inception. This type of mindset can be found in the fringes of Christianity, often in fundamentalist sects, but is rife in the "self-help" crowd. I maintain, it's not so convincingly true when one of these 'self-appointed prophets' gets sick! The result of all this mental machination, taken to extremes, is to blame poor folk for their plight, and the depressed for their lack of motivation, and the chronically ill for their frailties. How then, may I ask, do we manage to blame children, the blameless among us, when they are ill? I submit, we are better friends, and people are healthier, both physically and mentally, when we simply try to help: by healing, and nurturing, and binding the wounds that need binding - without judgement.

"Lord, Help us to be willing to help those around us whom we can, being the kind of friend we would want, when in need. Amen."

Well there certainly does seem to be a preponderance of bad news of late. The headlines confirm what many of us know: that the economy at this time is still severely challenging for millions of folks. Many of us too have our own health struggles, some quite serious - and sometimes we are facing these without a great support network. Add to this, the difficulties some of our loved ones are enduring - through bad choices, or just plain bad luck - and you've got the recipe for a lot of stress, with no quick fixes.

Then, there is the gospel: the Good News. The news that tells us that someone loves us and cares for us with an everlasting love - the one who is still in charge; add to this the eternally compelling image of the cross - that the Lord of Glory died to demonstrate this love for us - a symbol so powerful that it transcends all the ups and downs of this old world and our own personal struggles; and lastly, the profound reality that the same power that brought Jesus back from the dead is working in us and through us, in holy mysteries we seldom now understand, but that one day will become clear.

"Lord, Thank for you sending us Jesus, the one who bought us back from our sins; and your Holy Spirit, the one who brings us back to our senses. Comfort us now, while we wait for the full joy of your presence, where there will be neither sorrows nor tears. Amen."

One of those highly touted character traits - often lauded, but seldom seen? On the contrary, I have seen quite a lot of it, but I submit, so often applied incorrectly.

Perhaps you too have witnessed this curious phenomenon: Otherwise good folks, who might fall into the category of the meek and mild-mannered, who live far from the spotlight of controversy, rise to the occasion to do something out of their character: something really AWFUL! How disappointing, yet not at all un-familiar.

Looking for that elusive silver lining, it shows that most of us do have within us the capacity for extremes of behavior: If that potential could only be channeled for good, think of how the world would change. As things stand now though, the results are predictably grim: First, by taking the low road, we not only fail to demonstrate faith - the belief that God can and is taking care of us - but worse, often participate in behavior that is not even in our own best interest, but merely satisfies some past petty grievance, or sadly, is done merely to fit in with the peer pressure we all experience from time to time, creating confusion and unhappiness and insecurity among our family, friends, and colleagues, who happen to be the recipients of this behavior. The will to evil is often, lamentably, stronger than the will to good. Lord, have mercy.

"Holy Lord, you, who were able to save Daniel from the hungry mouth of the lion, give us the courage to do the right thing; at least when it is obvious and easy. Amen."

This is a psychological process whereby we "project" our own unacceptable feelings, unconsciously, to another person.

For example, I feel and express:
"Billy has been so distant lately, he must be resentful of me on some level."

Reality:
I have been jealous about Billy's new car, and have placed distance between us. Because this is, generally speaking, an immature and uncharitable response to Billy's good fortune, I would be uncomfortable acknowledging it - even to myself. Thus I project this feeling,
and its consequences onto Billy, allowing me to distance myself from him, while making Billy the culprit in the process. Mission accomplished.

Forgive me indulging in this sort of discussion, and please note I am not a psychologist, but I witness this sort of behavior frequently and I think it undermines what God is trying to build up: You and me: the body of Christ. Of course, we are not aware of this behavior, because that would defeat its purpose: But I think we could find it, even in ourselves, if we started to look for it.

"Lord, you who have given us the Spirit of truth, help us to apply its keen wisdom to our own hearts and devices, confident that you are able to sustain us, and renew us in your image. Amen."

as a man can get."

These are lyrics to a new song that speaks once again to the subject of the prodigal son, and how the prayers of loved ones and God's faithfulness conspire to overcome a life of bad choices and sometimes even bad luck.

The song also addresses the indifference and lack of tangible help many of us experience, often when we need it most, and how the Lord is able to speak clearly to us when we can hear no one else's voice.

verse 1
well i woke up one morning in a distant land
as far from god as a man can get
a bloodied lip and a broken hand
as far from god as a man can get

and the folks who wore their sunday best
who's smiles concealed some secret mess
could only say: "now go; be blessed"
when i was far from god as a man can get

verse 2
so i grabbed my bootstraps and pulled up straight
as far from god as a man can get
but i never was able to bear that weight
as far from god as a man can get

and my friends who said "just look inside"
these trials are only states of mind
could offer neither bread nor wine
when i was far from god as a man can get

chorus:
but my momma and daddy were the praying kind
and only god knows how much time
on their knees every day- with their tears through the night

verse 3
well i didn't have to travel far
as far from god as a man can get
cause the lord he'll meet you where you are
as far from god as a man can get

and he taught me how to stand again
and when to fight and when to bend
and how it feels to have a friend

when i was far from god as a man can get
i was as far from god as a man can get
now i'm as far from all that as a man can get

we needed jesus
to bring us home
to deal death a deadly blow
he knew we couldn't make it out of here alone

we needed love that didn't count the cost
but looked with mercy on the lost
blood and love together on a cross
that's why we needed jesus

...has passed away. Known to millions of people worldwide for her comedic work on "Golden Girls," she was a versatile and talented actress in other genres as well.

I mention this, because I had the good fortune to meet Rue at her New York apartment a couple years back. Although I was rather nervous about meeting a bona fide celebrity at first, I found her to be warm, and inviting, and she quickly made me feel truly welcome in her home, as though we had been good friends for years. Soon she asked me to play her piano, and not long after we were discussing collaborating on a music project - as she had an idea for a theatrical production. Sadly, this will now have to wait for another time and another place.

As we celebrate her life, I reflect on the words of another great American lady, Maya Angelou, who said, and I paraphrase: we may not always remember all of a person's work, but we will well remember how they made us feel. Through the warmth of her spirit and her ability to make us laugh, Rue did about as much as any of us can do, and that is leave this world a little more joyful than when she found it. And ladies and gentlemen, that I submit, sounds like a good thing for all of us to aspire to. Amen.

We all remember this from grade school: the strip of paper that tells us when something is an acid or a base, based on its pH. It is an expression too, for deciding when someone is good enough to be in our little sphere, or part of our special clique, depending on how someone looks, what kind of car they drive, who his or her Daddy was, or perhaps if they can be helpful to us. At is most elemental level a litmus test can be OK, because there are a few bad characters out there in the world we need to avoid. But of course, for most of us, most of the time, this is just another way of establishing social boundaries, and this is not always good.

Why? First, we're not always good judges of what is good. Many of the most publicly lauded people I have known, were not always such grand folks when the cameras were not rolling. Remember that thing Jesus said about the first being last, and the last first. Secondly, none of us was asked whether to be born - much less whether rich or poor, black or white, free or indentured, and the list goes on. Ergo, God wants us to give thanks with a grateful heart for the good things he has blessed us with, and part of that involves looking with grace on those who have less of this world's transitory goods. Thirdly, it limits our own creativity: The world is full of talented, and decent, and humble people from whom we can learn much, and perhaps with whom we can share some of our own unique experiences, enriching all of us.

"Holy Lord, you who taught us that in Christ there is no east or west, no north or south, but one body joined together with you as its head, help us to serve and honor your brothers and sisters in the faces of all those whom you allow to cross our paths. Amen."

2010 is the year for the world renowned "Passions Spiel," or "Passion Play" in the quaint and charming town of Oberammergau, Germany, deep in the heart of Bavaria. I had the good fortune to see the play recently and will tell you it was very moving, and beautifully produced, and is highly recommended. One thing I found particularly interesting in this presentation was the 'somewhat' more sympathetic portrayal of Judas Iscariot. This brings me to the subject of betrayal.

Virtually none of us has escaped this phenomenon: From friends and family, from lovers and loved ones, from trusted colleagues and even 'trusted professionals,' most of us have, from time to time, experienced some form of betrayal. This can take shape to everything from mere costly incompetence - to gross deceit, and machinations, and even character assassination. In more severe doses, it can lead to long-term issues with trust and relationship building, in addition to a host of physical manifestations. And all this comes at the hands of people who are supposed to be on our side!

Yet we look at Judas, and then ourselves, and we find our own shortcomings: Failures of courage and acknowledgment, sharing blame when it would better rest squarely on our own shoulders, and lack of commitment to our own vows and professed ideals, even when it disappoints those we love most, including the one who suffered the ultimate betrayal at Judas' hands. Mercy me.

"Lord, you who tasted the bitterness of betrayal, even to the drinking of the cup of your passion, help us to forgive those who have hurt, and then abandoned us. Amen."

This is the process whereby we admit what we have done to injure or offend someone. It is, firstly, a simple admission of facts. And while the facts in any situation, naturally, lie in the eye of the beholder, this is also a great opportunity to do some soul-searching. Remember, that one of the great lies in the world is that everything is just another shade of grey: This may be the most important and powerful lie fostered by the father of all lies.

It can be a painful process for the one admitting, because none of us likes to admit we have done something to offend, especially to the person or persons we have wronged. We all want to convince ourselves, and others, that the question at hand is always just another shade of grey - a simple misunderstanding or misperception. While this may certainly be true, healing, as many psychologists have well-demonstrated, often begins with acknowledgment, and often cannot take place without a clear admission of the facts. If you want to enrage a holocaust survivor - deny the reality of the holocaust! Nothing is more insulting, yet this is the easy path that most of us take, most of the time.

"Holy Lord, you who encouraged us to admit our faults to one another, help us to bring healing and wholeness to your wounded world, even at the risk of injuring our own pride. Amen."

Well the South sure has been inundated as of late. Lots of good folks have suffered and this ain't good. The rebuilding will take some time, and this with everyone pitching in.

To do my part, from now through the Fourth of July, I'll be contributing $1. to local relief agencies for every CD sold through my website or at the world-renowned "Air 2 Art" studio in the quaint hamlet of Greenbrier, Tennessee. Together we can help. And help is needed while this historic old town, known affectionately as "Muzak City," on the banks of the Cumberland dries out.

So, do yourself and your neighbor in need a favor, enjoy some uplifting music, and be an Ark for someone special today! Noah would thank you, and so do I!

This is the phenomenon whereby otherwise intelligent, articulate adults - some well into middle age - allow his or her parents, or perhaps "spiritual mentors" to run, and sometimes even ruin their lives, personally and even professionally. It is harmful for the "adult -child" because it strips him or her of their identity, robs them of the ability to form meaningful relationships, and keeps them in a constant state of upheaval, fearful they may do something to rock the boat that'll keep them out of the will, or out of heaven, or otherwise force them to stand on their own two feet.

It is usually practiced, and often too-artfully, by unhappy queens, codgers and control freaks on both sides of the Atlantic who have no lives of their own, but figure since their kids don't seem to mind, they should live vicariously through them. Plus, of course, it's an intoxicating power trip. As you can well imagine, all this drama leaves folks more confused than a Vanagon full of fundamentalists at a Billy Carrie Pre-Jean King rally! Jumpin' Jehosaphats Batman! Fear not though, there's usually enough secondary gain out of all this to fill up the bleachers at a Benny Hinn healing crusade. But, at the end of the day, it's unhealthy for everyone concerned.

I mention all this because were coming up on "International Stop Co-Dependency Now Week," an event hailed by luminaries, dignitaries, and visionaries too numerous even to mention here, but summed up in the memorable, if somewhat over-used and oft-misquoted yarn: "Just say No - to Co! Co-dependency that is."

Seriously folks, this is a real problem for otherwise well-intentioned, but stuck in the vicious cycle of co-dependency addicts who long to breath the free air of, well, NO-dependency. For those who think I'm full of beans, God dealt with this issue head-on in the second chapter of Genesis. Read it. So there. I've said it. Godspeed to us all.