Author: Leland Acker

Stop shaming grief

I never mourned the death of a celebrity. That is, I never mourned the death of a celebrity until one that I could identify with passed suddenly without warning.

On this blog, I posted how the death of Tom Petty shook me, and how it marked the passing of an era in my life.

I was never a fan of Kobe Bryant. I never followed his career, nor was I ever inspired by his actions on or off the court. I’m not being critical, I had just left the NBA. For me, pro-basketball died with the retirements of David Robinson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and the breakup of the Chicago Bulls.

Yet, I know that others could see themselves in Kobe the same way I saw myself in Petty. It’s that level of identification that sells tickets, merchandise, and music.

When news broke that Kobe Bryant had been killed in a helicopter crash along with his 13 year old daughter Gianna, with whom he shared his love of basketball, I saw a tragic tale of the death of a loving parent and his beloved child. There’s a lot to be said for that. I saw an inspirational storyline.

Yet, I understand that others have a deeper affinity for Kobe and his family. And to them, his sudden death stings like Petty’s death stung for me. It’s the loss of a role model, an inspiration, the passing of an era and the death of a special one.

And there is legit grief attached to that.

So, if you’re mourning the death of Kobe, you’re okay. Mourn, but do so healthily.

If you’re not mourning Kobe, good. Do the rest a favor. Don’t shame those who do on social media, or in person either.

Yes, there were 7 other people on that helicopter, and their lives were important. On the same day, we lost soldiers in combat, first responders in the line of duty, and hundreds died of cancer.

All those lives were important. However, we cannot expect people to mourn those they do not know, or expect people not to mourn those they did know for the sake of those who did not.

Grief is personal, and at times, people have a moment. Let them have that moment. Let them grieve. Let them reflect. Let them heal and learn, and let them move on.

It’s a Biblical concept that has been colloquialized in the phrase, “mind your own business.” We are all learning and growing.

Be blessed.

Chan: Forget it, I’m out!

In his final address to the students at Azusa Pacific University, former megachurch pastor Francis Chan announced that he is leaving the United States to pursue ministry in Asia.

In his message to the students, Chan noted that the people of Asia are open to the Gospel and cleaving to the Lord. He compared his ministry in the United States to fishing in a fishing hole that was over-fished, such that the fish no longer bit the lures. As part of his message, Chan expressed frustration at the way scripture is being de-emphasized and how more people are building beliefs on what feels good rather than the truth of the Bible.

“We only believe what we want to believe!” Chan said. “Name one thing in the Bible that you believe that you don’t want to believe.”

He went on to say that there is absolute truth, and that truth can be found in the scriptures.

Chan exhorted students to take the Bible at its word, and not to try to twist its meaning through endless word studies. He criticized the way the current generation (as all generations have) rejects prior wisdom, believing they have found their own wisdom.

“Are you ready to surrender to the Word?” Chan asked. “Let God be true and every man a liar. If your thoughts contradict this book, then you need to come under this book and change your way of thinking.”

The entire message is posted above.

I’ve been silent too long

Apparently I’ve barely blogged in 2019.

Actually, that’s not true. I’ve done a lot of work on my church’s site, The Point.

Still,

Since my last post on this site in February, a lot has changed. I left Blue Sky Entertainment and Sunny 97.9 FM on May 1. A huge business opportunity collapsed, and in a major career shift, I became a chaplain for Interim Healthcare Hospice of Texas and New Mexico. That job has not only transformed me, but has also given me a new lease on life.

I have backed away from politics. I still believe in limited government, personal liberty, and the right to pursue your dreams and advance your station in life (a.k.a., the Pursuit of Happiness.) However, watching, and engaging in the political arena over the past two years has taught me a lot.

The political parties have lost their minds. They advocate for policies that are unworkable at best, and downright sinister at worst. The Democrats are trending more toward socialism, and the Republicans want to abolish CPS. (Seriously, it’s in the Texas GOP platform.)
Politics today is not driven by a desire to move our country further toward peace and prosperity. It’s driven by hate toward the other side. Both major parties’ platforms include planks designed to undermine their opponents.
Lip service is king. Action is non-existent. When the GOP assumed control of the House, Senate, and White House in 2017, the mantra of “repeal and replace” in regard to the Affordable Care Act was exposed for the farce that it was. The GOP had no plan to actually repeal and replace, and the electoral victory of 2016 shined a spotlight on that hypocrisy.
Tribalism reigns supreme. It’s our side versus their side. And you’re either with us fully, or completely against us. If you plan to be involved in the work of a political party (GOP, DNC, or Libertarian), prepare for a never ending regiment of loyalty litmus tests.
The debate went from analyzing facts vs. facts, to facts vs. feelings, to feelings vs. preconceived notions. The truth no longer exists in mainstream forums.

So, I have stepped back from the day-to-day political fury, and have focused my efforts on my Spiritual walk, my ministry, and furthering my education (pursuing a business degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.)

My silence since February has given me time to think. And I look forward to sharing those thoughts with you in the coming weeks. God bless.

If you could go back…

16708472_10211627013496723_1898660107827657514_n During the 2016 Presidential campaign, Donald Trump introduced a slogan that continues to be his trademark well into his presidency, “Make America Great Again.” This slogan indicates that the President is looking back at America’s history, and seeing a time in which America reached its peak, and that he wants to return it to that status. So, on my talk show, I asked my audience, “When was America at its greatest? If you could go back in time and live at any point in America’s history, where would you go?”

What I found was that my audience tended to look back on their adolescent and young adult years as the best years in America’s past. Those who came of age in the 1950s wanted to go back to the 1950s. After all, everything was cheap, good jobs were easy to find, and it was so easy to dance to Buddy Holly and the Crickets. Those who were in their 40s and 50s tended to gravitate toward the 1980s… the years they were in high school or college. Again, good music, good movies, the country was prosperous, and times were simpler. My 30-somethings liked the 90s. Same themes… good music, good movies, prosperous times and a simper life.

Everyone longs for the “good ole days,” but were the “good ole days” really that good?

Sure, the 1950s provide a good postcard for freedom and prosperity in post-war America. Hamburgers, Homes, Cars and Rock and Roll. However, the 1950s were not a good decade for the African-American community, who, having come home after fighting the war, found themselves once again being locked out of the new American prosperity. Hence, Dr. Martin Luther King’s statement that in a sea of prosperity, African-Americans found themselves on an island of poverty.

Furthermore, the 1950s saw an increasing threat from the spread of communism, war on the Korean peninsula, an ever-growing threat of nuclear annihilation, polio, and a political system that was rapidly becoming more volatile. People living in the 1950s lived under the constant threat of instantaneous and unexpected annihilation. Yet, they continued with life, and look back on those days with happy memories.

The 1980s saw American prosperity and good culture as well. Like the 1950s, there was even a Spiritual revival. Yet, the 1980s saw the last great standoff with the Soviet Union, manufacturing being outsourced, costing American jobs, AIDS, crack, homeless veterans, a mental health crisis, the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion, inner-city gang violence, and the rise of drug cartels.

The 1990s saw all of that, along with the emergence of the internet, the rise in global terrorism, domestic terrorism, mass shootings, job outsourcing, and the economic boom sparked in the 80s began to unravel. Plus, we were cursed with NSync and the Backstreet Boys.

Don’t get me wrong. Being a teenager in the 1990s was loose and carefree. So was being a teenager in the 1980s. Heck being a teenager in the 1950s was an okay proposition. But, the fact of the matter is that we can neither return to those decades, nor can we become teenagers again. Even if we could, we’d be disappointed to find that major problems existed, even back then.

To live the human life is to live with problems. They’re numerous, and they’re critical. As Agent K said in Men In Black, “There’s always an Arquillian Battle Cruiser, or a Corillian Death Ray, or an intergalactic plague.” The key to finding the peace and serenity you seek in returning back to the glory days is to understand that, and to be able to live your life in spite of that. The key to doing this is to understand that God is in control of all things, and that you can trust Him to manage the uncontrollable events of your life.

If you master this, and if you learn to be thankful for the good things in your life, you will always be living in your glory days, regardless of your age, or what decade it is.