Cattleman’s Association
January 19, 2012 — Dothan, AL
SAY – Thanks to Richard Meadows for inviting me to speak to your group tonight.
SAY – I have given many lectures and speeches over the years and when Richard asked me to come here tonight, I began trying to figure out what to say to you.
I have to admit that I struggled greatly to come up with my topic for presentation.
At first, I was going to go with a comforting, non-threatening political speech, but this isn’t a political event.
Then it hit me,
“Why are we fighting amongst each other about the appropriate color of shoes, when we have no feet?
That will make sense (hopefully) during the presentation.
BUT FIRST
SAY – Why should I listen to this guy?
I have been an audience member in a whole bunch of “guest speaker” presentations. If I didn’t seek out the speaker for a specific message, I always wonder, “Why should I listen to this guy?”
Well, folks seem to like titles, so I will tell you some of experiences and titles:
EXPOUND & SAY –
- provided leadership and developed several organizations
- studied psychology and counseling for many years
- traveled to 10 different countries
- worked for each phase of government to include local, state and federal with my last employment being a contract employee for the DOD and Department of Military Affairs in Florida
- And this June will I begin my 20th year as a counselor.
SAY – Over the years I have collected and earned many titles. I will share with you the 4 most important in the order of importance from HIGHEST to LEAST.
- Ø Son
- Ø Husband
- Ø Father
- Ø Citizen
Son – I am a prodigal son. If you remember the story in Luke 15:11, I strayed and came home.
I would argue that we all, collectively, have become the prodigal sons.
SAY – Church attendance is in decline and those proclaiming to be faithful or even followers of Christ are in sharp decline.
READ:
Three generations ago the percentage of attending believers was about 65%.
The next generation fell to 35%
The following (roughly present generation) is 15%
AND the rate for current teenagers is about 4%
SAY – I wonder when the prodigal children will come home.
Well, there may be a small glitch in this. The story in LUKE, tells of someone who was in the “fold” to begin with. What we are seeing is a bunch of sheep wandering that has never seen a shepherd, much less the manger. And today I fear that those who are saying that they are shepherds are often times WOLVES.
It draws to mind an analogy created when discussing the condition and fixes for the youth of America and the decline in discipline, structure, etc.
In these settings, people often speak of getting these young people “back on track”, but frankly, too many of them have never seen a track.
SAY – How do you put a train back on tracks that don’t exist?
SAY – My second most important title is:
Husband –
As of 2010, according to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, married couples had fallen to barely 51% of U.S. households, with a full 5% drop in new marriages between 2009 and 2010 alone.
Father – According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in November, 2009, there were approximately 13.7 million single parents in the United States today, and those parents are responsible for raising 21.8 million children (approximately 26% of children under 21 in the U.S. today).
Combine – Husband and Father topics into condition of the family over the past 20 years.
Expound and Elaborate –
SAY – The last title I have that is important is that of citizen.
Citizen – The economic ills we suffer have come about over decades, not years.
If no one is capable of governing himself, then who has the ability to govern others? Our government has no power except that which is given by the people.
SAY – These four titles: SON, HUSBAND, FATHER and CITIZEN are what I believe will give us the legs and feet to stand on in this country.
BUT the surgery won’t be easy.
If you excuse my inability to memorize, I would like to read a passage from the Bible:
READ –
Deuteronomy 6:10-15
And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your father, to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob to give to you — with great and good cities that you did not build and houses full of all good things that you did not fill and cisterns that you did not dig and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant — and when you eat and are full then take care lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. You should not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you — for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God — lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you and he destroys you from the face of the earth.
TELL JOKE: Little Johnny…
Our country isn’t lost forver, just in need of a good map and a few guides.
SAY – That is why I am talking to this group!
Cattlemen and Farmers know what it is to work, to be responsible to do extremely difficult things, often with little or no gratitude from those receiving the fruits of their efforts.
SAY – Folks – We can’t look to the law to tell us right from wrong.
The basis for law changed in the 1870’s from having the Christian framework to follow to that of case law. (EXPOUND???)
THE WAY FORWARD –
My father was born in 1914. I am not sure, but I think my grandfather was dead before the turn of the 20th century. I know what it is to be taught to be respectful and defer to authority. I know what it is to be taught to focus on providing for your family and not involve yourself in other people’s business. I was raised by a man who was a combat veteran of WWII. I was taught my “place”.
BUT, if you are sitting there still thinking that you should honor your elders’ teachings and wishes, I will ask you to do exactly that, but to take it back a few hundred years to some of your OTHER ELDERS.
Our forefathers understood that tolerance was the fact of accepting that which was wrong. They reached a point where they could tolerate no more and fought back against the most powerful man on Earth… and won!
SAY – And this is why I am blessed to be here tonight to ask you for help.
Believe it or not in this Country today those who are good, faithful, upstanding citizens, who honor their marriages and teach their children, are the majority in this country.
It is time to honor our forefathers and stand up for what is right and protect that which we were given only through the grace of God.
God first
Honor your spouses and the union
Raise your children
Be the good stewards of the ENTIRE land as you already are with yours.
Final remarks:
SAY – I promised Richard that I wouldn’t endorse a single candidate in my presentation.
I keep my promises.
The single candidate that I WILL NOT ENDORSE in the November elections is….