Sermons
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I'm not what people would call "athletic." I've never been on a sports team or chosen to don sweatpants and sneakers to do something other than gardening or going to the grocery store. Surprising, I know. But when I turned 30, I felt it was time to at least try to be physically fit. At my request, my family bought me a membership to the YMCA. Since we had recently moved off of Chapel Hill Road, I thought that the Lakewood Y's proximity would be encouragement enough. Turns out, you need more than location as a means of motivation. Hannah Overholt graciously offered to take me to my first class at the Y. She had raved about this thing called "Zumba" and while I am not known for my dance moves, either, I thought I'd trust my friend.
"For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted."
There is an old expression for apologizing. One is said to be "eating humble pie." This expression comes from an old meat dish of medieval times, made of chopped or minced innards of animals. It was a food for the lower class, those who could not afford better. So to eat numble or umble pie meant to lower one's self. For many, being humble means lowering one's self.
It starts with disappointment. When I was 16 and a new driver I went out for milk one night, took the long way back, and ended up exceeding the speed limit by a good 25 miles per hour on one tempting stretch. The cop, or should I say cops that pulled me, 2 different cars, gave me a stern talking to until one of them, a Montreat officer covering a shift in Black Mountain, said he knew my dad. Instead of taking my license, which he had every right to do, he let me go. Somehow I was able to get home and walk past my parents and downstairs to my room without them noticing how much I was shaking. After that, the moment never presented itself, so I never told them. Until one morning, about 7am in July, my dad walks and wakes me up. "I was at a dinner last night and Jackie (the aforementioned officer) told me he spent some time with you last month. I don't like him knowing more than I do about where you've been. I am embarrassed and disappointed. I'll be taking your keys now." He picked them up and left.
Today's text reminded me of a book I read a couple of years ago by Frank Luntz. Luntz is a Fox News personality who was the pollster for Rudy Giuliani's mayoral campaigns, and also is responsible for the 1994 "Contract with America," which ushered Newt Gingrich and the republicans back into power in the house for first time in 40 years. Luntz is responsible for the ‘estate tax' now being called the ‘death tax,' ‘drilling for oil,' became ‘energy exploration.' He did some consulting with the city of Las Vegas, who now calls ‘gambling,' ‘gaming.' His book called "Words That Work" is filled with examples from business and politics in the way a few key concepts were communicated changed things. He writes:
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