Person Career

I was listening to Mike & Mike after dropping off my son at school and could not believe what I was hearing. They were discussing the Steelers' sexual predator quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. In case you haven't heard, he's been in a bit of trouble:

When we think of the idea of calling, most of us believe that only “special” Christians are called.  So, we think, Billy Graham, the Pope, and Rick Warren are called.  Pastors are called—at least some of them.  (At least we hope they are.) But that’s about it.  The rest of us?  Our job is just to support the called ones.  It’s to cheer them on and encourage their calling.  I had a seminary professor that said that most of us view being a Christian the same way that I view rooting for the Angels during baseball season.  If I am particular committed, I don’t just watch on TV occasionally, I go to the stadium as often as I can good seats, I pay my money, I wear my Angel jersey, I put on my cap, I bang my thundersticks, I jump up and down for the Rally Monkey and I cheer on the players.  I feel as if I am part of them.  I call them my team and I am loyal to them. Even when they change their name to the goofy Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, I stand by them. But there is absolutely one thing that I am certain:  I am not getting on the field.  I am not going to play.  ...I am not a player, I am fan, a supporter.  In many ways, that was probably what Simon, Andrew, James and John thought of themselves [Matthew 4:18-22] as they prepared for another day of fishing along the Sea of Galilee.  They never dreamt that any teacher would ever call them to be his disciple.... They were not players, but fans, they were supporters. ...We want to be called.  We want to be put in the game.  We want Jesus to use us in some small, but significant way in one little corner of the Kingdom.  But what does it mean to be called?  I mean if God is the coach and needs a pinch hitter, does it mean that I just jump on the field and start swinging? No.  At least not necessarily.  And let me be clear about this particular point by emphasizing this one phrase:  The need is not the call.  ...That’s not to say that a call can’t come through a need.  ...But, to be a disciple, to be yoked to Jesus is not necessarily about meeting the world’s needs; it is answering Jesus’ call.  And if we believe this we will suit up, we will enter the game, our lives will become part of something bigger than ourselves: If we heed the call, we will meet the needs. You see, Jesus is the one who hears the prayers of the suffering world.  Jesus is the one who knows the needs of every broken heart.  Jesus is the one who died for the sin of the world, and Jesus is one who came to reveal the love of God to the world. My friends, if we heed Jesus’ call, our lives will be part of something much, much bigger than ourselves, our lives will be part of God’s plan in Jesus to reconcile and heal the world. So here is a second key idea, which is a corollary of the first: If you want to be part of something bigger than you, practice heeding Christ’s call, not meeting human needs.  Focus on responding to Jesus as the very first priority of your life. 

The "pay-as-you-go" amendment, which Voinovich opposed last year, could come to a vote as early as Wednesday. Last year, the same amendment squeaked through the Senate with the backing of virtually every Democrat and four Republicans -- Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, John McCain (Ariz.) and Lincoln D. Chafee (R.I.).

"He tossed me outside and I landed face-first into another sidewalk slushee. When I got to my knees I saw a tow truck pulling my Hudson down West 57th, its bumper spraying sparks as it bounced through the potholes.