Saturday, August 25, 2012

Broken Places

A whispered pain
A broken pane in the window of my soul

The rain leaks through and reaches deep
It touches places no one knew

I'd lost hope and hidden who I really was
But the rain found it's way inside my heart

Broken places raised from the dead
And now I knew what love was for

The cracks let in the rain and gravity sent the healing where it was needed
Random chance didn't heal my soul....the Father's love rained where needed most

Letting go and letting in the grace and love inside my heart
The cracks remain but healing comes to light my path

Rain and light fall on my darkness and give me hope
I'm coming out and coming alive to a place of love where healing flows

Friday, August 24, 2012

The City of Mobile Budget Crisis

  Like most cities in the United States, the city of Mobile is facing difficult times. For the last two years the Mayor and council have been battling over the Mayor's desire to raise the sales tax rate to 10 percent. The city of Mobile already has one of the highest sales tax rates in the nation but Mayor Sam Jones has despite several rejections continually assaulted the council and the citizens of Mobile with endless requests for what he has deceptively called the 'penny tax'.

  For much of the last several months, the official line on the need for the increased taxation was the Mayor's assumption that we would be 29 million dollars in the hole for the coming fiscal year. For months at various council and finance committee meeting we have heard this figure debated despite little evidence for the 'magic number' of 29 million in deficit. Finally after much wrangling an independent and volunteer finance committee from each district came to the conclusion that the figure was inaccurate and that the deficit was more likely around 2 million at most. The 29 million figure was arrived at by various decisions arbitrarily made by the Mayor and his staff to jack up the deficit none of which were required by law or necessity. The political cries of Mobile 'going down in flames ' to quote District 1 representative Fred Richardson have left the frightened and frustrated public wondering who to trust with their money. Is there a severe deficit? For what reason exactly are we being asked to pay 10 percent on every purchase we make in the city including food and medicine?

  Last night (August 23rd) I attended an open meeting hosted by City Councilwoman Bess Rich of District 6 to discuss the budget crisis with Mayor Sam Jones and several other important city officials in attendance including 2 members of the volunteer finance committee. The Mayor introduced an entirely new set of reasons for increasing our taxes... instead of 'going down in flames' like the old disaster film 'Towering Inferno', Mobile was now on the precipice of becoming 'Fantasy Island'. But in order to transform our fair city into a 'world class city' (quoting Mayor Sam Jones) We would need to give the city of Mobile millions more in tax revenue so they could 'invest' it in development projects related to the Airbus 'incentives' and Brookley field complex infrastructure. The change in script was massive and bold. We were no longer beggars in need of a cash infusion to survive...we were now wise and savvy business investors  sure to get a return if we would just pay for everything and trust the administration to handle our increased tax burden wisely...never mind that empty cruise terminal, debt laden and often empty convention center, the old and worn Civic Center, the maritime museum,  the mismanagement at Ladd Pebbles and the city owned baseball stadium that doesn't pay rent for years..... just trust the city leaders.... or not.

  We were told by the Mayor and his minions that we would be needing to fork over millions of dollars now and for the foreseeable future to not miss this unique opportunity to better our city. We would see that increased tax revenue used as collateral to borrow even more money by issuing bonds. But don't worry it's a good investment... says the Mayor.

  The trouble is that multiple other cities have tried this formula and are now going into bankruptcy all over our nation (simply Google city bankruptcy and make a special note of California). Taking on more debt when we're struggling with an ongoing recession seems a very risky proposition to me. I agree that Airbus coming to Mobile is potentially a game changer in our local economy. I just question the suppositions put forth by the Mayor in his approach to leadership and management. For months we are told of dire consequences if not doom without an increasing revenue stream. Now we are told we are going to use our budget to create a new 'world class city' right here, right now. Excuse me if I doubt the wisdom of this proposition. Should not our priorities and focus be on the failing basic core services struggling so hard to be delivered: Police, Fire, Sanitation and a public pension system deeply in debt?

  The citizens of Mobile need to be aware of the Mobile budget situation in detail and communicate with intelligence with their council and Mayor. We already pay some of the highest sales tax in the nation. Could at least some of our problems relate to poor management and prioritization? Could it be that the current Mayor and his administration have lacked a consistent focus (other than asking for more money)? We are living in a challenging economy together. I don't know a single person or business entity that is not watching their budget very carefully and with great caution. As a concerned citizen I deeply believe that before we are asked to pay more in taxes we need to know that the priorities of our city leaders are honest, wise and prudent. There are more questions to be asked and answered before our city is granted a 10 percent sales tax.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

A Sustainable Life

  For the last couple of days I've been thinking about the word sustainable. The dictionary definition tells us that a sustainable life is one that is able to be supported with the basic necessities or sufficient funds. A sustainable way of life is one that is able to be kept going or maintained.  Is your life and the vision you have for it sustainable?

  In 1992 I traveled to London to study at the Institute of Ophthalmology to obtain a diploma in Community Eye Health. One of the lessons driven home by all the learning there was that whatever we were going to do in the area of health care in the developing world needed to be sustainable. So many good works begin with great zeal but end with great disappointment. What happened? In the gospel of Luke chapter 14 we hear the wisdom of Jesus about sustainability, "But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if there is enough money to pay the bills? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of funds. And then how everyone would laugh at you! They would say, 'There's the person who started the building and ran out of money before it was finished!'"


  A sustainable life is built on something much deeper than an emotional response to need or opportunity.  There will always be deep needs all around us. Emotions can drive us and lead us to places that are not sustainable and contradictory to a defined vision for our lives. Have you ever met someone who was very busy but never got anything done... or at least not done well? The 'tyranny of the urgent' is in fact the routine operating procedure of someone driven by emotional impulse. We are meant to be led by the Spirit of God and not  driven and controlled by emotions.

  A sustainable life vision needs to include an honest and transparent 'cost analysis' of what it is you are moving in the direction of accomplishing.  As I write this the world is transfixed by the intense beauty and physical accomplishment of the world's great Olympic athletes. We see great speed, strength and agility on display in seemingly effortless performances. But the cost of participating in the Olympics involves years of daily sacrifice and discipline. Great athletes know that for every goal there are corresponding disciplines that require saying NO to what others can easily say YES to. They daily face down peers and have to say no to late nights... no to dietary temptations....no to distractions and anything that might take them off the path toward athletic excellence.

  A disciplined life is a response to an inward vision and direction for our lives. When we know where we're going and what we desire in life...we can exercise an appropriate discipline and lifestyle. (See Proverbs 29:18) We need to have a vision for our lives that has the 'long view' of what our life might look across our entire life span. You will not always have the same physical and mental sharpness that you have at a particular age. We need to make a sustainable plan for our life goals that will get us to the finish line across the decades.  So many careers, relationships and visions for life falter as we age or unforeseen circumstances interrupt our 'life script'.  Perhaps even now you're facing adversity or difficulties that you could have never imagined even a short time ago. Your soul is weary and your emotions are frazzled. What to do now?

  The ability to live a sustainable life of meaning and purpose depends on a source beyond ourselves
You do have strength and purpose built into your soul. The emotions and will of men and women are remarkably strong and resilient....but there are limits. We need a life built upon the Spirit and not just our bodies and soul. In Isaiah chapter 40 we read of a sustainable source of power and strength that every person can draw upon, "He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait upon the Lord will find new strength. They will fly on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."


  Today I encourage you to go deeper to find a well spring of life that will sustain you for your entire life. You were born for a purpose.... to build, to create, to relate.... and to love. Let God empower and guide you into a life of deep meaning and satisfaction that will last a lifetime!

Jim