When 'Stupidity' Becomes Costly

Have you ever felt really stupid?  Has being "stupid" ever cost you?  I've had more than my share of those moments.  Often it's not actual stupidity, but the feeling of stupidity that really seems costly.  Like today for example.

I had the day off today.  It wasn't vacation—it was a floating holiday.  I've never known exactly what that means, because I didn't really celebrate much of anything today (except that I had the day off), and it didn't seem like I was floating at all.  In fact, gravity kept me down all day.  But I digress.  I had the day off, so it seemed like the perfect day to finally have an electrician come to the house and figure out what was wrong with our main kitchen light.

When our light first went out, I checked all the fuses.  Nothing.  Then I bought new lamps and changed them.  Nothing.  Then I bought a voltage meter and checked the electric current going through certain wires.  Nothing.  Or at least I thought nothing.

Admittedly, it had been out for a little while.  However, with three other secondary lights on, it was quite luminous.  But the thought of paying an electrician for something I thought I should be able to figure out was discouraging.  Amy was, rightly so, "encouraging" me to get it fixed.  Yesterday, the day finally arrived to schedule an appointment for today.  The professional came this morning.

Robert is a great guy.  Super nice, and he knows what he's doing.  Unlike me apparently.  In short order he checked the same basic electric current issues in the same basic ways I did using the same basic voltage meter.  But he also found what he thought was the problem.  He told me he could go to Lowe's to buy a ballast that seemed to be the issue.  No extra charge for the service call except the ballast cost itself.  I said sure.

He came back, and was working away.  We had a nice chat.  We talked about our kids.  I invited him to my church and found out that he is a deacon at his.  Like I said, super guy.

Okay, all done—check the switch.  Presto...the light is working again.  The ballast cost: $30.  The company's standard service call: more than I care to admit.  Worth it, due to my stupidity, but still—I'm just sayin'.  I then tipped Robert beyond the service charge, because of his good service.

If I had known what I was doing, beyond the lamps and voltage meter, I could have simply spent $30, and that would have done it.  Instead, I feel really stupid for not possessing some basic knowledge of electricity, which could have saved me my arm and my leg.  I still think I should have been able to figure it out.

So, help me out.  Have you ever felt stupid?  So stupid that it cost you?  I can think of multiple car repair items, home repairs, finding coupons or sales immediately after purchasing something...you name it, I've paid for it.  I'm hoping at least one person will comment with a story—so that I can at least feel better. :)

Update #3 on Dad

A few weeks ago, I had mentioned in this space that my dad would be having a significant procedure done, so I wanted to follow up.

He has had a ~90% blockage in his carotid artery, and the doctor decided that he had recovered enough from a skin cancer removal to go ahead with this procedure.  There had been potential concerns with having an open or near-open wound.  However, they went forward with the procedure, placing a stent in his carotid artery, which should certainly help with his circulatory problems.  Everything seems to have been successful in this regard.

While they were conducting the procedure, they checked an artery near his brain that has had another significant blockage.  With its proximity to the brain, the affected area is in too delicate a location to be cleaned or to place a stent, so it has been an ongoing point of concern.  The doctor reported that there does not seem to be any increase in that blockage, so this news is as good as it can be under the circumstances.  However, they also found yet another 90% blockage in his right leg.  The hope is that in a few more weeks, they can either clean out or place a stent in the leg artery as well.

Thank you for praying!

Down-ballot Voting: I'll Just Do It Myself

Why I Voted for Me for Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor

In trying to fulfill my civic duty in voting, which by the way is at the same time a right, privilege, and responsibility, I wanted to do it with honest reflection and sincerity.  That means having to look up information about the races on the ballot for which no one has heard anything.  Pundits call these races "down-ballot" contests.  In other words, you have to keep looking further down the ballot to find them.

I'm not talking about the larger, more obvious races.  I'm talking about the judges and commissioners about whom we never really receive much information.  So the night before the elections, I took it upon myself to look up as much info as I could find on these races.

Online, I found my voter registration info at the State Board of Elections website, complete with a link to my sample ballot.  I had looked up the ballot the prior week, and all of this info was quite easy to obtain.  I began searching for info on the various candidates.  Partisan offices usually have ample information.  Then it was time to find pertinent info on state supreme court justices and state court of appeals judges.  These candidates, although not easy to find, are at least accessible after some digging.  Finally it was time to check up on district court judges.  Not so much helpful info here.

Just when I thought I could finally go to bed, at the bottom of the ballot I noticed a race for an office which I'm sure I have heard about, but apparently never gave much attention.  It was the race for Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor.

Finding info here was laborious.  And might I add that it was difficult.  It was also hard.  Oh, you can find general information about the work involved in soil and water conservation from state and local government websites, and I found one story on the local newspaper site—a story about the difficulty of finding information regarding this race.  But info on the candidates themselves...nothing.  Nada.

Earlier this morning, I joked with my wife that I might submit a write-in vote for myself for Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor.  Later, I rethought my decision, since originally I was going to vote for me as a joke.  I thought to do so might just trivialize the process (do you think?).

However, upon further reflection, I also came to the same conclusion I have for years: that I cannot vote for a candidate about whom I know nothing.  Talk about trivializing the process...try voting for someone you know nothing about, into an office you know nothing about.  Trivialization of the process, no?

So I made the decision then and there.  In voting for downballot offices, maybe I should just step up and serve in that role myself.  I will run for Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor.  And then I voted for me as a write-in candidate.

If you live in my area and supported me in this campaign, I promise to do my best not to let you down.  I will conserve not just the water, but the soil also.  I have the audacity of hope for soil and water, and I will be a maverick.

We need a change.  The time for change is now.  It's time to conserve both soil and water, and to supervise it in various districts.

I'm Mike Williams, and I approved this post.

Update on Dad #2

Many thanks again to those who have prayed for or asked about my dad.  I just found out they are on their way home from the hospital.  There is no clear diagnosis for why this has happened twice.  So far, his heart checks out okay, and there is no evidence of any type of stroke, but it is certain that he is having ongoing circulatory issues.  They may be making some changes with blood pressure medications and using some surgical stockings to keep adequate pressure in his legs, and he is still on track for an arterial stent placement in a few weeks.

I appreciate you and will keep you posted.

Update on My Dad

For those of you who had seen the Twitter or Facebook status regarding my dad, I wanted to give a further update.  Thanks so much for your prayers.

As I mentioned in that update, my dad was taken via ambulance to the hospital today (in Tennessee).  He had passed out, and after he woke up, his blood pressure was checked and was extremely low.  This was the second time in three weeks, so they again went to the hospital.

The ER doctors wanted him to stay overnight (again) for observation and further testing.  For now he is stable and has been moved into a regular room.

My mom and brother are very tired as well from the long day in the ER with him, so prayer for everyone would be much appreciated.  I will give further updates when I can.

Again, thank you.

Schedule for the Presidential Debates

Although news sites and political blogs are frequently mentioning the upcoming presidential and vice presidential debates, the schedule for them, for whatever reason, has not been prominent.  So as a public service to you, my fellow Americans, here are the details you need to know.

First presidential debate
Friday, September 26, 9pm EDT
The University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
Jim Lehrer
Executive Editor and Anchor, The NewsHour, PBS

Vice presidential debate
Thursday, October 2, 9pm EDT
Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri
Gwen Ifill
Senior Correspondent, The NewsHour, and Moderator and Managing Editor, Washington Week, PBS

Second presidential debate (town meeting)
Tuesday, October 7, 9pm EDT
Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee
Tom Brokaw
Special Correspondent, NBC News

Third presidential debate
Wednesday, October 15, 9pm EDT
Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York
Bob Schieffer
CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent, and Host, Face the Nation

Watch and vote.

The Gospel

How can we know God? By trusting in Him through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Do you believe the gospel of Jesus? What is the core of the Good News? Although the effects of the gospel are profound, the basic message is simple.

Ruler
God, the holy, loving, joyful Creator, is the sovereign One over all people and things, and He deserves the worship, reverence and obedience of His creation.

Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created. (Revelation 4.11)

For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse. (Romans 1.20)

Rebels
We, the creation, have chosen our own path in life, and walked away from our holy Creator. As a result we deserve our due penalty—death and separation from the loving and joyful God.

For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. (Romans 1.18-19)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6.23)

Redemption
Jesus the Christ (the Messiah), who is fully God, took on a human body, lived a perfect life, died in our place (thus taking our death penalty), and rose from the dead. As a result, the ability to know our Creator and live in His joy was restored and made available in Christ.

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring you to God, after being put to death in the fleshly realm but made alive in the spiritual realm. (1 Peter 3.18)

He [God the Father] made the One who did not know sin [God the Son—Jesus] to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5.21)

Renewal
The available redemption cannot be earned, but must be applied to us individually as the Holy Spirit pulls us, and we respond to His grace in repentance and faith—accepting the gracious gift of life in Christ, and growing in Christlike character. This involves immediate soul renewal, and later at the return of Christ, it will involve the physical renewal of our bodies and all of creation.

And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8.11)

But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell. (2 Peter 3.13)

My sincere prayer is that you would be able to experience God’s joy and delight in Him through the gospel of Jesus Christ. He offers Himself to you. Will you trust in Him, and accept His gracious gift?

If you are just beginning your life with God in Christ, I encourage you to connect with a local church community of Christ followers.  In the meantime, for more information, click here.

*All Scripture references are from the HCSB.

[This post was updated September 20, 2011.]