Walk With The (Sean) Wise

We may not win the battle That we've all been called to fight; There is a strong resistance When we stand for what is right. May we not be disheartened, For when all is said and done, We may not win the battle, But the war's already won.

As I was going through the security line at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, my grandpa and I were given a special greeting and a handshake from a Transportation Security Administration (the other TSA) worker. He recognized the navy-blue uniforms we were wearing, and used the opportunity of us walking through the line to thank us for the good work we do. After clearing the security checkpoint, the good Major and I made our way to the food court in our terminal for a between-flights dinner. The server at the Uno Express gave us both a 15% discount. In the past, I have had people pay for my meal at a restaurant as their way of giving back. I am always grateful for these occurrences, but I never expect them. When these things started happening, I wanted to turn them away. I don't do well with receiving compliments, probably because I don't think as highly of myself as some others seem to. However, when it comes to these gestures, I have learned to accept them when they ...

In the depths of your very soul, You can tell that it is coming. When the signs show clear before you, Then you'd better take off running. Even with one indicator, You can sense it without fail: The inevitable next step When you get a group e-mail. Unintended recipients Wish that they could somehow install A way to block the byproducts Of the dreaded "Reply to All."

Countless times, I've heard it said that violent crimes and homicides are completely unthinkable in friendly small towns. Well if that's true, then the unthinkable has happened . Before I share more thoughts on that, though, I want to ask you to please pause and pray for the friends and family of the victim, as well as the suspect and his friends and family. This is truly a terrible thing that they are all now a part of, and I don't want my sharing of opinions to minimize the importance of the love and prayers they all need right now. However, I do want to share a few thoughts. The per capita numbers get really skewed in small towns like this. For example, this one homicide would count as over 11 per 100,000 residents. On the flip side, I've heard a lot of die-hard small town people talk about how big cities are so much more dangerous. As a big city boy living in a small town, I can honestly say that neither setting is innately more or less dangerous. However, the f...

I am a Panhead for life. No band has had a bigger impact on my life than Skillet, and no song has been as impactful on me as the one that this post's title is taken from.  Listen to the song here. When I was 12 years old, life was...complicated. I was finishing my second year in a new city and a new school district, after being in the previous city and district for just one year. Nothing at that point felt stable. I made friends quickly and easily, but I had a fear of getting too close, not knowing when the next change would be that would take me away from them. All of this while dealing with the new-found realities of that wonderful time in life we call "adolescence." Along with these changes, though, came some other changes that I simply was not ready for. That year saw the beginning of the end of my parents' relationship. As they grew more distant from each other, I felt a stronger burden to look after my nine-year-old brother and three-year-old sister, forgett...

I'm not going to claim to be perfect at this, but I try hard to get along with and understand those who have different views than me, especially social, political, and theological views. Several of my close friends fall into that category now. I want to take time to learn why they believe what they believe, and often that serves to strengthen my resolve for believing what I believe. The mutual respect and appreciation we have for each other is necessary for it to be beneficial. Lately, however, there seems to be an overarching mentality that those of differing opinions and stances cannot coexist. There is an enmity that seems to be so innate in our beings against those who stand on the "other side of the aisle," and neither side is any less guilty than the other. There is almost enough of a divide in this nation to spark another civil war, but this time around, it would be fought on party lines rather than geographical lines. Christians, this NEEDS to stop! We are called...

As many of you probably already know, I went in for a tonsillectomy on February 3. Like many others, before actually scheduling the appointment, I thought nothing of it. I mean, little kids get this done all the time with no problem, right? Should be a piece of cake! Well, so one would think. The medical staff made sure to correct that thinking even before I said anything about it. "It's much worse for adults than it is for kids," they assured me. "In fact, you may be hurting pretty bad for up to two weeks!" Leave it to this stubborn man to think that I was going to bounce right back up and be OK. Five days with regular doses of Lidocaine and Hydrocodone later, and I'm still waking up with a miserable pain in the back of my throat. Like most people, sometimes I just wish, hope, and pray that the wounds would be instantly healed and that the pain would just go away. Other times, I just wish that I had never gotten the procedure done in the first pla...

The bitter cold wind Losing feeling in my toes When it's warm, it snows (Special thanks to Peyton Manning for that middle line...)