Wall Street– A Perspective

Today, the Dow fell 634 points, the largest drop in 2 1/2 years and the sixth largest on record.  The drop was based partly on an S&P downgrade and the slowing U.S. economy plus escalating debt problems threatening Europe.  The fall is reminiscent of the roller coaster ride we had several years ago.  The market has given back all of its 2011 gains and then a lot more.  Suddenly everyone is talking double dip recession and there is anger and fear in people’s voices.  Republicans blame the Democrats and Obama.  Democrats blame the Tea Party specifically.  There is plenty of blame to go around.  I have an opinion, but that is not the point of this blog. 

Several years ago, I spent a ton of time being an active stock picker.  I attended the Money Show multiple times, took training and got my hands on just about every investment book I can find.  I am still a lifetime member of the American Association of Independent Investors.  I loved the thrill of the markets.  I dabbled quite a bit at the end in options which even heightened the thrill.  But as I look back on it now,. I find myself wondering how I could have wasted so much time.  This is not an indictment against people who do that kind of thing.  It is a rush and some people do it a lot better than I can. For a while there I thought I was really good as I significantly outperformed the market and my own former investment manager.  But it didn’t keep up and slowly I lost interest.  Further in 2008 like others I lost a ton of money in it.  That and investing a ton of money in a failed company so now we don’t have much to lose in the stock market. 

Like a lot of people, the markets for me were a symptom of other issues.  Relational issues, spiritual issues, social issues, pride issues, sinful attitude issues.  As I look back on it, I had misplaced priorities.  To some degree I still do.  It is a daily struggle to align the real priorities of faith, family, and friends.  A friend of mine lost a dear friend of his suddenly, unexpectedly.  Another friend struggles through a marriage.  Sorrow gives a different perspective.  There is the laughter that comes along with hanging out with family at the zoo Saturday.  The joy that comes from being around friends when I play baseball.  The joy of hanging out with brothers as we study the bible Tuesday morning.  True joy brings a different perspective.

I am not at the place where God could take everything temporal (not looking for a Job experience), but I am close to that.  God has slowly driven it into my thick skull that relationships and the word of God are the only things that will survive for eternity.  I have been dragged kicking and screaming into this equation.  But as I slowly come to this realization, something like scales fall from my eyes.  I am like the blind man whom Jesus partially heals in Luke that sees people walking around like tree trunks.  I don’t have full clarity, but it is getting there. 

Treasure in a Poop Pot

For we have this treasure in earthen vessels.  2 Cor. 4:7

Ok, the title may attract some of us that have somehow that little kid sense of grossness.  A few weeks ago while we were in the Virginia Beach area for a wedding, we stopped and saw the Museum of Grossology.  Now before you draw the wrong conclusions, it was a part of the Air and Space Museum (figure that) and that is what we paid admission for.  So imagine every combination of gasses coming out of various orifices along with lots to learn about snot, or vomit.  It would be every little boys dream.  So what does that have to do with this blog?

Earthen vessels were common clay pots used for collecting everyday things.  They were disposable, clay pots and most commonly used to collect waste including human waste.  So the picture Paul uses is that these most lowly of pots that is used for waste is actually carrying the most unimaginable treasure known to man.  When we visited Rwanda,, we saw our share of slit toilets.  Debsue obsessed with taking pictures of slit toilets took this picture of the jar by the toilet that was actually in a high end getaway place near where people visit the gorillas.  The sign kindly encouraged you to use the clay pot to collect your waste – one for number 1 and one for number 2 and please don’t mix the two.

What is that treasure?  The gospel of Christ that shines in our hearts.as light shining in darkness (v.6).  The gospel shines like a beacon through to our broken bodies that are slowly decomposing to reveal the stunning glory of the gospel of Christ.  There is no greater contrast than what Paul uses.  Earthen vessels is crap, man!  The gospel is the most precious jewel that is implanted. 

I recently had a piece of artwork appraised.  Unfortunately the artwork was not very valuable.  But what I did learn is that the glass plate was obscuring the painting and potentially damaging it.  Further, the painting, if it had been priceless was being surrounded by a frame that was less than stellar.  Thus, the priceless treasure of the gospel is housed in less than satisfactory frame.  However, the treasure is so strong that it can absolutely overwhelm and obscure the less than satisfactory frame it is held in.  If the artwork had been priceless, I am sure the appraiser could have given two hoots and a holler about how bad the frame was. 

The treasure stands in stark contrast to the vessel it is held in.  It is priceless!

Dan Peek Went to Heaven Last Night

When I was in high school and even beyond high school, my absolutely favorite rock band was America.  I owned every one of their albums, knew every one of their songs by heart.  The music was almost like it spoke to me.  I have probably been to their concerts five different times including not too long ago when they were in the Taste of Cleveland performing as a couple different old guys playing the same old songs.

One of the founders of America and the writer of the hit song “A Horse With No Name” died last night.  What made Dan Peek even more memorable is that he left the group in 1974 when he reached absolutely rock bottom, accepted Christ as his Saviour and became a carpenter of all things.  His testimony follows.

When I first came to know Christ in 1981, I started listening to Dan Peek as an individual gospel writer.  His music had a strong influence on me. 

The Lord took Dan home in his sleep last night.  We will miss you Dan, but look forward to a new set of songs in heaven.

A False Armageddon

And they gathered them together to the place, which in Hebrew is called Harmageddon.  Rev 16:16
There are some words in the English language that people just like to play with.  They describe a particular imagery that we wish to connote.  Armageddon is just one of those words.  Just in the past few weeks, we have heard the use of it in connection with the closing of Interstate 405 in California.  We have also heard it used by our President in connection with the potential economic impact if our congress does not act to raise the debt ceiling (“an economic Armageddon”).  The idea I think they are trying to convey is that of chaos.  It is the idea that things will slip completely out of control and it will be extremely difficult to come back to normalcy.

However, that is not the real usage of the word Armageddon.  Armageddon is only used once in the Bible and it is found in the above verse.  And it really refers to the lunacy of an army trying to assemble and attack the living God.  It is the final attempt to overthrow God by the forces of evil.  This conflict will reach its final conclusion at the battle of Armageddon.  The word actually comes from the plains of Megiddo in Israel where many believe this final battle will take place.  It is a vast plain where many historical battles have taken place.  It connects several major trade routes.  This is no battle however – it is a slaughter.  The Bible tells us in Revelation 19 that this was a one-sided battle.  The forces of evil will be wiped out completely.  I remember trying to picture this army assembled when we visited the plains of Megiddo in our trip to Israel in 1999. 

So there is really no confusion in the word Armageddon.  God is not surprised at the attempts to overthrow Him.  The battle for good and evil has been occurring since the fall of man.  Why does a Norwegian man go in and systematically kill over 90 people, mostly children?  Because evil still exists. But the good news is that a righteous and holy God has already pronounced judgment on  evil.  Game over. We just have not seen the battle played out yet, but we know the outcome is already certain. So our usage of this word to promote the idea of disarray and confusion couldn’t be further from the truth.  It should even remind us that the truth is in fact known and the victory is certain.  We can bank on it – rely on it. 

As it turns out, the drivers on Interstate 405 found this out when everyone stayed home and they coined a new term Carmaheaven.  But that is for another day.

Doing the Right Thing

Christian Lopez caught Derek Jeter’s 3000 hit.  He didn’t auction the ball on the Internet.  He didn’t try to strong arm the Yankees into negotiating other stuff.  He just gave it back to Derek Jeter.  His reason – “It is not about the money.  This is a milestone”.  “Money is cool and I’m 23”, Lopez said.  “’I’ve got a lot of time to make that.  It was never about the money”.  The Yankees also did the right thing giving him suite tickets and signed merchandise.  Of course, the IRS wanted the tax on that which for gift taxes is $5,000-$13,000.  I guess the IRS doesn’t care if it is the right thing or not.

The Internet waves are full of people laughing at Lopez and calling him a fool.  It tells you a little bit about our country when what is definitely right becomes so unusual, it almost seems wrong.  I recently was paying for a bike repair when I noted they had not charged me for something I know they did.  When I brought it to their attention, it was surprising their reaction.  I could have pulled one over on them.  They wouldn’t have noticed.  But I would have known and God would have known.  And it is the “right thing to do”. 

A Christian should have the fragrance of the aroma of Christ.  This means always doing the right thing.  Why is it so hard?  Because it seems so unnatural.  It is almost supernatural.  Let’s face it, we are broken – we have accepted what is wrong as right.  Chuck Colson has a new series out called “Doing the Right Thing” with the intent of putting the spotlight back on ethics in our society.  You can get a sneak peak of this at the video below. 

It airs in a live simulcast on September 24. You can also get the DVD series.  Maybe we can all see that “doing the right thing” is the right thing.

Extended Families are Fun

Sorry it has been so long since I blogged.  I have just been so incredibly busy.  Two of the last three weekends we have been out of town.  Three weeks ago, we went to a family reunion in New York.  We Quiggs have a family reunion every other year.  Each time we rotate it so that a different individual is leading it.  We have relatives in Maui, Juneau, and Boise so we have gotten to go to some pretty neat places.  Two years ago however, we held it in a neutral spot in Park City, UT.  This year my sister Laura hosted it in New York City.  Since daughter Ashley lives in New York as well, it was a no brainer to go.  We got to see my brother, my dad, and all of our girls.  We also got to see each of their kids.  Very rare that that happens and it is such a joy. Laura and Bjorn (brother-in-law) did a great job hosting.

Last weekend, we attended the wedding of my son-in-law’s twin brother Caleb in Newport News, VA.  So we made the long car trip again and were able to make it.  Caleb and Josh are two of four brothers, three of which have gotten married in the last year plus.  Their family is so interesting.  Multiple generations of medical missionaries serving in Abbattobad, Pakistan.  You may have heard this region in the news because that is where Bin Laden was hiding out.  The family lived and still lives six miles from where Bin Laden was.  Kind of like me going to the local WalMart which is six miles away.   They are a missions-minded family.  Caleb and his bride Rachel have known each other since fourth grade, but very rarely lived near each other.  They waited for each other – and now the time is here.  A true love story and one that is just beginning.  What a blessing to have more family to get to know as we get older.  To have our daughter marry into such a godly family is such a blessing.  Not only do we get a great son-in-law, but we get to know so many more wonderful people in his family.

It is such a pleasure to have a great family and one that is growing.  The downside of getting old is, well getting old.  The benefits are seeing your kids grow up, get married, live life, and who knows.  Are Debsue and I ready for grandkids?   

We Still Live in a Great Country

DebSue and I have done a lot of traveling to various countries.  As I think about it, we have been to Africa (Rwanda, Ghana, Uganda) on three different occasions, India, China, Israel, Peru multiple times, Nicaragua, DR, interior Mexico (not where the tourists go) multiple times, Great Britain, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, and New Zealand.  Of course there is always Canada as well.

Every time we go to a country whether it is developing or not, we deeply appreciate what we have in this country.  This is still a great country!  When I leave and come back, I almost want to kiss the ground when we get back.  You don’t really appreciate it when you never go outside of it.  No question, we have our faults and we are far from perfect.  But we have a stable society, a democratically elected government, a wide variety of places to go and people to see, a giving people (USA is still the number one giver), and believe it or not a relatively low tax base (compare it to some countries with VAT taxes of 15-25%).  It is the people that make the USA so great.  From New Yorkers to the heartland to the south to the west to Californians, we have such great variety.  I am partial to the Midwest, but that Most notably, we have freedom of religion.  We need to think about all that is happening in other parts of the world where this freedom does not exist.  For good information, check out Voice of the Martyrs site.

As we celebrate this Independence Day, let’s think about all that is good in living in the USA.