And so the daily saga if the flu bug will catch me continues. It looked for awhile this afternoon like my resistance was proving to be futile. All the initial symptoms were starting to stir by the time church started this evening. Thankfully it seems to be passing me by yet again. Perhaps someone prayed that I wouldn't fall prey to the wave of illness. Maybe my body just needed a break from exercise. Whatever happened, it seems like we may live to tell another story for another day.

I caught myself watching CSPAN yet again. The senate committee was discussing the health care bill. This is a sure sign that I have no life. It's just amazing however to watch real legislation being debated without the doors closed. It makes you wonder how our first constitution would be if television existed back in the 1700's. You should know that all the senators went to the extreme in being polite to one another. Even the most violent of tirades in that setting seems to be practiced with politeness. If you read the news then you know this is not always the case.

When did being civil lose out to being rude? It seems as if this was the topic of a blog post some time back yet it still bugs me. The last few months are a showcase of bad manners in full bloom. A congressman yells at the President during a major speech on prime time television. We have other congressmen and congresswomen who attack each other during what was once civilized debate. Is it no wonder that our current congress has approval ratings that reach record lows? It is becoming a dog eat dog world in politics to the place where nothing of real value is accomplished.

We can blame the media it seems. Every television network has at least a few of its commentators who aim for controversy. The radio waves are loaded with hosts on both sides of the political spectrum who exist to only stir up the rhetoric. Today the Internet is a library of harsh words for any who are in opposition. Our elected leaders spend more time talking at each other rather than to each other. We hear the phrase bipartisan a lot. We are learning such a concept no longer exists. It's easier to find fault or fix the blame elsewhere rather than pursue solutions to real issues.

Maybe we should take a long look at our lives as believers. My own tribe of Southern Baptists are in the 30th year of calling each other names. What began on the national level gradually became reality on the state stage. This really isn't so far removed what churches far too often do themselves. We break off into segments based on personal preference or family relation then cast our stones at those outside our group. You might be shocked at some of the things church members say to or about one another. It never ceases to amaze me how ugly and petty people who claim to follow Jesus can become. What is really bothersome is how it eventually just becomes accepted as the norm of behavior.

What we believe never can outweigh how we behave. We may sing of love but it is our choice to express it. We talk about grace but it is left to us to act with grace. We really speak a lot on forgiveness yet keep holding grudges when the expiration date is long since past. In the end, we reap what is sown through our life. What happens is we accomplish little while blaming others for our lack of blessing. Maybe this is one reason why the approval rating of the church is so low among so many. It's a mess only we began and that only we can clean up.

Bro. Trey