WHO AM I?

Due to some constructive criticism bestowed upon me by my friend Tucci, I have decided to expound more on my interest, beliefs, and convictions. First and foremost, I am a Christian. A Christian who loves what the Bible teaches about treating others, treating ourselves, and treating God. I would live my life no other way than to passionately pursue all that Jesus has to offer for my life, my wife, and those near and dear to me, as well as the earth and all those who live on this beautifully created world. This is why I breath, my very existence.
Secondly, I have a beautiful wife named Michelle. We have been married for three years and a whole lot more to come. I love my wife more and more each day and am thankful for all the things she puts up with; from my impatience, to committing to too many things, to being stressed for no reason. She is definitely the better half.
I am intrigued with the current political climate of our country and the polarizing effect it is having. Just like religion, the discussion of politics brings the best, and more often than not, the worst out of people. I love these discussions; to initiate and to learn from them. I am very critical of the Republican party who tout God on a ballot, and then cast Him away in the name of greed, business, freedom, and democracy.
I passionately believe that Jesus calls us to take care of the poor and oppressed. This issue is not to be taken lightly. Billions of people live off of less than a dollar a day while I buy a two dollar coffee today, throwing half of it away, because it doesn't taste good. I believe Jesus loves these marginalized people with a fury that none can describe. I pray that the Lord would grant me but a speck of that indescribable love for the down and out. I believe the Lord has called me to serve the meek and the mild; locally, nationally, and beyond.
I spend a lot of time studying and reading up on the complexities of the crisis in Africa; 12 million orphaned children, 3000 dead daily of malaria, 6500 dead from HIV-Aids daily. The numbers are large and about to get larger. This global inequality must be squashed, with the church leading the way on the front lines of restoring Africa.
I long to see a nation of restored families, where divorce is the last, not the first, option. I pray a day will come soon when young women will take responsibility of their bodies; not giving themselves away to any Tom, Dick, or Harry only to result in yet another fatherless child, or worse, a lifeless child. My wife recently checked out the new births at St. Joseph's hospital in Jackson. Out of the 17 newborn pictures, 11 were single moms and/or out of wedlock.
I hope this sheds some light on where I am coming from as far as posting these blurps. I encourage questions, criticism, praise, threats, whatever helps you sift through these questions and ideas I post. Thanks

I recently went to the Redgranite correctional facility with students from the Tri-Center Alternative School in West Bend. The students had a chance to talk with inmates and ask them any questions they might have. I was amazed at the inmates standing in front of me. Out of 9 inmates that were in this program (R.Y.TE., Reaching Youth Through Education), 4 of them were convicted of homicide, one for vehicular homicide, and three for armed robbery. The thing that got me though was this: I was just like them. Sure, I didn't grow up in the ghetto and my parents didn't go through a divorce. But I had the same interests as them (family and being successful), I had the same desires as them (to be a positive influence). I even looked and talked like them. I could relate to them. They were people I would befriend on the streets. I actually liked them.
We have this misperception that those that are locked up are monsters; monsters that look different, talk different, walk different. There is something inherently wrong with them that could not possibly be wrong with us. They can't function in society and as a result are locked up.
This could not be further from the truth. These are real people like you and me that made wrong decisions (like we do), succumbed to temptation (like we do), got caught (like we do), punished (like we are) and as a result, are behind bars. We need to look at these people behing bars with an understanding that they are very similar to us and that rehabilition is the answer rather than locking them up and throwing away the key.