Vick is using his second chance, I'm on my 99th chance

Second chances. Every one deserves a chance to redeem themselves; some use it well, others may need a third chance.

Personally, I think I'm on chance number 99.

Everyone deserves as least one second chance.


A great example of that is the second chance given to football legend Michael Vick. This week President Obama has voiced his approval of the second chance Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Vick is getting this season, just a year removed from serving 18 months in federal prison on charges related to a dog fighting ring.


President Peter Mr. Obama recently called Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and praised the team for giving Vick a chance. Mr. Obama said, so many people who serve time never get a fair second chance, "it's never a level playing field for prisoners when they get out of jail."

The President said he was happy that we did something on such a national stage that showed our faith in giving someone a second chance after such a major downfall


Everyone needs a second chance, even a third and fourth chance.


We mess up and do stupid things frequently. We make so many errors in life that second chances are never enough.


Jesus said we should have an attitude of forgiveness that goes beyond the ordinary. In Luke 17:4 he said, "And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him."


That's a lot of forgiveness! It's something that I certainly desire on the receiving end, but always fall short of on the giving end.

It was such an astounding idea that his disciples in the next verse said.


"Lord, increase our faith."


Ditto.

Posession of crack won't get you five years anymore

A new law removes the mandatory five year sentence for possession of crack.

Yesterday, President Obama signed a law that changes the way the courts hand out sentences for crack cocaine; simple possession won't automatically require five years in prison. For 25 years the law slammed crack users of five grams (about two sugar packs) of crack in jail for five years. Judges had no choice. In the resulting time statistics showed 83 percent of those charged with crack were African-American. What was disparate is that it took it took 500 grams of powder cocaine to get the same sentence. Powder cocaine was the drug of choice of whites.

Groups have been trying to change the law for 25 years and in the meantime jails have been filling all over the country, running up costs and using up law enforcement time that could be better spent on major crime syndicates instead of low-level street corner hustlers. The government estimates that it spends $42 million a year locking up crack cocaine offenders.

When there is a 100:1 disparity that parses out along racial lines, there is a problem. The new law addresses the problem but doesn't make it even.
There will still be an 18:1 disparity in the sentences but it's a tremendous improvement. It is a plus for the Obama administration because it was no easy task; no repeal of mandatory drug sentencing laws have passed Congress since the 1970's.

The changes don't endorse crack use or powder cocaine use. It makes the sentencing more in line with reality and fairness.

It's justice coming late, but never-the-less appreciated. "The wheels of justice grind slow, but exceedingly fine."

Thinking of justice, I'm reminded of Amos 5:24 that says, "But let justice run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream."

Now, wouldn't it be great if the law applied retroactively to free those still serve disproportionate sentences?

That would be real justice.

I lost my signal in the middle of my call.

Right in the middle of our conversation, I lost my signal.

The phone call was rather important I thought, especially since the two of us had been trying to connect for quite some time but had been playing phone tag. When we finally caught up with each other our exchange of information began; then suddenly the phone went dead.

"Hello, Hello, Can you hear me?" -There was no answer. Either I lost my signal or he lost his.

With all of the pressing technology that exists today no one should expect to finish a conversation because the prospect of an interrupted signal always exists.

When I thought about that I wondered about our conversations with God. Is it possible that some of us have been playing phone tag with God; He's been leaving us messages and we've been promising to get back to Him at our earliest convenience. That's when we promise to pray, read a devotional, or to attend a worship but never get around to it.

Even worse, there are times when we really need to talk to God but we lose our signal. You see, God hangs up on us if we try to talk to him while we are in the midst of our sins. Sometimes He looks at the ID, sees it's from someone who wants something but doesn't want to repent to get it. I'm sure when I'm in that state, my call gets ignored. It's like trying to talk to your grandmother while smoking a joint; she won't hear a word you have to say.

Better than Verizon or AT ant T, God can connect with us anywhere. There are no dead zones; but he has rules. We can't ask for blessings, healings,and guidance while we are willfully living sinful lives without repentance. If we want to get a call through without an interruption, we should make our first call an earnest plea for forgiveness; God will know it and pick up the phone.

There is a bible passage in Psalms 66:18 that says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

When we are straight with God the followings verses say in Psalms 66:19-20, "But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me."

It's best that I try to straighten myself out before I try to hookup with God, or he may just hang up; or worse, not answer.

When he calls the next time, I'll change my location; find a signal and stay there, so I won't be interrupted again.

I'll do the same for my business caller, too.