Lots of people who visit Central Dallas Ministries ask us, even after a two-hour tour, "So, where does the ministry take place?"

Or, "How do you work the ministry into your programs?"

By that they mean where and how does "the call to conversion" or the invitation to "accept Jesus" come into play in what we do.

I was listening to the radio a few days ago and they had an open discussion. The topic being discussed was, "Should record companies censor the music of their artists?"

First of all, let me say that I am a firm believer in the fact that music CAN alter your mind so without thought my first response was yes they should because children hear this music and it is slowly corrupting their little minds.

Some children are beginning to look up to the people who (to me) portray negative images and this is personally taking its toll on me. What happened to the people like firemen, police, doctors, and so forth being role models for little children. Has career day been taken away?

What is the deal with all of this?

Back in 1998, I wrote a little "white paper" mainly for my own benefit.

My purpose at the time was to organize my thoughts about how Central Dallas Ministries might actually become involved in serious, on-the-ground neighborhood and community redevelopment. Once I'd completed the first draft, I kept working on it over the next year or so. I filed a copy and I circulated several copies among a few board members and staff.

I came across a copy of my little vision paper not long ago. So, I thought I would post it here just for fun. Its title is "Hope Street."

Cowards. Candy ass. Slacker. Anyway you spin it - its crap.

I'm relatively young - ok I'm pretty young. I didn't get really interested in politics until 2002 (I'd say 2000 Al lost and it took me two years to understand how to deal with that.)

Despite never knowing what winning looks like - I opted for politics as my profession. 2006 was my first win. Ever.

Does anyone else really feel like we've been hosed?

It began to occur to me if I'm going to write you while I'm still in the 319th Army Air Forces Flying Training Detachment, I'd better start. One of my three roommates is home packing up her things today - washed out, she is. Had her Army check ride yesterday, and the Lieutenant recommended for her elimination. I'll be having my next Army ride any day now, so maybe I'll be packing up too...

In honor of Memorial Day, please allow me to introduce you to this remarkable woman.

Last month, I was shocked and disgusted when I learned about the cuts in the new Farm Bill that my hometown Representative Nancy Boyda addressed at an open forum.

It seems, I said, that "feeding children is taking a backseat to war," as the frequently used program for Food Stamps was facing seious cuts.

This along with age old accusations that Food Stamps and Welfare were ineffectively run claiming

"The U.S. taxpayers, along with the poor, should count themselves as the casualties of the three-decade "War on Poverty." Aggregate government spending on welfare programs during this period surpassed $5.4 trillion..."

There is no room to mess up if you are an immigrant. The consequences are high.

My friend, Monica was 5 years old when she came to the United States. She lives and understands U.S. culture. Yet now she faces the possibility of deportation to Mexico because of the mistake she made to attend a senior skip party.

More people are exploited and abused in the cause of religion than in any other way. Sex, money, and power all take a back seat to religion as a source of evil. Religion is the most dangerous energy source known to humankind. The moment a person (or government or religion or organization) is convinced that God is either ordering or sanctioning a cause or project, anything goes. The history, worldwide, of religion-fueled hate, killing, and oppression is staggering.

Stereotypes about "the projects" create a vicious cycle. They are hurtful to the people who live there and create a fear and distrust for those who don't. Not all of those stereotypes are true. I'm not saying "the projects" are a glamorous and safe place to live... much to the contrary.

But what I have learned is that despite the stereotypes, there are many good people who live there.

Real estate development is not easy. This is true for market rate developers who bring forward upscale, glitzy, high-end projects designed to serve and attract middle and upper class urban consumers.

No matter where or what type the project, challenges and obstacles always arise to the threaten success of most every deal.

There has been some talk around here about the value of Howard's 50 State Strategy that gets candidates to run in all offices.

"Not only is this the best way of distributing the party's message, but it ensures the engagement of the youth that is so vital to the party's long-term health and vitality." Says Craig a poster on FM. "People that want to write off the South or any other part of this country bother me. By doing this, we're telling young people to stay at home, sit on their rear ends, and allow the government to do whatever it wants. By doing this, we validate apathy."

Think of all the roofs! Heck, think of all the surfaces of any kind sitting there in the sun absorbing all that heat energy.

I just came back to Nevada and the news of Jerry Falwell's death from a cross country trip to celebrate my graduation in Maine. With a master's degree in pastoral ministry from a Roman Catholic College, my former life as a fundamentalist Baptist seems destined to intrude with all the ironic force I keep meeting in God.

Men like Jerry Falwell were looming figures in my childhood faith. How much I wanted those powerful, self-assured, Bible-believing men, the ones we saw on television screens during video nights in church halls and the real life pastors who preached to me on Sundays, to think I was smart enough and good enough to serve God.

I spotted him Sunday on my way home.

He hobbled up Haskell Avenue late in the afternoon. I've got to say I've never seen anyone walk like him. More accurately, I've never seen anyone in his condition walk at all.

He used two wooden crutches.

His right leg dangled from his torso in a rather unruly fashion. It twisted around in front of him as he "walked" along. Yet, somehow with each step he managed to "catch" the free hanging limb with his left leg as he propelled himself forward using the crutches.

There is no way I can describe it to you. But, I'll give it a shot just the same!

Dr. Jim Walton, our partner in the delivery of community health, wellness and medical services to inner city Dallas, takes care of over 20 severely injured patients. All have experienced terrible brain and/or neurological injuries. As a result, all are unable to walk and, in some cases unable to move much at all.

Dr. Jim makes house calls. You heard me.

Jim is a modern day Marcus Welby. He practices medicine in this manner for at least two reasons...

Concerning this ill-fated war, it seems Mr. Dee-Side-Errr has announced a new position at the Pentagon. The New "War Czar" is Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute. You can read about it here.

This is nothing to get excited about. I assure you the only purpose for this new position is to have someone to fire shortly after General Pace reports back on Iraq in September. They'll want to say something like "we're starting off with a fresh new plan with new leadership and new energy"..... or some thought up phrase like that.

Representatives James McGovern (D-MA) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) initiated a Food Stamp Challenge in Congress, pledging to live for a week on an average food stamp budget - just $3 a day. They invited their colleagues in the House of Representatives to participate, and two other members have joined their efforts: Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Tim Ryan (D-OH).

So - Last week Colorado's House and Senate approved the bill that will reduce the age requirement to run for office meaning it now goes to a full vote on the next state-wide ballot. This was part of the ambitious legislative agenda by a new organization in the state called New Era Colorado and this is indeed a new era in Colorado.

Colorado is one of six states that require candidates to be 25. All other states have age minimums of 21 or 18. According to the Colorado Daily.

"The CU student government's liaison to state legislature, Ryan Biehle, 20, thinks more young candidates will emerge.

"Once the gates are open people will take to it, I guess," Biehle said."

So, curious, as I tend to be, I decided to check out some younger candidates and how they are different - better in some ways.

"Magnificent," cried the ministers, but they could see nothing at all. Indeed there was nothing to be seen...." (The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Anderson)

I really had wanted to wait a bit longer before I espoused more rhetoric concerning the powers that be however with the "Gonzo/Ashcroft Bed Side" story that broke last week, my own "Flabergastification" (my new word I just made up, ya like it?) demanded that I type something if only to prove to my self I wasn't dreaming.

Why are we allowing unregulated, potentially unsafe and uninspected imported food products to be offered to the unsuspecting and trusting American public? Have we lost the will to minimally protect ourselves? What's happened to us?

In the last two months, over 4,000 American poisoned pets have died from Chinese food ingredients found in over 100 American brands of pet food.

The presence of poison in the pet food, we now know, was not an accident. The Chinese government admits that the contaminants were a result of intentional adulteration.

The pet food scandal brings to light one of the Chinese food industry's biggest problems - counterfeit ingredients in human food.

It's not just pets that are at risk now. It's us.