I want  to say a couple of things about who I am.

Lots of people try to impress you with their credentials, accomplishments etc., but that isn’t what impresses me. I look for what a person is on the inside. How do we see what is on the inside, is the perplexing question. I believe we see it in content.  Content and character go hand in hand and while character has been written about it ad infinitum, with a great degree of expertise, character is seen in content…content of who you are. Content is seen in your daily life, and your reactions and response to it. It always worms its way from the inside out.

So instead of dazzling you (really just underwhelming you) with who I am, I’ll  tell you my story along with some homespun philosophy.

First, I’m just a regular kind of guy! As you can see the tall guy on the right, my Grandfather on my Dad’s side, I’m from humble beginnings. He was a share cropper in Oklahoma, born in Arkansas. My Dad C.J., was born in Arkansas coming to California right after WWI. So us children, 3 boys, 1 girl (the princess) are first generation Californians.

Everyone is looking for to be someone special …or someone special to be like. I believe we need to revel in our ordinariness. Regular folks, like us, have much to, and have contributed to our culture and society at large. If it wasn’t for us ordinary folk, then special would be ordinary. The word special is overused today. People’s egos, pride if you will, want to be stroked, and petted. So being special is the way to boost someone’s morale (or if you want to get down to the core of it, their victimization, boost to their so-called self esteem). Oh, I know that isn’t political correct (or socially). I believe that most of us “common folk” are not politically correct or even up on all the latest cutting edge cultural nuances that seem to identify our times in the minds of the media, Hollywood and and those who spend their time thinking that the world revolves around them.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word special as; “distinguished by some unusual quality; especially: being in some way superior.” In contrast to “common,”

Here is how The American Heritage Dictionary defines “common.”

• Of no exceptional ability, degree, or quality; average.
• Of inferior quality; second-rate.

Of course that definition doesn’t define us as to who we are. We are defined by special creation, the image bearers of God, individuals whom have the love of God singularly…which separates us from all other individuals, and then His love for all humanity.

It’s us “ordinarians” (yes I just made up that word) which makes others special. I think a great big Thank You from them is in order, don’t you?