Today, Mark Rutland assumed the presidency at Oral Roberts University. It is truly an exciting moment for all ORU graduates and former students. Our university has finally been completely transitioned from the overbearing hands of the Roberts family to a president whose chief goals are for ORU to be "warm, inviting, and transparent." In an interview with the Tulsa World, Rutland mentioned that he wanted to "open up and lighten up." I can already feel the freesh breeze blowing through the campus.
For those of you who didn't attend ORU, it's hard to describe the atmosphere that was continually cultivated on campus by the Roberts family. Students were often told that attendance at ORU was a privilege and not a right. We were told that the rules kept us holy. We were told that the leadership of the school was beyond reproach or question. We were also told that sowing a "seed" to God would make us rich - but that's another story.
Why did we stay in an environment like that? Simply put, it was because of the students and professors. In our 4 years there, we met kindred spirits and lifelong friends. We were influenced by professors who genuinely wanted to see us learn and succeed. They invested in us and considered themselves successful when we were successful. We put up with all the administrative crap because it was the cost of doing business, so to speak.
Perhaps most exciting, the ORU debt will be completely paid off in a matter of weeks. In less than 2 years, the school has gone from a $55 million in the red to less than $700,000 currently. This could have never been done without Mart Green's generous contribution and his leadership. We all owe him a debt of gratitude.
Welcome to ORU, President Rutland. We're all praying for you and we wish you a long and prosperous tenure at the helm of our school.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Devastation on I-44
On Friday, just before noon, my wife and I set out for what promised to be a fun and relaxing marriage retreat in Kansas City with our church. I had taken the day off and we were going to leisurely make our way up there. As we neared Claremore, my wife mentioned that she'd never seen the campus of Rogers State where I teach as an adjunct professor. Thinking that we had plenty of time, I decided a 10 minute detour couldn't hurt anything. We made a quick circle around the school and even stopped for a few moments to take pictures of the Lincoln statue on campus as well as take a bathroom break. We got back on I-44 East and continued on our way.
As many Tulsans probably already know, Friday afternoon saw what some in the OHP are calling the worst traffic accident in the history of the state. I'll spare all the details and allow you to read them for yourself here. Here's the thing, though - we were literally about 200 yards behind the accident. A few seconds quicker and we could have been in it. A few more seconds and we would have gone by never knowing it had occurred until we read the paper. We ended up stranded on the highway for over 4 hours in post 100-degree heat while the rescue and recovery attempt went on.
I walked up to the accident scene and it was horrific. It looked like a war scene. Vehicles were unrecognizable. Being so closely connected to an accident like this causes a great deal of introspection. Sara and I were immediately drawn to prayer to thank God for protecting us. We also prayed for the families of those who had perished at the scene. We prayed He would make Himself real to them as healer and comforter. We prayed that we would use this as a wake up call to not just go through the motions in life, but to really live it. I grieve for the loss I saw on Friday. Since that day, I haven't been able to sleep well and I haven't been able to put it out of my mind. To be honest, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to. It' probably right to be impacted by this and it should mess with me for awhile. It's impossible to come out on the other side of something like this and remain the same.
Since we were going on vacation, we happened to have our camera with us. I snapped some pictures of the rescue personnel doing what they do best. I know the troopers in our fine state have gotten a bad rap lately because of one hothead, but these people charged to scene like the cavalry and worked tirelessly in the sweltering heat to rescue the victims. God bless 'em all.
As many Tulsans probably already know, Friday afternoon saw what some in the OHP are calling the worst traffic accident in the history of the state. I'll spare all the details and allow you to read them for yourself here. Here's the thing, though - we were literally about 200 yards behind the accident. A few seconds quicker and we could have been in it. A few more seconds and we would have gone by never knowing it had occurred until we read the paper. We ended up stranded on the highway for over 4 hours in post 100-degree heat while the rescue and recovery attempt went on.
I walked up to the accident scene and it was horrific. It looked like a war scene. Vehicles were unrecognizable. Being so closely connected to an accident like this causes a great deal of introspection. Sara and I were immediately drawn to prayer to thank God for protecting us. We also prayed for the families of those who had perished at the scene. We prayed He would make Himself real to them as healer and comforter. We prayed that we would use this as a wake up call to not just go through the motions in life, but to really live it. I grieve for the loss I saw on Friday. Since that day, I haven't been able to sleep well and I haven't been able to put it out of my mind. To be honest, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to. It' probably right to be impacted by this and it should mess with me for awhile. It's impossible to come out on the other side of something like this and remain the same.
Since we were going on vacation, we happened to have our camera with us. I snapped some pictures of the rescue personnel doing what they do best. I know the troopers in our fine state have gotten a bad rap lately because of one hothead, but these people charged to scene like the cavalry and worked tirelessly in the sweltering heat to rescue the victims. God bless 'em all.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Our Anniversary
Four years ago today, I said "I do" to the most wonderful woman who has ever walked into my life. She's everything I ever wanted in a wife. She's kind, good natured, easy going, able to laugh at herself, witty, smart, compassionate, devoted, loving, hard working, and to top it all off, an amazing mother to our son.
We got married at 6:00 in the evening at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Tulsa. Neither one of us were of the Episcopal denomination, but having previously experienced the beauty of the church at a Christmas choir concert, we were excited about having our wedding in the historic gothic cathedral. Our ceremony was of the traditional liturgical type. Neither one of us grew up in that tradition, but we both were captivated by the poetry of the words and the gravity given to the celebration of marriage.
In front of God, my family and friends, I made the following vow:
To close the service, Father McKee prayed the following prayer over us.
We got married at 6:00 in the evening at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Tulsa. Neither one of us were of the Episcopal denomination, but having previously experienced the beauty of the church at a Christmas choir concert, we were excited about having our wedding in the historic gothic cathedral. Our ceremony was of the traditional liturgical type. Neither one of us grew up in that tradition, but we both were captivated by the poetry of the words and the gravity given to the celebration of marriage.
In front of God, my family and friends, I made the following vow:
In the Name of God, I, Trait, take you, Sara, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.
To close the service, Father McKee prayed the following prayer over us.
O God, the giver of all that is true and lovely and gracious: We give you thanks for binding us together in these holy mysteries of the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Grant that by your Holy Spirit, Sara and Trait, now joined in Holy Matrimony, may become one in heart and soul, live in fidelity and peace, and obtain those eternal joys prepared for all who love you; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.As I revisit those words, I'm thankful to God for the wife that He has brought me and I'm thankful that He has been faithful to watch over and protect our marriage. I am today, as I was on that day, a man hopelessly in love with my wife.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Walt Kowalski and Father's Day
I finally got around to watching Gran Torino last night. Yeah, I know, welcome to the party. I'm sure most of you reading this saw it in the theater. Trips to the theater are rare events for us these days due to the presence of a very busy, but very cute, 18-month old toddler.
I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie (WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD). It was honest and raw, but not in an overdone way. Some of his one liners were positively hilarious, especially when Eastwood's character, Walt Kowalski, was addressing his Hmong next-door neighbor, Thao (who he constantly refers to as "Toad"). Kowalski is a grizzled Korean War veteran whose wife has just died. He clings to the way things were in the old days and cringes when a Hmong family moves in next door. He uses all manner of racial epithets to describe them not only when they aren't around, but to their faces as well. As we get to know Kowalski, we find out he has a softer side. He regrets some aspects of his life, chiefly the fact that he wasn't a better father to his sons. When the neighbor boy, Thao, is being recruited into a gang, he grudgingly (at first) steps up to become a positive male role model for him.
Some of the movie's best scenes take place between Kowalski and the young, inexperienced parish priest, Father Janovich. Janovich pledged to Kowalski's deceased wife that he would get Walt to come to confession. Walt flatly refuses on the grounds that the priest has no comprehension of life or death. In a stark moment of honesty, Kowalski tells the priest that his guilt doesn't have anything to do with the things he was ordered to do, but instead with the things he did on his own. Walt's conversations with the priest are peppered throughout the movie and add a real depth of understanding to his character.
This movie was sad and funny all at the same time. Not only that, but it has caused me to have quite a few introspective moments on this Father's Day. I've been thinking about the legacy I want to leave to my son. I've been thinking about being the type of father who has a real relationship with my sons, not just an occasional conversation about the weather. I've also been thinking about those who came before me. Have I truly appreciated the sacrifices they made? Do I endeavor to learn their stories and the challenges they have overcome? Or, do I hurry about on my own way, convinced in my youth and vigor that I have all the answers - that new is best.
Today, my wife took me out to eat for Father's Day. Given my choice of venue, I chose Luby's. In line, I met a wonderfully nice man in his 80s who perked up when he saw my son. We struck up a quick conversation. Ordinarily, I would have brushed it off as nothing more than an insignificant encounter. But, in this case, the movie I saw last night was on my mind. I tried to get to know him as much as I could. He was alone on Father's Day. Both of his sons were living in Texas. He had grandchildren and was hoping for his first great grandchild soon. He was a proud graduate of the University of Tulsa who dropped out for a time in 1942 to fight in World War II. He seemed like a wonderful man. Were it not for the impatience of the toddler in my arms, we probably could have talked to him all afternoon. I'm glad I met him. I hope to meet many more like him in the future.
Happy Father's Day everyone. God bless you.
I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie (WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD). It was honest and raw, but not in an overdone way. Some of his one liners were positively hilarious, especially when Eastwood's character, Walt Kowalski, was addressing his Hmong next-door neighbor, Thao (who he constantly refers to as "Toad"). Kowalski is a grizzled Korean War veteran whose wife has just died. He clings to the way things were in the old days and cringes when a Hmong family moves in next door. He uses all manner of racial epithets to describe them not only when they aren't around, but to their faces as well. As we get to know Kowalski, we find out he has a softer side. He regrets some aspects of his life, chiefly the fact that he wasn't a better father to his sons. When the neighbor boy, Thao, is being recruited into a gang, he grudgingly (at first) steps up to become a positive male role model for him.
Some of the movie's best scenes take place between Kowalski and the young, inexperienced parish priest, Father Janovich. Janovich pledged to Kowalski's deceased wife that he would get Walt to come to confession. Walt flatly refuses on the grounds that the priest has no comprehension of life or death. In a stark moment of honesty, Kowalski tells the priest that his guilt doesn't have anything to do with the things he was ordered to do, but instead with the things he did on his own. Walt's conversations with the priest are peppered throughout the movie and add a real depth of understanding to his character.
This movie was sad and funny all at the same time. Not only that, but it has caused me to have quite a few introspective moments on this Father's Day. I've been thinking about the legacy I want to leave to my son. I've been thinking about being the type of father who has a real relationship with my sons, not just an occasional conversation about the weather. I've also been thinking about those who came before me. Have I truly appreciated the sacrifices they made? Do I endeavor to learn their stories and the challenges they have overcome? Or, do I hurry about on my own way, convinced in my youth and vigor that I have all the answers - that new is best.
Today, my wife took me out to eat for Father's Day. Given my choice of venue, I chose Luby's. In line, I met a wonderfully nice man in his 80s who perked up when he saw my son. We struck up a quick conversation. Ordinarily, I would have brushed it off as nothing more than an insignificant encounter. But, in this case, the movie I saw last night was on my mind. I tried to get to know him as much as I could. He was alone on Father's Day. Both of his sons were living in Texas. He had grandchildren and was hoping for his first great grandchild soon. He was a proud graduate of the University of Tulsa who dropped out for a time in 1942 to fight in World War II. He seemed like a wonderful man. Were it not for the impatience of the toddler in my arms, we probably could have talked to him all afternoon. I'm glad I met him. I hope to meet many more like him in the future.
Happy Father's Day everyone. God bless you.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
My Wife Featured in Daily Oklahoman
Late last year, my wife and her sister started a new wedding planning business in Oklahoma City. It's called Simply Sisters Weddings. Most of the events they host are at the Old Trinity of Paseo Chapel. Today, the Daily Oklahoman published a story in which my wife was interviewed about the prevalence of June weddings and wedding trends in general. They also got a beautiful photo of her with the interior of the chapel in the background.
You can read the article here.
You can read the article here.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Man and Boy Run Amuck
My lovely wife had a wedding reception to facilitate in Oklahoma City on Saturday night, so my 18-month old son and I were left to fend for ourselves. I decided we should do it up right and have a proper Man Weekend.
So, how does one kick off a celebration of all things man-tastic? Barbeque, of course. On Friday evening, I called up some good friends to meet me and my son in Owasso to partake in the smoky goodness that is Legend's BBQ. I had never taken him there before and I felt it was high time he was properly introduced. While I chowed down on ribs and brisket, he had his fill of brisket, corn, and Texas toast. Yes, a truly balanced meal. Since he was too young for Shiner Bock, I kept all of that for myself. We concluded the evening with a trip to the Freckles frozen custard stand. He enjoyed running around the shop begging my friends for bites of custard and periodically coming back to me with the same look of longing on his face. Of course, I wasn't good at resisting his desperate pleas for the creamy goodness. Let's just say he might have had a little more than the "mommy-approved" allotment of the treat.
We got up bright and early on Saturday morning to head to the Cherry Street Farmer's Market. I had never been before, but heard good things. There were plenty of vendors about hawking fresh vegetables, breads, meats, etc. I was hoping to find some tomatoes, but no such luck. I guess it's a little early in the season. I was with a friend who wanted to take a look at some used vehicles, so we decided to make our way up 11th Street to get back to Highway 169. My son enjoyed running through the rows of vehicles screaming in delight. Noticing some of the unique architecture of the houses in the neighborhoods beyond 11th Street, I decided to take a quick detour to do some sightseeing. We stumbled upon Braden Park and it looked like a perfect place for the boy to run and play. And that he did. So much so that we had to stop the fun and head for home about 45 minutes later as naptime swiftly approached.
We spent the rest of our Saturday playing in the backyard. He ran around throwing his football and soccer ball whilst chasing the occasional bird. He also spent a considerable amount of time in his sandbox. It's fun to watch him play in there. I'm not sure what the qualification criteria is, but he sure spends a lot of time deciding which pebbles are fit to be put into his little bucket and which should be tossed aside. I wish I could just crawl into his little mind for a few minutes just to see how it works. We prepared our final meal of the day by grilling some venison steak on the back patio. After our feast of deer and steamed vegetables, we closed out the day with him throwing his golf ball into the street and me chasing it (this is a favorite game of his).
Alas, Man Weekend slowly came to an end. We went to church this morning and after lunch it was time for him to take a mighty nap. Not long afterwards, my wife returned from OKC, having hosted a successful party. All things return to normal now, but it was surely a weekend to remember.
So, how does one kick off a celebration of all things man-tastic? Barbeque, of course. On Friday evening, I called up some good friends to meet me and my son in Owasso to partake in the smoky goodness that is Legend's BBQ. I had never taken him there before and I felt it was high time he was properly introduced. While I chowed down on ribs and brisket, he had his fill of brisket, corn, and Texas toast. Yes, a truly balanced meal. Since he was too young for Shiner Bock, I kept all of that for myself. We concluded the evening with a trip to the Freckles frozen custard stand. He enjoyed running around the shop begging my friends for bites of custard and periodically coming back to me with the same look of longing on his face. Of course, I wasn't good at resisting his desperate pleas for the creamy goodness. Let's just say he might have had a little more than the "mommy-approved" allotment of the treat.
We got up bright and early on Saturday morning to head to the Cherry Street Farmer's Market. I had never been before, but heard good things. There were plenty of vendors about hawking fresh vegetables, breads, meats, etc. I was hoping to find some tomatoes, but no such luck. I guess it's a little early in the season. I was with a friend who wanted to take a look at some used vehicles, so we decided to make our way up 11th Street to get back to Highway 169. My son enjoyed running through the rows of vehicles screaming in delight. Noticing some of the unique architecture of the houses in the neighborhoods beyond 11th Street, I decided to take a quick detour to do some sightseeing. We stumbled upon Braden Park and it looked like a perfect place for the boy to run and play. And that he did. So much so that we had to stop the fun and head for home about 45 minutes later as naptime swiftly approached.
We spent the rest of our Saturday playing in the backyard. He ran around throwing his football and soccer ball whilst chasing the occasional bird. He also spent a considerable amount of time in his sandbox. It's fun to watch him play in there. I'm not sure what the qualification criteria is, but he sure spends a lot of time deciding which pebbles are fit to be put into his little bucket and which should be tossed aside. I wish I could just crawl into his little mind for a few minutes just to see how it works. We prepared our final meal of the day by grilling some venison steak on the back patio. After our feast of deer and steamed vegetables, we closed out the day with him throwing his golf ball into the street and me chasing it (this is a favorite game of his).
Alas, Man Weekend slowly came to an end. We went to church this morning and after lunch it was time for him to take a mighty nap. Not long afterwards, my wife returned from OKC, having hosted a successful party. All things return to normal now, but it was surely a weekend to remember.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Taylor's Surprise Announcement
Earlier this afternoon, I read with great surprise that Tulsa Mayor, Kathy Taylor, would not be running for re-election. This news came after she had a big party at the Jazz Hall of Fame just a couple months ago to announce her candidacy for a second term. I tuned into the press conference this evening with great interest. I expected her to announce that she was running for another office or had received an offer to work at a higher level of government, possibly in Washington, D.C.
Instead, she announced that she was not running because the atmosphere at City Hall had become entirely too political and she wanted to focus on the best interests of the City of Tulsa in the next few months. She did not announce another job or her future plans. Color me skeptical, but I think there's more than meets the eye here. No politician decides not to run because things have become partisan. Partisanship is how we communicate ideas in our system of government. Methinks there's something she's not telling.
I wonder if she's decided to run for the Oklahoma senate seat against Tom Coburn or if she'll run for governor. When I think about it, this is the perfect time for her to part ways with city government. By most accounts, she's been a pretty successful mayor with more hits than misses. While she'd most likely win her re-election pretty easily, there isn't much more to gain in terms of her reputation with 4 more years in office. Just like George Costanza, I think she's decided to go out on a high note. She can use the political capital she's gained at the city and cast her aspirations in the direction of something bigger. Of course, this is all speculation on my part. I'm just not buying this "good of the city" bit.
UPDATE: The chatter on talk radio this morning has her running for the First District congressional seat against John Sullivan. That would make sense given Sullivan's weakened position and her unlimited campaign war chest. She would be the first person of any substance to oppose Sullivan since he assumed the seat (I don't consider Dodd a formidable opponent).
Instead, she announced that she was not running because the atmosphere at City Hall had become entirely too political and she wanted to focus on the best interests of the City of Tulsa in the next few months. She did not announce another job or her future plans. Color me skeptical, but I think there's more than meets the eye here. No politician decides not to run because things have become partisan. Partisanship is how we communicate ideas in our system of government. Methinks there's something she's not telling.
I wonder if she's decided to run for the Oklahoma senate seat against Tom Coburn or if she'll run for governor. When I think about it, this is the perfect time for her to part ways with city government. By most accounts, she's been a pretty successful mayor with more hits than misses. While she'd most likely win her re-election pretty easily, there isn't much more to gain in terms of her reputation with 4 more years in office. Just like George Costanza, I think she's decided to go out on a high note. She can use the political capital she's gained at the city and cast her aspirations in the direction of something bigger. Of course, this is all speculation on my part. I'm just not buying this "good of the city" bit.
UPDATE: The chatter on talk radio this morning has her running for the First District congressional seat against John Sullivan. That would make sense given Sullivan's weakened position and her unlimited campaign war chest. She would be the first person of any substance to oppose Sullivan since he assumed the seat (I don't consider Dodd a formidable opponent).
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