mere mortal super heroes: Part II

Last time, I told you a little about my fascination with super heroes, comic books, and action figures. Today, I’m going to tell you a little about why my fascination has remained intact for all these years. You see, like most kids, I was drawn to super heroes at a young age by the brightly colored costumes and the really cool powers. But as I have gotten older I have realized that there are certain super heroes that I actually respect as an example of what my life should be like. I noticed back a few years ago, that a lot of the characters to whom I seemed to be most drawn (Batman, Robin, Green Arrow, Arsenal, and my all-time favorite, Nightwing) all had one thing in common……they were actually mere mortals. They did not have any super, meta-human, or mystical powers. They were just plain old average joes who decided that there was a need for them to be more. These people had to spend countless hours, days, months, and years developing and honing the skills they needed to make a difference in the world. They had to spend time training their bodies and minds to be at a level where they could fight alongside the likes of Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the Flash. They actually had to work to become heroes, unlike the ones who were born with phenomenal powers or attained them as a result of some sort of freak lab accident.

As I mentioned before, Nightwing is my all-time favorite super hero. For those of you who aren’t familiar with his story, let me bring you up to speed. Nightwing is actually Dick Grayson, who was the very first Robin. Much like Bruce Wayne (Batman), Dick had a very traumatic childhood. He watched his entire family be murdered by a maniacal villain when he was a young boy. After he was orphaned, Bruce Wayne took him in as a ward and began to train him to become a sidekick for Batman. Dick worked hard and became known as Robin aka “the Boy Wonder”. He spent many years living and fighting crime in the shadow of Batman. He also spent many years dealing with and overcoming the personal demons that had emerged because of his early life. Finally, when he became an adult, he decided it was time to step out of the shadow and become a hero in his own right. Thus, the persona of Nightwing was born. In the time since, Nightwing has become one of the most beloved and respected heroes in the DC Comics Universe. He is not only well-liked and respected by the DC Comics fans and comic book geeks the world over, he is well-liked and respected by the other characters in the DC Universe. As a matter of fact, many people consider him to be the glue that holds the DC Universe together. Since leaving the shadow of Batman, Nightwing has proven himself to be a true and capable leader during stints with the Teen Titans and the Outsiders (two of the largest super groups in DC Comics). He has also stepped up as a leader of the largest and most powerful DC super group, the Justice League of America. He was even chosen to take over the mantle of Batman last year when Bruce Wayne was supposedly killed. When you stop and think about the impact Batman has had not only on the DC Comics Universe but on the world and pop culture as we know it, it says a lot that Dick Grayson was chosen to fill those boots. Even though he is just a comic book character, Dick Grayson (who will always be Nightwing to me) is a shining example of what a true super hero should be: someone who overcomes the adversities and obstacles that life puts before them. Someone who digs deep inside themselves and finds the strength, courage, and determination to step out of their comfort zone and fight with everything that is within them to make a difference in the world. Someone who manages to do all of these things with grace, dignity, and character. Someone who stands as a shining example of what it means to be a hero. So you see, most people may think it’s crazy (or maybe even a little sad) for a grown man to read comic books and be fascinated by super heroes that are really just fictional characters. But the reason these fictional characters are important to me is that I see in them an example of what I want to be in my life. I want to be a man who strives to make a difference. I want to be a man who combats injustice. I want to be a man who helps people who don’t have the means or are incapable of helping themselves. I want to be a man who stands for justice, character, and what’s right. I want to be like Nightwing.I want to be a mere mortal super hero.

mere mortal super heroes: Part I

Okay…I have a confession to make. My name is Robert and I am a comic book geek. (Wow…that felt good!) Ever since I was a little boy, I have had a fascination with super heroes. Not just any heroes, the heroes of DC Comics, the “World’s Greatest Super Heroes”. I remember as a child watching “Batman” and “Wonder Woman” on TV. I remember seeing “Superman” being portrayed by the late, great Christopher Reeve in movies. My Saturday mornings were spent watching cartoons that included “The Super Friends” which featured characters from my favorite group, the Justice League of America. These heroes were a very important part of my childhood. At one point, they released a line of toys called the “Super Powers” collection. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of the times I would get to go to the store with Mom or Dad and I would walk down the toy aisle in search of an action figure that was missing from my collection. Oh the excitement when I would actually stumble across one and get to take it home! I had the complete first series of the “Super Powers” action figures. I can’t tell you the countless hours I spent playing with those toys as a child. Those memories are priceless to me! As I got older…I turned from the toys, TV, and movies to the comic books where these wonderful heroes had originated. Such great stories and such great characters were found in the pages of those books.
I have a brother who is 13 years younger than me. At some point, years after I had stopped playing with my “Super Powers” action figures, they somehow got passed along to my younger brother (who was about 4 or 5 years old at the time). Needless to say, my action figures were never the same after that. Some were missing arms, legs, or heads…some had these parts partially missing as they had been partially chewed off. Yes, my “Super Powers” collection was pretty much destroyed. I was pretty sick about this when it happened. I was even sicker several years later when e-bay came along and I saw how much those figures were bringing in online auctions. But, I’m not bitter….looking back, I would have made sure to keep my beloved figures safe, but what’s done is done and no one is to blame for their unfortunate demise. Back a few years ago, they did an updated version of the Super Friends cartoon called “Justice League Unlimited”. It was, to date, the best animated television show EVER! Along with this new show, they released a new line of action figures based on the characters of DC Comics. This new line was the closest thing to the “Super Powers” collection I had seen and at the age of 32 years old…I was a child again. I began collecting these new action figures and this time I decided to keep them in their original packaging. Before long, my collection grew to a size incredibly larger than the 15 -20 figures I had in my “Super Powers” collection. Now my collection is so big that it takes up an entire room. I like to call it the “Retirement Fund” room because at some point, I should be able to sell the collection for an amount much larger than what I originally paid (if I'm able to part with them...fingers crossed on that one). Along with the packaged figures, I have found some other collectibles related to the heroes of DC Comics. Yes, my collection is a source of great pride for me.
So……why the fascination? What do these heroes mean to me? Probably more than you think. I’ll tell you all about it. But we’re out of time for now, so tune in next time for the conclusion…..same Bat time, same Bat Blog… :-)

outside these walls

About 20 years ago, I went to Nashville with a group from the church I was attending. We went to a Youth Evangelism Conference. I don’t remember every detail of what happened back then, but I do remember a few things about the trip. The first thing I remember is that our speaker at one of the services was a man by the name of David Ring. David is a preacher who has Cerebral Palsy. I remember how he captivated the congregation in the arena that night. How inspiring was the message that he brought to us! He kept saying “look at me” and telling us not to feel sorry for ourselves or use petty little things as excuses for not doing what God wants us to do. God doesn’t put limitations on who He uses to do His work. He can use anyone regardless of how sick, broken, or useless the world may think them to be.
Another thing I remember is that we went to a service at a large church while we were there and heard a singer by the name of Brent Lamb. Brent sang a song in that service called “Outside These Walls”. That song has stuck with me throughout these past 20 years, and I still think about it to this day. The meaning of the song is that we as Christians shouldn’t be comfortable just doing our work and worship within the four walls of the church building. There is a dying, hurting, searching world out there and it’s our job to do whatever we can to help them find what they so desperately need.
One last thing I remember about that trip is that on the way back home, we “had a little church” on the old school bus that had taken us on the trip. As a matter of fact, we had to pull over to the side of the road for a while as the Holy Spirit came into that old bus and began to work and change lives. What a wonderful time we had as souls were saved, lives were re-dedicated, and some of us stepped out on faith and did things we never thought we would. To this day, that was one of the most amazingly spiritual services I have ever witnessed.
Now, 20-something years later, I still think back to that trip and the great things that took place on it. And I still find myself singing the song “Outside These Walls” in my head from time to time.

“Within these walls we join our hearts. We come together to be set apart. But worshipping on Sunday is just a place to hide if we can’t face on Monday the dying world outside.
Do the crying know we care? Do the lonely find us there? Are we so involved we do not hear their calls? Everywhere men are searching…they’re wondering why they’re hurting. Do they see the love of Jesus at all…outside these walls?
Within our hearts he planted a seed. It’s a love that will be there for all that we need. But safe in our seclusion how can we know that outside these walls are fields we need to sow?” ~ Brent Lamb

I have reached a point in my life where I realize just how true and relevant those words are today. We have to step outside the walls in our lives and realize that there is a greater work to be done. Not just the walls of the church building, but the walls of our own houses and even the figurative walls of our comfort zones. Working within the walls of the church is a wonderful thing, but most of today’s churches are filled with believers…Christians who, let’s be honest, are extremely blessed and fortunate in comparison to so many others in the world. We have to step outside the walls of our own homes and stop being so focused on ourselves and the trivial things we deal with on a daily basis. And to start, perhaps most importantly, we need to step outside the walls of our comfort zones and start focusing on what we can do to make a difference in this world and in the lives of the less fortunate ones who live in it. We need to stop looking out the window from the safety of that comfort zone waiting for someone else to do something…to make a difference. What if everyone did that? What if everyone waited on someone else to take the first step? Someone has to be first….perhaps you are the one who can inspire others around you. So what are you waiting for? Isn’t it time you opened the door and stepped outside your walls?

sweet tea and Kroger peanut butter

For as long as I can remember, my beverage of choice has been tea. Not just any tea, mind you, but SWEET tea. And, not just any brand either….it has to be LIPTON. Now I know that sweet tea is probably not the healthiest drink in the world, in fact it probably has something to do with the weight struggles I am presently having. But try as I may…I haven’t been able to quit sweet tea. My dad used to be the same way, but he actually managed to give it up a few years back. To my knowledge, he hasn’t had a drop since. In fact, he’s a lot like an alcoholic now in the fact that he’s afraid to have even a sip of sweet tea for fear he will “fall off the wagon”. While I applaud his strength and determination, I am neither that strong nor that determined. I’m not sure I could give up my sweet tea altogether and never have another drop. I have managed to go for a few weeks at a time without indulging in the sweet nectar, but I always come back. It’s a part of who I am, that’s just how it is….it’s in my very nature. I can remember seeing pictures of myself as a toddler drinking tea out of a baby bottle. In today's world, some might think that’s wrong or even a little sad, but not me…I’m thankful. If I had never been introduced to sweet tea, I can’t imagine what I would reach for when I walk into the kitchen first thing in the morning. Certainly not coffee...love the smell of that stuff, but to me the taste is absolutely putrid! (No offense to any coffee drinkers who may be reading this blog entry). When I walk into the kitchen first thing in the morning, it’s to grab my glass of sweet tea (already poured the night before) from the fridge and start the day off on a happy note. There is absolutely nothing in the world (except MAYBE ice cold water) that can quench the thirst like a big old glass of sweet tea!
If sweet tea is my drink of choice, my go-to food is………wait for it.....peanut butter! Yep, you read that right…peanut butter. I love a LOT of foods: chicken, cheese, rice, beef, pasta, turkey, bread, chocolate (I think we’re all starting to understand the aforementioned weight struggle, huh?). But, at the end of a long, stressful day nothing makes me happier than to sit down with a big spoon and a big jar of peanut butter……absolutely wonderful! And, just as I am a stickler for Lipton tea…there is only one brand of peanut butter for me. It isn’t JIF, Peter Pan, or even Skippy, it’s Kroger Brand! I don’t know if you have ever tried it, but let me tell you that there is something special about Kroger peanut butter. It is without a doubt the best peanut butter I have ever eaten! I have tried a lot of other brands but nothing comes close to it. In fact, to prove my point, I will tell you that a few months ago I stopped grocery shopping at Kroger (for reasons that are my own). I started buying my groceries like most people do, at Wal-Mart. However, when peanut butter is on my shopping list, I have to make a stop at Kroger on the way home from Wal-Mart. Sound crazy? I assure you it’s not. It’s that good! And I should know…because I may not know about a lot of things, but two things on which I am an expert are sweet tea and Kroger peanut butter!

(NOTE: I am NOT being compensated by Kroger or the Lipton Company for the endorsements I have made in this blog entry. However, if a representative from either company reads this and wants to send a few dollars my way, I assure you I will not be offended in the least!) :-P

July 4th: celebrating freedom...and a miracle!

Today is Independence Day, or the "4th of July" as it is commonly called. Today we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence which gave America its freedom from British rule. It’s a day for us to celebrate the freedom that we as Americans so often take for granted. July the 4th is also special for another reason…it’s the day a very special little girl named Adreana Hope was born 7 years ago (2003).
Adreana is the daughter of two of my best friends, Michael and Kim. She has two older brothers, James (age 12) and Austin (age 9). I remember the day that Kim told me that she was pregnant again and that it was going to be a little girl. Everyone was so excited! Then came the news that this little girl had a defect called an omphalocele. This meant that she was going to have to have surgery immediately after birth and possibly be in the hospital for several weeks thereafter. There was the possibilty of very serious complications, and also the possibilty that her health could be affected throughout her life. An omphalocele is a defect in the abdominal wall in which the liver, intestines, and occasionally other organs remain outside the abdomen in a sac. During the months before she came to greet us, there was a tremendous amount of praying that went on for this precious little girl. Adreana ended up being born on July 4, 2003. She weighed a very healthy 10 pounds! As soon as she was born, she was rushed into surgery to repair the omphalocele. The surgery was successful and the doctors told her parents that she was probably looking at being in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit for at least a month. The awesome God we serve saw to it that she went home after just 16 days! I remember visiting that NICU during those 16 days and holding this precious little girl. I also remember walking past all of the other little babies who were fighting for their lives. There was one who could have easily fit into the palm of my hand. How comforting it was to know that all of these little ones were safely in the palm of a hand much bigger than mine.
It’s been a long time since I’ve thought about these things that happened 7 years ago. Like so many other things…..my life, health, family, friends, and freedoms……I have taken for granted the miracle that God allowed me to witness back then. Today Adreana is a very healthy and happy 7 year old! You would never guess that she went through what she did at such a young age. In fact, the only way you might know something was different about her is if you saw her belly button. You see, because of the omphalocele she wasn't born with one....so the doctor made her one! What a blessing! I’m thankful to God for bringing this to my remembrance today because July the 4th is more than just a day to celebrate freedom and independence…..it’s a day to celebrate a miracle, a miracle named Adreana Hope! Happy Birthday, Adreana! Bubber loves you very much!