Tag: tony casson

“A HAPPY BIRTHDAY, INDEED!” by Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn HAPPY BIRTHDAYLeave a comment

“And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need.
These are the sacrifices that please God.”  Hebrews 13:16 NLT

“I expect to pass through this world but once; Any good thing therefore
that I can do, or kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me
do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”
Proverbial Saying

Last week, as the world was besieged with hours of television news broadcasting devoted to the ‘mesmerizing’ arrest of a spoiled, arrogant, pompous, narcissistic, overblown, self-centered, self-indulgent, pretentious, puffed-up little person named Justin Bieber, who was arrested in Miami for drag racing his Lamborghini and doing it while intoxicated, a young girl in Baton Rouge quietly went about the business of planning her 12th birthday party. My friend Richard’s daughter, Madison, was preparing to have her party at a place called “The Quarters”, which is sort of like a grown-up Chuck-E-Cheese. They have more games and activities for the entire family to enjoy together, including ‘laser tag’.

Let me tell you what makes this particular birthday party deserving of far more air-time than the out-of-control super-rich preschooler. Richard told me that the invitations Madison sent out to her 10 or so invitees contained the following message: “In lieu of gifts for me, please bring something to donate to the ‘Bishop Ott Women And Children’s Shelter’.”

Richard’s wife told Richard she thought she was being “overly optimistic” when she brought 3 large laundry baskets to put the donated items in, but as it turns out they were not close to being enough. There were piles of blankets and one piece outfits for toddlers and babies, baby bottles and diapers and other items.

Are you crying yet? I was, as was Richard as he related the story to me. But wait…there is more: The restaurant staff, upon learning what was happening, quickly banded together to create a special, personalized card for Madison, and when the manager brought it out, he asked who the mother was. After Richard’s wife identified herself, the manager asked, “What planet is your daughter from?” He then presented the card to Madison, and Madison found that her generous, unselfish heart had earned her a month’s worth of unlimited laser tag from the restaurant.

In addition (What, you thought I was done?), some of the invitees not only brought items to donate, they also brought a gift for Madison as well. When Madison related the story to Richard, she complained, saying, “Daddy, they didn’t LISTEN!”

No Madison… they listened. I only wish the rest of the world could hear about your selflessness as well. You are an inspiration to us all. God bless you, young lady, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

“(IN)JUSTICE IS BLIND” by Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn (IN)JUSTICE IS BLIND1 Comment

“God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.”
Matthew 5:6 NLT

“Extreme law is often extreme injustice.” Terence (Publius Terentius Afer)

“Volenti non fit iniuria”. Translated, this anonymous Latin legal maxim means, “To a person who consents, no injustice is done.” On the surface, this sentiment indeed has merit, for its broad meaning is that injustice can only occur when decent people do not speak out to prevent it. But this is 2014 in the United States of America, and INJUSTICE has permeated our justice system, filling it with the overpowering stench of corruption, the foul odor of personal ambition, the fetid funk of irresponsibility, and the sour stink that accompanies egregious abuse of power.

Last week, an incoming inmate was escorted by a friend of mine, to his new ‘residence’ in one of the housing units that was the farthest away from the Special Housing Unit (SHU) from where the individual had been released. He was brought into the unit and ‘shown’ where he would set up housekeeping within the unit. As it turned out, the bunk originally assigned to him was an ‘upper’. Nothing unusual so far. Just normal stuff. Except for the fact that the new arrival, Ronald Breaux, age 68, of Raceland, LA, has been BLIND for 27 years and had recently been sentenced in federal court in the western district of Louisiana by one Judge Haik, to 13 years in prison for possession of child pornography. The fact that Mr. Breaux is blind was not allowed to be introduced into the proceedings. In fact, it was ruled by Judge Haik as being ‘irrelevant’ to said proceedings.

I think I have said all I wish to say for the time being. I will leave it in the hands of those who read this, and anyone they can reach out to, in the hope that someone will raise a voice of protest and indignation. I encourage you all to investigate and decide for yourselves: “Can America sleep safer at night knowing that a blind man is in prison?”

On second thought, perhaps a better question is, “HOW can America sleep at night knowing that a blind man is in prison?”

“IMPOSSIBLE THINGS” by Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Today IsLeave a comment

“For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 NLT

“Like stars across the sky, we were born to shine.” Andrea Bocelli – “Because We Believe”

“‘There’s no use trying,’ she said: ‘One CAN’T believe impossible things.'” Alice in “Through The Looking Glass” by Lewis Carroll

It was a little over 4 years ago I stood in front of that mirror in the bathroom of a run-down motel in south Florida staring with hatred at the person looking back at me. A few minutes later, I was lying on the floor of the shower stall, awaiting death. At that moment in time, it would have been impossible for me to imagine sitting here writing these words. The REASON for writing them would have appeared BEYOND impossible to me. I certainly would have shared Alice’s perspective.

I have mentioned repeatedly the pending publication of a book of daily devotionals I have written titled “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”. On the morning of December 27, I awoke to a message from my friend Diane Woodall informing me that she had completed the task she so selflessly took on for me almost 2 years ago. After typing, correcting, advising, and encouraging me for all that time, and after going through the process required to transform our combined work into an e-book, in the middle of an email she stated, simply, “You are now officially published.”

After the moment that was required for those words to sink in, I typed her an ecstatic reply, returned to my cell, closed my door, placed a pillow on the floor and fell to my knees (my knees are older than their years) where I broke down in tears of joy and thanks to God for His gift of this new life that enabled me to do something that a few short years ago would have seemed impossible to even contemplate, let alone attempt. I cried tears of thanks that God could transform me into someone who could care enough for others that I would want to write such a thing. I cried tears of joy for the forgiveness He has given me for a life not lived well, knowing that I will never live the same way again. I cried tears for my children. They were tears of thanks for what God has shown me I will be able to be for them in the future, but they were also tears that acknowledged the immense sadness for all that I was NOT for them in the past. I did not dwell on those failures of the past, I simply reminded myself of them as a part of the joyous celebration of THIS day, and the days that I look forward to remaining in my life.

Finally I cried tears of thanks to God for the woman who has devoted so much of her time to a man she has never even met because this is what God had led HER to do. God created the need in me, and led Diane to me to fill that need, and together we have made a formidable team for HIM. Don, her husband, is probably on HIS knees thanking God that it is over.

To say that I am humbled by Diane’s willingness to give so much of herself to projects that are important to me would be a gross understatement. To further state that I am humbled by the fact God would deem ME worthy of His love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace and help me see this vision come to pass would be an even greater one.

Each day truly is a Gift from God for each one of us. This book, “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, represents a giant step forward from where I once stood. Granted, it is just one step, but it most certainly is a HUGE one. There are many more steps to be taken in my life, and I look forward to taking them, one by one, led by God, and accompanied by individuals such as Diane.

The greatest gift we can ever give to ourselves is to live every waking moment of every day of our lives in a manner that is pleasing to God and reflects His character, His will, and His purpose. The greatest gift that we can give to another human being is the selfless gift of ourselves, which is what Diane Woodall has given me. She has helped me to learn a valuable lesson, and it is one I shall endeavor to always remember.

I now offer “TODAY IS….A Gift From God” to each and every person reading these words. It is not offered as the best compilation of devotions, thoughts, and meditations ever written. It is not offered as any sort of literary masterpiece. It is not offered as a solution to EVERY problem or situation that may be faced in life. No, my friends, it is not offered as any of these things. Instead, it is humbly offered as evidence of the Hope that lies with God for each and every living human being. It is offered as PROOF of the ability of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to wash away that which is evil in our lives and replace it with something that is renewed and restored when we accept Christ as our savior. It is offered, with love, as the living, breathing relationship with God that it represents by a man who realized late in life that the answers to all of the questions he could never find answers to were always within the sound of his voice. All it took to begin to find those answers, establish that relationship and produce this book as testimony TO that relationship were the simple words, “God, please forgive me.”

Impossible?

Not at all. It’s really quite simple, because NOTHING is impossible with God. NOTHING.

To preview “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, click here http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HKKL1RE

TODAY’S GIFT by Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Today IsLeave a comment

Time for another excerpt from the upcoming book, “Today Is….A Gift From God.” Today’s devotional is from December 25.

TODAY IS…

an awesome day to thank God for the greatest gift of all.

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:11 NIV

As the title of this book reminds us, each day is A Gift From God. The days of our lives are precious, each and every one. They hold out promise and hope. The days of our lives are among the most valuable of all gifts that God gives us, and there are many, as the devotionals in this book have attempted to demonstrate.

But the most precious gift ever given by the One who gave us this world in which to live, and our very lives with which to enjoy it, was the gift of His Son Jesus Christ, the One whose birth would change the world forever.

Zechariah used these beautiful words to describe the gift that the world would soon be given: “Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” (Luke 1:79 NLT). The morning has broken, and it is surely a beautiful day!

Jesus came to occupy our hearts, but it is not a forced occupation. We must want Him there, and we must seek the light that He will shine upon those dark areas of our souls that we would like to say good-bye to. We must desire the life that will come when we learn the savior’s lessons that will teach us to die to ourselves. We must volunteer to serve and be willing to sacrifice all that we are and all that we have in order to receive all that He came to give.

Hopefully we are all aware that we must thank God each and every day for all of His grace, all of His love, and all of His mercy. But on this day that has been set aside to mark the arrival of the most valuable gift ever given, we must all be sure to give special thanks to God.

With this gift in our possession, we can feed those who are hungry, clothe those who are naked, house those who are homeless, and heal those who are sick. With this gift we can refuse to fall prey to the temptations of Satan and those he has corrupted on this earth. With this gift we can live in a significant manner and we can understand the concept of humble service to our brothers and sisters.

By accepting this remarkable, priceless gift of love, we can be better spouses, better parents, better friends, and better neighbors.

Let us all humbly, gratefully, joyfully, and tearfully accept this gift and say “Thank You” to Almighty God.

*******

WHEN FIRST I DISCOVERED THE REASON by Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn ChristmasLeave a comment

This poem first appeared here last year and I thought I would share it again:

I lived for a long time not seeing,
Like many at this time of year;
I discovered the Truth and it shocked me,
As it filled my whole body with fear.

Embarrassment first and then numbness,
As the gravity of it took hold;
My blood chilled, my mind reeled, my heart raced,
When I first felt what I’d always been told.

“Sounds strange”, you say, so I’ll explain it,
For I’m quite sure that It’s not just me
Who has looked at a thing for a lifetime,
Seeing just what I wanted to see.

I saw lights and I saw all the presents,
And I relished the peace of the season;
Enjoying the sparkle and glitter,
I gave not one thought to the reason.

I knew what I’d heard about Jesus,
The One who was born long ago;
Part of me believed it, I’m certain,
But still I ignored all the things I now know.

I know now that the gift God gave us that day,
Cannot be described with a pen;
The gift that he gave was a Son who would die
So we all could be born once again.

The importance of Christmas was lost in my life,
With eyes open that just would not see;
It became so much less than the Son who was born
To die for both you and for me.

So many years lost that will never return,
And I feel somehow guilty of treason;
But Jesus was born to die for my sins,
I’m forgiven, and I know now the reason.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

“THE MIRACLE OF HANDS” by Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Miracle of HandsLeave a comment

‘We are formed by your hands.”  Isaiah 64:8c NLT

‘Now join your hands, and with your hands, your heart.’  William Shakespeare

Hands.

What extraordinary things they are, and what remarkable things they are capable of doing.

Hands create things and hands write things. Hands build, paint, sculpt, and compose things. Hands push things, pull things, wave at things, start things and stop things. Hands cook things and clean things, wash things and dry things, open things and close things.

Hands also hold things.

While it may be true that many of the items our hands hold throughout our lifetime are of a relatively insignificant nature, it is also true that, at different times in life, our hands have occasion to hold things of tremendous importance, immeasurable value, and incalculable worth.

I recall holding each of my two children shortly after they were born. With the clarity of perfect hindsight, it is shamefully obvious to me now that I simply did not comprehend, or fully appreciate at the time, the miraculous nature of what it was I held in my hands. This is truly unfortunate for those were once-in-a-lifetime moments that disappear the instant after they are experienced, and I will never hold either of them in quite the same manner again.

These words that I write, which may appear to be taking a rather melancholic turn, are not intended to depress or sadden anyone within the ‘sound’ of my literary ‘voice’. Quite the contrary, you see, for this, my friends, is a tale of discovery. It is a joyous celebration of what happens when our hands are connected to the eyes of our hearts, enabling what our hands are holding to be seen and appreciated for exactly what it is, and for it to be appraised for exactly what it is worth.

I am presently sitting at the small metal desk in my prison cell. To my right are the bunk beds belonging to my ‘cellie’ and me. The top bunk is mine, and I have placed upon it three distinctly different items. Each of them has had a profound impact on my life during my incarceration and one day recently, as I held each one in turn, I gave considerable thought to defining exactly what it was I was holding, so I could appreciate it better and perhaps share the discovery of that appreciation with each of you. Perhaps when I am finished, you too might understand and recognize that things are not always ‘just’ things. Sometimes, the things that we hold in our hands live, breath, and talk to us in special ways.

The first of the three items that I hold in my hands is a print copy of these “Chronicles” that you are reading. It is odd for me to think that almost anyone in the world can read my words online, and yet I have never seen those words presented in that manner myself. However, thanks to my dear friend Diane, and my brother-in-law Larry, I have been provided with copies of every article that has been posted. I have assembled these copies into 2 rather thick, bound ‘volumes’.

At somewhere in the vicinity of 175 different articles totaling some 700 printed pages compiled over the past 3 1/2 years, the “Chronicles” represents a lot of time, effort, research, and cooperation. While this is all well and good, these questions popped into my mind: “What exactly IS it?” “What does it MEAN to me?” “What does it REPRESENT?”

“The Oakdale Chronicles”, or “TOC” as it is affectionately known by myself and those who help bring it to you, is many, many things. First and foremost among these would be the fact that ‘TOC’ is ‘honesty’. Regardless of the subject matter, I have searched my heart for the truth, and that is what I wrote. Honesty is also what I have asked for, and received, from those who have contributed along the way as well. Those contributors have included Richard Roy and Steve Marshall, and I have appreciated their input in the past, and look forward to it in the future.

“TOC” is also a compilation of pain. It is pain of such an intensity at times as to be almost indescribable. It is my pain, of course, but it is also the pain of others who have written their own stories, as well as the pain of those about whom I have written.

The “Chronicles” represents a desire to help us all see a little more clearly, some of the problems that are faced both by individuals, and society as a whole.

This object in my hands is also a yardstick, of sorts. It is a way to measure my growth as a human being during my incarceration here at Oakdale FCI, and that growth HAS been quite measureable.

It is very personal in a very public way. It has made me laugh; it has made me cry; it has made me angry; and it has made me sad. But it has also helped me to see that there is hope for the future. Perhaps it has done the same things for some who have read it.

“TOC” represents a lot of television that was not watched. It also represents a lot of time that was not merely wasted in an environment where so much time IS wasted. It represents an attempt to reach out to others; to offer help to those who need it; to make people stop and think about the condition of society and their part in that current condition, as well as their roles in changing that condition and working to make this a better place to live and raise a family.

I have never pretended to have all of the answers, nor have I criticized the way something is being done without offering a suggestion or two for ways in which I think those things can be improved.

“TOC” is an acceptance of responsibility on my part for the things I have done, and I have only published the stories of those who have accepted their own. I offer no excuses for my behavior, nor do I accept any from others. I have, however, tried to examine my life and find the reasons certain decisions were made which contributed to the direction my life eventually took.

“TOC” has allowed me to stress the importance of God as a part of ANY person’s ability to make changes within themselves when nothing less than a complete spiritual transformation is called for. The role that God plays in my life is a role that I should have welcomed long, long ago. Fortunately for all of us who seek to change our lives in dramatic ways, when we DO reach out to Him for help, He is right there waiting to step in, take our hand, and light our path, and He assures us that it matters NOT at what point in our lives this realization – this NEED – occurs. All that matters is that it does.

For many inmates who leave places such as this one, there is only a desire to forget the experience. There is simply the need to live as ‘free’ individuals once again. On some level I can understand this, but for myself, “TOC” will always be at hand to provide me with a tangible reminder so I will NEVER forget my four years of incarceration. “TOC” assisted me in breaking free of the bonds that held me and has played an instrumental part in helping me to mature and grow in my relationship with God; to demonstrate to myself – if no one else – that I am human after all. And it is a good feeling. I am grateful to those who have worked to maintain these “Chronicles” and I am VERY grateful to God for His guidance every step of the way.

I place the valuable treasure called “The Oakdale Chronicles” back on my bunk and pick up the next object in line.

This object contains considerably fewer pages than “TOC”, but its value cannot be measured by size alone. It is a complete draft of “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, my soon-to-be released daily devotional book or “Daily Living Guide”, as I call it.

You see, “TODAY IS….A Gift From God” is so much more than ‘just’ a book of daily thoughts, meditations, lessons, and devotions. While it IS all of those things, it is, first and foremost, the very essence of the relationship that has grown between myself and God. Its acceptance by, and usefulness to, others remains to be seen, but the importance of the relationship that “TODAY IS…” represents to me is undeniable and irrevocable. In the drug-induced fantasies of the past, where I might have imagined myself writing a best-selling novel of universal acclaim and importance, I can assure you that God was NOT in the picture. Nor was Jesus Christ a main character. Come to think of it, He was not in the “Great American Novel” of my dreams at all.

Which is absolutely fine because this IS no “Great American Novel”. This is SO much better. It is so much more honest; so much more useful; so much more personal and intimate. “TODAY IS….” has taken all of the mistakes, missteps, tragedies, pain, joy, good decisions, and bad decisions of my life and turned them all over to God, who then handed them back to me, one at a time, in the form of daily guidance for other people. Lessons, suggestions and examples to be used by others to deal with similar situations in their lives, or to help avoid them altogether.

In sharing my relationship with God in this manner, “TODAY IS….” puts to good use what some might call a ‘wasted’ life. Indeed, had I died on that shower floor in August of 2009, it could accurately be stated that my life was wasted. Fortunately, God has taught me that no experience – not even the ‘bad’ ones – are wasted if they are put to good use, and He has shown me how to take our relationship and allow it to help me use my life, and the experiences I have had, and try to help others.

How does one use “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”? In exactly the same way that one builds a relationship with God: One day at a time, with thought, and with purpose.

This very important part of me, which will soon be offered to all of you, could never have happened without the hard work, effort, and support of my friend Diane. Beginning with a simple gesture of Christian kindness in the form of a card mailed to me over 3 1/2 years ago at the request of my sister Kathy, my friendship with, and reliance upon, Diane has grown tremendously. I have to think that her husband Don has felt the effects of the many ‘requests’ (demands?) that I have made upon her. She has researched, typed, and posted articles for “TOC”, but she has also typed, corrected, changed, formatted, and nurtured “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”. Without her involvement, “TODAY IS…” would, at best, be something that would not be completed until long after my release. This wonderful friend has played an integral part not only in the production of the book itself, but also in the relationship with God “TODAY IS….” represents. She has helped to teach me about friendship and service to others as well. No one can ever convince me that she is anything less than my own personal Angel sent by God.

The beauty of the relationship with God that made me understand that every single day IS a gift from Him is truly breathtaking. The value of that relationship, in the form of “TODAY IS….A Gift From God” is beyond calculation, and it is with great reluctance that I return this treasure to its spot on my bunk. I do so only to free my hands to pick up the third, and final, item that rests there.

Communicating the significance of this last item in terms which are equal TO that significance is a challenge unto itself, for the last item I pick up and hold in my hands is the Holy Bible.

Once upon a time, in the arrogant ignorance of my youth, I dismissed the Bible as, “Nothing more than a good story. Just a good book.” I felt that anyone who attributed any more importance to it than that was a fool. With that clarity of hindsight I mentioned earlier, I have come to understand just how wrong I was, how immature and uninformed my arbitrary declaration was, and I can see now the cost to myself and the many others who have attempted to share my life through the years and were hurt as a result of that shamefully immature, arrogant ignorance.

Oddly enough, had I recognized, or allowed myself to be shown, the Holy Bible for what it really IS, there would be no story to tell you here. At the very least, it would be a totally different one. But therein lies the indescribable beauty of it all – my life played out exactly as it NEEDED to in order for ME to hold this precious item in my hands and share my discovery with anyone willing to take the time to read my words.

The Holy Bible is a living, breathing thing. Just as surely as you and I live, so does the Bible live. It is intricate in its complexity and yet its true message and meaning is one of surprising simplicity. It is alive, but it is also life itself. It brings diverse peoples together, yet often drives close families apart. It describes for us the beginning of all life on earth, and reveals to us how that life will all end some day in the future. It doesn’t tell us when the end will come, but it helps us live our lives so that we are always prepared FOR that end. It gives us simple guidelines to follow, and then describes the price that a man named Jesus Christ paid to absolve us of our blame and restore us to good graces with God when we fail to follow them. It is the answers for our questions when we don’t even know what the questions are.

Most of us have heard, at one time or another, that the Holy Bible is the Word of God. I am most certainly not here to dispute that. The purpose of MY words is to try and share with you my overwhelming love and affection for this ‘book’ and to attempt to convey my understanding of its enormous value in the hope that you, too, will pick one up and hold it and ask it to speak to YOU in a similar manner, because the Holy Bible DOES speak to us, if we are only willing to listen.

The Holy Bible is a life preserver in a sea of sin and it is something that I cling to fiercely so I do not drown in that sea. The Holy Bible is forgiveness for the things I have done that are contrary to the instructions and teachings it contains. It is important to note it is not ACCEPTANCE of those things. It provides an opportunity to be renewed and restored with God and to refocus on those things that DO meet with God’s approval.

The Bible teaches, encourages, empowers, protects, redeems, and lights our way through the darkness. It is kindness in an unkind world, morality in an immoral society, justice for the oppressed, joy for the sad, decency with which we can replace our indecency, and it is knowledge combined with the wisdom required to put the knowledge to good use.

With the Bible we can find peace when we are at war with ourselves or with one another. It offers us hope when we wake up one morning and feel that there IS none. It gives us strength to go on when all we want to do is lay down and die. The Holy Bible helps us develop our faith in something we cannot see because what we cannot see is far more beautiful than what we CAN see all around us.

It helps us understand our differences in order that we can focus more intently on those things we have in common. The Bible gives us the power to stand up when we are knocked down and it provides us with the ability to offer the hand of friendship to the one who knocked us down in the first place.

When we allow the Bible to help us, it will. When we invite the Bible into our lives, it will enter and enrich them. When we look to the Bible for a reason to be kind, gentle, compassionate, loving, humble, and helpful individuals, we FIND that reason and we discover the reason has a name and His name is Jesus Christ.

And when we are lost, confused, alone, and afraid and we tearfully look to Christ and ask, “What do I DO?!?”, all we need do is LISTEN for the two simple words that He speaks repeatedly that will provide us with all we need: “Follow Me.”

He will lead us to forgiveness for our sins when we confess them to God, to reconciliation WITH God, and to an everlasting life of beauty beyond description as our reward for accepting Him as our savior. He died so that we may live an eternal life of unimaginable joy and peace, and He suffered for the sins WE committed so that we could ask God to forgive us with the confident knowledge that we WILL be forgiven.

The Bible is a very, very large Book containing many stories, many lessons, many words, and it can be very intimidating and complicated IF we allow our human nature to MAKE it complicated and intimidating.

Jesus Christ does not strike me as being complicated at all and He was so humble and compassionate that ‘intimidating’ does not seem to be an appropriate term to describe Him.

“Worship God.” “Love one another.” “Follow me.” Those are the things that He says to us.

How complicated is that?

My Bible gives me my relationship with Jesus Christ and Christ provides me with the ability to transform myself, my life, my heart, and my future.

Quite a change from, “Nothing more than a good story. Just a good book.” Wouldn’t you agree?

I remember calling my sister Kathy after being released from custody after my suicide attempt and while awaiting resolution in the criminal case that brought me to Oakdale. Convinced that it was God who saved me from myself, I asked her to send me a Bible, which she gladly did. I clearly remember the day it arrived in the mail. At THAT time I held it in my hands and its value and the critical part it would play in my life was still a mystery to me. I called her up and I thanked her.

And then I asked her, “Now what do I do with it?”

The answer, it turns out, is pretty simple, really: Listen to it. It is alive, and it WILL talk to us. It speaks to me daily, and I know it will speak to you too if you will only allow it to do so.

I return my Holy Bible to its place next to “The Oakdale Chronicles” and “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”. The enormity of what I am looking at strikes me. The amazing journey I have taken was made possible by these three items, and the confidence, wisdom, strength and desire to meet the rest of my life head on and complete this journey is right there in front of me. I am truly humbled by the ability of God to direct us in such a clear, well-ordered manner if we are only willing to invite Him to do so.

I pray that I have been at least moderately successful in describing the value of these three different, yet extremely important items. As I look at them side by side on my bunk, I cannot seem to remember the emptiness that defined my life before I was able to hold them each in turn.

As always, I thank you for your time.

May God bless you today and every day, and may He help you all to see with perfect clarity what it is that you are holding in YOUR hands.

“A FOND FAREWELL” by Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Faces of Felons1 Comment

“Walk with the wise and become wise;

Associate with fools and get in trouble.”  Proverbs 13:20 NLT

“Always leave them laughing when you say goodbye.” George M. Cohan

On February 16, 2011, an article was posted in these “Chronicles” titled “The Faces Of Felons – Madison’s Daddy”. In that article, I introduced a young man named Aaron. At that time, Aaron had completed almost half of his 70 month sentence. Aaron’s voice was the first friendly voice I heard upon my arrival in my new temporary ‘home’. The time I spent walking and talking with Aaron since then was time put to good use. I am wiser, and I never got in trouble.

Aaron left on December 16, a little shy of three years from the day that article was posted. He walked out the front door that afternoon, ‘furloughed’ to go climb on board a bus for a ride to a halfway house in South Carolina to finish out the remaining 3 months of his sentence, and I am absolutely certain that Madison is thrilled that “Daddy” is a big step closer to home.

I saw Aaron that morning as I left my housing unit and he was headed back in from the ‘yard’. We shook hands, and hugged, and there was that unique moment when it was ok to feel good about this place. Those moments happen too infrequently, but they do occur whenever another individual gets to walk out the front door. We exchanged laughter as we parted, and that is how I will remember Aaron: always upbeat, always ready to laugh, and quick to make others laugh as well.

Aaron will NOT be back, and I am very confident making that statement. He made a foolish, immature, and irresponsible mistake, and paid a too-high price FOR that mistake. It was not a criminal LIFESTYLE that put Aaron here, it was a criminal ACT. There is a difference and if society is to survive itself, it had better begin to grasp that difference.

Some of the individuals Attorney General Eric Holder wishes to go easier on, claiming they are unfairly targeted because they are black, that the laws are unfairly weighted against them because of the color of their skin, are individuals with lengthy ‘rap’ sheets and frequent confrontations with law enforcement that began long before they came to this place, and will continue long after they have ‘hit the streets’ again. Many, many of these individuals who are ‘unfairly’ targeted talk only of going back to the streets, getting guns, and dealing drugs. MANY of them. You would be amazed.

Aaron will never be a member of the “Frequent Felons Club”. His lesson was learned long before he left here the other day, and had JUSTICE been served in Aaron’s case, the ‘system’ would have merely placed him on probation in the first place.

We can all be happy for Madison, Joy (Aaron’s mom), Dave (his step-dad), his Father, his brother, and all of Aaron’s other relatives and friends. This is a spectacular time of year for this to be happening, and I hope Aaron is able to be quickly released from the halfway house directly to home confinement. He has a home and a job; Aaron has a life waiting for him to continue. And most important of all, Aaron has Madison waiting for Daddy to hug her every day.

Well, kiddo, he is almost there! Merry Christmas to Aaron, Joy, Dave, and all the rest, and especially to you, Madison! May God bless you all and keep you safe.

I will miss Aaron, as will many others he left behind here. But we are all better for having gotten to spend some time with him, and hopefully we all learned something in the process. I know I did.

Aaron, my young friend, I am glad that I got to say goodbye to you. I will pray for your happiness and that of your family.

“DAVID’S LETTER – FINAL ARGUMENTS” by Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn DAVID'S LETTER, Faces of Felons1 Comment

“Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.”
Proverbs 31:9 NLT

“There is no such thing as justice – in or out of court.”  Clarence Darrow, 1936

My little “Webster’s Pocket Dictionary” defines ‘justice’ as 1) moral rightness; 2) fairness; 3) the administration and procedure of the law. It is normal with any dictionary to list the most commonly used, and most important definition first, followed by any others in descending order.

For a criminal justice system to truly fulfill its obligation to all members of the society it serves, it must first, and foremost, exhibit a moral rightness. Criminal justice should be about what is best for the people it serves and ALL of those involved, including those accused of a crime, must be the recipients of that consideration.

Clarence Darrow’s statement is likely not true in every instance, but I cannot think otherwise when I consider the case of David Hayden and his family. David himself did not receive justice IN court, and the list of those who did not receive justice OUT of court is long: His wife Leigh, and their children, Tyler, Sam, and Henry; David’s employees and their families; David’s customers; the banks that held David’s mortgage and business loans; the businesses which supplied David’s company with the materials it required to operate; those companies that provided health insurance for David, his employees, and their families; the tax collecting agencies, local, state, and federal. There are probably more but that is quite a list as it stands and I believe I have made that particular point.

There will be those who will not, do not, care what explanation David offers. The fact that he received a twenty year sentence and his business and family were devastated as a result, provide testimony to that fact. Some who have followed his ‘letter’ in these ‘Chronicles’ will agree with all that has been done. There will be others who feel that David’s guilty verdict is justified, but that the sentence was too harsh. Still others (and I say this because this scenario was suggested to me by a friend of mine) might think that David’s real crime was in the use of Peer To Peer software (P2P) to ‘pirate’ copyrighted material and he should have been found guilty of that charge instead, still receiving jail time. There might be a few who agree with me and have taken the position that they are ALL wrong. I am praying for that last group to greatly outnumber all others.

David Hayden broke the law. He did, in fact, break several laws. Or did he? If our government had been acting in a responsible manner and doing its job of serving and protecting its citizens, David would have not been able to break ANY law. If David did, in fact, break any laws, then he did it with the knowing cooperation of the same government that then arrested him and caused all of the devastation mentioned earlier to occur.

First, let’s take a look at the laws that were broken, and examine HOW David was able to break them in the first place. David was arrested and charged with distribution of child pornography. On the surface, this sounds absolutely horrible. Indeed, intentional, purposeful, and knowledgeable distribution of child pornography is a HEINOUS crime and needs to be dealt with harshly, especially when it is done in a manner to profit from the sexual abuse of innocent children. But David is not guilty of that, and there was evidence to support that contention offered in court with the testimony of the lead investigator who arrested David in the first place. So how did he come to be charged with such a vile crime?  As everyone who uses P2P knows, and the number of American citizens who do this numbers in the TENS OF MILLIONS, when you set your computer to ‘search’ for certain movies or music, many times it is left to do its work and you go on about your life. As your folder fills up with search results, those files that you received are then available for someone else to receive. In other words, if you have searched for the first Harry Potter movie, anything that has turned up in your computer as a result is now available to anyone else looking for Harry Potter as well, so it is possible that subsequent searchers may ‘receive’ the material from YOUR computer. Only when David took the time to go through and clean out all of the ‘crap’ (as he so eloquently put it), or move what he was looking for to another folder, did it become unavailable for sharing. That is the nature of P2P. The unfortunate nature, I might add, because anyone using this software could be sharing illegal material without even knowing it was there in the first place. This is not rocket science. It is technology today, and it is technology our CHILDREN use. It is technology that is abused, and it is technology that enables the furtherance of illegal activity with the full knowledge of the United States Justice department, thereby making them culpable. At the least, they should have been indicted as co-conspirators with David, since his ability to commit the crime was absolutely impossible without the involvement of the federal government. There are laws on the books of every state in this country that hold an individual liable for criminal prosecution if they knowingly and willingly fail to stop and render aid to someone in need of emergency assistance. The federal government has failed to stop and render aid to its citizens by allowing these websites to continue to operate 1) Whose main purpose is to ‘pirate’ copyrighted material without paying for it and 2) In the process of providing one illegal service, allow the proliferation and transportation of unwanted, harmful, and illegal material to enter the homes, computers, and lives, of American citizens, with children included in the numbers of those receiving this material.

What about David’s attempts to download copyrighted materials without paying for them in the first place? Is that not a crime as well? Absolutely, but it was not something David was charged with. But was he really guilty of THAT? I say that he was not, and I will offer this by way of explanation: David followed the example of millions of other Americans. It was a poor example to follow, but that is another issue. The real issue is this: As evidenced by the numerous reports generated for Congress and different government agencies, it is a well-documented and undisputable fact that the United States government knew that this software was being used 1) For the illegal pirating of copyrighted material in the first place and, 2) that there was an extremely high degree of probability (not POSSIBILITY – PROBABILITY) that searches for the copyrighted material would turn up unwanted and illegal material in the form of pornography and, sadly, child pornography as well. The same arguments hold true for these second ‘charges’. The United States government is culpable in each and every case where a citizen of this country is charged with committing a crime such as this when the websites operate with the full knowledge, if not the tacit approval of, the United States, so if David WERE to be charged in this manner, the United States would have to be indicted as a co-conspirator.

Well, we cannot indict a country, so who is responsible? Whoever heads the FCC? FTC? The attorney general? Those are probably good places to start. Then proceed from there and include every member of Congress who has received any of the reports that have raised these issues and taken no action to shut down the offending sites. The sad, sad truth is that hundreds of fine, well-meaning, hardworking American men and women have somehow lost touch with what serving their country means. Providing these avenues of destruction for misguided, but ALSO well-meaning and hardworking American citizens to wander down should be something that happens in error, NOT with the full knowledge of the government. Pull the plug on sites that promote illegal activities or cannot properly screen ALL of their content. Prisons are full of people who can attest to the fact that the United States government can do pretty much whatever it wants, so ‘we can’t do that’ cannot be a defense. The citizens of this country (and yes, David, you ARE still a citizen of this country) have a right to demand protection from unwanted and illegal filth invading their homes, and those elected to serve the citizens of this country are charged with providing that protection. Standing idly by while lives are needlessly destroyed should NOT be an option open to members of Congress, or to the FCC, FTC, or the attorney general of the United States and his Department Of Justice. Remember, Mr. Holder, what the word “JUSTICE” should mean in the first place.

If we wish to operate in a strictly black and white world, then everyone should be happy with what has happened to David, Leigh, Henry, Tyler, Sam, and the many others. But is that the wise course to follow, and should that be the one we DO follow? Would it not be better for everyone concerned to apply moral rightness to matters where we are searching for justice? If the answer to that is “Yes”, and I believe it can be nothing else, then we must re-evaluate what has been done to David Hayden, his family, and the very long list of other people and businesses that have been impacted by this INJUSTICE and this moral OUTRAGE.

Maybe David was right. Maybe we ALL need to heed the words of Sheriff Andy Taylor when he tried to teach Barney Fife, “When dealing with people, sometimes it’s better to go less with the book and more with the heart.”

If there is anyone out there who can do anything at all to help David and his family, please contact David at the address provided at the end of Part 5 of his ‘letter’.

“LETTERS TO HEAVEN – FOR THE LOVE OF HENRY” By Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn DAVID'S LETTER, Faces of Felons, Letters to HeavenLeave a comment

Dear God,

The gratitude I have for what you have done for me cannot be measured on any human scale. The love you have shown me and the love you have placed in my heart are just a couple of ways in which you have touched and transformed me over the last four years.

Even though I have not “written” to you in a long time, you know that I speak with you daily, you know I humbly thank you constantly, and you know that I look to you for direction and guidance throughout the course of each day.

I have found that many individuals look for miracles as proof of your existence and I want to climb up on a mountain and scream, “Look at me! Look at ME! I AM a miracle!”, for you have truly performed a miracle in transforming the life of this man who was so broken he thought that death was the only way to fix the problem. People I meet and I speak with simply cannot understand the miracle that I AM, but you and I know, and I will live the rest of my life trying to use the miracle that is ME to serve and thank YOU.

In “With Eyes Wide Open”, an article in the pages of these “Chronicles” not too long ago, I tried to share with others the miracle you performed when you showed me how to look at the world through the eyes of my heart. The ability you gave me helped me to see the goodness in the world, but it also enabled me to see, and to feel, the pain of others.

It is with the eyes that YOU opened and with the love that YOU placed in my heart that I come before you now to talk with you about some of your other children: David, Leigh, Tyler, Sam, and little Henry Hayden. As I have read and typed David’s words over the last few days, you have seen and felt the many tears that have fallen from my eyes. This heart that you filled with love has been battered and bruised as the reality that is the life of each and every member of David’s family has become achingly apparent to me and, I hope, to those who have read David’s words.

Those words have painted a picture in my mind that simply will not go away, Lord. It is a picture of a little boy collecting eggs with his father so that he can sell them. I have never seen even a picture of Henry, but it doesn’t matter. The image of a laughing, giggling boy who has refused to accept the fact that he shouldn’t even be ABLE to collect eggs with his father is clearly seen by the eyes of my heart. I can also see the love and pride on David’s face as he watches Henry collecting the money for the eggs from his ‘customers’ and contributing, in his small way, to his family’s well-being.

I recently watched a DVD featuring Louie Giglio in the chapel. Louie brilliantly demonstrated how very tiny this world is in comparison to the rest of this universe that you created. As I watched, I felt very, very small, indeed, but not nearly as small, helpless, and insignificant as the way I feel when I think about how powerless I am to help this man and his family; to help David be returned to fulfill his responsibility to those he loved and those he employed; to help him be reunited with his little Henry so he can be there to complete Henry’s journey home to you.

David says repeatedly in his ‘letter’ that he is a ‘simple man’. David’s sense of personal responsibility for others and his love for his family is such that I believe EVERY man should strive to be THAT ‘simple’.

Our world has become so complicated and so cynical; so skeptical and so legalistic, that David’s SIMPLE, honest explanations carried no weight and mattered not to those who could have produced a JUST outcome for society, for this ‘simple’ man, for little Henry, and the rest of the Hayden family and those employed by David’s company.

Lord, I have shaken David’s hand and I have promised him that I would do whatever I could to help him, and now I turn to YOU. I ask you to help turn David’s precious little egg collector, Henry, into a symbol of the devastation caused by the insanity that has consumed both our society, and our criminal justice system. I ask you to please bring David’s story to the attention of someone who can lift Henry up before David’s jury and tell them, “THIS is who you convicted!”, and hold him up before Judge Moore and say, “THIS is who YOU sentenced!”

When I made my promise to David, I told him that it is important to have faith in YOU God. David is too decent and too respectful to ever denounce, diminish, or denigrate my faith. He knows just how strong my faith is, and he knows the reasons why. But in the depths of his eyes as I made that promise, I saw the question, “How can I?” Please do NOT hold David’s doubt against him, Lord. I know in that heart you filled with your love David is trying to believe. However, when he thinks about his family, who have now lost their home and have moved into an empty house owned by a friend; when he thinks about the people who depended upon him for security for THEIR families; when he thinks about the lives that were destroyed by this injustice – and that is exactly what it is; when he thinks about the eggs that his precious little boy will never collect again – well, Lord, I know that you understand.

We now need another miracle, Lord. We need your awesome power and your incredible love to move whatever mountains need to be moved to fix these broken lives. I ask for this miracle for this ‘simple’ man. I ask for this miracle for all of those whose lives have been left blackened by the federal government’s ‘scorched earth’ policy, and I ask for this miracle for the love of Henry Hayden.

Amen