My dear British brethren, what a history you have! What a heritage! And what troubles you have today, as do we! An article from your MailOnline began with this "Prince Charles's coronation service should be opened with a reading from the Koran, a senior Church of England bishop said yesterday. The gesture would be a 'creative act of accommodation' to make Muslims feel 'embraced' by the nation....." I don't know what's going on over there with your royal family. I'm too busy trying to keep our royal families, the Bushes and Clintons, from another coronation and dealing with our present King. All I can say is 'Long Live the Queen!' The following is a post from May of 2011:
Rule Britannia
A BBC report by Mark Mardell titled Obama's Historic Speech Fails To Soar described
our President's speech to both of your Houses of Parliament at
Westminster Hall as an "ideal place" for an American President to speak
but wrote that "it was flat and lacked soaring passion." He further
wondered why sometimes Obama is a "tremendous orator" and sometimes he
"just can't pull it off." Well Mr. Mardell, and any Brits who may happen
to stop by, let me clue you in, if he doesn't use a teleprompter...what
you see is what you get.
Barack Obama is a product of the media and a
culture that watches Dancing With The Stars while its country and the future of its children totter are on the brink. He is a community activist
in way over his head as evidenced by chaotic at best, and devastatingly
destructive at worst, Middle-East and foreign policy. His economic
policy was designed only to peak around November of 2012, long enough
for a second term election victory. He parties and golfs and travels to Europe occasionally to
rekindle the syndrome that blinded America in 2008. He was mentored by Leftists and groomed by radicals who long
ago deciphered the combination to success in American politics as this... deception and a coalition of self-seekers and malcontents.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to our Congress and we
heard an intelligent, informed, determined and honest world leader's
speech. Absent was the teleprompter, the carefully fashioned defensive
words, the meaningless phrases specifically crafted so as not to take
attention away from that real reason for a speech...a photo op.
President Obama, in speaking to your Parliament on the bond between
America and Britain, probably had to force these words out, for the first
thing he did in the Oval Office was send back to you a bust of Winston
Churchill.
I wonder if you find my words disturbing? Well come over here
and travel around as Alexis de Tocqueville did and you will see the
discontent and apoplexy at having found ourselves in this situation. We
are trying to find another Ronald Reagan...honest we are. I have visited your country twice before and
walked the streets once bombed by the Luftwaffe and thought about your Finest Hour. I walked the halls and lawns of Cambridge thinking about the Puritans who were most responsible for the foundation of faith our Founding Fathers built upon. I sat listening to the gospel preached from the Metropolitan Tabernacle in Elephant and Castle from whose pulpit Charles Haddon Spurgeon preached to the world. I witnessed an Easter Sunday evangelization event at Trafalgar Square. I
gazed for many more than a few moments at statues of Churchill,
Cromwell, Montgomery and Nelson. I saw my own surname placarded on a
wall at the Tower Of London as it is at George Washington's
birthplace. Speaking of a bond between America and Britain is
superfluous to me. I don't need the reminder for it's embedded in my
psyche. Don't give in or give up Brits, but give the world another
Churchill or Thatcher!
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Saturday, November 29, 2014
America Expiring
The following post is from October of 2011:
America Expiring
Tomorrow morning, throughout much of America and possibly even most of it's churches, ordained ministers will either climb into pulpits or stand behind lecterns to lead congregations in "worship" services. The original Hebrew and Greek will be deployed in some as well as pastoral helps of various kinds but mostly it will be a Christian variation of Oprah presented to the worshippers. Expensive sound systems will enliven the atmosphere and the results of lessens in elocution will be on display. The name of Jesus will be heard a few to a number of times, mostly as part of the message where the congregation can apply WWJD to their own life. Songs will be sung and either the choir or soloists will be given polite applause. It may be "pot luck" Sunday where little if any of the Christian faith will be discussed at the meal and after the services each person will shake the hands of the minister before they leave the church building, dutifully fulfilling the "rite of worship" and leaving them free to enjoy the football game or gather with family, confident that God's generous blessings of such activities has been earned for at least another week.
Meanwhile, the nation gasps for breath, wounded and bleeding, while wolves slowly pace back and forth looking for the right moment of total defenselessness to move in on their prey.
When a church has grown through invitations such as or similar to these: "A friendly, loving congregation" or "Come grow with us" the ensuing sermons must therefore fit the invitation or charges of "bait and switch" will follow and the sanctuary will need a swinging door. Neither these ministers, nor their congregations, know the folly they are engaged in for they either have nothing to compare it to or their one experience with a church that actually preached Christ crucified showed them exactly where they do not want to be.
As de Tocqueville strongly implied, the strength of America was in it's pulpits and conversely today our weakness emanates from there too. God has given us foolish leaders; He is purposely allowing our defenses to decay and our prosperity to whither. He is giving us what we want and may not let us see that it was "fool's gold" that we mined until it is too late. Our one hope is in Him extending mercy to us one more time but imagine that as a Republican platform!
There indeed was a great fish that swallowed a man only to vomit him alive on a shore, and that man went on to give a warning to Nineveh, the America of it's day. That nation heeded the warning but years later another man was sent to Nineveh and this time not with a warning but a proclamation of impending judgment. Our prayer today, in America, should be "God let us hear from Jonah and not Nahum but if it be Nahum, give us strength to go on."
There are many warnings today that a Trojan Horse has come into the church but others think that those who spend their time warning are to be pitied for they miss the blessings that God is so desirous to give. My response to this is that the real blessing is knowing the extent of His mercies to us and the real pity is in the Christian church that adamantly refuses to even consider that it may be a Laodicean church. It was that word "Laodicean" that a young American of Indian descent, Kavya Shivashankar, won the National Spelling Bee with in May of 2009. The definition she was given was "lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics." Sit back and be satisfied with the state of the church and the church of state if you want but if you truly listen, there is a crescendo in a dirge rising over this land that we once loved, once protected and once attributed to the blessings of Almighty God.
Note: www.refnet.fm is 24/7 Internet radio and a valuable resource to anyone interested.
I'm adding this post from last year. This farce needs to be cancelled and they need to act upon it soon.
Just Send Over The Report
The 2014 State Of The Union Address is scheduled for Tuesday January 28th. For the past few years I wrote a post in advance of that speech calling for Republicans to use that opportunity to protest by either refusing to applaud anything said from that throne or even better... to refuse to attend. I hope to bring this post back regularly, should the Lord will it, over the next month. Please think ahead on this! Barack Obama, the man who is systematically and deceptively tearing this nation apart, both within and without, will once again take advantage of the State Of The Union address and, with the media concealing everything about him and revealing none of his schemes, will take over all of the main networks to give him yet another opportunity to deceive those who do not really care what he is doing as long as he fulfills his bargain and gives them what they want for themselves. The Establishment brand of Republican will grumble for the cameras but have a good time afterwards. We should suspend this speech until such time that we have a president, either Democrat, Republican or another party, who we can at least trust his/her words. Even then the pomp and circumstance of this speech should be done away with forever.
America Expiring
Tomorrow morning, throughout much of America and possibly even most of it's churches, ordained ministers will either climb into pulpits or stand behind lecterns to lead congregations in "worship" services. The original Hebrew and Greek will be deployed in some as well as pastoral helps of various kinds but mostly it will be a Christian variation of Oprah presented to the worshippers. Expensive sound systems will enliven the atmosphere and the results of lessens in elocution will be on display. The name of Jesus will be heard a few to a number of times, mostly as part of the message where the congregation can apply WWJD to their own life. Songs will be sung and either the choir or soloists will be given polite applause. It may be "pot luck" Sunday where little if any of the Christian faith will be discussed at the meal and after the services each person will shake the hands of the minister before they leave the church building, dutifully fulfilling the "rite of worship" and leaving them free to enjoy the football game or gather with family, confident that God's generous blessings of such activities has been earned for at least another week.
Meanwhile, the nation gasps for breath, wounded and bleeding, while wolves slowly pace back and forth looking for the right moment of total defenselessness to move in on their prey.
When a church has grown through invitations such as or similar to these: "A friendly, loving congregation" or "Come grow with us" the ensuing sermons must therefore fit the invitation or charges of "bait and switch" will follow and the sanctuary will need a swinging door. Neither these ministers, nor their congregations, know the folly they are engaged in for they either have nothing to compare it to or their one experience with a church that actually preached Christ crucified showed them exactly where they do not want to be.
As de Tocqueville strongly implied, the strength of America was in it's pulpits and conversely today our weakness emanates from there too. God has given us foolish leaders; He is purposely allowing our defenses to decay and our prosperity to whither. He is giving us what we want and may not let us see that it was "fool's gold" that we mined until it is too late. Our one hope is in Him extending mercy to us one more time but imagine that as a Republican platform!
There indeed was a great fish that swallowed a man only to vomit him alive on a shore, and that man went on to give a warning to Nineveh, the America of it's day. That nation heeded the warning but years later another man was sent to Nineveh and this time not with a warning but a proclamation of impending judgment. Our prayer today, in America, should be "God let us hear from Jonah and not Nahum but if it be Nahum, give us strength to go on."
There are many warnings today that a Trojan Horse has come into the church but others think that those who spend their time warning are to be pitied for they miss the blessings that God is so desirous to give. My response to this is that the real blessing is knowing the extent of His mercies to us and the real pity is in the Christian church that adamantly refuses to even consider that it may be a Laodicean church. It was that word "Laodicean" that a young American of Indian descent, Kavya Shivashankar, won the National Spelling Bee with in May of 2009. The definition she was given was "lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics." Sit back and be satisfied with the state of the church and the church of state if you want but if you truly listen, there is a crescendo in a dirge rising over this land that we once loved, once protected and once attributed to the blessings of Almighty God.
Note: www.refnet.fm is 24/7 Internet radio and a valuable resource to anyone interested.
I'm adding this post from last year. This farce needs to be cancelled and they need to act upon it soon.
Just Send Over The Report
The 2014 State Of The Union Address is scheduled for Tuesday January 28th. For the past few years I wrote a post in advance of that speech calling for Republicans to use that opportunity to protest by either refusing to applaud anything said from that throne or even better... to refuse to attend. I hope to bring this post back regularly, should the Lord will it, over the next month. Please think ahead on this! Barack Obama, the man who is systematically and deceptively tearing this nation apart, both within and without, will once again take advantage of the State Of The Union address and, with the media concealing everything about him and revealing none of his schemes, will take over all of the main networks to give him yet another opportunity to deceive those who do not really care what he is doing as long as he fulfills his bargain and gives them what they want for themselves. The Establishment brand of Republican will grumble for the cameras but have a good time afterwards. We should suspend this speech until such time that we have a president, either Democrat, Republican or another party, who we can at least trust his/her words. Even then the pomp and circumstance of this speech should be done away with forever.
Article II, Section 3 of our Constitution states of our President, He
shall from time to time give to Congress Information of the State of
the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall
judge necessary and expedient. The President is not required to
appear in person and give a speech. In fact, President Thomas Jefferson
refused to give this report as a speech for he considered it too close
to the Speech from the Throne in the monarchical traditions.
We are ten months past the last State of the Union address where Barack
Obama was feted with applause once again but we are now openly in the
midst of a coup where every day, every hour, every minute, even every
second, more Americans are becoming aware of it.
I'll give one very recent quote from a Democrat Senator on Harry Reid's new filibuster rule..."There's no reason that changing this to majority rule on appointments will create ill will.....people of good will find ways to work together here." In a way he is right. The filibuster change alone would not be enough to demand an open rebellion, but add to that a purge within the military, a consigliore in the Justice Department, disdain for allies and subservience to enemies, golfing and shooting hoops while America sinks in the muck and mire of a politicized everything, czars directing whole agencies in scripts out of Atlas Shrugged and enough lying and spying to choke uncle Joe Stalin himself.....yes, add to this filibuster cohorts in the media marching in lockstep, judges sent out to do what armies could never do, domestic military preparations to control an unwilling citizenry and bribes in the form of dispensations to the biggest lie of all....the Affordable Healthcare Act.....and it is more than enough and way past time that Republicans formally refuse to shake the hand that shreds our Constitution.
Note: Two days after this post John Boehner invited Barack Obama to give the State Of The Union Address on January 28th with these words: "....we welcome an opportunity to hear your ideas, particularly for putting Americans back to work. It's my honor to invite you to speak before a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 in the House Chamber of the U. S. Capitol Building."
I'll give one very recent quote from a Democrat Senator on Harry Reid's new filibuster rule..."There's no reason that changing this to majority rule on appointments will create ill will.....people of good will find ways to work together here." In a way he is right. The filibuster change alone would not be enough to demand an open rebellion, but add to that a purge within the military, a consigliore in the Justice Department, disdain for allies and subservience to enemies, golfing and shooting hoops while America sinks in the muck and mire of a politicized everything, czars directing whole agencies in scripts out of Atlas Shrugged and enough lying and spying to choke uncle Joe Stalin himself.....yes, add to this filibuster cohorts in the media marching in lockstep, judges sent out to do what armies could never do, domestic military preparations to control an unwilling citizenry and bribes in the form of dispensations to the biggest lie of all....the Affordable Healthcare Act.....and it is more than enough and way past time that Republicans formally refuse to shake the hand that shreds our Constitution.
Note: Two days after this post John Boehner invited Barack Obama to give the State Of The Union Address on January 28th with these words: "....we welcome an opportunity to hear your ideas, particularly for putting Americans back to work. It's my honor to invite you to speak before a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 in the House Chamber of the U. S. Capitol Building."
Friday, November 28, 2014
'By The Book....Writers On Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review'
The jacket blurb puts it this way : "For the reader, By The Book is a way to invite sixty-five of the most interesting guests into your world. It's a book party not to be missed." By The Book , Writers On Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review is the title of a new book edited by Pamela Paul whose title, By The Book, is itself taken from a weekly feature of the New York Times Book Review. It
is a compilation of sixty-five interviews with various authors and
literary figures. They are simple questions, often the same questions,
and if you happen to recognize some of the interviewees then you might
be interested in their answers.
It was only missing one thing........me......an interview with Special Dog. I'm sure it was just an oversight. I mean if you interview Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code, then Special Dog would be the obvious next choice wouldn't it? It couldn't be the weird name.....Special Dog.....because Sting is in there. I mean.....Sting.....what the heck kind of name is that? So, what I'll do here is write down questions to me and the answers and then put the piece of paper in the book, probably between the interviews of E. L. Doctorow and Arnold Schwarzenegger (I think they stretched it putting him in there) and return it to the library and maybe it will catch on. So here we go:
What book is on your nightstand right now?
Special Dog: You know, I never read in bed. I mean when my head hits that pillow then I'm out! How about the end table next to my Lazy Boy? Will that do? OK, the book is Rebel Yell, the Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson by S. C. Gwynne. I never thought I'd say it but a new book took the place of Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Soldier, the Legend by James L. Robertson as the definitive work on the Confederate general and America's most aggressive military leader.
Which of the books you've written is your favorite?
Special Dog: That's easy, I only wrote one book. It doesn't have a name though, I kind of just refer to it as Isaac Crockett. Its never been published. I couldn't figure out the directions for sending in a manuscript. So it's on the world wide web at isaaccrockett.blogspot.com. I am at work on a sequel though and have one chapter finished..
What was the last book that made you cry?
Special Dog: It doesn't have a name, I just refer to it as Isaac Crockett.
What was the last book that made you laugh?
Special Dog: Uh....same book. I reread it about once every month because its so good!
If you could meet any writer, dead or alive, who would it be? What would you want to know?
Special Dog: Well my answer is.....any writer that is dead and can answer questions is who I would want to meet! What kind of question is that? Or, are you asking me what writer I would want to meet if I were dead or alive? If I were dead I don't care who I would....'meet.' Now If I were alive, as in fact I am alive, I would like to meet Pamela Paul and ask her why she did not include me in her book and would she consider adding me to a future printing?
What's the one book you wish someone else would write?
Special Dog: Wow, that's a profound question. Did you ask anyone else this question? Gee, I don't know........this one would be interesting though......."How I Screwed Up the United States of America and the World, Ruined Race Relations, Advanced Communism, Stabbed Israel in the Back, Established the American Record for Appointing the Most Incompetent Losers to Posts they had no Business Being In and Did it all Without Anyone Knowing the First Thing About Me Other Than Sound Bites Given Out by My Handlers, and Got in over 200 Rounds of
Golf in the Process. by Barack Hussein Obama.' I would want that book signed....and then analyzed by a handwriting expert for any abnormal psychological traits.
What's the last book you read?
Special Dog: That's a silly question.....By The Book, Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from the New York Times Book Review.
What's the greatest book that you have ever read, and why?
Special Dog: The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. That's easy, a mender of pots and pans-a simple tinker, writes a book from jail where he was put for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and that book goes on to be the greatest selling book in the English language next to the Bible. Yeah, it's the greatest book that I ever read, and Charles Spurgeon read it 100 times so he might have agreed.
If you could require the president to read one book, what would it be?
Special Dog: Well, first of all no one requires this president to do anything, not the Constitution, not the law and not his own conscience. The closest thing to anyone who could require him to do anything would be the designers of this Manchurian President. But.....to go along with your question as if things were indeed normal......my answer would be....Dupes: How America's Adversaries Have Manipulated Progressives for a Century, by Paul Kengor.
What books might we be surprised to find on your shelves?
Special Dog: Why I Am Not A Christian by Bertrand Russell,The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (also interviewed in your book), the Catechism of the Catholic Church, God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens, Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo, Four Blood Moons by John Hagee and The Harbinger by Rabbi Jonathan Cahn and the Book Of Mormon by Joseph Smith.
You can bring three books to a desert island, Which do you choose?
Special Dog: How To Survive on a Deserted Island by Tim O'Shei, Coconut Cures by Bruce Fife and How To Sell Tropical Real Estate by Samsian Coedes.
What's the best love story that you've ever read?
Special Dog: The Bible, It's also the best mystery book, the best poetry book, the best history book, the best biography (man), the best psychology book, the best philosophy book, the best economics book, the best health book and the best current events book.
One final question. What do you plan to read next?
Special Dog: Probably tomorrow morning's newspaper. Or do you mean...what book..do I plan on reading next... after Isaac Crockett that is? I don't have the slightest idea! Probably whatever cover font grabs my attention at Barnes and Noble
It was only missing one thing........me......an interview with Special Dog. I'm sure it was just an oversight. I mean if you interview Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code, then Special Dog would be the obvious next choice wouldn't it? It couldn't be the weird name.....Special Dog.....because Sting is in there. I mean.....Sting.....what the heck kind of name is that? So, what I'll do here is write down questions to me and the answers and then put the piece of paper in the book, probably between the interviews of E. L. Doctorow and Arnold Schwarzenegger (I think they stretched it putting him in there) and return it to the library and maybe it will catch on. So here we go:
What book is on your nightstand right now?
Special Dog: You know, I never read in bed. I mean when my head hits that pillow then I'm out! How about the end table next to my Lazy Boy? Will that do? OK, the book is Rebel Yell, the Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson by S. C. Gwynne. I never thought I'd say it but a new book took the place of Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Soldier, the Legend by James L. Robertson as the definitive work on the Confederate general and America's most aggressive military leader.
Which of the books you've written is your favorite?
Special Dog: That's easy, I only wrote one book. It doesn't have a name though, I kind of just refer to it as Isaac Crockett. Its never been published. I couldn't figure out the directions for sending in a manuscript. So it's on the world wide web at isaaccrockett.blogspot.com. I am at work on a sequel though and have one chapter finished..
What was the last book that made you cry?
Special Dog: It doesn't have a name, I just refer to it as Isaac Crockett.
What was the last book that made you laugh?
Special Dog: Uh....same book. I reread it about once every month because its so good!
If you could meet any writer, dead or alive, who would it be? What would you want to know?
Special Dog: Well my answer is.....any writer that is dead and can answer questions is who I would want to meet! What kind of question is that? Or, are you asking me what writer I would want to meet if I were dead or alive? If I were dead I don't care who I would....'meet.' Now If I were alive, as in fact I am alive, I would like to meet Pamela Paul and ask her why she did not include me in her book and would she consider adding me to a future printing?
What's the one book you wish someone else would write?
Special Dog: Wow, that's a profound question. Did you ask anyone else this question? Gee, I don't know........this one would be interesting though......."How I Screwed Up the United States of America and the World, Ruined Race Relations, Advanced Communism, Stabbed Israel in the Back, Established the American Record for Appointing the Most Incompetent Losers to Posts they had no Business Being In and Did it all Without Anyone Knowing the First Thing About Me Other Than Sound Bites Given Out by My Handlers, and Got in over 200 Rounds of
Golf in the Process. by Barack Hussein Obama.' I would want that book signed....and then analyzed by a handwriting expert for any abnormal psychological traits.
What's the last book you read?
Special Dog: That's a silly question.....By The Book, Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from the New York Times Book Review.
What's the greatest book that you have ever read, and why?
Special Dog: The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. That's easy, a mender of pots and pans-a simple tinker, writes a book from jail where he was put for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and that book goes on to be the greatest selling book in the English language next to the Bible. Yeah, it's the greatest book that I ever read, and Charles Spurgeon read it 100 times so he might have agreed.
If you could require the president to read one book, what would it be?
Special Dog: Well, first of all no one requires this president to do anything, not the Constitution, not the law and not his own conscience. The closest thing to anyone who could require him to do anything would be the designers of this Manchurian President. But.....to go along with your question as if things were indeed normal......my answer would be....Dupes: How America's Adversaries Have Manipulated Progressives for a Century, by Paul Kengor.
What books might we be surprised to find on your shelves?
Special Dog: Why I Am Not A Christian by Bertrand Russell,The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (also interviewed in your book), the Catechism of the Catholic Church, God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens, Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo, Four Blood Moons by John Hagee and The Harbinger by Rabbi Jonathan Cahn and the Book Of Mormon by Joseph Smith.
You can bring three books to a desert island, Which do you choose?
Special Dog: How To Survive on a Deserted Island by Tim O'Shei, Coconut Cures by Bruce Fife and How To Sell Tropical Real Estate by Samsian Coedes.
What's the best love story that you've ever read?
Special Dog: The Bible, It's also the best mystery book, the best poetry book, the best history book, the best biography (man), the best psychology book, the best philosophy book, the best economics book, the best health book and the best current events book.
One final question. What do you plan to read next?
Special Dog: Probably tomorrow morning's newspaper. Or do you mean...what book..do I plan on reading next... after Isaac Crockett that is? I don't have the slightest idea! Probably whatever cover font grabs my attention at Barnes and Noble
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving............November, 2011
Thanksgiving is far and away my favorite day of the year. There's no gift exchanges, blessings though such things are, to divert attention from the day, and no pagan bush to drag into the house to be decorated. There are no myths involved, in fact the historical testimony is so strong that even the revisionists have a hard time trying to distort it. As I write this, today's Wall Street Journal is beside me. Every year since 1961 on this day before Thanksgiving their top editorial has been a reprint of the beginning of a first-hand chronicle of the Plymouth Colony's voyage and arrival in their new land. This is part of the heritage that elements of our society are systematically trying to erase.
One particular day has since been set apart for Americans to corporately and individually give thanks to God for blessings bestowed. Taking advantage of this opportunity, here are some of the things that I am thankful for: I'm thankful that God took a twelve year old boy from a broken home and planted him in an apartment on a modest street amidst fine and decent fellows who would become new friends. I'm thankful that he permitted me to attend a very good high school, rich in tradition and academics, where I would at least experience, although hardly partake in, a scholarly atmosphere, and also how He somehow provided tuition. I'm thankful that in my immaturity He gave me the wisdom to join the army and had mercy on me even as I abused the needed maturing process. I'm thankful for a college degree even though my interests were far more social than academic, and that while working at the university I would meet my future wife. I'm thankful for her patience, love and being my best friend. I'm thankful for thirty-three years of employment from one company and the friends and coworkers there. I'm thankful that God instilled in me, somewhat later in life, an insatiable desire to read, to study and to analyze. I'm thankful that in 1982 He had mercy on the lowest of the low, loved the most unlovable and redeemed the least worthy of it. I'm thankful for the gift of a son who I have watched grow far beyond my own intellectual capabilities and do so without the path of rebellion that I chose. I'm thankful for the perfect match of a wonderful young Christian woman to be his wife.
I'm thankful for failures.... for they make it impossible for me to think that I am something that I am not. I'm thankful that after I fall down, He gives me strength to get up. I'm thankful for heroes, particularly of the Christian faith but also of our nation, for their lives are blueprints that can be deciphered for at least an attempt to emulate. I'm thankful for faithful pastors and the sweet fellowship of other beneficiaries of God's redemption. I'm thankful for a house and a home for our son as he grew up, with loving family all around. I'm thankful for automobiles and money in the bank to keep them running. I'm thankful for vision to see this beautiful world, for taste to enjoy tomorrow's meal (Lord willing,) for the hearing of the preached Word and of music and voices, for feeling....both physical and emotional, and for discerning aromas of both warnings and pleasure. I'm thankful that there is no sixth sense, that our knowledge of the future comes not from ESP but from such as the ESV (English Standard Version of God's written word to us.) I'm thankful for being born an American, for freedom and liberty, but even more so for the opportunity to show gratitude for the efforts of those who sacrificed for those freedoms and liberties and, although in an insignificant way, to pick up the banner they once held aloft. I'm thankful for my weaknesses for they give opportunity for God to show His strength. I am thankful most of all that God reached into humanity to adopt a multitude as His family and that He opened my own eyes to see... first myself, and then the cross of Calvary, the empty tomb and the clouds in which Jesus both ascended and will return. I'm thankful for angels all around us. I'm thankful that even though we play no part whatsoever in the salvation of another that we are painted into the picture to the glory of God alone. I'm thankful that, in the same vein, we can pray for the salvation of others and rejoice with them. I'm thankful for many books but especially one, John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, the last stanza of a song within which reads:
Hobgoblin, nor fowl fiend,
Can daunt his spirit;
He knows, he at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then fancies fly away,
He'll fear not what men say,
He'll labour night and day
To be a pilgrim.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Walk In The Spring Rain......Redux
As bad as the scenario painted in the following post from three
years ago is, it would be like a walk in the spring rain compared to
what we face today.
Post Tenebras Lux.......November 20, 2011
How does one go about getting the attention of the average American on issues such as appear in these posts? Well, let's start to answer that by identifying those issues. On July the 4th, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed and so began the Great American Experiment. Two-hundred and thirty five years later a new declaration is being signed onto, one that voids the first, one that has Karl Marx hoof prints all over it.
The majority of the American church is inflicted with one of three illnesses: total liberal heresy in denial of the gospel itself, or off on tangents and doctrinal fads that at the very least make the true proclamation of the gospel ineffective if even understood at all, or so watered-down in identity and doctrine as to make it a place where almost anyone in this nation can saunter in, and under the nondiverse and intolerant shroud of cultural diversity and radical tolerance covering the corpse of truth, have absolutely no objections, pangs of guilt or fear of punishment from what they hear from the pulpit.
Homosexuality directly challenges God on television, philosophy in film, and greed in business. pride in academia, feminism in the home and narcissism in our free time. Should a child survive the pre-born sacrifice of abortion, he or she must navigate a world increasingly at enmity with God. The coup de' gras of the socialist/Marxist/globalist assault on America has been with the concept of "law." That which has kept us from chaos is today too often in the hands of those who do not revere it. The Robert Borks are being replaced by the Elena Kagans.
These are some of the issues, now how does one go about getting people's attention? Well, there's good and bad news here. Let me start with the bad news; one cannot get their attention. In fairness to them, they would have to sneeze while changing radio stations, and sneeze just as the dial was positioned on talk radio, inadvertently giving them the opportunity to hear some morsel of legitimate news, information and warning; and even then, would they listen? The original condition of every man, women and child on this earth is that of desiring autonomy and pursuing self-exaltation, and few were more cemented into it than I once was.
The good news? Nations rise and nations fall according to God's will! We are in darkness today in the United States of America but surely the Reformation mottoes of Post Tenebras Lux (after darkness, light) and Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone be glory) offer us hope in remembrance of those who have gone before us and how God has dispelled darkness before. If this blog informs anyone in a way which causes them to inquire into their fallen condition and then seek God's mercy it will be entirely His doing, according to His will and to His glory alone. If it doesn't, then the fewer that read these posts...the better.
Post Tenebras Lux.......November 20, 2011
How does one go about getting the attention of the average American on issues such as appear in these posts? Well, let's start to answer that by identifying those issues. On July the 4th, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed and so began the Great American Experiment. Two-hundred and thirty five years later a new declaration is being signed onto, one that voids the first, one that has Karl Marx hoof prints all over it.
The majority of the American church is inflicted with one of three illnesses: total liberal heresy in denial of the gospel itself, or off on tangents and doctrinal fads that at the very least make the true proclamation of the gospel ineffective if even understood at all, or so watered-down in identity and doctrine as to make it a place where almost anyone in this nation can saunter in, and under the nondiverse and intolerant shroud of cultural diversity and radical tolerance covering the corpse of truth, have absolutely no objections, pangs of guilt or fear of punishment from what they hear from the pulpit.
Homosexuality directly challenges God on television, philosophy in film, and greed in business. pride in academia, feminism in the home and narcissism in our free time. Should a child survive the pre-born sacrifice of abortion, he or she must navigate a world increasingly at enmity with God. The coup de' gras of the socialist/Marxist/globalist assault on America has been with the concept of "law." That which has kept us from chaos is today too often in the hands of those who do not revere it. The Robert Borks are being replaced by the Elena Kagans.
These are some of the issues, now how does one go about getting people's attention? Well, there's good and bad news here. Let me start with the bad news; one cannot get their attention. In fairness to them, they would have to sneeze while changing radio stations, and sneeze just as the dial was positioned on talk radio, inadvertently giving them the opportunity to hear some morsel of legitimate news, information and warning; and even then, would they listen? The original condition of every man, women and child on this earth is that of desiring autonomy and pursuing self-exaltation, and few were more cemented into it than I once was.
The good news? Nations rise and nations fall according to God's will! We are in darkness today in the United States of America but surely the Reformation mottoes of Post Tenebras Lux (after darkness, light) and Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone be glory) offer us hope in remembrance of those who have gone before us and how God has dispelled darkness before. If this blog informs anyone in a way which causes them to inquire into their fallen condition and then seek God's mercy it will be entirely His doing, according to His will and to His glory alone. If it doesn't, then the fewer that read these posts...the better.
Monday, November 24, 2014
MAYDAY!
Some news sources picked up on a commentary that Billy Graham recently published. In it he wrote "America is just as wicked as Sodom and Gomorrah ever were." He wrote also that today prayer has become just a formality in our nation. If you read the news with more then just casual interest you are familiar with what is transpiring in the Vatican on the issue of homosexuality, you would also be aware of the mayor of Houston, Texas and what is going on there. If you are not aware of these news reports then maybe you have a very good reason. If not you may be one of who Billy Graham was alluding to when he also wrote that "We (America) have no sense of coming to grips with God."
I have used a fair amount of naval terminology in these posts over the years, "all hands on deck" would be one..."battle stations" would be another." I did a whole post on 'Don't give up the ship,' the words of James Lawrence as he was dying aboard the USS Chesapeake in the Battle of Lake Erie and the words that Oliver Hazard Perry had stitched on the battle flag of the USS Niagara in the same battle. I have never used the phrase 'abandon ship' but this ship of state is indeed going down.
Have you even pondered for more than a few moments the inaction of this our 'stand-down president' on issues of national security as he fritters the days away on the golf course, or his usurping powers not enumerated in our Constitution when he does act, or his seeming ambivalence towards the people of Iraq or the Kurds or the Israelis, or Christians anywhere, or even Americans
or really anybody outside of those who support him for their own private gain? Have you noticed how many people he appointed to important positions because of some perceived political advantage irregardless of whether they have any ability or experience? And have you noticed the ensuing disasters from these appointments? I'll choose a different naval distress signal today.....'MAYDAY!'
Whether you are in college or working tons of overtime to secure your family's financial future.....MAYDAY! Whether you are 65 years old and trying to retire or 25 years old and buying your first house.....MAYDAY! Whether you are Republican or Democrat.....MAYDAY! Whether you are black or white or brown or yellow or red.....MAYDAY! Whether you are union or supervision.....MAYDAY! Whether you are male or female.....MAYDAY! And whether you are American or not.....MAYDAY!
Prayer is our only answer.....intense, perspiratory, humble, pleading prayer!
The following was posted six weeks ago:
Franklin Graham, son of Evangelist Billy Graham, made some comments on the deteriorating conditions of this world and the possible nearness of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, comments that made the Drudge Report because of their extreme candor. He said in part "As I read the news, I can't help but wonder if we are in the last... hours... before our Lord Jesus Christ returns......"
Have you ever been involved in some activity or exercise that was so robust that you felt the immediate need to rest for a few minutes just to get your bearings? Well, that is what it feels like to me as I read the news of the day. Fifteen years ago I and many others recognized that America was beginning to spiral out of control. Five years ago I wrote about the imminent dangers we faced as a nation and a free people and within the last few years my words became warnings on the incipient collapse in just about every area of our society and the world.
There is a big difference between resting for a few minutes to regain one's bearings and sticking one's head in the sand to temporarily eliminate the clamor of the crowd as they search for exits from this horror movie being played out on the front pages of our news sources.
Martin Luther once answered when asked what he would do if he knew that the Lord was coming back the next day, "I would plant a tree." That indeed is what we must do but even there we need tranquility enough to guide our hands.
Franklin Graham knows it, other Christians know it, and I know it.....the only true peace of mind that comes amidst the howlings of the tempests that are shaking every pillar of justice in our country, damming up every fount of blessings and ripping asunder every document holding any truths that limit our own self-autonomy is at the foot of the Cross on Calvary, the empty tomb and the mount upon which Jesus ascended and will one day return, whether it be, as Graham added, hours, days, months or years.
I have used a fair amount of naval terminology in these posts over the years, "all hands on deck" would be one..."battle stations" would be another." I did a whole post on 'Don't give up the ship,' the words of James Lawrence as he was dying aboard the USS Chesapeake in the Battle of Lake Erie and the words that Oliver Hazard Perry had stitched on the battle flag of the USS Niagara in the same battle. I have never used the phrase 'abandon ship' but this ship of state is indeed going down.
Have you even pondered for more than a few moments the inaction of this our 'stand-down president' on issues of national security as he fritters the days away on the golf course, or his usurping powers not enumerated in our Constitution when he does act, or his seeming ambivalence towards the people of Iraq or the Kurds or the Israelis, or Christians anywhere, or even Americans
or really anybody outside of those who support him for their own private gain? Have you noticed how many people he appointed to important positions because of some perceived political advantage irregardless of whether they have any ability or experience? And have you noticed the ensuing disasters from these appointments? I'll choose a different naval distress signal today.....'MAYDAY!'
Whether you are in college or working tons of overtime to secure your family's financial future.....MAYDAY! Whether you are 65 years old and trying to retire or 25 years old and buying your first house.....MAYDAY! Whether you are Republican or Democrat.....MAYDAY! Whether you are black or white or brown or yellow or red.....MAYDAY! Whether you are union or supervision.....MAYDAY! Whether you are male or female.....MAYDAY! And whether you are American or not.....MAYDAY!
Prayer is our only answer.....intense, perspiratory, humble, pleading prayer!
The following was posted six weeks ago:
Franklin Graham, son of Evangelist Billy Graham, made some comments on the deteriorating conditions of this world and the possible nearness of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, comments that made the Drudge Report because of their extreme candor. He said in part "As I read the news, I can't help but wonder if we are in the last... hours... before our Lord Jesus Christ returns......"
Have you ever been involved in some activity or exercise that was so robust that you felt the immediate need to rest for a few minutes just to get your bearings? Well, that is what it feels like to me as I read the news of the day. Fifteen years ago I and many others recognized that America was beginning to spiral out of control. Five years ago I wrote about the imminent dangers we faced as a nation and a free people and within the last few years my words became warnings on the incipient collapse in just about every area of our society and the world.
There is a big difference between resting for a few minutes to regain one's bearings and sticking one's head in the sand to temporarily eliminate the clamor of the crowd as they search for exits from this horror movie being played out on the front pages of our news sources.
Martin Luther once answered when asked what he would do if he knew that the Lord was coming back the next day, "I would plant a tree." That indeed is what we must do but even there we need tranquility enough to guide our hands.
Franklin Graham knows it, other Christians know it, and I know it.....the only true peace of mind that comes amidst the howlings of the tempests that are shaking every pillar of justice in our country, damming up every fount of blessings and ripping asunder every document holding any truths that limit our own self-autonomy is at the foot of the Cross on Calvary, the empty tomb and the mount upon which Jesus ascended and will one day return, whether it be, as Graham added, hours, days, months or years.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
A Heavenly Genealogy
The following post from 2012 is my Lord's Day offering:
A Heavenly Genealogy
I was never much interested in genealogy. My surname is about as English as you can get, although I'm primarily Scotch-Irish, and there is a well known and much visited tower in London with the same name. My wife and I had an interesting experience almost two decades ago. A very popular and prolific Christian writer of historical fiction started a new series of books and a main character of the first book had my first and last name. Not only that but my wife thought that his physical description described me right down to the scar on the left cheek; the character's scar from dealing with the turmoil at the time of King Henry VIII and mine, not so heroic, from an infected spider bite while in the army. William Tyndale and John Bunyan even make appearances in this Reformation era book! She even wrote the author about this and received a very nice reply.
I 'm really interested in hearing about other people's genealogical history. I just have no interest in my own. It wouldn't matter in the slightest if my ancestors were princes or paupers. There's only one ancestor that I'm concerned with and that is Adam in the Garden of Eden. I inherited his sin just as much as I inherited my father's high forehead. There's only one inheritance that matters and that's the imputed righteousness of Christ. This topic of conversation came up between my son and me when he was about 13 years old. I sat down at a computer and drew up this tartan that you see at the top. Every color in it has a meaning. The green signifies the world, the yellow the church and the scarlet line in the middle is the precious blood of Jesus Christ shed for us on Calvary. So this is our tartan of a heavenly genealogy, an adoptive Father and a spiritual Brother who is also our Lord, Our Savior and our coming King!
A Heavenly Genealogy
I was never much interested in genealogy. My surname is about as English as you can get, although I'm primarily Scotch-Irish, and there is a well known and much visited tower in London with the same name. My wife and I had an interesting experience almost two decades ago. A very popular and prolific Christian writer of historical fiction started a new series of books and a main character of the first book had my first and last name. Not only that but my wife thought that his physical description described me right down to the scar on the left cheek; the character's scar from dealing with the turmoil at the time of King Henry VIII and mine, not so heroic, from an infected spider bite while in the army. William Tyndale and John Bunyan even make appearances in this Reformation era book! She even wrote the author about this and received a very nice reply.
I 'm really interested in hearing about other people's genealogical history. I just have no interest in my own. It wouldn't matter in the slightest if my ancestors were princes or paupers. There's only one ancestor that I'm concerned with and that is Adam in the Garden of Eden. I inherited his sin just as much as I inherited my father's high forehead. There's only one inheritance that matters and that's the imputed righteousness of Christ. This topic of conversation came up between my son and me when he was about 13 years old. I sat down at a computer and drew up this tartan that you see at the top. Every color in it has a meaning. The green signifies the world, the yellow the church and the scarlet line in the middle is the precious blood of Jesus Christ shed for us on Calvary. So this is our tartan of a heavenly genealogy, an adoptive Father and a spiritual Brother who is also our Lord, Our Savior and our coming King!
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Wild Horses Couldn't Drag Me
.
The following is part of a post from January, two years ago. The post after this is from this past January 7th, three weeks before Barack Obama was scheduled to give another State of the Union address. How on earth are Republicans going to show up for the next address after yet another year of continued mockery of our Constitution? Merely cancelling any more State of the Union addresses by Barack Obama is certainly not the primary response that is needed right now but the issue does need to be settled well ahead of time. Please consider contacting your Representative on this!
How does one, I'm speaking of a member of Congress here, applaud this president at the State of the Union address, albeit reservedly, as he systematically erodes the authority of our Constitution, weakens our military and whose policies literally work against our national security while emboldening our enemies and the enemies of our allies? How does one hold in what must be the temptation to challenge the lies and the deceit that will emanate from the podium during the speech? How does one put the unmitigated disaster of Obamacare out of his mind, or Benghazi, or the cavalier attitude that puts him constantly on the golf course or courtside of a basketball game when other presidents pushed their health to the limits in far lesser emergencies, both foreign and domestic, than we have today? And then how does one dispense with the frowns after the television cameras are gone and socialize and shake the hands of those from the other side of the aisle who refuse to put their country over their own political fortunes?.....Wild horse couldn't drag me there!
Just Send Over The Report
The 2014 State Of The Union Address is scheduled for Tuesday January 28th. For the past few years I wrote a post in advance of that speech calling for Republicans to use that opportunity to protest by either refusing to applaud anything said from that throne or even better... to refuse to attend. I hope to bring this post back regularly, should the Lord will it, over the next month. Please think ahead on this! Barack Obama, the man who is systematically and deceptively tearing this nation apart, both within and without, will once again take advantage of the State Of The Union address and, with the media concealing everything about him and revealing none of his schemes, will take over all of the main networks to give him yet another opportunity to deceive those who do not really care what he is doing as long as he fulfills his bargain and gives them what they want for themselves. The Establishment brand of Republican will grumble for the cameras but have a good time afterwards. We should suspend this speech until such time that we have a president, either Democrat, Republican or another party, who we can at least trust his/her words. Even then the pomp and circumstance of this speech should be done away with forever.
The following is part of a post from January, two years ago. The post after this is from this past January 7th, three weeks before Barack Obama was scheduled to give another State of the Union address. How on earth are Republicans going to show up for the next address after yet another year of continued mockery of our Constitution? Merely cancelling any more State of the Union addresses by Barack Obama is certainly not the primary response that is needed right now but the issue does need to be settled well ahead of time. Please consider contacting your Representative on this!
How does one, I'm speaking of a member of Congress here, applaud this president at the State of the Union address, albeit reservedly, as he systematically erodes the authority of our Constitution, weakens our military and whose policies literally work against our national security while emboldening our enemies and the enemies of our allies? How does one hold in what must be the temptation to challenge the lies and the deceit that will emanate from the podium during the speech? How does one put the unmitigated disaster of Obamacare out of his mind, or Benghazi, or the cavalier attitude that puts him constantly on the golf course or courtside of a basketball game when other presidents pushed their health to the limits in far lesser emergencies, both foreign and domestic, than we have today? And then how does one dispense with the frowns after the television cameras are gone and socialize and shake the hands of those from the other side of the aisle who refuse to put their country over their own political fortunes?.....Wild horse couldn't drag me there!
Just Send Over The Report
The 2014 State Of The Union Address is scheduled for Tuesday January 28th. For the past few years I wrote a post in advance of that speech calling for Republicans to use that opportunity to protest by either refusing to applaud anything said from that throne or even better... to refuse to attend. I hope to bring this post back regularly, should the Lord will it, over the next month. Please think ahead on this! Barack Obama, the man who is systematically and deceptively tearing this nation apart, both within and without, will once again take advantage of the State Of The Union address and, with the media concealing everything about him and revealing none of his schemes, will take over all of the main networks to give him yet another opportunity to deceive those who do not really care what he is doing as long as he fulfills his bargain and gives them what they want for themselves. The Establishment brand of Republican will grumble for the cameras but have a good time afterwards. We should suspend this speech until such time that we have a president, either Democrat, Republican or another party, who we can at least trust his/her words. Even then the pomp and circumstance of this speech should be done away with forever.
Article II, Section 3 of our Constitution states of our President, He shall from time to time give to Congress Information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient. The President is not required to appear in person and give a speech. In fact, President Thomas Jefferson refused to give this report as a speech for he considered it too close to the Speech from the Throne in the monarchical traditions.
We are ten months past the last State of the Union address where Barack Obama was feted with applause once again but we are now openly in the midst of a coup where every day, every hour, every minute, even every second, more Americans are becoming aware of it.
I'll give one very recent quote from a Democrat Senator on Harry Reid's new filibuster rule..."There's no reason that changing this to majority rule on appointments will create ill will.....people of good will find ways to work together here." In a way he is right. The filibuster change alone would not be enough to demand an open rebellion, but add to that a purge within the military, a consigliore in the Justice Department, disdain for allies and subservience to enemies, golfing and shooting hoops while America sinks in the muck and mire of a politicized everything, czars directing whole agencies in scripts out of Atlas Shrugged and enough lying and spying to choke uncle Joe Stalin himself.....yes, add to this filibuster cohorts in the media marching in lockstep, judges sent out to do what armies could never do, domestic military preparations to control an unwilling citizenry and bribes in the form of dispensations to the biggest lie of all....the Affordable Healthcare Act.....and it is more than enough and way past time that Republicans formally refuse to shake the hand that shreds our Constitution.
Note: Two days after this post John Boehner invited Barack Obama to give the State Of The Union Address on January 28th with these words: "....we welcome an opportunity to hear your ideas, particularly for putting Americans back to work. It's my honor to invite you to speak before a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 in the House Chamber of the U. S. Capitol Building."
I'll give one very recent quote from a Democrat Senator on Harry Reid's new filibuster rule..."There's no reason that changing this to majority rule on appointments will create ill will.....people of good will find ways to work together here." In a way he is right. The filibuster change alone would not be enough to demand an open rebellion, but add to that a purge within the military, a consigliore in the Justice Department, disdain for allies and subservience to enemies, golfing and shooting hoops while America sinks in the muck and mire of a politicized everything, czars directing whole agencies in scripts out of Atlas Shrugged and enough lying and spying to choke uncle Joe Stalin himself.....yes, add to this filibuster cohorts in the media marching in lockstep, judges sent out to do what armies could never do, domestic military preparations to control an unwilling citizenry and bribes in the form of dispensations to the biggest lie of all....the Affordable Healthcare Act.....and it is more than enough and way past time that Republicans formally refuse to shake the hand that shreds our Constitution.
Note: Two days after this post John Boehner invited Barack Obama to give the State Of The Union Address on January 28th with these words: "....we welcome an opportunity to hear your ideas, particularly for putting Americans back to work. It's my honor to invite you to speak before a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 in the House Chamber of the U. S. Capitol Building."
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
"Get With The Program"
You may recall the Copenhagen Summit of 2009 on climate change that thankfully ended in disarray. The attending nations finally did come up with an accord but it was deemed worthless. Just last year it was revealed through documents released by Edward Snowden that the NSA spied on other delegations and gave the information to the US delegation! One British corespondent said "While the White House was announcing the agreement, many other-perhaps most other- delegations had not even seen it." I guess that just as with our health care legislation....you had to pass the bill to see what was in it. Barack Obama responded to the criticism by saying that the negotiations were all transparent. Where have we heard that before. We are not only surrounded... we are ruled by liars, scoundrels and thieves. One bit of analysis was that China was an obstacle because it was not offered anything in return. Very recently China and Barack Obama did reach agreements on greenhouse gas emissions. Perhaps we found something to give them? I came across the following old post from November of 2009:
The Nefarious Extravaganza
For quite some time World leaders and scientists have been pushing hard and fast for climate change legislation. Climate change is described as a looming catastrophe and an emergency situation that has to be dealt with immediately and numerous times we were told that the opinion of the scientific community was unanimous. Skeptics are routinely ridiculed. Friends, this is a scam, the purpose of it being levelling the playing fields for all the world's economies and ultimately redistributing the wealth of the planet, but lo and behold, emails in Britain were hacked and many of these prestigious scientists were cooking the books, manipulating their readers and attempting to censor and punish dissenting scientists, of whom there are many, who had the audacity to oppose the establishment. Even some of corporate America has joined this bandwagon, following the scent of money.
Well where do you think that this will go now? One might be tempted to think that it is the end of serious consideration for global warming legislation but one would be wrong! President Obama said just today that the world is one step closer to a climate change agreement to be decided in next month's summit in Copenhagen. What would induce the leadership of the Democratic Party to continue in this fable? At one point in the Clinton administration when President Clinton was stressed over his personal problems and showing it, the Vice-President, today's self-proclaimed leader of the global warming fiasco, sternly addressed his boss and said Get with the program.
This current program includes health care legislation where cooking the books on the costs and benefits is occurring. These plans, and others, must be passed now and in the very near future because the powers that be know that their control will probably be decimated in next years elections. It is now or never. Al Gore appeared on this weeks Saturday Night Live in an attempt to solidify the support of the 18 to 29 age group which, according to Gallup, is the only age group not to drop below 50% in President Obama's approval ratings. As for the media, it is needed only until tyranny is established and then even it can be cast aside. This is the 'program' we are experiencing in America right now.
The Nefarious Extravaganza
For quite some time World leaders and scientists have been pushing hard and fast for climate change legislation. Climate change is described as a looming catastrophe and an emergency situation that has to be dealt with immediately and numerous times we were told that the opinion of the scientific community was unanimous. Skeptics are routinely ridiculed. Friends, this is a scam, the purpose of it being levelling the playing fields for all the world's economies and ultimately redistributing the wealth of the planet, but lo and behold, emails in Britain were hacked and many of these prestigious scientists were cooking the books, manipulating their readers and attempting to censor and punish dissenting scientists, of whom there are many, who had the audacity to oppose the establishment. Even some of corporate America has joined this bandwagon, following the scent of money.
Well where do you think that this will go now? One might be tempted to think that it is the end of serious consideration for global warming legislation but one would be wrong! President Obama said just today that the world is one step closer to a climate change agreement to be decided in next month's summit in Copenhagen. What would induce the leadership of the Democratic Party to continue in this fable? At one point in the Clinton administration when President Clinton was stressed over his personal problems and showing it, the Vice-President, today's self-proclaimed leader of the global warming fiasco, sternly addressed his boss and said Get with the program.
This current program includes health care legislation where cooking the books on the costs and benefits is occurring. These plans, and others, must be passed now and in the very near future because the powers that be know that their control will probably be decimated in next years elections. It is now or never. Al Gore appeared on this weeks Saturday Night Live in an attempt to solidify the support of the 18 to 29 age group which, according to Gallup, is the only age group not to drop below 50% in President Obama's approval ratings. As for the media, it is needed only until tyranny is established and then even it can be cast aside. This is the 'program' we are experiencing in America right now.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
1962.....Redux
I don't think that one would see lettered sweaters in
high schools anymore. Our son's varsity
letter was sewn on a jacket and I was so happy for him when he received
it. The following is a short story that I wrote quite some time ago, and I bring it back as a Lord's Day post as Pennsylvania's high school football playoffs are in full swing:
!962
Tommy Wilson walked into the apartment where he and his mother lived, beat and worn out. She had been holding dinner late every night so that Tommy could go to football practice and then work for two hours at Spinoza's Market.
"Welcome home Johnny U!"
"I'm on special teams mom...Johnny Unitas is a quarterback."
"Oh, well excuse me...any new bruises today?"
"Yeah, my right shin."
Tommy was a senior at Catawaga High School in Buffalo, New York and he was going out for football for the very first time. He was on a mission. you see, Tommy was in love with Mary Burns whose family had moved to Buffalo the year before from Tennessee. Her father was an airline pilot and this is where the job was. Tommy and his mom did not have a lot of money. He would have wanted to buy a ring or a necklace for Mary so that everyone would know that she was his girl. What he finally decided on was going to take a lot of effort. He wanted to make the football team and earn a varsity letter, then put it on a sweater and give it to Mary. All the guys who had lettered had given lettered sweaters to their girlfriends. He had to not only make the team but play in 10 quarters to earn that letter. The coach told him that the only way he would get into games was on the kickoff teams and that only if he proved that he could tackle. Tommy had given more effort than anyone on the team, flying down the field and literally throwing his body at the opposing players. Working at Spinoza's would earn him the money for the sweater that would cost $37.50. That was the plan anyway.
Mary: "Tommy, I'm really worried about you. You get hurt almost every practice and you work so hard at the market after that. Are you sure that you want to do this? You know football doesn't mean that much to me."
Tommy: I have to do this Mary. Football will be over in December and I can slow down."
Tommy hadn't told Mary about the plan or the importance of others knowing that she was his girl. Mary was a Christian girl from the South who always talked about the "Lord." Tommy didn't understand half of it. He never talked this way about God and didn't know anyone else who did.
Mary: Tommy, the Bible says that you must be "born again." You should think about what that means and try to understand it!"
Tommy: Mary, I believe in God. I may not be perfect, but who is....except maybe you?"
Mary: "You know I'm not perfect Tommy. I'm far from it since I know the Lord and still cannot live as I should."
Tommy: "Well, you seem pretty close to perfect...in everything...to me."
Tommy's coach was not particularly happy that Tommy expected to win a letter. This was his second year as head coach with the Flyers and he was going to succeed and make coaching his profession. Catawaga had never had a winning season. They were 0 and 10 the year before he came and 4 and 6 in his first year. Come "hell or high water," as he would constantly remind them, they were going to have a winning season this year and that meant 6 wins. The assistant coach, Mark Offen, was a "coach" second and a history teacher first. He admired the spunk of this lightweight senior, who for some reason just had to win a letter. his efforts probably stopped Coach Thomas from cutting Tommy.
Coach Offen: "Are you alright Wilson?"
Tommy: Yeah coach. I forgot to hit with my pads and not my head/"
Coach Offen: "Sit down for a while."
Tommy: "Do I have to coach? I feel OK."
Coach Thomas came over as Tommy headed for the sidelines.
Coach Thomas: "That kids going to kill himself and get us all in trouble."
Coach Offen: "I'll keep an eye on him. Hell be alright/"
Tommy liked to take Mary up to this new hamburger joint called McDonalds. It was only 19 cents for a burger and that was all he could afford on his budget. Mary carried a Bible with her at all times and liked to sneak in about ten minutes of Bible reading every time they were together. Tommy was glad he didn't live in the South for they took religion all too seriously. The next day would be the first game and Tommy didn't know if he would get in, for the coach gave no clues. when the game started, he was not on the field for the kickoff, nor for the two others in the first half. Catawaga was winning 21 to nothing when they took the field for the second half. Coach Thomas barked out orders and yelled Tommy's name for the kickoff team without even looking for him.
Tommy's first experience in a game was not encouraging. He ran down the field and was belted by someone twice his size, but he had one quarter in for his letter. He was not called on for the final quarter. The next week was a grueling week for practice. Tommy hit every opposite colored practice jersey he had a chance to hit. Coach Offen patted him on the back but Coach Thomas never acknowledged him. The Flyers were 1 and 0 going into the second game. Again Tommy did not play in the first half. For the kickoff starting the second half his name was called and he flew down field and hit the first jersey he saw, who flew into the ball carrier enabling his teammates to make the tackle. Tommy had contributed!
He was in on the kickoff again and this time the kick was real short. Someone in the middle had picked up the ball and Tommy had a chance to hit the ball carrier for the first time. Just as he was about to make the tackle he was blocked hard and thought he heard his finger snap. The trainer wrapped it up and the doctor later said that it was separated and would keep him our of football for three weeks at least. Tommy now had three quarters of the ten he needed but half of the season was over when he was given the OK to play. The Flyers were 3 and 2 so the coach was not on the warpath as he had been. the 6th game saw Tommy get in to play but only in the 4th quarter. He now had 4 quarters of game play with 4 games left.
Mary: "Tommy, you played really well last night. you hit that big number 70 real hard!"
Tommy: "But I didn't move him Mary. I can't expect to get a letter if I can't help the team."
Mary: " Is that what this is all about...a letter? Why is it so important?"
Tommy: "Well...uh...I just have to win one. That's all."
Tommy had a fairly good week of practice but did not get in the 7th game at all and they lost. The team was 4 and 3 and Coach Thomas hardly even practiced Tommy the next week. Tommy thought he heard Coach Offen mention his name to Coach Thomas once. He couldn't hear what was being said but could tell neither coach was happy. Game 8 went well from the start and the Flyers were up 30 to 0 at the half. There were 10 quarters left and Tommy needed to get in 6 of them. It seemed impossible but he kept on giving everything that he had. He was on the kickoff team starting the second half and Coach Offen slapped him on the back with encouragement. Tommy ran down the field fast but not as fast as he had been, for he had to have an idea of where the ball carrier was. The runner picked up about 20 yards when he found himself charging straight at Tommy who lowered his head and dove for his legs. the runner went down and Tommy's teammates were slapping him on the helmet, but it had cost Tommy for he felt his finger hurting again but did not tell anyone. The Flyers put their 3rd team for the 4th quarter but their was no scoring and no chance for Tommy to get in.
The next week was the opposite. Tommy got in on the first kickoff but the Flyers were down 28 to 0 at the half and he did not get in. There was one game left and Tommy needed all 4 quarters! He was actually learning the game with one game left in his career. The team now had 5 wins and 4 losses with one game left and had to win it for the winning season. Tommy thought it was impossible to get in for all 4 quarters. Coach Offen told him to make the plays and he'll get in. It seemed as if he had talked to Coach Thomas or something. He was in on the first kickoff and hit one blocker and knocked him down. The runner came next and Tommy latched on to his legs for the tackle. Catawaga was losing 28 to 27 in the last quarter of the season and the Flyers could not move the ball, nor could the other team. He had played in the first 3 quarters but there were only 5 minutes left in the game, then 4...3...2. Williamsville, their main rival, had the ball on their own 10 yard line with a one point lead and only 15 seconds left on the clock.
Tommy had tears in his eyes. He looked up in the stands and saw Mary looking at him and smiling. She pointed up to the sky and Tommy knew what she meant..."the Lord was more important than football." Tommy began to feel guilty that his team was going to lose, his coach was not going to reach his goal, but the only thing he cared about was himself. The game was just about over and Coach Thomas angrily called out Tommy's name. Tommy jumped up and looked at him. The coach told him to go in for Davis in the defensive backfield! Tommy had only played that position in practice when they needed a body. He started running out on the field and everyone was yelling to him that he needed his helmet. He reached the defensive huddle.
He now had his 10 quarters in! Why would Coach Thomas do this, especially as they were about to lose? His teammates were oblivious to this. They only had one more play on their mind. The quarterback took the snap and handed off to the fullback who broke through the line coming right at Tommy. Tommy ran straight at him and hit as hard as he ever hit anyone. Tommy was knocked on his back but heard shouts. He had caused a fumble and everyone was running after the ball. One guy fell on it only to have it squirt out and towards Tommy. Tommy picked it up and tan towards the goal. He was hit short of it but before he fell was hit from behind by a teammate and then another. He felt his feet hit the ground and pushed one more time in the scrum with players in front but more in back. He fell but held on to the ball and could still hear yells. What had happened? The referee was pulling players off until he saw Tommy and raised his hands signaling a touchdown! Everyone was pulling at him, slapping him, yelling at him. He had scored the winning touchdown. The team beat their rival and finished the season with 6 wins and 4 losses. Tommy was in a bit of shock. As he walked back towards the sideline he saw Coach Thomas and Coach Offen talking. Coach Thomas was just smiling and shaking his head up and down.
Mary: "Tommy, you were unbelievable! You were the hero, and you'll get your letter!"
Tommy: "Mary, I'll tell you later why I had to have that letter."
Two weeks later was the football banquet where the varsity letters would be given out. Everyone has two tickets for the dinner to give to parents. Tommy's mother and Mary would be at his table. the Flyers colors were white and red. Tommy had bought the white wool sweater at Anderson's Department Store and was ready to have the letter put on the day after. Tommy's mom had picked up Mary in their 1957 Ford Fairlane and met Tommy at the banquet who had gone early for instructions on the ceremony. Tommy was the only senior to be given a varsity letter for the first time, a 10 inch red "C"." Coach Thomas said a few words about every player that cam up to the podium. When he came to Tommy, he had this to say, "Quite frankly, I never expected Tommy Wilson to earn this letter. It is nearly impossible to earn a varsity letter as a senior without ever having played a down of organized football. In fact, I'm ashamed to admit it, I was a little bit annoyed at his determination. But Coach Offen had faith in Tommy's abilities, abilities that I did not see. He nearly twisted my arm to get him in all four quarters of that last game. Come up here for your letter Tommy. You deserve it as much as anyone on this team." Tommy was red faced and looked to Coach Offen and smiled as he returned to his table. He gave his varsity letter to his mom and held Mary's hand tight.
Mary: "Well, Tommy, I'm so proud of you and you have that varsity letter that you wanted so much!"
Tommy: "Mary. I never told you why I wanted this ... letter so bad. All of the other guys have something to give their girls to show everyone that they they are their girlfriends. They give nice rings and most have cars to drive them around. They take them to the prom and I can't afford that. I worked for that letter to put on a sweater and ask you if you would wear it for the rest of the year. I would be so proud to see you in it, knowing that you are showing everyone that we are in love with each other."
Mary: "Tommy...I had no idea that you felt that way. I'm in shock...and I have to tell you what came to my mind as you told me. Tommy...everyone will one day stand before God and He will look at them to see if they belong to his Son Jesus. And do you know how He will know? All those who have trusted in Jesus, and in Him "alone" to save them...they will be dressed in white...the righteousness of Christ! We will stand before God after a lifetime that is filled with sin, yet the Father will not see that for He will only see what Jesus has done. That is why Jesus came here to be one of us, to live the perfect life and pay for our sins. Tommy, if we trust in anything we do then we are pulling back that robe...that sweater...of righteousness to reveal our sin. God may have given you this determination to win a varsity letter to demonstrate this to you. When we are "born again" we see this."
Tommy could not say a word. The Mary that he loved so much was the Mary that loved Jesus so much. He sometimes felt jealous over this. How wrong he had been. For the first time he understood what Mary was trying to tell him. He felt that God must love him to tell show him this. He had doubted before because he had grown up without a father. Tommy felt tears forming in his eyes and turned his head. His mother was returning to her seat. She had his sweater in her hands and the varsity red letter "C" was sewn on. She had secretly brought the sweater with her and returned to the car to sew it on. Tommy looked lovingly into his mother's eyes and took the sweater and turned back to Mary. She had stood up to remove the little vest she was wearing. Tommy offered her the sweater and she carefully put it on. As she sat down and said "Thank you," Tommy looked at her with wet eyes and said "Maybe we can both put on something white tonight with the letter "C"? They held hands as the principle turned the microphone on and said:
"Well, the Supreme Court recently ruled that God cannot come into our schools. Maybe someday we will have to comply...but not tonight. Heavenly Father. Thank
!962
Tommy Wilson walked into the apartment where he and his mother lived, beat and worn out. She had been holding dinner late every night so that Tommy could go to football practice and then work for two hours at Spinoza's Market.
"Welcome home Johnny U!"
"I'm on special teams mom...Johnny Unitas is a quarterback."
"Oh, well excuse me...any new bruises today?"
"Yeah, my right shin."
Tommy was a senior at Catawaga High School in Buffalo, New York and he was going out for football for the very first time. He was on a mission. you see, Tommy was in love with Mary Burns whose family had moved to Buffalo the year before from Tennessee. Her father was an airline pilot and this is where the job was. Tommy and his mom did not have a lot of money. He would have wanted to buy a ring or a necklace for Mary so that everyone would know that she was his girl. What he finally decided on was going to take a lot of effort. He wanted to make the football team and earn a varsity letter, then put it on a sweater and give it to Mary. All the guys who had lettered had given lettered sweaters to their girlfriends. He had to not only make the team but play in 10 quarters to earn that letter. The coach told him that the only way he would get into games was on the kickoff teams and that only if he proved that he could tackle. Tommy had given more effort than anyone on the team, flying down the field and literally throwing his body at the opposing players. Working at Spinoza's would earn him the money for the sweater that would cost $37.50. That was the plan anyway.
Mary: "Tommy, I'm really worried about you. You get hurt almost every practice and you work so hard at the market after that. Are you sure that you want to do this? You know football doesn't mean that much to me."
Tommy: I have to do this Mary. Football will be over in December and I can slow down."
Tommy hadn't told Mary about the plan or the importance of others knowing that she was his girl. Mary was a Christian girl from the South who always talked about the "Lord." Tommy didn't understand half of it. He never talked this way about God and didn't know anyone else who did.
Mary: Tommy, the Bible says that you must be "born again." You should think about what that means and try to understand it!"
Tommy: Mary, I believe in God. I may not be perfect, but who is....except maybe you?"
Mary: "You know I'm not perfect Tommy. I'm far from it since I know the Lord and still cannot live as I should."
Tommy: "Well, you seem pretty close to perfect...in everything...to me."
Tommy's coach was not particularly happy that Tommy expected to win a letter. This was his second year as head coach with the Flyers and he was going to succeed and make coaching his profession. Catawaga had never had a winning season. They were 0 and 10 the year before he came and 4 and 6 in his first year. Come "hell or high water," as he would constantly remind them, they were going to have a winning season this year and that meant 6 wins. The assistant coach, Mark Offen, was a "coach" second and a history teacher first. He admired the spunk of this lightweight senior, who for some reason just had to win a letter. his efforts probably stopped Coach Thomas from cutting Tommy.
Coach Offen: "Are you alright Wilson?"
Tommy: Yeah coach. I forgot to hit with my pads and not my head/"
Coach Offen: "Sit down for a while."
Tommy: "Do I have to coach? I feel OK."
Coach Thomas came over as Tommy headed for the sidelines.
Coach Thomas: "That kids going to kill himself and get us all in trouble."
Coach Offen: "I'll keep an eye on him. Hell be alright/"
Tommy liked to take Mary up to this new hamburger joint called McDonalds. It was only 19 cents for a burger and that was all he could afford on his budget. Mary carried a Bible with her at all times and liked to sneak in about ten minutes of Bible reading every time they were together. Tommy was glad he didn't live in the South for they took religion all too seriously. The next day would be the first game and Tommy didn't know if he would get in, for the coach gave no clues. when the game started, he was not on the field for the kickoff, nor for the two others in the first half. Catawaga was winning 21 to nothing when they took the field for the second half. Coach Thomas barked out orders and yelled Tommy's name for the kickoff team without even looking for him.
Tommy's first experience in a game was not encouraging. He ran down the field and was belted by someone twice his size, but he had one quarter in for his letter. He was not called on for the final quarter. The next week was a grueling week for practice. Tommy hit every opposite colored practice jersey he had a chance to hit. Coach Offen patted him on the back but Coach Thomas never acknowledged him. The Flyers were 1 and 0 going into the second game. Again Tommy did not play in the first half. For the kickoff starting the second half his name was called and he flew down field and hit the first jersey he saw, who flew into the ball carrier enabling his teammates to make the tackle. Tommy had contributed!
He was in on the kickoff again and this time the kick was real short. Someone in the middle had picked up the ball and Tommy had a chance to hit the ball carrier for the first time. Just as he was about to make the tackle he was blocked hard and thought he heard his finger snap. The trainer wrapped it up and the doctor later said that it was separated and would keep him our of football for three weeks at least. Tommy now had three quarters of the ten he needed but half of the season was over when he was given the OK to play. The Flyers were 3 and 2 so the coach was not on the warpath as he had been. the 6th game saw Tommy get in to play but only in the 4th quarter. He now had 4 quarters of game play with 4 games left.
Mary: "Tommy, you played really well last night. you hit that big number 70 real hard!"
Tommy: "But I didn't move him Mary. I can't expect to get a letter if I can't help the team."
Mary: " Is that what this is all about...a letter? Why is it so important?"
Tommy: "Well...uh...I just have to win one. That's all."
Tommy had a fairly good week of practice but did not get in the 7th game at all and they lost. The team was 4 and 3 and Coach Thomas hardly even practiced Tommy the next week. Tommy thought he heard Coach Offen mention his name to Coach Thomas once. He couldn't hear what was being said but could tell neither coach was happy. Game 8 went well from the start and the Flyers were up 30 to 0 at the half. There were 10 quarters left and Tommy needed to get in 6 of them. It seemed impossible but he kept on giving everything that he had. He was on the kickoff team starting the second half and Coach Offen slapped him on the back with encouragement. Tommy ran down the field fast but not as fast as he had been, for he had to have an idea of where the ball carrier was. The runner picked up about 20 yards when he found himself charging straight at Tommy who lowered his head and dove for his legs. the runner went down and Tommy's teammates were slapping him on the helmet, but it had cost Tommy for he felt his finger hurting again but did not tell anyone. The Flyers put their 3rd team for the 4th quarter but their was no scoring and no chance for Tommy to get in.
The next week was the opposite. Tommy got in on the first kickoff but the Flyers were down 28 to 0 at the half and he did not get in. There was one game left and Tommy needed all 4 quarters! He was actually learning the game with one game left in his career. The team now had 5 wins and 4 losses with one game left and had to win it for the winning season. Tommy thought it was impossible to get in for all 4 quarters. Coach Offen told him to make the plays and he'll get in. It seemed as if he had talked to Coach Thomas or something. He was in on the first kickoff and hit one blocker and knocked him down. The runner came next and Tommy latched on to his legs for the tackle. Catawaga was losing 28 to 27 in the last quarter of the season and the Flyers could not move the ball, nor could the other team. He had played in the first 3 quarters but there were only 5 minutes left in the game, then 4...3...2. Williamsville, their main rival, had the ball on their own 10 yard line with a one point lead and only 15 seconds left on the clock.
Tommy had tears in his eyes. He looked up in the stands and saw Mary looking at him and smiling. She pointed up to the sky and Tommy knew what she meant..."the Lord was more important than football." Tommy began to feel guilty that his team was going to lose, his coach was not going to reach his goal, but the only thing he cared about was himself. The game was just about over and Coach Thomas angrily called out Tommy's name. Tommy jumped up and looked at him. The coach told him to go in for Davis in the defensive backfield! Tommy had only played that position in practice when they needed a body. He started running out on the field and everyone was yelling to him that he needed his helmet. He reached the defensive huddle.
He now had his 10 quarters in! Why would Coach Thomas do this, especially as they were about to lose? His teammates were oblivious to this. They only had one more play on their mind. The quarterback took the snap and handed off to the fullback who broke through the line coming right at Tommy. Tommy ran straight at him and hit as hard as he ever hit anyone. Tommy was knocked on his back but heard shouts. He had caused a fumble and everyone was running after the ball. One guy fell on it only to have it squirt out and towards Tommy. Tommy picked it up and tan towards the goal. He was hit short of it but before he fell was hit from behind by a teammate and then another. He felt his feet hit the ground and pushed one more time in the scrum with players in front but more in back. He fell but held on to the ball and could still hear yells. What had happened? The referee was pulling players off until he saw Tommy and raised his hands signaling a touchdown! Everyone was pulling at him, slapping him, yelling at him. He had scored the winning touchdown. The team beat their rival and finished the season with 6 wins and 4 losses. Tommy was in a bit of shock. As he walked back towards the sideline he saw Coach Thomas and Coach Offen talking. Coach Thomas was just smiling and shaking his head up and down.
Mary: "Tommy, you were unbelievable! You were the hero, and you'll get your letter!"
Tommy: "Mary, I'll tell you later why I had to have that letter."
Two weeks later was the football banquet where the varsity letters would be given out. Everyone has two tickets for the dinner to give to parents. Tommy's mother and Mary would be at his table. the Flyers colors were white and red. Tommy had bought the white wool sweater at Anderson's Department Store and was ready to have the letter put on the day after. Tommy's mom had picked up Mary in their 1957 Ford Fairlane and met Tommy at the banquet who had gone early for instructions on the ceremony. Tommy was the only senior to be given a varsity letter for the first time, a 10 inch red "C"." Coach Thomas said a few words about every player that cam up to the podium. When he came to Tommy, he had this to say, "Quite frankly, I never expected Tommy Wilson to earn this letter. It is nearly impossible to earn a varsity letter as a senior without ever having played a down of organized football. In fact, I'm ashamed to admit it, I was a little bit annoyed at his determination. But Coach Offen had faith in Tommy's abilities, abilities that I did not see. He nearly twisted my arm to get him in all four quarters of that last game. Come up here for your letter Tommy. You deserve it as much as anyone on this team." Tommy was red faced and looked to Coach Offen and smiled as he returned to his table. He gave his varsity letter to his mom and held Mary's hand tight.
Mary: "Well, Tommy, I'm so proud of you and you have that varsity letter that you wanted so much!"
Tommy: "Mary. I never told you why I wanted this ... letter so bad. All of the other guys have something to give their girls to show everyone that they they are their girlfriends. They give nice rings and most have cars to drive them around. They take them to the prom and I can't afford that. I worked for that letter to put on a sweater and ask you if you would wear it for the rest of the year. I would be so proud to see you in it, knowing that you are showing everyone that we are in love with each other."
Mary: "Tommy...I had no idea that you felt that way. I'm in shock...and I have to tell you what came to my mind as you told me. Tommy...everyone will one day stand before God and He will look at them to see if they belong to his Son Jesus. And do you know how He will know? All those who have trusted in Jesus, and in Him "alone" to save them...they will be dressed in white...the righteousness of Christ! We will stand before God after a lifetime that is filled with sin, yet the Father will not see that for He will only see what Jesus has done. That is why Jesus came here to be one of us, to live the perfect life and pay for our sins. Tommy, if we trust in anything we do then we are pulling back that robe...that sweater...of righteousness to reveal our sin. God may have given you this determination to win a varsity letter to demonstrate this to you. When we are "born again" we see this."
Tommy could not say a word. The Mary that he loved so much was the Mary that loved Jesus so much. He sometimes felt jealous over this. How wrong he had been. For the first time he understood what Mary was trying to tell him. He felt that God must love him to tell show him this. He had doubted before because he had grown up without a father. Tommy felt tears forming in his eyes and turned his head. His mother was returning to her seat. She had his sweater in her hands and the varsity red letter "C" was sewn on. She had secretly brought the sweater with her and returned to the car to sew it on. Tommy looked lovingly into his mother's eyes and took the sweater and turned back to Mary. She had stood up to remove the little vest she was wearing. Tommy offered her the sweater and she carefully put it on. As she sat down and said "Thank you," Tommy looked at her with wet eyes and said "Maybe we can both put on something white tonight with the letter "C"? They held hands as the principle turned the microphone on and said:
"Well, the Supreme Court recently ruled that God cannot come into our schools. Maybe someday we will have to comply...but not tonight. Heavenly Father. Thank
Thursday, November 13, 2014
A Wake-up Call
Have you read the recent news story about the economics professor
from MIT, the man known as one of the key architects of both Romneycare
in Massachusetts and Obamacare in the former constitutional republic of
the United States of America, who just happened to mention in a panel
discussion that the facts being given at the time on Obamacare were
purposely obscured in order to insure its passage? And just how did the
American public fall for this? According to this same architect, it must
have been because of the "stupidity of the American voter." You can
read this for yourself or see the actual video of his comments. Just
Google 'Jonathan Gruber.'
If you buy into global warming, well you've been had again, for it is an economic agenda in play here, and an ideological issue, capitalizing once again on the perceived 'stupidity of the American voter' while using dupes , miscreants and 'useful idiots.'
One of Thomas Jefferson's famous quotes was "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be....The people cannot be safe without information. When the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe." What our third president wasn't looking for at the time was a free press more than capable of disseminating false information if it itself cares nothing about truth or law and is uninterested in fulfilling its calling in favor of revelling in its own delusions of grandeur.
I'd like to reiterate for the sake of the college student that may be reading this. If these statements by an MIT professor and architect of Obamacare do not cause you to question your significance as a citizen, if they do not bring you face to face with the tyranny that has at least temporarily overthrown a once potent force for freedom and liberty in the world, a freedom and liberty that was the conduit for the propagation of gospel of Jesus Christ throughout this world, then what kind of student are you?
Higher education, by and large, has lost its purpose in America. In some cases it is nothing more than grades 13 through 16, in other cases it either indoctrinates or lobotomizes, in most cases it has turned a silk purse of what once was the honorable profession of teaching into the sow's ear of profiteering, pampering and proselytizing.
Ponder at length, if you will, the prodigious significance of what this MIT professor so insouciantly, even effervescently proclaimed, and possibly you might come to see that maybe these conservative radio talk show hosts know more than you gave them credit for.
If you buy into global warming, well you've been had again, for it is an economic agenda in play here, and an ideological issue, capitalizing once again on the perceived 'stupidity of the American voter' while using dupes , miscreants and 'useful idiots.'
One of Thomas Jefferson's famous quotes was "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be....The people cannot be safe without information. When the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe." What our third president wasn't looking for at the time was a free press more than capable of disseminating false information if it itself cares nothing about truth or law and is uninterested in fulfilling its calling in favor of revelling in its own delusions of grandeur.
I'd like to reiterate for the sake of the college student that may be reading this. If these statements by an MIT professor and architect of Obamacare do not cause you to question your significance as a citizen, if they do not bring you face to face with the tyranny that has at least temporarily overthrown a once potent force for freedom and liberty in the world, a freedom and liberty that was the conduit for the propagation of gospel of Jesus Christ throughout this world, then what kind of student are you?
Higher education, by and large, has lost its purpose in America. In some cases it is nothing more than grades 13 through 16, in other cases it either indoctrinates or lobotomizes, in most cases it has turned a silk purse of what once was the honorable profession of teaching into the sow's ear of profiteering, pampering and proselytizing.
Ponder at length, if you will, the prodigious significance of what this MIT professor so insouciantly, even effervescently proclaimed, and possibly you might come to see that maybe these conservative radio talk show hosts know more than you gave them credit for.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Senate Majority Leader, Speaker of the House, State of the Union Address
One could not read too far in these posts over the last six years
without coming across my warnings that politics cannot solve our
problems in America, that relying on politics, legislation, wars, armies
and great weapons, without first humbling ourselves before our creator,
sends one on a fool's errand. One could also not read far in these
posts without coming across strong political opinion...the very same
politics that I write that we cannot depend upon. We have a duty to use
our vote to elect wise and honorable leaders as far as we can determine
them to be. That duty can also extend into time consuming work for
particular candidates and even running for government leadership
positions ourselves.
At times it is hard to distinguish between between 'duty to' and 'reliance upon.' What makes it a little bit easier as far as our Congress and our Executive Office are concerned is that when they outwardly and purposely oppose God's commands to us then it is not just politics.
We may act wisely or unwisely, or be patient or impetuous in our efforts, but it is no longer......politics. We are not relying upon what they do or do not do, rather relying upon God's promise to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 13:5 ESV) It is with this in mind that I even enter this arena of politics for the rest of this post.
Conservative Republican senators should attempt to thwart Mitch McConnell's expectation to become the new Senate Majority Leader. A Conservative nominee might not win, but every senator that would vote for Mitch McConnell would later have to acknowledge that they failed to even attempt to stop Barack Obama and that they had little to no discernment as to what the real agenda of the Republican 'establishment' is all about. The same can be said for a challenge to John Boehner as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Over the last few years I wrote posts and contacted members of Congress on the State of the Union address, imploring them to either boycott it or to otherwise make their opposition to Barack Obama known in the House Chamber that evening. It is only a little over two months to the next SOTU address. Now is the time to demand that we put an end to this spectacle. The following post was my from November 22nd of 2013!
Note: Both John Boehner and Mitch McConnell were elected today (Thursday November 13), McConnell by 'acclimation' and Boehner by a voice vote with only minor reported opposition. Nineteenth century British member of parliament Lord Acton was certainly right...."Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Just Send Over The Report!
The 2014 State Of The Union Address is scheduled for Tuesday January 21st. For the past few years I wrote a post in advance of that speech calling for Republicans to use that opportunity to protest by either refusing to applaud anything said from that throne, or even better... to refuse to attend. I hope to bring this post back regularly, should the Lord will it, over the next month.
Please think ahead on this! Barack Obama, the man who is systematically and deceptively tearing this nation apart, both within and without, will once again take advantage of the State Of The Union address and, with the media concealing everything about him and revealing none of his schemes, will take over all of the main networks to give him yet another opportunity to deceive those who do not really care what he is doing as long as he fulfills his bargain and gives them what they want for themselves. The Establishment brand of Republican will grumble for the cameras but have a good time afterwards. We should suspend this speech until such time that we have a president, either Democrat, Republican or another party, who we can at least trust his/her words. Even then the pomp and circumstance of this speech should be done away with forever.
At times it is hard to distinguish between between 'duty to' and 'reliance upon.' What makes it a little bit easier as far as our Congress and our Executive Office are concerned is that when they outwardly and purposely oppose God's commands to us then it is not just politics.
We may act wisely or unwisely, or be patient or impetuous in our efforts, but it is no longer......politics. We are not relying upon what they do or do not do, rather relying upon God's promise to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 13:5 ESV) It is with this in mind that I even enter this arena of politics for the rest of this post.
Conservative Republican senators should attempt to thwart Mitch McConnell's expectation to become the new Senate Majority Leader. A Conservative nominee might not win, but every senator that would vote for Mitch McConnell would later have to acknowledge that they failed to even attempt to stop Barack Obama and that they had little to no discernment as to what the real agenda of the Republican 'establishment' is all about. The same can be said for a challenge to John Boehner as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Over the last few years I wrote posts and contacted members of Congress on the State of the Union address, imploring them to either boycott it or to otherwise make their opposition to Barack Obama known in the House Chamber that evening. It is only a little over two months to the next SOTU address. Now is the time to demand that we put an end to this spectacle. The following post was my from November 22nd of 2013!
Note: Both John Boehner and Mitch McConnell were elected today (Thursday November 13), McConnell by 'acclimation' and Boehner by a voice vote with only minor reported opposition. Nineteenth century British member of parliament Lord Acton was certainly right...."Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Just Send Over The Report!
The 2014 State Of The Union Address is scheduled for Tuesday January 21st. For the past few years I wrote a post in advance of that speech calling for Republicans to use that opportunity to protest by either refusing to applaud anything said from that throne, or even better... to refuse to attend. I hope to bring this post back regularly, should the Lord will it, over the next month.
Please think ahead on this! Barack Obama, the man who is systematically and deceptively tearing this nation apart, both within and without, will once again take advantage of the State Of The Union address and, with the media concealing everything about him and revealing none of his schemes, will take over all of the main networks to give him yet another opportunity to deceive those who do not really care what he is doing as long as he fulfills his bargain and gives them what they want for themselves. The Establishment brand of Republican will grumble for the cameras but have a good time afterwards. We should suspend this speech until such time that we have a president, either Democrat, Republican or another party, who we can at least trust his/her words. Even then the pomp and circumstance of this speech should be done away with forever.
Article II, Section 3 of our Constitution states of our President, He
shall from time to time give to Congress Information of the State of
the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall
judge necessary and expedient. The President is not required to
appear in person and give a speech. In fact, President Thomas Jefferson
refused to give this report as a speech for he considered it too close
to the Speech from the Throne in the monarchical traditions.
We are ten months past the last State of the Union address where Barack
Obama was feted with applause once again but we are now openly in the
midst of a coup where every day, every hour, every minute, even every
second, more Americans are becoming aware of it.
I'll give one very recent quote from a Democrat Senator on Harry Reid's new filibuster rule..."There's no reason that changing this to majority rule on appointments will create ill will.....people of good will find ways to work together here." In a way he is right. The filibuster change alone would not be enough to demand an open rebellion, but add to that a purge within the military, a consigliore in the Justice Department, disdain for allies and subservience to enemies, golfing and shooting hoops while America sinks in the muck and mire of a politicized everything, czars directing whole agencies in scripts out of Atlas Shrugged and enough lying and spying to choke uncle Joe Stalin himself.....yes, add to this filibuster cohorts in the media marching in lockstep, judges sent out to do what armies could never do, domestic military preparations to control an unwilling citizenry and bribes in the form of dispensations to the biggest lie of all....the Affordable Healthcare Act.....and it is more than enough and way past time that Republicans formally refuse to shake the hand that shreds our Constitution.
Note: Two days after this post John Boehner invited Barack Obama to give the State Of The Union Address on January 28th with these words: "....we welcome an opportunity to hear your ideas, particularly for putting Americans back to work. It's my honor to invite you to speak before a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 in the House Chamber of the U. S. Capitol Building."
I'll give one very recent quote from a Democrat Senator on Harry Reid's new filibuster rule..."There's no reason that changing this to majority rule on appointments will create ill will.....people of good will find ways to work together here." In a way he is right. The filibuster change alone would not be enough to demand an open rebellion, but add to that a purge within the military, a consigliore in the Justice Department, disdain for allies and subservience to enemies, golfing and shooting hoops while America sinks in the muck and mire of a politicized everything, czars directing whole agencies in scripts out of Atlas Shrugged and enough lying and spying to choke uncle Joe Stalin himself.....yes, add to this filibuster cohorts in the media marching in lockstep, judges sent out to do what armies could never do, domestic military preparations to control an unwilling citizenry and bribes in the form of dispensations to the biggest lie of all....the Affordable Healthcare Act.....and it is more than enough and way past time that Republicans formally refuse to shake the hand that shreds our Constitution.
Note: Two days after this post John Boehner invited Barack Obama to give the State Of The Union Address on January 28th with these words: "....we welcome an opportunity to hear your ideas, particularly for putting Americans back to work. It's my honor to invite you to speak before a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 in the House Chamber of the U. S. Capitol Building."
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Left Behind......Film Review
It's one of my wife and my favorite type of days. We get in the car, stop at McDonalds where I get a large coffee and she gets a caramel frappe, and we head off somewhere. It might be to a craft show in some rural Ohio town, or a Greek food festival, or a museum or on occasion when I get it my way we visit a college campus, any campus, where I can walk around and ponder the many reasons why, and effects of, our living in a Facebook culture, were we are skilled at twittering out 140 characters on an iPhone but totally unable to analyze just why social media might not be the healthiest thing for the mind, or the body, or the country.
Today was special. We went to the movies but had to travel an hour to get there. I had planned it out that we could stop for lunch and then arrive at the theater just in time for the film to start, missing all the previews of movies I have no intention of seeing. The GPS had us arriving at the restaurant and allowing us thirty minutes to eat and then ten minutes to get to the theater, buy the tickets, the popcorn and drinks. But alas, the "best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray!" Where we lost the time I'm not sure. We consumed half of our burgers without choking and boxed the other half. We had paid before the food arrived thanks to the help of the waitress and were in the car attempting to finish the meal while looking for theater signs on the very busy six-lane boulevard. I pulled up to the theater entrance and let my wife out while I parked the car and made it to the ticket counter just in time to hear the cashier say "We don't have that movie here."
My wife would have given up but I'm of a much more stout-hearted mold. I was searching the Internet while walking back to the car and found the right theater. I wasn't exactly swerving in and out of lanes but I did get a honk of the horn or two. We didn't have time to let our eyes get accustomed to the dark for we had missed a few minutes of the film but I felt my way down to the front and we were seated. I looked up and don't think I have ever been that close to the screen in my life.
I wouldn't have gone to see Left Behind if it didn't star Nicolas Cage. What can I say....I like the guy. The critics panned this film with a Christian message. My thinking has always been that the more they pan a film like this the better it must be! And it was good. The Christian message of coming judgement and the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior was strong. The casting was well done, the script was simple and pure, the cinematography was at times striking and the special effects were believable.
There is no 'Rapture' as the film portrayed. Scripture does not say that Christians are going to be raptured prior to the Tribulation. All of the redeemed on this earth will indeed be taken up as Jesus returns with all of His mighty angels and the scenes in the film of chaos after the rapture may be very similar to when Jesus does return. The message in the film was not as much 'we are not going to be here' as 'judgement is coming to this earth.' Having such an accomplished actor as Nicolas Cage face what was happening all around him was alone worth the price of a ticket. How this film is doing at the box office I don't know but it will live on on DVD and probably television should our Lord tarry, which is looking less and less likely as these chaotic days go on. Multitudes will indeed be 'left behind' when that trumpet sounds and the timing within the Tribulation which is revealed to us in God's Word is an uncertainty to us at this time, but it will not be before this world experiences many cataclysmic events of various sorts. Cataclysmic events that appear to be on our very horizon!
Today was special. We went to the movies but had to travel an hour to get there. I had planned it out that we could stop for lunch and then arrive at the theater just in time for the film to start, missing all the previews of movies I have no intention of seeing. The GPS had us arriving at the restaurant and allowing us thirty minutes to eat and then ten minutes to get to the theater, buy the tickets, the popcorn and drinks. But alas, the "best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray!" Where we lost the time I'm not sure. We consumed half of our burgers without choking and boxed the other half. We had paid before the food arrived thanks to the help of the waitress and were in the car attempting to finish the meal while looking for theater signs on the very busy six-lane boulevard. I pulled up to the theater entrance and let my wife out while I parked the car and made it to the ticket counter just in time to hear the cashier say "We don't have that movie here."
My wife would have given up but I'm of a much more stout-hearted mold. I was searching the Internet while walking back to the car and found the right theater. I wasn't exactly swerving in and out of lanes but I did get a honk of the horn or two. We didn't have time to let our eyes get accustomed to the dark for we had missed a few minutes of the film but I felt my way down to the front and we were seated. I looked up and don't think I have ever been that close to the screen in my life.
I wouldn't have gone to see Left Behind if it didn't star Nicolas Cage. What can I say....I like the guy. The critics panned this film with a Christian message. My thinking has always been that the more they pan a film like this the better it must be! And it was good. The Christian message of coming judgement and the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior was strong. The casting was well done, the script was simple and pure, the cinematography was at times striking and the special effects were believable.
There is no 'Rapture' as the film portrayed. Scripture does not say that Christians are going to be raptured prior to the Tribulation. All of the redeemed on this earth will indeed be taken up as Jesus returns with all of His mighty angels and the scenes in the film of chaos after the rapture may be very similar to when Jesus does return. The message in the film was not as much 'we are not going to be here' as 'judgement is coming to this earth.' Having such an accomplished actor as Nicolas Cage face what was happening all around him was alone worth the price of a ticket. How this film is doing at the box office I don't know but it will live on on DVD and probably television should our Lord tarry, which is looking less and less likely as these chaotic days go on. Multitudes will indeed be 'left behind' when that trumpet sounds and the timing within the Tribulation which is revealed to us in God's Word is an uncertainty to us at this time, but it will not be before this world experiences many cataclysmic events of various sorts. Cataclysmic events that appear to be on our very horizon!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Rest Unassured........Redux
I was talking to a good friend the other day, a good friend being among other things someone that you can give an honest opinion to, hear an opposite honest opinion, and just relish the conversation, and I mentioned in the course of that conversation that I believed that God's judgement on America may be imminent. His response was skeptical to say the least, stating that "we have heard that forever." I knew what he meant but his 'forever' was a bit of a stretch for it's really only been a little over four decades since biblical verses of end-times prophesy began to inundate the thoughts of Christians who read the Bible. Forty years of warnings from God should be expected more than ridiculed.
The problem is that God has become to us almost as a myth, and if he's not a myth he is an easy mark that we can play according to our own rules. Salvation, if there is such a thing, comes with a very low deductible. Don't worry....we're covered! The following post is from 2011:
Rest Unassured!
Somewhere in these past blogs I've mentioned the following thought for it has been a recurring one to me from time to time, as recently as yesterday as I drove through the beautiful, half residential-half country, roads of eastern Ohio. Away from the radio, the newspapers, books and television, as I might take a drive like this or walk in a park, the serenity and peace of life in America seems every bit the same as when I was in my teens. Automobiles gently traverse the neighborhood streets, stopping dutifully at every stop sign, or they travel on the parkways at higher speeds with today's modern technology quietly taking us to a shopping mall or home from work. Laughter and talk fill the Starbucks and the sidewalks of our towns, mothers push strollers and at home men reach first for the sports pages. The supermarkets may be much larger with every imaginable taste but we fill up the same buggies with the same essential food stuffs as in the old A&P. Appearances and particulars of all the above are new and different but the serene concourse of life appears not to have changed nor would I or anyone reading this want it to.
It's only when we let in the news of the day that this tranquility is threatened and even then the click of the remote, the ring of the cell phone or the sudden remembrance of an errand that needs done erases a feeling of urgency that might be settling into our minds. My message throughout this blog is that this is a shadow world where the intensity of the sun, that would bake us if we bask in it, is hidden. The blast of heat troubles us only when the clouds break for a minute or two, here or there. This has been my message that was so much more eloquently stated in the Puritan prayer of my last blog...O my forgetful soul, awaken from thy wandering dream.
Some can audaciously say as Timothy McVeigh did in quoting the Victorian poem Invictus on that gurney before being injected with the serum that would take him to his maker...I am the master of my fate: the captain of my soul, but I would plead with them to consider that as they might recite this ode to autonomy that their children stand alongside them. What they pay attention to, or fail to pay attention to, affects them as well. As with a pregnant mother, what you take in feeds more than yourself. Our national security is being compromised for political gain. Osama bin Laden's death could not even be announced without evidence that politics dictates even the most sensitive matters. Even the extraordinary abilities of our military cannot overcome an administration that glues together a mosaic of chaos not order. Our financial stability is gone. The creed that once united us as Americans has faded as the In God We Trust on a well-worn 1909 penny. The very gospel of Jesus Christ has been so watered-down that it often bears no taste of salvation or aroma of wisdom and discernment. If we could really see what we so often laugh at on the television or in the theater we would be convulsed with sobs. If we could grasp the true philosophy our children will inherit, all of our hope would collapse as those towers on 9/11. If we could fully realize how the mission of many whose responsibility is to protect America have instead chosen to defend the sensitivities of some who have come to America only to plant a flag of Sharia Law, we might then awaken.
In reality, the tranquility has not been there for a long time for it takes decades for a glacier to cover over all forms of life and it has taken decades for us to rid our minds of discernment, logic and common sense. We have one, and only one, offensive weapon not tainted by man for it was not formed by him, and that is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). God dispels the clouds through our subsequent prayers, not that we might cover our eyes from a blazing sun, but that we might gaze in adoration at the Son, our only hope. There will indeed be a day when the Son of God appears amidst the clouds and men will then hide. Whether this is near or far no one knows for we do not know what a day brings but... rest unassured... for we, as a nation, are indeed asleep and we will either awaken or perish in that sleep.
The problem is that God has become to us almost as a myth, and if he's not a myth he is an easy mark that we can play according to our own rules. Salvation, if there is such a thing, comes with a very low deductible. Don't worry....we're covered! The following post is from 2011:
Rest Unassured!
Somewhere in these past blogs I've mentioned the following thought for it has been a recurring one to me from time to time, as recently as yesterday as I drove through the beautiful, half residential-half country, roads of eastern Ohio. Away from the radio, the newspapers, books and television, as I might take a drive like this or walk in a park, the serenity and peace of life in America seems every bit the same as when I was in my teens. Automobiles gently traverse the neighborhood streets, stopping dutifully at every stop sign, or they travel on the parkways at higher speeds with today's modern technology quietly taking us to a shopping mall or home from work. Laughter and talk fill the Starbucks and the sidewalks of our towns, mothers push strollers and at home men reach first for the sports pages. The supermarkets may be much larger with every imaginable taste but we fill up the same buggies with the same essential food stuffs as in the old A&P. Appearances and particulars of all the above are new and different but the serene concourse of life appears not to have changed nor would I or anyone reading this want it to.
It's only when we let in the news of the day that this tranquility is threatened and even then the click of the remote, the ring of the cell phone or the sudden remembrance of an errand that needs done erases a feeling of urgency that might be settling into our minds. My message throughout this blog is that this is a shadow world where the intensity of the sun, that would bake us if we bask in it, is hidden. The blast of heat troubles us only when the clouds break for a minute or two, here or there. This has been my message that was so much more eloquently stated in the Puritan prayer of my last blog...O my forgetful soul, awaken from thy wandering dream.
Some can audaciously say as Timothy McVeigh did in quoting the Victorian poem Invictus on that gurney before being injected with the serum that would take him to his maker...I am the master of my fate: the captain of my soul, but I would plead with them to consider that as they might recite this ode to autonomy that their children stand alongside them. What they pay attention to, or fail to pay attention to, affects them as well. As with a pregnant mother, what you take in feeds more than yourself. Our national security is being compromised for political gain. Osama bin Laden's death could not even be announced without evidence that politics dictates even the most sensitive matters. Even the extraordinary abilities of our military cannot overcome an administration that glues together a mosaic of chaos not order. Our financial stability is gone. The creed that once united us as Americans has faded as the In God We Trust on a well-worn 1909 penny. The very gospel of Jesus Christ has been so watered-down that it often bears no taste of salvation or aroma of wisdom and discernment. If we could really see what we so often laugh at on the television or in the theater we would be convulsed with sobs. If we could grasp the true philosophy our children will inherit, all of our hope would collapse as those towers on 9/11. If we could fully realize how the mission of many whose responsibility is to protect America have instead chosen to defend the sensitivities of some who have come to America only to plant a flag of Sharia Law, we might then awaken.
In reality, the tranquility has not been there for a long time for it takes decades for a glacier to cover over all forms of life and it has taken decades for us to rid our minds of discernment, logic and common sense. We have one, and only one, offensive weapon not tainted by man for it was not formed by him, and that is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). God dispels the clouds through our subsequent prayers, not that we might cover our eyes from a blazing sun, but that we might gaze in adoration at the Son, our only hope. There will indeed be a day when the Son of God appears amidst the clouds and men will then hide. Whether this is near or far no one knows for we do not know what a day brings but... rest unassured... for we, as a nation, are indeed asleep and we will either awaken or perish in that sleep.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Election Night
I watched the elections returns tonight as I always do, paying particular interest in four Senate races and five House seats (7 of the nine won) because those candidates stood out in integrity and common sense but I wasn't watching with the intense involvement that I have had throughout most of my life. My prayer has been for God-fearing leaders, for men or women who know that it was God who blessed and sustained this country over so many years, and it was our dalliance with and then outright rejection of Him that brought us to where we are today.
Even with favorable results it's hard to celebrate, actually it's impossible for me to celebrate. Should God have mercy upon us as a people, should His Holy Spirit move over this land as wind over ripened wheat fields, should He relent for a time with the judgement upon us that is so overdue, then strong God-fearing leaders would be in abundance by the mere fact that the people would choose them. Then might we be able put our government and our country on the right path, but that breath of God's Spirit has not happened as of yet.
These election results mean nothing outside of that scenario. Not one iota of change has occurred. Barack Obama has been soundly rejected as it relates to Senate majorities, committee chairs and scheduled legislative votes but America has only shown that it can recognize incompetence and tyranny if you give them six years to do so.
We would, come January, should God even permit us to continue, have more than a nucleus of wise representatives in our government, and a such group can only continue to inform the general electorate as has happened over the last four years. And yes there would be intense political struggles, even war if you will, within the Republican Party, but all of these efforts, as necessary as they are, will not cure what ails us. In fact the exhilaration of the moment tonight might very well set us back as to discerning that we are indeed at the precipice and we have no lifeline other than humbling ourselves before He whom we have so offended.
Even with favorable results it's hard to celebrate, actually it's impossible for me to celebrate. Should God have mercy upon us as a people, should His Holy Spirit move over this land as wind over ripened wheat fields, should He relent for a time with the judgement upon us that is so overdue, then strong God-fearing leaders would be in abundance by the mere fact that the people would choose them. Then might we be able put our government and our country on the right path, but that breath of God's Spirit has not happened as of yet.
These election results mean nothing outside of that scenario. Not one iota of change has occurred. Barack Obama has been soundly rejected as it relates to Senate majorities, committee chairs and scheduled legislative votes but America has only shown that it can recognize incompetence and tyranny if you give them six years to do so.
We would, come January, should God even permit us to continue, have more than a nucleus of wise representatives in our government, and a such group can only continue to inform the general electorate as has happened over the last four years. And yes there would be intense political struggles, even war if you will, within the Republican Party, but all of these efforts, as necessary as they are, will not cure what ails us. In fact the exhilaration of the moment tonight might very well set us back as to discerning that we are indeed at the precipice and we have no lifeline other than humbling ourselves before He whom we have so offended.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
How Will You Answer The Question?
The
following post was written in July of 2011, sixteen months before Barack Obama would be
reelected, and America has since indeed become increasingly aware of his
lawlessness.
Son, I Failed To Try?
It is my opinion that before this is all over, and by that I mean the Barack Obama era of either a four year or eight year period, he may flee this country. Whether indictments will be part of it or not I don't know but after Americans become aware of the full extent of what this President has done to our nation, to our national and domestic security, of his real intent as opposed to the fictitious constitutional scholar on the covers of Time and Newsweek throughout 2008, and without the media protection that is already starting to crack, he will eventually, more likely seek the approval of those outside this country who, although not totally in sync with his anti-colonial spirit of redistribution of wealth, appreciate his larger vision of a ...smaller America and his strong case for a weak America.
If the media does not turn its concern towards its own nation and its own families, as opposed to its own liberal reputation in its own mind, then Barack Obama may indeed sneak into another term. He indeed has his strongholds that will continue to give support, those primarily being the special interest groups who have profited well from the liberal entitlement party. There is really no love, either way, between the man and these groups for it is a simple contract where one party promises a remuneration for the other party's support and the second party will essentially sue, by threatening to withhold that support, if the promises are not kept. The motivations are power...and greed. A second support group is more international and involves the many who have great wealth. These elites will support either a Democrat or Republican who permits them to remain the dominant party in setting coarse for the world's economies.
These two forces alone cannot keep Barack Obama in power nor replace him with another choice without either significant support from mainstream America or a division in traditional America that would essentially destroy the power of their block, and that is where the media comes in. They are a secularist faction that does not necessarily receive any monetary remuneration for their support, nor does it hold passionately to any particular economic or political philosophy. The only threat to the world that they have created on the pages of their print media and screens of broadcast media is religion, and even there it is not Islam, liberal Christianity or Judaism but Biblical Christianity.
Having said this ...having given these purely personal opinions, I need to reiterate as I have done consistently in this blog that any of our schemes and all of our schemes, whether they be noble or ignoble, sound or unsound, cleverly devised and painstakingly developed or simply mob induced, will indeed either fail or succeed but not without God's staying hand or lifted hand. We cannot go one way or the other apart from His permission which will ultimately lead to His glory and the benefit of those who trust in Him. We do have a cause, that being a future for us and our children in a nation that insures freedom and liberty, and acknowledges that God is not only the source of all blessings but the author of all truth.
The hard reality is that that may not be what's in store for our children. they may look at us one day and inquire as to what we did in the final days of the constitutional republic of the United States of America. Our answer will have to be either we tried and failed to protect that heritage, or we failed to try. Returning to the first political block in this whole equation, mainstream America, it will either wake up, as there are signs of, or return to a deep sleep, either of which will be as God sees fit to permit, for his ultimate purposes and to His everlasting glory.
Son, I Failed To Try?
It is my opinion that before this is all over, and by that I mean the Barack Obama era of either a four year or eight year period, he may flee this country. Whether indictments will be part of it or not I don't know but after Americans become aware of the full extent of what this President has done to our nation, to our national and domestic security, of his real intent as opposed to the fictitious constitutional scholar on the covers of Time and Newsweek throughout 2008, and without the media protection that is already starting to crack, he will eventually, more likely seek the approval of those outside this country who, although not totally in sync with his anti-colonial spirit of redistribution of wealth, appreciate his larger vision of a ...smaller America and his strong case for a weak America.
If the media does not turn its concern towards its own nation and its own families, as opposed to its own liberal reputation in its own mind, then Barack Obama may indeed sneak into another term. He indeed has his strongholds that will continue to give support, those primarily being the special interest groups who have profited well from the liberal entitlement party. There is really no love, either way, between the man and these groups for it is a simple contract where one party promises a remuneration for the other party's support and the second party will essentially sue, by threatening to withhold that support, if the promises are not kept. The motivations are power...and greed. A second support group is more international and involves the many who have great wealth. These elites will support either a Democrat or Republican who permits them to remain the dominant party in setting coarse for the world's economies.
These two forces alone cannot keep Barack Obama in power nor replace him with another choice without either significant support from mainstream America or a division in traditional America that would essentially destroy the power of their block, and that is where the media comes in. They are a secularist faction that does not necessarily receive any monetary remuneration for their support, nor does it hold passionately to any particular economic or political philosophy. The only threat to the world that they have created on the pages of their print media and screens of broadcast media is religion, and even there it is not Islam, liberal Christianity or Judaism but Biblical Christianity.
Having said this ...having given these purely personal opinions, I need to reiterate as I have done consistently in this blog that any of our schemes and all of our schemes, whether they be noble or ignoble, sound or unsound, cleverly devised and painstakingly developed or simply mob induced, will indeed either fail or succeed but not without God's staying hand or lifted hand. We cannot go one way or the other apart from His permission which will ultimately lead to His glory and the benefit of those who trust in Him. We do have a cause, that being a future for us and our children in a nation that insures freedom and liberty, and acknowledges that God is not only the source of all blessings but the author of all truth.
The hard reality is that that may not be what's in store for our children. they may look at us one day and inquire as to what we did in the final days of the constitutional republic of the United States of America. Our answer will have to be either we tried and failed to protect that heritage, or we failed to try. Returning to the first political block in this whole equation, mainstream America, it will either wake up, as there are signs of, or return to a deep sleep, either of which will be as God sees fit to permit, for his ultimate purposes and to His everlasting glory.
Monday, November 3, 2014
"Regrets Yes, No Doubts Though"
November 4th, 1979 is a day forever etched into my mind. I sat at the side of my father's hospital bed and watched as the bleeps on the heart rate monitor became slower and slower...and then they stopped. That day and the immediate days after were a blur to me and I really can't remember much.
I did volunteer phone work in the Pennsylvania primary for Ted Kennedy's 1980 run for the presidency. I had been a supporter, a fan is probably a better word, of the Kennedy family for as long as I can remember. I can recall being whisked out of our grade school classroom to line the street and wave as President John Kennedy came to Buffalo and drove by after arriving at the nearby airport. Robert Kennedy's death affected me greatly and Ted Kennedy....well it was just natural to support his campaign for President. My father is buried in Arlington Cemetery a few hundred yards away from the graves of the three brothers.
I weighed fifty pounds less on that day then I do sitting here on my recliner writing this post. I was a runner back but my Jim Fixx... Runner's Day-by-Day Log and Calendar shows nothing from that fall and winter other than miles ran, weight and occasional comments on the weather or the run. I wouldn't find out until days later that Ted Kennedy's campaign for president began to collapse the day that my father died. He sat for an interview with CBS newsman Roger Mudd three days before his run for the White House was even officially announced and was asked the simple question ".Why do you want to be president?" Had I been watching this live my head would have sunk into my hands as the Massachusetts Senator stammered his way through a vacuous answer that gave doubt of his qualifications to all those watching. There was a long way to go in that campaign but Kennedy never recovered from that interview on November 4th, 1979..
Another news story dominated the headlines on that day and I did at least catch those headlines but no one could foresee the earth shaking reverberations over the coming years right up until today. President Jimmy Carter had effectively turned his back on the Shah of Iran who was in the United States for medical treatment. Iranian students who were supporting a revolution in their country seized 52 American hostages from the American embassy in Tehran. This hostage crisis would last 444 days and not be resolved until the very day that Ronald Reagan took the oath of office as Jimmy Carter's successor. It has been 35 years since that day and Iran is now a threat to Israel, to the United States and to world peace.
Six weeks after my father died I started a new job, the same job that I returned home from work just a few hours ago. Within two years I had gone from being a lifelong Democrat volunteering in presidential campaigns to an ardent conservative Republican. I went from wearing a suit to work to wearing a hardhat and steel-toe boots, and I went from a rather non-religious, occasional church goer to a cross pin in the hat...Bible in the back pocket born-again Christian. My great regret is that I had, and have, no idea if my father had considered his eternal soul in his last days and if so what did he do about it. I don't know for I had no clue as to my own eternal soul.
November 4th always brings back these memories, sometimes a tear or two, and the same recurring questions about my life before redemption....by grace alone...through faith alone.....in Christ alone. I made few comments in those Jim Fixx running logs but one stands out for it also had reverberations in my life. It was on March 5th, 1982...."Saw Chariots Of Fire today." The fortitude and determination of Eric Liddell made me question my own life and I would find answers before the end of the year. There is a scene in the Academy Award winning film where Eric Liddell is asked if he regretted not running on the Sabbath. His answer was...as well as I remember it....."Regrets yes....no doubts though." It was an answer that begs for some further explanation which I cannot give other than to say that I also have many regrets in my Christian walk.....but also.....no doubts.......no doubts on the Lord Jesus Christ, on His majesty, His mercy, His kingship, on the infallible Word given to us in the Bible and on His resurrection, ascension and Second Coming in power and glory along with all the saints...including Eric Liddell.
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