...I'm just here, and it's happening as I write this. 2008 was...off-putting. Even those who should be cheering like football ruggers seem to be quietly awaiting impending bad times.
Democrats won the White House, and hold Congress and are finally nearly free from the Bush administration. You’d think things would be more cheery on the leftish side of the universe...but it seems rather morose over there.
How can you please a pessimist? Refuse to agree with him. Or her. But this isn’t a political post- I think everyone’s tired of all that. I know I am.
I am looking forward to 2009. Due to a misprint on my 2008 calendar, I spent the last year making revolutions instead of resolutions. Meaning that I just kept going around and around and ar
2009 should be interesting. May God extend His Grace to you and may He bring us all Home. I know that Christians hold different views on the event commonly known as “The Rapture”. I’m fine with different views. Whatever happens whenever, I am grateful to God for my life. I praise God for saving me and whether we are “Raptured” or arrive by the regular route, I hope to see you there.
I’m working on a song-the first part is mostly set, but it’s a work in progress. My church is one of the 17 billion or so named “Grace”. Working from that name:
“HERE AT GRACE,
WE LOVE YOU, LORD.
HERE AT GRACE,
WE THANK YOU, FATHER,
FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER IN THIS PLACE.
MAY YOU FIND OUR WORSHIP WORTHY
MAY YOU EVER FIND US FAITHFUL
AS WE KNOW
WE ONLY STAND HERE BY YOUR GRACE...
HERE AT GRACE.”
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Israel VS...Hummus?
But chickpeas never hurt any...wait a second...oh. Never mind.
Freshly ironic:
Hamas fires rockets into Israel daily, but it only becomes newsworthy when Israel defends herself.
While this has been a wake up and pay attention moment for many, Debbie Schussel, a blogger/journalist/lawyer/movie critic whom I read daily has been paying attention, and has an answer for the "Why now?" question:
Politics.
Here's a squib from Debbie:
"Don't Get Too Excited. You're buying into the latest campaign tactic of losing candidate for Prime Minister, Tzipi Livni--a complete doompa a/k/a Olmert in a skirt and makeup. Anyone who thinks this latest "salvo" against HAMAS is of any significance whatsoever, really doesn't know much about Israel and hasn't been paying attention to goings on there for the last couple of decades, especially the last several years."
Livni is, in Schlussel's estimation, another Olmert, who tried to appease the unPeaceful
by giving away Israeli land.
So why would Livni suddenly turn Hawkish? Bibi. Elections are coming up, and Hawk Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is looking to return as Prime Minister, booting her out.
So this sudden war may simply be an attempt by Livni to remain in power.
I think Schlussel may be correct, but I also think it possible that Israel is getting tough because it realizes that the Obama administration may withdraw support the United States has favored Israel with for decades. Israel would then be standing alone among the nations...but fear not. God is in control, and Israel will not be wiped from the face of the earth. I pity the fools who go up against Israel. Can you say roasted chickpeas?
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Yeah...Christmas
I'm conflicted/constrained/feeling obliqued. In military parlance ‘oblique’ means to move like a bishop on the chessboard. I’m hardly a bishop, but today I feel as if I’m not moving straight ahead, or to the side, but certainly not retreating. Obliqued.I’m a Christian unimbued with the “Christmas spirit.” There-I said it.
I’m grateful to God every day that Jesus Christ humbled Himself to be born in Bethlehem.
Without Christ’s sacrifice-becoming flesh, living among us, dying for us and rising again-there would be no hope.
I have that Hope, and I am grateful.
But this is a cold Christmas for me, for a number of reasons, and I am looking forward to the new year.
Far beyond that but closer to my heart, I am looking for the return of our Lord to set right this world, which is spinning ever deeper into darkness. That Birth which is celebrated today/tomorrow could be said to be an earlier Advent-it is wonderful that Christ came to earth as a baby, but that is only part of the story. The next Advent, when Christ returns not as a baby but as Messiah, as King...that is what I want for Christmas.
At that, a cold Christmas is better than no Christmas. May God Bless you today.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Random Thoughts Friday (Friday Edition)
Thank God for every Friday through Thursday, but most especially this week's Friday. It's snowing, and I get to go out and run the snowblower as soon as I finish this post, which might run to 1,000,000,000,000,000 words.
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I just read that Congress is voting itself another pay raise. COLA and all of that. We simple folk try to keep up with the Jones, whilst our Public Servants attempt to keep up with the Duke and Duchess of “Got more money than you”.
I should try this. I’ll go in to work this afternoon and tell my boss that I have voted myself a raise, so he should let HR know, and make it snappy.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
For you polixtical lubbers who miss having elections to grumble about, tune in to the Minnesota Grand Guignol playing out in nearly real time. The tummler from NY has just today taken the lead in imaginary votes. He may unseat Senator Norm Coleman, who won the election waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in November. The joke may be on Minnesota. The opposite of Fine Dry Wit may become part of the Minnesota delegation to Warshington (not mispilled-some folks ponounce it ‘Warsh-ing-ton’ and who can say that they are wrong? If Reality is only a matter of opinion, then there’s no law designating proper pronunciation, or whether the top vote getter can be deemed the winner of a contest. If opinion trumps Reality...then this world has a lot more to worry about than a failed radio host stealing an election.
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Speaking of opinions, a very nice young lady recently told me that she wanted to help save the planet-from pollution, global warming, and all of that. A sweet kid, but her opinion doesn’t trump Reality: it’s God’s world, and He takes care of it. (Not just my opinion-God says it all through His Word) We can do our part in the small by stopping some pollution, being good stewards of God’s planet...but we do not impact the world as some Envirovangelists would have you believe. We’re more mice than mighty.
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I hear the snowblower calling me. May God richly Bless you today.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Please Don't Assume
Honesty in bloggicizing: I sort of feel like God is about to knock the stuffins out of this planet, bringing Judgment with a capital "J"
This feels a bit like the ramp up to the second world war must have: everyone knew something momentous, world-shaking was on the horizon; the fore-shocks, tremblings were felt from sea to shining.
I’m not paranoid, or fearful. I’m eternally safe; I have nothing to fear. God will do what He will do, and the sooner I get to the Hallelujah chorus, the better.
But I am concerned, dreading what happens when God brings Judgment. This world has been stacking up it’s sins for a long time.
How am I so certain? I read the Bible, friends, and I believe it from Gen to Rev. God promises to bring Judgment, and I believe Him.
Whether it’s tomorrow, today or a hundred years from now is immaterial. God will do what He will do.
If it’s a hundred, two hundred years from now, fine. I will already be in Heaven by then, singing and Glorifying God.
If it’s tomorrow, or today...my friends and family who do not know Christ are in for it. I pray that God would have mercy on them, bringing them into our family before it’s too late.
Here is a hard saying: Anyone whom I love that is not granted that Mercy...I won’t see them in Heaven.
God decides who will receive Salvation. I can’t petition Him to allow in someone who isn’t on His list, whose name isn’t found in the Book of Life:
“11Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15
The first book mentioned holds the names and sins (deeds) of everyone whose sins were not washed away by the blood of Christ; they have to pay for their sins themselves, and that is horrible to consider. In the second book, the book of life, are found the names of all God’s people.
I hope to see you in Heaven.
“20He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” Revelation 22:20-21
This feels a bit like the ramp up to the second world war must have: everyone knew something momentous, world-shaking was on the horizon; the fore-shocks, tremblings were felt from sea to shining.
I’m not paranoid, or fearful. I’m eternally safe; I have nothing to fear. God will do what He will do, and the sooner I get to the Hallelujah chorus, the better.
But I am concerned, dreading what happens when God brings Judgment. This world has been stacking up it’s sins for a long time.
How am I so certain? I read the Bible, friends, and I believe it from Gen to Rev. God promises to bring Judgment, and I believe Him.
Whether it’s tomorrow, today or a hundred years from now is immaterial. God will do what He will do.
If it’s a hundred, two hundred years from now, fine. I will already be in Heaven by then, singing and Glorifying God.
If it’s tomorrow, or today...my friends and family who do not know Christ are in for it. I pray that God would have mercy on them, bringing them into our family before it’s too late.
Here is a hard saying: Anyone whom I love that is not granted that Mercy...I won’t see them in Heaven.
God decides who will receive Salvation. I can’t petition Him to allow in someone who isn’t on His list, whose name isn’t found in the Book of Life:
“11Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15
The first book mentioned holds the names and sins (deeds) of everyone whose sins were not washed away by the blood of Christ; they have to pay for their sins themselves, and that is horrible to consider. In the second book, the book of life, are found the names of all God’s people.
I hope to see you in Heaven.
“20He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” Revelation 22:20-21
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
The more I look at the world, the more I love God. I love the natural beauty with which God has blessed this world.
We only have the ability to understand, to take in, to breathe the beauty of God's creation because God put in each of us the proper elements of appreciation for His works. He gave us senses to take in beauty, and minds (hearts) to appreciate/echo that beauty.
Any artist is only a copyist, interpreting the Beauty which God has made. Some few are wonderfully competent technicians, crafting their works to closely resemble the art masterpieces of God. But they are still only clay, not potter.
May God richly Bless you today.
Friday, December 05, 2008
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Suing AT&T
...over the co-opting of their unofficial slogan:
"More bars in more places".
Hey! T'is the stinkin season to get stinkin drunk! Only 26 more days until NEW DREARS EVE! Yahhhooooozzziiieee!
Alcoholics are saving their bar cash to have a real blow out December 31st. Some will be saucehitting a little lighter this year during the preliminary rounds, Dec 24-26, due to the financial fiasco falling like lead all around us but HEY! Any reason to drink is a good reason to overimbibe!
Get it out! Get it out! Anyone trying to tell you to hold back and remain sober is just a loser clinging bitterly to their own sobriety. Leaves more for you, man. Last one drunk is the first one driving home.
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It wasn't quite Melissa Etheredge that brought about this post, but hers was the first "Christmas song" to catch my eye today at iTunes store. One of many "Christmas" songs abusing our eardrums, making mockery of Christ not by the lyrics, but by the lives lived which have nothing to do with Christ except to get as far away from Him as possible.
Willie Nelson singing "O Little Town of Bethlehem" doesn't confirm in your mind that he has become a Christian. You don't expect him to start showing up in Gaither Homecoming videos.
To quote Sweet Comfort Band, who suggest Christ saying, "Don't sing me a love song, if the lyric and your life don't rhyme."
So what was that business at the top of the page?
Me, Doug, a confirmed non-drinker making fun of someone else's "Holiday". Me, a fake drunk, just as many in the coming weeks will be fake Christians.
"That's not fair, Doug! Christmas means different things to different people!"
But Christ is unchanging. Christians honor His birth, life, death and resurrection. We honor the risen Christ Who reigns in Heaven and will someday return to put earth's house in order. I'm offended when someone mocks my Lord. Dogs barking "Silent Night" or Madonna singing Christmas carols fall into that category.
"More bars in more places".
Hey! T'is the stinkin season to get stinkin drunk! Only 26 more days until NEW DREARS EVE! Yahhhooooozzziiieee!
Alcoholics are saving their bar cash to have a real blow out December 31st. Some will be saucehitting a little lighter this year during the preliminary rounds, Dec 24-26, due to the financial fiasco falling like lead all around us but HEY! Any reason to drink is a good reason to overimbibe!
Get it out! Get it out! Anyone trying to tell you to hold back and remain sober is just a loser clinging bitterly to their own sobriety. Leaves more for you, man. Last one drunk is the first one driving home.
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It wasn't quite Melissa Etheredge that brought about this post, but hers was the first "Christmas song" to catch my eye today at iTunes store. One of many "Christmas" songs abusing our eardrums, making mockery of Christ not by the lyrics, but by the lives lived which have nothing to do with Christ except to get as far away from Him as possible.
Willie Nelson singing "O Little Town of Bethlehem" doesn't confirm in your mind that he has become a Christian. You don't expect him to start showing up in Gaither Homecoming videos.
To quote Sweet Comfort Band, who suggest Christ saying, "Don't sing me a love song, if the lyric and your life don't rhyme."
So what was that business at the top of the page?
Me, Doug, a confirmed non-drinker making fun of someone else's "Holiday". Me, a fake drunk, just as many in the coming weeks will be fake Christians.
"That's not fair, Doug! Christmas means different things to different people!"
But Christ is unchanging. Christians honor His birth, life, death and resurrection. We honor the risen Christ Who reigns in Heaven and will someday return to put earth's house in order. I'm offended when someone mocks my Lord. Dogs barking "Silent Night" or Madonna singing Christmas carols fall into that category.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
The Irreligious Wreturn Of Wrandom Thoughts-ThursEdt
It's been awhile since I did a wingless egret of random thoughting here at FDW.In the first comment I am going to post a link to Ann Coulter's weekly screed. There has been much chortling among the lower elements of society regarding Ann, as she recently took a nasty spill and broke a bone in her jaw, which was wired shut. That seems funny to losers, I guess. But I like Ann, and I hope that she recovers soon. Her post this week is about the nefarious Franken and his attempted theft of the Minnesota Senatorial election. To those who thought the election was over a month ago...nope such luck.
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George Bush was whitewashing Aunt Polly's fence when Barack Obama came walking by. George started singing, splashing on the thin paint in broad strokes. Obama watched him for a minute.
"That looks like hard work."
"This?" George Bush grinned. "Naw, this is great fun! It's just one of my duties as President."
Obama watched him painting the fence some more.
"Is it hard being the President?"
"No sir! Being President is great! Everybody loves you! Everyone tips their hat when you walk by! You get to eat fancy State dinners all the time, and meet dignitaries from all over the world!"
Obama stared at George. "I heard it was a tough job. Having to solve everybody's problems, take care of the whole country. Man, I wouldn't want to be President!"
George stopped painting and shook his head.
"Barack my friend, you've got a lot to learn. Most problems solve themselves, eventually. Being President means that you are the top dog in the whole world! You'd be in more magazines than Paris Hilton! You could step on Vladimir Putin's foot and he'd have to say, 'Excuse me, Mr. President! I'll just move my shoe out of your way!'"
Obama stood there thinking about it for a minute, then said,
"George? I'd sure like to be President."
And President Bush handed him the brush.
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I don't ever have opportunity to give anyone orders, as I am the top and bottom man of this disorganization, but let me give you a suggestion. There was a movie made back in 1988 which you may never have heard of: "Full Moon In Blue Water". It is a fine drama, one that I bought yesterday when I found it on DVD.
Fire up your Netflix queue, or look for it at your library or whatever-it's a good watch.
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A little Ogden Nash to finish the post of better than if I went Nashless:
"There is one fault that I must find
With the twentieth century,
And I'll put it in a couple of words:
Too adventury.
What I'd like would be some nice dull monotony
If anyone's gotony."
Sunday, November 30, 2008
I have no heart.
If you don't believe me, read on.
I have no heart to once more rail against murdering Muslims who have taken innocent lives.
I have no heart. It isn't in me to once more declare Islam a false religion which sends billions to hell.
Why?
Because it is fruitless. It means nothing.
If you already agree with me, you know that truth already.
If you don't, words from me will not convince you. I cannot reason with you, break through your wall of denial.
If you wish with all of your heart that I am wrong, that my God isn't the true God...
it is fruitless. It means nothing.
You have no heart.
I have no heart to once more rail against murdering Muslims who have taken innocent lives.
I have no heart. It isn't in me to once more declare Islam a false religion which sends billions to hell.
Why?
Because it is fruitless. It means nothing.
If you already agree with me, you know that truth already.
If you don't, words from me will not convince you. I cannot reason with you, break through your wall of denial.
If you wish with all of your heart that I am wrong, that my God isn't the true God...
it is fruitless. It means nothing.
You have no heart.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
The Joy Of Not Listening
Disaffected. Disengaged. Disthingon? tap tap
It's been a strange time lately. We have lame duck limbo lull for the next month and change as we wait for the Obama administration to be installed in the White House.
Both George Bush and I will be happy about the end of the Bush era. Don't misunderstand-I like him, I think he did a great job as President, I agreed with his policies most of the time. If Life were fair he would be heralded as a 'Victor', a hero who stood up against evil in a very evil world. D. H. Y. B.
Not everyone will understand what I have to say next:
Those who have gotten out of an abusive, dysfunctional relationship know what George Bush is feeling right now. He has been hammered unjustly for 8 years. He has tried to make peace with those who hate him, only to have olive branch after olive branch tossed back in his face. Just like a wife who loves the man who keeps beating her.
He's endured enough abuse and hatred for a lifetime; if he retires from public life and stays on the ranch in Texas, I wouldn't blame him a bit. He's earned a quiet, peaceful retirement from the hardest job in the world.
Thank you, President Bush, for successfully leading our country through very hard times.
Disengaged. I have the good fortune to live six minutes from work. Five miles, one stop light and I'm there.
For years it has been my habit to listen to the Sean Hannity radio show for the duration of my trip. I felt it was important to stay current about the election; I put up with Hannity constantly chiding listeners to fight the good fight for Conservatism. I don’t need chiding. I don’t need to be harangued into being more Conservative.
Since the election I have experienced the joy of not listening to Hannity during my six minute commute. It’s quiet, it’s pleasant, and I may never turn on the radio again.
It's been a strange time lately. We have lame duck limbo lull for the next month and change as we wait for the Obama administration to be installed in the White House.
Both George Bush and I will be happy about the end of the Bush era. Don't misunderstand-I like him, I think he did a great job as President, I agreed with his policies most of the time. If Life were fair he would be heralded as a 'Victor', a hero who stood up against evil in a very evil world. D. H. Y. B.
Not everyone will understand what I have to say next:
Those who have gotten out of an abusive, dysfunctional relationship know what George Bush is feeling right now. He has been hammered unjustly for 8 years. He has tried to make peace with those who hate him, only to have olive branch after olive branch tossed back in his face. Just like a wife who loves the man who keeps beating her.
He's endured enough abuse and hatred for a lifetime; if he retires from public life and stays on the ranch in Texas, I wouldn't blame him a bit. He's earned a quiet, peaceful retirement from the hardest job in the world.
Thank you, President Bush, for successfully leading our country through very hard times.
Disengaged. I have the good fortune to live six minutes from work. Five miles, one stop light and I'm there.
For years it has been my habit to listen to the Sean Hannity radio show for the duration of my trip. I felt it was important to stay current about the election; I put up with Hannity constantly chiding listeners to fight the good fight for Conservatism. I don’t need chiding. I don’t need to be harangued into being more Conservative.
Since the election I have experienced the joy of not listening to Hannity during my six minute commute. It’s quiet, it’s pleasant, and I may never turn on the radio again.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The Other 364
WARNING: Overdose of thankgivingfulness will be de rigueur for the next 32 hours until the sales start.
Government mandated thankfulness will be in effect tomorrow. Hug somebody. Arms only, no air kiss, pressure only as signal to end hug.
Report to NFL televised games and await further instructions.
I am thankful to God for the many blessings He bestows every day. Good things are blessings and bad things are blessings in disguise as they draw us closer to God.
I have a few burdens I'm carrying on my heart today. You could categorize them as 'bad things' but I am thankful and Praising God even in the worst of circumstances, because circumstance are temporary but He is eternal.
Going against the ordained order of government mandated Thanksgiving, here is something that I am not thankful for:
Knowing that alleged comedian Steven C****** has released a "Christmas CD" which goes far beyond mockery of Christ.
I sampled a few of the songs at the iTunes store, and they are horrid. No thanks, period.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Quick! What's The Opposite Of Diversity?
Diversity! What a wonderful ideal! We're all different! Wooo-Hooo!
You do realize, you diversity huggers, what you are putting your arms around and embracing?
Racism. Apartheid. Class warfare. Hatred. Impolite discourse.
Not all ideals are equally valid. Some are just stupid.
If someone says to you: “THEY have it better than YOU and you should be angry about YOUR situ...”
That person is not looking out for your best interests. He or she wants you to follow their lead. The Diversity hatemongers OWN you if you let them fill your heart with hate, your head with nonsense. God made Man. There is no superior or inferior race.
Man-made societal haves and have nots fall into their places due to the sin in every man’s heart-as Bruce Cockburn nearly wrote, we either become the footprint or the foot.
The opposite of Diversity? Unity. We, the people.
You do realize, you diversity huggers, what you are putting your arms around and embracing?
Racism. Apartheid. Class warfare. Hatred. Impolite discourse.
Not all ideals are equally valid. Some are just stupid.
If someone says to you: “THEY have it better than YOU and you should be angry about YOUR situ...”
That person is not looking out for your best interests. He or she wants you to follow their lead. The Diversity hatemongers OWN you if you let them fill your heart with hate, your head with nonsense. God made Man. There is no superior or inferior race.
Man-made societal haves and have nots fall into their places due to the sin in every man’s heart-as Bruce Cockburn nearly wrote, we either become the footprint or the foot.
The opposite of Diversity? Unity. We, the people.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Love Is In The Air
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Isn't that beautiful? This simple declarative statement, along with the other amendments, are what make the United States so very special.
'Congress shall make no law~' in that command, we are protected from that elite savage, the beast with a hundred heads, 435 appendages and no brains.
Here-a critical example:
“I believe that my tuna fish sandwich is god.”
Congress: Go for it.
“I believe that the United States is obsolete, and must be destroyed.”
Congress: Okay.
“My 16,000 friends and I want to hold a rally calling for the destruction of the United States.”
Congress: Have a good time. Wear something warm.
“I am suing the government for illegally investigating my background." (ala Joe the Plumber)
Congress: Good luck in court.
That’s the way it works, that is how it is supposed to work. That is beautiful. That is America.
For a bit of contrast, here is how it would work in...oh, let’s pick a good one...Saudi Arabia:
“I believe that my tuna fish sandwich is god.”
Saudi government: Only Allah is god-you are an apostate!
“I believe that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is obsolete, and must be destroyed.”
Saudi government: You’re a dead man.
“My 16,000 friends and I want to hold a rally calling for the destruction of the KSA.”
Saudi government: You’re all dead men.
“I am suing the KSA for illegally investigating my background." (ala Joe the Plumber)
Saudi government: You no longer have a background...or a future.
May God continue to Bless the United States of America!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
sdklgwjnerogkuiltypu
This way to the egrets egress. I was reading a book of quotations, and found a few gems. I like showcasing the FDW of others-if I ever deplete my allotment of "Funny" I may be reduced to posting knock knock jokes.
On with our show{case}:
"Man is certainly mad. He cannot make a worm, and yet he will be making gods by dozens."
"Every man bears the whole stamp of the human condition."
"Wit is a dangerous weapon, even to the possessor, if he knows not how to use it discreetly."
Three by Montaigne ^
"A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul."
G.B. Shaw
"More than any time in history mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness, the other to total extinction. Let us pray that we have the wisdom to choose correctly."
Woody Allen
"I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just."
Thomas Jefferson
See? That didn’t hurt. I’ll end with the greatest, The Finest, THE MOST STUPENDOUS(!) ‘Knock Knock’ joke ever written:
Knock Knock!
Is the doorbell broken?
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Silly Sin-phonies
Strike down the band! (Like the Mother Lamb giving birth-just kidding)We just elected a new President, right? More people voted for Obama than McCain('t). What is this called?
Democracy. Majority rule. Will of the people. (Careful-I'm setting you up.)
I can't argue with reality-I happily accept that B. H. Obama will be our President for the next four.
Not just 'Your' President, or 'My' President....Our President.
Well, Prop 8 passed in California, affirming once again that straights own Marriage. That's the synopsis-Marriage, wedded bliss, whatever you call it-in California it means that only 1 Man (male) and 1 Woman (female) can be bound up in matrimony.
And the crowd goes wild. Those homosexually inclined persons who recently cheered the win of Obama now wish to cast aside law which they don't agree with.
They went from law abiding to law deriding in nanoseconds.
This is what? the third proposition in as many elections which shows that the will of most Californians differs from the will of the homosexually inclined?
I've got an idea-all of those homosexually inclined persons who are now ragin' like cajuns...possibly they could direct their energies into building homeless shelters, helping the needy, curbing pollution in their home towns, getting drug dealers arrested-you know-becoming citizens instead of drama queens.
Because right now, all they are doing is adding to the noise pollution of California.
Grow up, homosexually inclined persons. You lost. Again. Judges don't legislate and in a perfect world, legislatures don't judge. They merely reflect the will of most of the people.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
May God Bless You, Too!
Ah. That's better. This has been an emotionally stressful time; I'm just now getting back to my usual charming.
Yes, stressful-even those of us who know God, who trust God, who are told by God not to worry, not to fear...we are still human, and not immune from the stresses of Life.
Jesus was so wise when He said,
"25“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28“And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32“For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34
In those red letters we find that God not only knows we need stuff, but God is the source of all of our stuff, and He is happy to take care of us.
For those of you who do not believe in God...you get all of your stuff from God also. You are born into His creation, and whether or not you acknowledge His existence, He doesn't change. Talk about stress, huh?
My stress wasn't from 'my team' losing the election; it came from taking the long view, seeing how this election will change the world. No matter what happens, faith in man continues to seem foolish compared to having faith in God. I do have faith in man's ability to mess things up, and faith that God will never be frustrated. His plan for His children is perfect, and will be perfectly executed.
Praise God!
Yes, stressful-even those of us who know God, who trust God, who are told by God not to worry, not to fear...we are still human, and not immune from the stresses of Life.
Jesus was so wise when He said,
"25“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28“And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32“For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34
In those red letters we find that God not only knows we need stuff, but God is the source of all of our stuff, and He is happy to take care of us.
For those of you who do not believe in God...you get all of your stuff from God also. You are born into His creation, and whether or not you acknowledge His existence, He doesn't change. Talk about stress, huh?
My stress wasn't from 'my team' losing the election; it came from taking the long view, seeing how this election will change the world. No matter what happens, faith in man continues to seem foolish compared to having faith in God. I do have faith in man's ability to mess things up, and faith that God will never be frustrated. His plan for His children is perfect, and will be perfectly executed.
Praise God!
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Hail, Nicolae Carpathia!
I just had a good laugh-I was perusing the blogs, and in a post about Senator Obama someone left the comment: “Hail, Nicolae Carpathia!”
Too funny-that is, of course, the name of the Antichrist in the LaHaye/Jenkins “Left Behind” series.
I’ve covered this ground before, so just a synop-I believe that there will be a person known as the Antichrist, as the Bible clearly states. I know that when that Antichrist appears, he will be loved globally, will in effect rule the world for a short time.
I WISH that Senator Obama were the Antichrist; that would mean that we are very close to the time of our Lord’s return.
I don’t believe that Obama is “The” Antichrist, but that blogpost comment did make me laugh.
He’ll do until the real One comes along.
Too funny-that is, of course, the name of the Antichrist in the LaHaye/Jenkins “Left Behind” series.
I’ve covered this ground before, so just a synop-I believe that there will be a person known as the Antichrist, as the Bible clearly states. I know that when that Antichrist appears, he will be loved globally, will in effect rule the world for a short time.
I WISH that Senator Obama were the Antichrist; that would mean that we are very close to the time of our Lord’s return.
I don’t believe that Obama is “The” Antichrist, but that blogpost comment did make me laugh.
He’ll do until the real One comes along.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Hope Is a Bird
Specifically, a chicken with its head on the chopping block...just kidding.
I talked with my brother in law, asking if I could borrow his bumpersticker:
“I love my country but fear my government.”
Again, just jesting. A weak gesture from a tired Jester.
Hope isn’t a bird, and I am not without hope that things will get better.
One encouraging sign: even after the election I am hearing from some about how terrible a person Sarah Palin is. How she is stupid.
I guess they’ve found their new Bush fetish stone to worry over.
Sarah Palin is actually very intelligent, a great person, and quite possibly a future President.
She is nice-a friendly, positive go getter who has accomplished more in her short life than any of those who bad mouth her will in a hundred years.
So why badmouth Sarah? They FEAR her.
That is a hopeful thing for Conservatives to add to their hope chests.
Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow. Or today. Or at all. He has things well in hand, and there is never any reason to fear. It’s funny that we need reminding of that; it is very human to fear, but very Godly to trust in God, to not worry.
I will pray for President Barack Obama, just as I have for his predecessors. May he surprise us all by doing a great job.
May God continue to Bless the United States of America.
I talked with my brother in law, asking if I could borrow his bumpersticker:
“I love my country but fear my government.”
Again, just jesting. A weak gesture from a tired Jester.
Hope isn’t a bird, and I am not without hope that things will get better.
One encouraging sign: even after the election I am hearing from some about how terrible a person Sarah Palin is. How she is stupid.
I guess they’ve found their new Bush fetish stone to worry over.
Sarah Palin is actually very intelligent, a great person, and quite possibly a future President.
She is nice-a friendly, positive go getter who has accomplished more in her short life than any of those who bad mouth her will in a hundred years.
So why badmouth Sarah? They FEAR her.
That is a hopeful thing for Conservatives to add to their hope chests.
Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow. Or today. Or at all. He has things well in hand, and there is never any reason to fear. It’s funny that we need reminding of that; it is very human to fear, but very Godly to trust in God, to not worry.
I will pray for President Barack Obama, just as I have for his predecessors. May he surprise us all by doing a great job.
May God continue to Bless the United States of America.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Psycholigizing? What?
Words. If not for words we'd just be pointing at stuff. I watched a wordsmith wording, and he used "Psychologizing" in a sentence. What a word! I wrote it down, checked and found that it is uncommonly common; I thought he was making it up, verbalizing with his artistic license. Nope-just one more little ‘nug of know’ to add to my collection.
What I don't know could fill a book, a really big book.
Reality is a much calmer animal if you don't provoke and fight against it. Meaning that: the reality is that Barack Obama will be our 44th President of the United States.
I never live by "Ifs" -that is a precipice from which we can tumble down, to be caught in the spider's webs of Maybe. I once had a girlfriend who was still agonizing over her family's moving to another state when she was five. The Ifs and Maybes she’s held onto have held onto her like death at a picnic. But enough Psycholigizing.
President Elect Obama will find/make this a very interesting America/World for the next four years.
I’m grateful to God for every day I live, no matter who runs what.
May God continue to Bless The United States of America.
What I don't know could fill a book, a really big book.
Reality is a much calmer animal if you don't provoke and fight against it. Meaning that: the reality is that Barack Obama will be our 44th President of the United States.
I never live by "Ifs" -that is a precipice from which we can tumble down, to be caught in the spider's webs of Maybe. I once had a girlfriend who was still agonizing over her family's moving to another state when she was five. The Ifs and Maybes she’s held onto have held onto her like death at a picnic. But enough Psycholigizing.
President Elect Obama will find/make this a very interesting America/World for the next four years.
I’m grateful to God for every day I live, no matter who runs what.
May God continue to Bless The United States of America.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
The Sound Of Falling Snow
I was sitting at work tonight, listening to the November rain beating down, and I thought of the Novembers when we've had snow by now. In 1991 there was a Halloween blizzard so gigantic that it is the mark by which all winter storms are measured. I was in Las Vegas for that one, but I've seen my share.
My friend was surreptitiously checking the election-we knew the outcome before we left work.
"16 “With Him are strength and sound wisdom,
The misled and the misleader belong to Him.
17 “He makes counselors walk barefoot
And makes fools of judges.
18 “He loosens the bond of kings
And binds their loins with a girdle.
19 “He makes priests walk barefoot
And overthrows the secure ones.
20 “He deprives the trusted ones of speech
And takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 “He pours contempt on nobles
And loosens the belt of the strong.
22 “He reveals mysteries from the darkness
And brings the deep darkness into light.
23 “He makes the nations great, then destroys them;
He enlarges the nations, then leads them away.
24 “He deprives of intelligence the chiefs of the earth’s people
And makes them wander in a pathless waste.
25 “They grope in darkness with no light,
And He makes them stagger like a drunken man." Job 12:17-25
The misled and the misleader belong to him. God is Sovereign.
He makes the nations great, then destroys them. God is Sovereign.
"1Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves." Romans 13:1, 2
Am I disappointed about the outcome of the election? I am. But bitter? Not quite.
Would I accept the good from God's hand and not the bad? He never promised us a rose garden in this cosmos, this world. Instead, He said:
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
I have that peace, even tonight. May God Bless the United States of America.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
A Fait Accompli? Neigh! Accompli Fail-A!
Over-verbose? You bet. Guilty. Hand raised. I hope I'm as energized in my postings during the coming McCain administration. I think there will be plenty of issues remarkable enough to remark upon.
I know, I know: I called the election a week ago-this is an update of those posts with hardly any new information, except:
The local rag newspaper announced their endorsement...of John McCain.
A blue state newspaper serving a Liberal population picked McCain over Obama. That should have Team Obama sending out for antacid relief. That's gonna leave a mark.
Actually, this post is a public service-by demonstrably announcing the McCain win early, I am opening myself up to ridicule if Obama wins. I hereby challenge our Liberal friends to craft their finest "I told you so!" comments, with extra points given for comments about my lack of intelligence, feeblemindedness, stupidity. Hygiene comments are off limits... unless really funny.
So get crackin! I will post your comments here on the front page, wearing my shame on my blogsleeve.
But only if Obama wins. I'm shakin' like a pyramid. Pretty good for an old Giza.
I know, I know: I called the election a week ago-this is an update of those posts with hardly any new information, except:
The local rag newspaper announced their endorsement...of John McCain.
A blue state newspaper serving a Liberal population picked McCain over Obama. That should have Team Obama sending out for antacid relief. That's gonna leave a mark.
Actually, this post is a public service-by demonstrably announcing the McCain win early, I am opening myself up to ridicule if Obama wins. I hereby challenge our Liberal friends to craft their finest "I told you so!" comments, with extra points given for comments about my lack of intelligence, feeblemindedness, stupidity. Hygiene comments are off limits... unless really funny.
So get crackin! I will post your comments here on the front page, wearing my shame on my blogsleeve.
But only if Obama wins. I'm shakin' like a pyramid. Pretty good for an old Giza.
Luther? Lu-ther? Where Are You, Buddy?
I'm going to use a word which has so many debatable functions and understandings that I must define how I mean it: Entropy-systems breaking down. Everything falls apart until it is put back together to fall apart again ab initio to just short of infinito.
Look at this figure eight racetrack, which is, of course a symbol for infinity. Wherever one starts in the race isn't important. Divergent forces, each caught in entropy are racing in different directions on the infinite loop. Where they meet, where they have the most in common, when the system is at its most balanced is represented by the "X".
In 2008 each of our political systems, Democrat and Republican are diverging, falling apart to be reformed.
Democrats split between the Pacifist and Worker groups; the Radical Left and the Moderate Left.
Republicans split between Conservative and Moderate groups, Hard Right and Moderate Right.
This is normal. This is tension and inertia working in each party. Each subgroup tries to dominate the other, (tension) while continuing on its own path (inertia).
Whigs, anyone? Meaning that if the divergence becomes so great that the two sub groups can no longer come together, a split is inevitable, and each subgroup becomes a group with divergent subgroups caught in tension and inertia. That means the end for the original group. The Whigs, for example, are now found only in history books.
What each political party needs is a Martin Luther. Someone who will attempt to reform his or her party, pushing it's parts to converge at their optimum "X"...someone who may instead become 'The One' to lead one subgroup into becoming their own group, leaving the other subgroup to carry on or die.
We aren't the world. In the rest of the world this same entropy race is being played out in a multitude of political groupings. I love how entropic racing around a figure eight is mischaracterized as "Progress" and "Evolution". What goes around comes around, friends.
Look at this figure eight racetrack, which is, of course a symbol for infinity. Wherever one starts in the race isn't important. Divergent forces, each caught in entropy are racing in different directions on the infinite loop. Where they meet, where they have the most in common, when the system is at its most balanced is represented by the "X".
In 2008 each of our political systems, Democrat and Republican are diverging, falling apart to be reformed.
Democrats split between the Pacifist and Worker groups; the Radical Left and the Moderate Left.
Republicans split between Conservative and Moderate groups, Hard Right and Moderate Right.
This is normal. This is tension and inertia working in each party. Each subgroup tries to dominate the other, (tension) while continuing on its own path (inertia).
Whigs, anyone? Meaning that if the divergence becomes so great that the two sub groups can no longer come together, a split is inevitable, and each subgroup becomes a group with divergent subgroups caught in tension and inertia. That means the end for the original group. The Whigs, for example, are now found only in history books.
What each political party needs is a Martin Luther. Someone who will attempt to reform his or her party, pushing it's parts to converge at their optimum "X"...someone who may instead become 'The One' to lead one subgroup into becoming their own group, leaving the other subgroup to carry on or die.
We aren't the world. In the rest of the world this same entropy race is being played out in a multitude of political groupings. I love how entropic racing around a figure eight is mischaracterized as "Progress" and "Evolution". What goes around comes around, friends.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Clap For Tinkerbama, Kids! Clap Clap Clap!
It’s hard not to laugh at every political this’n’that coming down the information superhighway ka-nown as the Internets. We have all measure of persons, some less sincere, some taking all of this more seriously than is warranted, who add to Babel, myself included. I’m part of either the problem or the solution, as I spill me personal beans about Election 2008. It’s all fun, folks, and please don’t wear distress on your sleeve or your heart. It’s only an election. It will all be over, except for the weeping and gnashing of teeth, next Tuesday.
At this millisecond of time, nothing you can do or say will change the outcome. Remember the Serenity prayer:
“God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I Cannot change…
Courage to change the things I can
And Wisdom to know the difference…”
Don’t worry about what you can’t change, friends. One of the two candidates will win. If it’s your candidate, cool. If it’s the other candidate...cool.
I laugh, and I feel better. You can’t see the grin on my face right now, but it’s there.
I love hearing that the election is already over, that Obama has won.
I love hearing about how Sarah Palin is going to cost McCain the election.
I love hearing Obama praised from Coast to Kos.
I love that McCain is constantly tied to George Bush.
I love hearing about the horror stories about the 8 years of the Bush Presidency.
Why? Here we go, in reverse order:
These have been a GREAT 8 years, and George Bush has been a great President!
McCain should be so lucky as to be tied to the success of George Bush.
The praise for Obama is generated by Team Obama, and is as sincere as the praise lauded on John Kerry four years ago.
Sarah McCain may very well be the deciding factor which wins victory for the Republicans. She is that impressive, and will make a great President someday.
The ones saying that the election is over are trying to wish their dream into reality. Also...whether it be politics or pool or any other competitive activity, one rule rings true:
Never listen to your opponent.
Garry Trudeau has already submitted his ‘Doonesbury’ comic for next Wednesday, which declares that Obama has won the election. I can’t help but laugh. So should you, often.
At this millisecond of time, nothing you can do or say will change the outcome. Remember the Serenity prayer:
“God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I Cannot change…
Courage to change the things I can
And Wisdom to know the difference…”
Don’t worry about what you can’t change, friends. One of the two candidates will win. If it’s your candidate, cool. If it’s the other candidate...cool.
I laugh, and I feel better. You can’t see the grin on my face right now, but it’s there.
I love hearing that the election is already over, that Obama has won.
I love hearing about how Sarah Palin is going to cost McCain the election.
I love hearing Obama praised from Coast to Kos.
I love that McCain is constantly tied to George Bush.
I love hearing about the horror stories about the 8 years of the Bush Presidency.
Why? Here we go, in reverse order:
These have been a GREAT 8 years, and George Bush has been a great President!
McCain should be so lucky as to be tied to the success of George Bush.
The praise for Obama is generated by Team Obama, and is as sincere as the praise lauded on John Kerry four years ago.
Sarah McCain may very well be the deciding factor which wins victory for the Republicans. She is that impressive, and will make a great President someday.
The ones saying that the election is over are trying to wish their dream into reality. Also...whether it be politics or pool or any other competitive activity, one rule rings true:
Never listen to your opponent.
Garry Trudeau has already submitted his ‘Doonesbury’ comic for next Wednesday, which declares that Obama has won the election. I can’t help but laugh. So should you, often.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Petra The Vote
I can’t help it. The attraction/repulsion going on right now in my head. I’m sick of the politics, and yet am drawn to post about it, to detail McCain‘s victory over socialism.
This election is so Hideous as to be utterly fascinating, at least for six more days.
Like baseball, this is a game of anticipation-you’ve seen it all before, you know the score…but you can’t help but watch to see what happens next.
I think we’ve had three or four “October Surprises” which would have stunned the country in earlier elections…but with our present information overload barely have time to be acknowledged.
I missed Obama’s half hour of fun tonight, the infomercial of ‘Change’. Has he yet gotten around to humbly asking for votes? He does humble about the same way Hillary does funny.
I mention McCain’s victory over socialism. Actually, he’s the front man for those of us who consider socialism a threat to Democracy, who see Obama as a Socialist who would have attempted to ruin this country, if he were to win the White House.
As I’ve stated here and elsewhere: Obama doesn’t stand a chance of winning. There is no way that he will convince a majority of Americans that he would make a better President than John McCain, or even Kwame Kilpatrick.
Al Franken has a better chance of being chosen Pope than Obama does becoming President.
The Democrats deserved a better candidate, (so did we!), but were stuck, for the second straight election, with an untenable nominee. This is what happens when you allow the far Left to control your party. By the way-in case you haven’t noticed, the far Right has been kicked to the back of the bus in this election. We’re not in charge, which is why we have John McCain instead of a true Conservative about to become President. I’ll just be happy with the win-that and Norm Coleman defeating Al Franken. Too much to dream? Dream BIG, friends!
Wait, I’m not done yet!
Obama may have trouble retaining his Senate seat after the Federal Elections Commission investigates his campaign in tandem with the FBI looking into Acorn. It’s considered a strong possibility that RICO racketeering charges may be leveled at Acorn for nationwide voter registration fraud. Obama’s hands appear clean only because he has had to scrub scrub scrub away any possible connection to Acorn. Too bad for him that that relationship is well documented. {Hint-lies told on the campaign trail do not disappear once the election is over.}
Here are two words whispered, but never said aloud within the hearing of Obama:
‘Voter Apathy’.
He’s a magnificent orator, but when not speechifyin’ he’s as exciting as Larry King on a slow night. In McCain’s victory speech he should shout out to the youth of America who failed to vote for the 43rd election in a row. Also, McCain should thank the Clinton faithful who crossed party lines to vote with their heads instead of their hearts.
Monday, October 27, 2008
How Barack Obama Lost The Election
I’m not a prophet, and God isn’t the one telling me about “The One”. I claim only the power of observation, with discernment and a bucket full of common sense, that lovely rain which doesn’t seem to fall on all peoples equally.
Eight days from now, common taters from pundits to dits will be declaiming about why Obama failed. I’m just among the early birds at this rummage sale; in the next week you will read this same post-mortem expressed elsewhere, though possibly not as colorfully.
Well, if I’m an early bird, on to the worms:
BHO lost the election before it was hardly begun. The brazen impunity of a half term Senator announcing that he intended to elbow his way to the head of the line was foolishness squared and cubed.
The nay-sayers stated that he lacked experience-his answer was to ignore the nay sayers.
BHO lost the election when it was discovered that his past was a closed book, locked in a box, hidden in the back of his closet, covered by fog.
The sanitized self pent persona meant to take its place is as false as Madonna’s Brit accent. Even those in his camp recognize a fake-they just don’t care.
BHO lost the election when he reneged on his promise to accept federal funds. On that day his campaign went from one willing to be constrained by funding limits all candidates had honored…to a bunco bank, printing money, becoming a behemoth of cash.
The McCain-Feingold Act was supposed to rid elections of all the ‘soft money’. Instead it sent the soft money underground, and many of the subversive cash subway trains stopped at the BHO Station.
BHO lost the election when he snubbed his competitor, Hillary Clinton. She has had much practice as ‘a woman scorned’ and, by excluding her, BHO has made an enemy with a long memory. A long memory and many faithful voters who would rather sit on their hands than help him get elected.
BHO lost the election when his third choice for Vice President said yes. Joe Biden is the anti-Hillary: where she has millions of fans, and was able to fill stadiums, Joe has a Senate staff and a constituency of faithful Bidenites from one of the smallest states in the union. If he were not on the Democratic ticket, Joe Biden couldn’t draw a crowd at a supermarket giving away pizza samples.
BHO lost the election every time he and Joe Biden have opened their mouths. They can’t even lie with grace. If BHO isn’t denigrating one segment of the populace to another more enlightened, intellectual segment, Senator Joe Biden is creating nightmare scenarios…starring BHO… out of the whole cloth of his limited imagination.
BHO lost the election because a personality cult does not a President make. By making it all about BHO and not about USA, he hasn’t given anyone reason to vote for him aside from his own wonderfulness. BHO is quite adept at pointing fingers and accusing others, making them look bad to make himself look better, but that’s not leadership. That’s a character flaw.
BHO lost the election by becoming George Bush. Not the actual President, but the oft-hated “W”, which sprung forth from the minds of Leftists everywhere:
Unwilling to listen to complaints about his team.
Unwilling to deviate from failed policies and ideologies.
Unwilling to admit to making mistakes.
You may quote me. Or you may not…but thank you for reading this far.
Eight days from now, common taters from pundits to dits will be declaiming about why Obama failed. I’m just among the early birds at this rummage sale; in the next week you will read this same post-mortem expressed elsewhere, though possibly not as colorfully.
Well, if I’m an early bird, on to the worms:
BHO lost the election before it was hardly begun. The brazen impunity of a half term Senator announcing that he intended to elbow his way to the head of the line was foolishness squared and cubed.
The nay-sayers stated that he lacked experience-his answer was to ignore the nay sayers.
BHO lost the election when it was discovered that his past was a closed book, locked in a box, hidden in the back of his closet, covered by fog.
The sanitized self pent persona meant to take its place is as false as Madonna’s Brit accent. Even those in his camp recognize a fake-they just don’t care.
BHO lost the election when he reneged on his promise to accept federal funds. On that day his campaign went from one willing to be constrained by funding limits all candidates had honored…to a bunco bank, printing money, becoming a behemoth of cash.
The McCain-Feingold Act was supposed to rid elections of all the ‘soft money’. Instead it sent the soft money underground, and many of the subversive cash subway trains stopped at the BHO Station.
BHO lost the election when he snubbed his competitor, Hillary Clinton. She has had much practice as ‘a woman scorned’ and, by excluding her, BHO has made an enemy with a long memory. A long memory and many faithful voters who would rather sit on their hands than help him get elected.
BHO lost the election when his third choice for Vice President said yes. Joe Biden is the anti-Hillary: where she has millions of fans, and was able to fill stadiums, Joe has a Senate staff and a constituency of faithful Bidenites from one of the smallest states in the union. If he were not on the Democratic ticket, Joe Biden couldn’t draw a crowd at a supermarket giving away pizza samples.
BHO lost the election every time he and Joe Biden have opened their mouths. They can’t even lie with grace. If BHO isn’t denigrating one segment of the populace to another more enlightened, intellectual segment, Senator Joe Biden is creating nightmare scenarios…starring BHO… out of the whole cloth of his limited imagination.
BHO lost the election because a personality cult does not a President make. By making it all about BHO and not about USA, he hasn’t given anyone reason to vote for him aside from his own wonderfulness. BHO is quite adept at pointing fingers and accusing others, making them look bad to make himself look better, but that’s not leadership. That’s a character flaw.
BHO lost the election by becoming George Bush. Not the actual President, but the oft-hated “W”, which sprung forth from the minds of Leftists everywhere:
Unwilling to listen to complaints about his team.
Unwilling to deviate from failed policies and ideologies.
Unwilling to admit to making mistakes.
You may quote me. Or you may not…but thank you for reading this far.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Palate Cleanser
Too much too lately about the P-word that ends with ‘tics’. You know the one I mean. Banished! Booted to the outer darkness, at least for one post. Mention no more that dreaded word.So-no World Series last night, meaning that I burned a few hours of vay-kay for no good reason. What did I end up doing? Watching Ghosthunters shows. It’s like the best buttery popcorn of TV-absolutely no nutritional value, but tasty. I love the pomposity of the Ghost hunting teams, so secure in their knowledge, as when the Leader points at some electrical doo-hickey and pronounces the presence of ‘visitors from the other side’.
It’s golden, friends. Some Ghostbuster Wannabe shouts to an empty room, “Show us if you are here!” then, if something IS heard, they go into Robert Altman mode, talking over each other AND the evidential noise:
“Did you heat that? DID YOU HEAR THAT?”
“Yeah-it sounded like it was coming from that wall!”
“Did you hear that?”
-this exchange is usually repeated seven times in 30 seconds; by then the spirit has given up on trying to break into their conversation and moved on.
This is great Television! The night vision green, overused to absurdity, looks cool, especially the eyes of the “Ghost Hunters”.
You can tell that they are scientists, because they have the absolute latest digital audio/video equipment, heat sensors, EMF detectors…and at least one Psychic.
A Ghost Hunting team without a psychic would be like a TV doctor without a stethoscope.
You’ve got to have someone along who can sense ‘presences’. Just to confirm the data from the electric doo- hickeys.
I won’t burden you by rehashing my ghost experiences-I’ve written about them before-if you go to my archives from previous Octobers, you can be a ghost stories hunter.
I love it when the Ghost Hunters include in their band of heroes neophytes whose only purpose is to scream and run. The stalwart investigators who have trespassed in many haunted places would look out of character if they ran screaming like little girls, so they get some young woman to carry a night vision green camera focused on her face as she pinballs through tunnels and hallways.
If you happen to miss a moment of their collected ‘evidence’ fear not…they will replay each bit 117 times.
“Did you heat that? DID YOU HEAR THAT?”
“Yeah-it sounded like it was coming from that wall!”
“Did you hear that?”
Yup. What else you got, Cap’n?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The Sour Giggles
The sour giggles, or: Obama Became President And All I Got Left Is This Lousy T-Shirt.
The heart of Socialism is class warfare: pitting them against us, us against them, and never Mark Twain shall I meet. I see class warfare as fraudulently, patently, False. It’s the Christian in me.
Why should I care if someone makes more money than I do? Why should I agitate against successful people? Doesn’t that sound ridiculous? “I’m mad at you because you have more!”
That is right up there with: “My life didn’t turn out the way I wanted! I’m unhappy, and you should be unhappy too!”
Nah.
I’m a Christian; the more I learn about God, the less impressed I am with Man and his machinations.
Some have been blessed with wonderful gifts from God, such as a beautiful singing voice (Hi le!) or athletic ability, or even the gift of putting words in enough order to make sense when read. But we are all just men and women. We ARE equal!
George Clooney makes millions of dollars per movie. Chipper Jones won the National League Batting title.
Why should I envy either of these gentlemen their success? Because I can’t switch hit or open movies?
Because they make more money in a day than I will in a decade of work?
Nah.
Money doesn’t impress me. I measure success as having become a Christian, one of God’s children. That matters. That is the most successful accomplishment possible, and any child presented with the Gospel,
moved by God’s Spirit can achieve it. I’m talking about success that carries over into eternity.
I’ve said it before: Bill Gates is rich in this world, but if he isn’t one of God’s children, he’s dirt poor living in rags.
Look at this snark put forth as a reason we should vote the Democrats in: Big Oil made money during the years of the Bush administration.
They made it during the Clinton years also. And all the previous eras. Duh. It’s a profitable industry, employing millions of people around the world, making possible for everyone from gas station attendants to CEOs to make a living. If I’m happy for the gas station attendants, why shouldn’t I be happy for the CEOs?
If I were to play the Democrat game, I should be envious of Barack Obama because he has made millions of dollars… for doing nothing more than pointing fingers and complaining about others. Talk about windfall profits!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Filling That Hiatus: The Sequel
A slow political day, which suits me just fine. Senator Obama has gone to Hawaii to visit his ailing Grandmother, which is commendable-I hope that she feels better soon. His is not the hiatus I’m posting about; this is all JBiden, I mean Senator Jim…look! He even has ME making mistakes!
Joltin’ Joe Biden, Washington’s straight from the lip, watch him trip, making sweat drip quip machine.
He’s been taken out of service, even though every moment counts between now and Election Day.
His most recent off-script brilliant thought: “Mark my words,” the Democratic vice presidential nominee warned at the second of his two Seattle fundraisers Sunday. “It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We’re about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don’t remember anything else I said. Watch, we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy. I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate,” Biden said to Emerald City supporters, mentioning the Middle East and Russia as possibilities. “And he’s gonna need help. And the kind of help he’s gonna need is, he’s gonna need you - not financially to help him - we’re gonna need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it’s not gonna be apparent initially, it’s not gonna be apparent that we’re right.”
Joe Biden seems to think that a President Obama would be up to the challenge. But this causes each of us to ask ourselves: “Do I think Obama would do well in such a crisis?” My answer: NO. I think he’d fold like a pup tent. He’d be another Carter floundering in a canoe.
Joe’s charming encounter with words was most unfortunate in calling up the memory of John Kennedy meeting his crisis.
Um…Joe? Barack Obama does not measure up well when compared with John Kennedy.
Kennedy, with his military background, strong on offense military, facing down the Russians over Cuba, confronting the Communists in Vietnam/Southeast Asia…John Kennedy would be kicked out of today’s Democrat Party.
But this is all background, to show why Joe Biden has been given a ‘time out’.
That ‘time out’, that hiatus must be filled. Joe’s an energetic guy-he needs to take action.
So here is my list of things Grandmaster Gaffe can do in the interim:
Get a haircut. (Ha ha ha ah ha!)
Practice his elocution: “Ain’t gonna say ain’t no more, gonna say isn’t or aren’t. Gonna gonna gonna.”
Peruse ‘The Wit and Wisdom of Winston Churchill’ for jokes he can ‘borrow’.
Go see a double feature of Max Payne and Beverly Hills Chihuahua. That little guy is nutz!
See if he can find Dick Cheney’s “Undisclosed Location”.
Find Waldo with Googlemaps.
More elocution: “President John McCain…Vice President Sarah Palin.”
You might (I doubt) be wondering about the title of this post. I pulled a Joe Biden. I ‘borrowed’ the title from one of Robert Benchley’s short humor pieces, which had to do with what to do when dining at a party alone, when guests on both sides of you are busy in other conversations. Good stuff.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Borat Obama
Because no one else made the connection. Or wanted to. It's an incurable for me: I laugh at things that aren't funny.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Am I Blue Or Red?
Quandary: I honestly don’t know who to support in this contest. The preliminaries are nearly over, and the Day is approaching. Am I Blue or Red?As in: Dodger Blue or Red Sox Red? Here’s the deal:
I’ve been a Braves fan for years, and this season they under whelmed me to the point of not caring. I think it’s time for Bobby Cox to step out of the dugout and let someone younger manage the team. Some veteran players need to retire or move out of the way so that fresh talent has a chance.
Of the teams still in the hunt for the Championship, I have no affinity for the Phillies or the Rays. If they win, great, if not, ditto versa.
But should I cheer for the Dodgers or Sox? I like the Sox a lot. I like their teamwork, their toughness; Terry Francona has done an excellent job managing a very good team.
On the other hand is an outfielder’s glove, hand and glove belonging to Manny Ramirez. ‘Manny being Manny’ brought most of the flash and energy to Boston before Manny being Manny became unbearable. He’s got baseball talent dripping from his d-locks. And he may just carry the rest of the Dodgers (including two of my favorite former Braves, Andruw Jones and Rafael Furcal) to a World Championship.
Here’s the quixotic humor in baseball irony: the Red Sox were so willing to rid themselves of Manny Ramirez that they are paying his salary this year for the Dodgers. So Ramirez can beat his old team on their dime.
It may not happen, the teams are not yet set, and the Phillies and Rays may succeed. But I would love to see the Dodgers and Red Sox battling for W.S. pre-eminence.
With contemplation and in depth consideration, I think I want the Sox to win. Manny and the former Braves make cheering for L.A. tempting, but the Dodgers hired Joe Torre, and my distaste for all things Yankee is the decider. I am Red Sox Red. Play Ball!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
No Glass Plane
I have to be very careful here. I originally was planning a quite different post. Remember the finest television program of the 1970’s: “Wonder Woman”? It was ridiculously cheesy, with thin plots, crummy dialogue, and horrendous costumes. And Lynda Carter.
Wonder Woman had one tool which I’ve always wanted: a ‘golden lasso’ which would force anyone entangled in it to tell the truth. There was no dissembling, no evasion possible- once you were ‘in the loop’ you couldn’t help but spill any beans you were hiding, metaphorically speaking.
So I thought: make a picture of Wonder Woman holding the lasso while Senator Obama bean spills.
I was going to have a series of questions for Obama, but asking you, the kind reader, to answer the questions as you think Obama would answer them. I wouldn’t put words in his mouth, but I thought that however you imagined his answers would be interesting,
Problem: There are all kinds of sites with pictures of “Wonder Woman” but I don’t want FDW to be one of them. Too cheesy, or cheesecakey. Not proper for FDW.
So here we have Obama sharing poster space with DiCaprio and Crowe. Trust No One. Deceive Everyone.
I know little about the movie, but the tag line caught my attention.
It isn’t “partisan politics” which makes me distrust Obama. If he were a Conservative Republican with the same hidden backstory, same lack of accomplishments, I would not vote for him, be boosting him for President. If he were the Republican candidate, I would go Independent or sit on my hands.
For what it’s worth, I’ve been asked by the local Republican leadership if I would be willing to make phone calls for John McCain. I would feel like a hypocrite, asking others to support someone I can barely bring myself to vote for. I have not donated a dime this election to the RNC. If they want my money, they need to promote better candidates.
But back to Obama. Imagine that he is wrapped in that golden lasso of Wonder Woman. Imagine that he must answer truthfully every question he is asked. I have a few, and if you want to play, add questions in the comment section.
“Senator Obama, are you a Socialist?”
“Have you been working to create a Socialist America, replacing our Democratic political system?”
“Would you seek to weaken the defenses of the United States, disarm our military to the point where we can no longer defend ourselves?”
“Have you been lying to the American people about your past and what you intend for the future?”
“Senator Obama, have you no shame?”
Wonder Woman had one tool which I’ve always wanted: a ‘golden lasso’ which would force anyone entangled in it to tell the truth. There was no dissembling, no evasion possible- once you were ‘in the loop’ you couldn’t help but spill any beans you were hiding, metaphorically speaking.
So I thought: make a picture of Wonder Woman holding the lasso while Senator Obama bean spills.
I was going to have a series of questions for Obama, but asking you, the kind reader, to answer the questions as you think Obama would answer them. I wouldn’t put words in his mouth, but I thought that however you imagined his answers would be interesting,
Problem: There are all kinds of sites with pictures of “Wonder Woman” but I don’t want FDW to be one of them. Too cheesy, or cheesecakey. Not proper for FDW.
So here we have Obama sharing poster space with DiCaprio and Crowe. Trust No One. Deceive Everyone.
I know little about the movie, but the tag line caught my attention.
It isn’t “partisan politics” which makes me distrust Obama. If he were a Conservative Republican with the same hidden backstory, same lack of accomplishments, I would not vote for him, be boosting him for President. If he were the Republican candidate, I would go Independent or sit on my hands.
For what it’s worth, I’ve been asked by the local Republican leadership if I would be willing to make phone calls for John McCain. I would feel like a hypocrite, asking others to support someone I can barely bring myself to vote for. I have not donated a dime this election to the RNC. If they want my money, they need to promote better candidates.
But back to Obama. Imagine that he is wrapped in that golden lasso of Wonder Woman. Imagine that he must answer truthfully every question he is asked. I have a few, and if you want to play, add questions in the comment section.
“Senator Obama, are you a Socialist?”
“Have you been working to create a Socialist America, replacing our Democratic political system?”
“Would you seek to weaken the defenses of the United States, disarm our military to the point where we can no longer defend ourselves?”
“Have you been lying to the American people about your past and what you intend for the future?”
“Senator Obama, have you no shame?”
Friday, October 10, 2008
Trust Not In Chariots, Y’all!
This is just a short post (we all hope) as I have just a few spare moments, but I wanted to post about the latest fun day on Wall Street, where the Economic Elevator is heading to the basement.
It’s a bargain basement, friends. And there is nothing to fear, ever.
I’m just a lowly office worker, but I pay attention. Crisis usually cause stampedes, and there are many people reacting to this financial crisis by stampeding, getting out of the market, moving to government bonds which are ‘safe’ or looking into selling pencils or apples on the street while dodging falling financiers.
Simple short answer: Stay right where you are and things will get better.
I hear a lot of people worrying about this financial mess; I trust in God, not markets, not banks or credit unions.
God is eternal, this world isn’t, so why worry? Unless, of course, you have rejected God-that might mean that it is indeed time to panic.
But it is better to have faith. We people of faith sleep better and laugh more. And our treasure awaits us in Heaven, where, thank God, it is beyond the ability of Government to tax or declare “windfall profits”.
Let not your hearts be troubled, friends. God is in His Heaven, and all is right with the world.
It’s a bargain basement, friends. And there is nothing to fear, ever.
I’m just a lowly office worker, but I pay attention. Crisis usually cause stampedes, and there are many people reacting to this financial crisis by stampeding, getting out of the market, moving to government bonds which are ‘safe’ or looking into selling pencils or apples on the street while dodging falling financiers.
Simple short answer: Stay right where you are and things will get better.
I hear a lot of people worrying about this financial mess; I trust in God, not markets, not banks or credit unions.
God is eternal, this world isn’t, so why worry? Unless, of course, you have rejected God-that might mean that it is indeed time to panic.
But it is better to have faith. We people of faith sleep better and laugh more. And our treasure awaits us in Heaven, where, thank God, it is beyond the ability of Government to tax or declare “windfall profits”.
Let not your hearts be troubled, friends. God is in His Heaven, and all is right with the world.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
David Lynch Ain’t Got Nothing On Me
Improper but not imprecise grammatically, the title of this post will hopefully become understandable in a moment. Which moment when for you?
David Lynch the filmmaker is an artist exploring the verb of duality, the artifice of art as it is involved in the real of reality. Even he may not know what his movies are about, but he knows how they make him feel, he knows how he reacts to what he has done as a filmmaker.
If he were a Christian, Lynch would have an entire new duality to explore, which bring us to the subject of this post.
In the world, but not of it. We are born here in sin; some of us are granted citizenship of Heaven through the work of Jesus Christ; but we are still living here, which makes us aliens on our own former shores. Here’s where the debate never abates:
What is it to be so earthly minded as to be no Heavenly good? We’ve heard the example used of a stained glass salt shaker-we are the salt of the earth, but we do no good at all if we stay in the shaker. We are intended to be out and about, mixing in the world although not becoming ‘worldly’, as when the salt loses its flavor, becoming good for nothing but to be trampled underfoot.
It is possible for good Christians to hermetically seal themselves off from the world. Not just Amish groups of families, either. With Christian home schooling, only playing with like minded Christian kids, going to a Christian college, becoming a Christian pastor/teacher/worker/store owner/admin/salesperson/etc. a Christian can go through their entire lives separated from the world. I am not mocking or picking on such Christians: if that is the path God has set for you, Praise God!
But such a Christian may not understand me, or the path I have been set on.
I am more worldly than some of my brethren and sistren. To them I may seem TOO worldly.
Have I been corrupted by the world? Read on.
I used to visit in a church that held that going to movies was too worldly. I’ve mentioned this before: it was a Big Deal when we went, against church regulations, to see “Chariots Of Fire” in a movie theater in the company of our pastor. We also were not supposed to ever play cards, according to that church…even though I played card games with one of the elder members most Saturday nights.
I have struggled with sin just the same as every child of God does. I have known the Blessings of God and His Grace, just as we all do who are called by His name. But I also am comfortable in this world in way which some will not understand. I not only know who David Lynch is, but I enjoy some of his work.
The duality we all struggle with: physically living and working here while awaiting the move to our true home in Heaven works itself out differently for each of us. I remain salt in a world that needs salt. I don’t worry about losing my flavor, or favor with God, as I feel that I am where He wants me to be, doing what He wants me to do. I haven’t nearly got all of the answers, but I am comfortable with the questions.
During my seven year sojourn in the desert of Las Vegas I never went to church, and did nothing for God’s kingdom. That ‘dry spell’ where I hardly prayed or opened the Bible is a part of my path, too. I don’t know why I ran from God, but I know that He has never been thwarted in any way, and eventually I returned to fellowship.
Have I been corrupted by the world? No-the world has been improved because God has left me here to improve it. I am in no more danger of losing my Salvation than I am of growing another arm or head.
We CAN lose our sanctification, which brings about the struggle of natures, which we fight every day.
I want to always be moving closer to God, be sanctified, but I often fail. I don’t blame the world for seducing me-that blame rests on me. But Praise God for His mercies never fail, His forgiveness happens more often than the seventy times seven squared into Eternity.
Friend, whatever path God has set you on, vaya con Dios. If He sets you making tents and preaching, or keeps you a simple fisherman, or an office worker slaving over a warm computer…go with God.
David Lynch the filmmaker is an artist exploring the verb of duality, the artifice of art as it is involved in the real of reality. Even he may not know what his movies are about, but he knows how they make him feel, he knows how he reacts to what he has done as a filmmaker.
If he were a Christian, Lynch would have an entire new duality to explore, which bring us to the subject of this post.
In the world, but not of it. We are born here in sin; some of us are granted citizenship of Heaven through the work of Jesus Christ; but we are still living here, which makes us aliens on our own former shores. Here’s where the debate never abates:
What is it to be so earthly minded as to be no Heavenly good? We’ve heard the example used of a stained glass salt shaker-we are the salt of the earth, but we do no good at all if we stay in the shaker. We are intended to be out and about, mixing in the world although not becoming ‘worldly’, as when the salt loses its flavor, becoming good for nothing but to be trampled underfoot.
It is possible for good Christians to hermetically seal themselves off from the world. Not just Amish groups of families, either. With Christian home schooling, only playing with like minded Christian kids, going to a Christian college, becoming a Christian pastor/teacher/worker/store owner/admin/salesperson/etc. a Christian can go through their entire lives separated from the world. I am not mocking or picking on such Christians: if that is the path God has set for you, Praise God!
But such a Christian may not understand me, or the path I have been set on.
I am more worldly than some of my brethren and sistren. To them I may seem TOO worldly.
Have I been corrupted by the world? Read on.
I used to visit in a church that held that going to movies was too worldly. I’ve mentioned this before: it was a Big Deal when we went, against church regulations, to see “Chariots Of Fire” in a movie theater in the company of our pastor. We also were not supposed to ever play cards, according to that church…even though I played card games with one of the elder members most Saturday nights.
I have struggled with sin just the same as every child of God does. I have known the Blessings of God and His Grace, just as we all do who are called by His name. But I also am comfortable in this world in way which some will not understand. I not only know who David Lynch is, but I enjoy some of his work.
The duality we all struggle with: physically living and working here while awaiting the move to our true home in Heaven works itself out differently for each of us. I remain salt in a world that needs salt. I don’t worry about losing my flavor, or favor with God, as I feel that I am where He wants me to be, doing what He wants me to do. I haven’t nearly got all of the answers, but I am comfortable with the questions.
During my seven year sojourn in the desert of Las Vegas I never went to church, and did nothing for God’s kingdom. That ‘dry spell’ where I hardly prayed or opened the Bible is a part of my path, too. I don’t know why I ran from God, but I know that He has never been thwarted in any way, and eventually I returned to fellowship.
Have I been corrupted by the world? No-the world has been improved because God has left me here to improve it. I am in no more danger of losing my Salvation than I am of growing another arm or head.
We CAN lose our sanctification, which brings about the struggle of natures, which we fight every day.
I want to always be moving closer to God, be sanctified, but I often fail. I don’t blame the world for seducing me-that blame rests on me. But Praise God for His mercies never fail, His forgiveness happens more often than the seventy times seven squared into Eternity.
Friend, whatever path God has set you on, vaya con Dios. If He sets you making tents and preaching, or keeps you a simple fisherman, or an office worker slaving over a warm computer…go with God.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Post # 438, Believe It Or Don't!
“4 Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
I know that I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: Look at the order-to delight yourself in the LORD is to submit totally to Him, His Will, and in so doing, the desire of your heart will be met: to please God, to honor Him, to do what He would have you do.
Not your will in His name, not a rubberstamp for anything that comes into your head, or any foolishness you hear preached to you about “Prosperity”. God loves us too much to allow us to run wild in His name. Here’s an example:
“51When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; 52and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. 53But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem. 54When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; 56for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And they went on to another village.” Luke 9:51-53
James and John had cleansed lepers, healed in the name of Jesus, and felt confident that they could call down fire out of Heaven to singe those who were not respecting their Lord.
This was wrong, and Jesus rebuked them. You can estimate how big a fool a man might become by watching what he does with a little power.
If you have a dream, brother or sister in Christ, which you feel you should be doing, but it never seems to come to fruition…Loved one, you may be wrong. I’ve been wrong. I’ve had dreams of what I thought God wanted me to do…and I had to give up those dreams, as they kept me from actually being obedient to God. There was too much Doug and no Jesus in those plans. And they failed, as they should.
You may believe that God is preparing you for a mighty work…so you go ahead on your assumption instead of inquiring of God what He wants. Maybe He has better plans for you in this world; maybe the better plans await you in the next. Right now is only a short term, a few moments compared to Eternity.
What can we do? As I quoted in the last post: “10 “Cease striving and know that I am God” or, as it is in the better known KJV: “10 Be still, and know that I am God”. Trust that if you make a mess of your life, you have lots of company (we ALL fail!). But God is sure and unchanging, and will get us through the present crisis, just as He always has in the past. We may be humbled, we may lose our pride, we may feel His rebuke as James and John did, but that just makes it easier for God to fix what we break. Praise God for His Love, extended to His children!
And He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
I know that I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: Look at the order-to delight yourself in the LORD is to submit totally to Him, His Will, and in so doing, the desire of your heart will be met: to please God, to honor Him, to do what He would have you do.
Not your will in His name, not a rubberstamp for anything that comes into your head, or any foolishness you hear preached to you about “Prosperity”. God loves us too much to allow us to run wild in His name. Here’s an example:
“51When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; 52and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. 53But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem. 54When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; 56for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And they went on to another village.” Luke 9:51-53
James and John had cleansed lepers, healed in the name of Jesus, and felt confident that they could call down fire out of Heaven to singe those who were not respecting their Lord.
This was wrong, and Jesus rebuked them. You can estimate how big a fool a man might become by watching what he does with a little power.
If you have a dream, brother or sister in Christ, which you feel you should be doing, but it never seems to come to fruition…Loved one, you may be wrong. I’ve been wrong. I’ve had dreams of what I thought God wanted me to do…and I had to give up those dreams, as they kept me from actually being obedient to God. There was too much Doug and no Jesus in those plans. And they failed, as they should.
You may believe that God is preparing you for a mighty work…so you go ahead on your assumption instead of inquiring of God what He wants. Maybe He has better plans for you in this world; maybe the better plans await you in the next. Right now is only a short term, a few moments compared to Eternity.
What can we do? As I quoted in the last post: “10 “Cease striving and know that I am God” or, as it is in the better known KJV: “10 Be still, and know that I am God”. Trust that if you make a mess of your life, you have lots of company (we ALL fail!). But God is sure and unchanging, and will get us through the present crisis, just as He always has in the past. We may be humbled, we may lose our pride, we may feel His rebuke as James and John did, but that just makes it easier for God to fix what we break. Praise God for His Love, extended to His children!
Monday, September 29, 2008
What, Me Worried?
Psalm 46
God the Refuge of His People
For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, set to Alamoth. A Song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.
Selah.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He raised His voice, the earth melted.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah.
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah.
My my my, aren't we in a season of turmoil! Our misbegotten financial failure is fevering markets around the world. Ho Hum.
This is what happens when Man rejects God. I've been broker than broke in my life, but whether I have a nickel or millions, God is there for me and all of His Children.
Don't worry. Be happy. Trust that no matter how much Man screws up, God is actually in charge. Those who created this mess want us all to pay for cleaning it up.
And they want to be in charge of the cleanup, if for no other reason than to stay out of prison. The scoundrels pretend to be saviors. Of course, this brings us back to Galatians:
" 7Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." Galatians 6:7,8
You don't see any sowing to the Spirit in this financial mess, do you? So guess what? That's right.
If you are a Christian, we know that your treasure is in Heaven. May God Bless you today.
God the Refuge of His People
For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, set to Alamoth. A Song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.
Selah.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He raised His voice, the earth melted.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah.
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah.
My my my, aren't we in a season of turmoil! Our misbegotten financial failure is fevering markets around the world. Ho Hum.
This is what happens when Man rejects God. I've been broker than broke in my life, but whether I have a nickel or millions, God is there for me and all of His Children.
Don't worry. Be happy. Trust that no matter how much Man screws up, God is actually in charge. Those who created this mess want us all to pay for cleaning it up.
And they want to be in charge of the cleanup, if for no other reason than to stay out of prison. The scoundrels pretend to be saviors. Of course, this brings us back to Galatians:
" 7Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." Galatians 6:7,8
You don't see any sowing to the Spirit in this financial mess, do you? So guess what? That's right.
If you are a Christian, we know that your treasure is in Heaven. May God Bless you today.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Just a Few Words About Hypocrites
This may not get more comments than usual, but I think it may be read more closely. Everyone loves a hypocrite, don’t they? Or at least hearing about them getting their come-uppance? Yeah!
Hold on, Tigger.
“1“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1
We all know that it is wrong to practice your righteousness before men to be noticed by them…but what constitutes “pretentious righteousness”? Making a show of your Christian giving? Press releases extolling your virtues? Practicing Mercy? Going to a church? Having a Bible? A bumpersticker? Faith?
Here’s the thing. A non-Christian may not be Spiritually discerning, but they do know that no-one can measure up to the impossible measure of Christ’s Righteousness. They can’t, and they are certain that Christians can’t either. So they must be hypocrites for pretending that they can.
But:
17For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.18So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.”
Romans 5:17-19
When a Christian is made righteous before God, the impossible happens. And that doesn’t square those who think Christianity is all bunk.
Are there Christian hypocrites? Absolutely. We are human, we fail, and just like anyone else, we try to hide our failings. But we have the added knowledge that God is never fooled by our weak attempts to fig leaf our faults.
“1Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. 3But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. 4For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. 5Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.” 1 Cor 4:1-5
If you know any Christian hypocrites, you may find some small satisfaction in the fact that God will deal with them. Show some mercy, guys.
Hold on, Tigger.
“1“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1
We all know that it is wrong to practice your righteousness before men to be noticed by them…but what constitutes “pretentious righteousness”? Making a show of your Christian giving? Press releases extolling your virtues? Practicing Mercy? Going to a church? Having a Bible? A bumpersticker? Faith?
Here’s the thing. A non-Christian may not be Spiritually discerning, but they do know that no-one can measure up to the impossible measure of Christ’s Righteousness. They can’t, and they are certain that Christians can’t either. So they must be hypocrites for pretending that they can.
But:
17For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.18So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.”
Romans 5:17-19
When a Christian is made righteous before God, the impossible happens. And that doesn’t square those who think Christianity is all bunk.
Are there Christian hypocrites? Absolutely. We are human, we fail, and just like anyone else, we try to hide our failings. But we have the added knowledge that God is never fooled by our weak attempts to fig leaf our faults.
“1Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. 3But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. 4For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. 5Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.” 1 Cor 4:1-5
If you know any Christian hypocrites, you may find some small satisfaction in the fact that God will deal with them. Show some mercy, guys.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Not Gilty
As in: not golden, not wealthy, not.
Where does most of the trouble in the world come from? The heart of man.
What does the heart of man yearn for?
Security. Love. Success.
Problem: This world is a pasteboard mockup, a false cosmos, where the security, love and success
offered are cheap knock offs of the true items.
Do you want security? It is only found with God. What God makes secure is safe through Eternity.
Love? The truest Love is that expressed by God for His Creation. God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to die for it’s redemption. That is Love.
Success?
“1Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. 2Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire.” James 5:1-3a
I will never be rich in this world. The siren call of gold leaves me cold. What I have I have through the Grace of God, and it is enough.
I am successful, success not of my own making, as I am Loved by God. THAT is Success. That is Security. And they are available to you. May God richly Bless you today.
Where does most of the trouble in the world come from? The heart of man.
What does the heart of man yearn for?
Security. Love. Success.
Problem: This world is a pasteboard mockup, a false cosmos, where the security, love and success
offered are cheap knock offs of the true items.
Do you want security? It is only found with God. What God makes secure is safe through Eternity.
Love? The truest Love is that expressed by God for His Creation. God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to die for it’s redemption. That is Love.
Success?
“1Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. 2Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire.” James 5:1-3a
I will never be rich in this world. The siren call of gold leaves me cold. What I have I have through the Grace of God, and it is enough.
I am successful, success not of my own making, as I am Loved by God. THAT is Success. That is Security. And they are available to you. May God richly Bless you today.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
How God Will Fix Washington
How God will fix Washington and the rest of the world comes to mind often. I am not a ‘doom and gloomer’; we read in God’s Word of a brighter future for this world, once the present dismal Gordian knot of a world system is done away with. This world we inhabit by the Grace of God will see its finest (final) days during what is called “The Millennial Kingdom”.
This post isn’t a theological dissertation, just an overview of what I believe the Bible shows us has happened, and will be happening in the future. If what I write bumps up against your theology or beliefs, please forgive.
To put it simply, this world has been being judged by God in stages since the Fall. Adam and Eve evicted from the Garden, man separated from God, from the Eden of a planet God had set for us. Here there be weeds. That’s a judgment we are still living in.
God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, made it possible for us to enter again into Eden, by being restored to fellowship with God. We (His children) are redeemed, but are in the stage where our (His) planet has not yet been fully redeemed. And we are still in sinful bodies, part of this unredeemed world.
God’s plan calls for the return of Jesus Christ physically to this earth, to set up His Millennial Kingdom, when He will rule with a rod of iron, the next stage of Judgment for this planet. This is the point where the ‘Gordian knot of a world system’ mentioned earlier is done away with. Most of the planet’s inhabitants will be joined in battle against God, and will be wiped out. This is an event often misunderstood-read Psalm 2 for a description of this battle. A small remnant of humanity will be left alive, will survive into the Kingdom Age. Zechariah chapter 14 details some of this period.
During the thousand years of Christ’s rule, Satan will be confined, and the human remnant will have the choice of accepting Christ or not, without being influenced by Satan. And there will be those who, even without that infernal influence, will reject Christ. That’s cold, man. With God Himself ruling from Jerusalem, with the evidence right before their eyes…some will still say no.
During this time we will be tasked with rebuilding the world, for Him, not against Him. The human remnant will repopulate the world-I don’t have all the answers, just questions about the status of His children during that age. I know that the ‘kings of the earth’ mentioned in Psalm 2 are the present age world rulers, and the ‘kings of the earth’ noted in Revelation 21:24 are those appointed by the King to rule beneath Him and pay tribute, ‘bring their glory’ into His presence.
“22I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.”
After 1000 years, Satan is allowed out for a short time, and he beguiles those who have rejected Christ to once more array themselves against Him. This is the final battle of Armageddon, after which not only Satan and those with him are destroyed, but the final judgment is accomplished when the Heavens and the Earth are replaced, noted in Revelation chapter 21:1- “1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.”
Then, after all that the judgments will be done; His faithful flock will be with Christ in eternity.
So there you have it, a short thumbnail sketch of the future. There is so much more to discover about His Kingdom- Ezekiel, Daniel and Isaiah have much to impart to us about Christ’s return and Rule. You have opportunity now to get on the right side of History.
May God Bless you today.
This post isn’t a theological dissertation, just an overview of what I believe the Bible shows us has happened, and will be happening in the future. If what I write bumps up against your theology or beliefs, please forgive.
To put it simply, this world has been being judged by God in stages since the Fall. Adam and Eve evicted from the Garden, man separated from God, from the Eden of a planet God had set for us. Here there be weeds. That’s a judgment we are still living in.
God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, made it possible for us to enter again into Eden, by being restored to fellowship with God. We (His children) are redeemed, but are in the stage where our (His) planet has not yet been fully redeemed. And we are still in sinful bodies, part of this unredeemed world.
God’s plan calls for the return of Jesus Christ physically to this earth, to set up His Millennial Kingdom, when He will rule with a rod of iron, the next stage of Judgment for this planet. This is the point where the ‘Gordian knot of a world system’ mentioned earlier is done away with. Most of the planet’s inhabitants will be joined in battle against God, and will be wiped out. This is an event often misunderstood-read Psalm 2 for a description of this battle. A small remnant of humanity will be left alive, will survive into the Kingdom Age. Zechariah chapter 14 details some of this period.
During the thousand years of Christ’s rule, Satan will be confined, and the human remnant will have the choice of accepting Christ or not, without being influenced by Satan. And there will be those who, even without that infernal influence, will reject Christ. That’s cold, man. With God Himself ruling from Jerusalem, with the evidence right before their eyes…some will still say no.
During this time we will be tasked with rebuilding the world, for Him, not against Him. The human remnant will repopulate the world-I don’t have all the answers, just questions about the status of His children during that age. I know that the ‘kings of the earth’ mentioned in Psalm 2 are the present age world rulers, and the ‘kings of the earth’ noted in Revelation 21:24 are those appointed by the King to rule beneath Him and pay tribute, ‘bring their glory’ into His presence.
“22I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.”
After 1000 years, Satan is allowed out for a short time, and he beguiles those who have rejected Christ to once more array themselves against Him. This is the final battle of Armageddon, after which not only Satan and those with him are destroyed, but the final judgment is accomplished when the Heavens and the Earth are replaced, noted in Revelation chapter 21:1- “1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.”
Then, after all that the judgments will be done; His faithful flock will be with Christ in eternity.
So there you have it, a short thumbnail sketch of the future. There is so much more to discover about His Kingdom- Ezekiel, Daniel and Isaiah have much to impart to us about Christ’s return and Rule. You have opportunity now to get on the right side of History.
May God Bless you today.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
I’ve fixed Washington!
I am half genius at times. Modesty demands that I stop there, but I have figured out how to fix Washington D.C., the seat of Government.
First, a few good mentions of the varied thought threads tumbling around our stratosphere:
Government IS broken. For a fairly large country, we don’t seem to get much bang for our tax buck; Two thirds of Wash (please forgive the abbreviate) is earning a living frustrating four thirds of Wash (government math is VERY facile and fluid-you can make figures do/prove anything!) from doing what it is being paid to accomplish.
Imagine a chess board. Imagine every square filled with a chess piece. Imagine the chess pieces stacked on each others shoulders so high that the very top pieces are scraping moondust. That is our broken government in inaction in Washington D.C.
Second, some of the most dangerous players in Wash are the ones who actually do get things done, often to the detriment of the country. Their allegiance is to the Wash chessboard-it’s all they know, it’s all they care about.
Third, for the 44th Presidential election in a row, earnest Politicians are declaring that they (and only they)
Will fix Washington. So call my little idea a backup plan, in case the most recent public servants somehow fail in their quest.
Here T’is:
1. Rather than taxing the peepul back to the Stone Age, I suggest a Tax on Public service.
If you want to be known as Senator Somebody….you must pay a minimum tax of $15,000,000 per year of service. And not out of the public till, either: you must use your own amassed fortune. If you can’t afford it, someone else will.
2. Anyone public servant found with his hand in the till loses the hand. Figuratively speaking, of course: we aren’t Muslim. But that servant would forfeit his entire fortune, and be tossed out of office and right into debtor’s prison, where the amount he attempted to steal would be the price of his freedom.
Note: Just by putting into practice the first two steps, we would see the end of influence peddlers, extorsio-lobbyists, “soft money”. No public servant would be willing to be ‘influenced’ if there was even a small chance that he would be caught and booted into debtor’s prison. The straight and narrow would have to be expanded for all of the honest traffic which brings me to
3. Any actual work which is necessary for the good of the country, such as maintaining the (lovely) infrastructure…will be done by private contractors, not government shovel leaners. Contractors win contracts by bid, not influence. Contractors lose bids by attempted influence, which subjects them to the same debtor’s prison. Can’t show partiality, just because they aren’t as low as public servants. Rather than expanding government to do work…cut a check and put the private sector to work. This means:
Schools? Put them up for bid. If you want to run a school, YOU pay government, government doesn’t pay you.
Health care? Up for bid.
Social Security? Up for bid.
You get the idea: there is no money to be made working FOR the government. Private sector is where the money is, where the money should stay.
4. Ambition in the heart of a politician is like a loaded gun in the hand of a monkey. Ambition must be channeled, directed into positive goals:
If a Senator or Representative can delete $150,000,000 per year of government waste, through firing layers of bureaucracy (ten times his minimum yearly tax)…he is allowed to run for a second term. If not…not.
No more lifetimes of living at the taxpayers expense, filling their pockets with tax dough. Once government gets cut down to a workable size, where goals are accomplished quickly and cheaply…maybe a third term would be allowed for a public servant. But they would have to maintain that government waste to minimum tax ratio. I don’t want to be considered unfair. The one who cuts the most waste can be President. For the next year. One term and out.
First, a few good mentions of the varied thought threads tumbling around our stratosphere:
Government IS broken. For a fairly large country, we don’t seem to get much bang for our tax buck; Two thirds of Wash (please forgive the abbreviate) is earning a living frustrating four thirds of Wash (government math is VERY facile and fluid-you can make figures do/prove anything!) from doing what it is being paid to accomplish.
Imagine a chess board. Imagine every square filled with a chess piece. Imagine the chess pieces stacked on each others shoulders so high that the very top pieces are scraping moondust. That is our broken government in inaction in Washington D.C.
Second, some of the most dangerous players in Wash are the ones who actually do get things done, often to the detriment of the country. Their allegiance is to the Wash chessboard-it’s all they know, it’s all they care about.
Third, for the 44th Presidential election in a row, earnest Politicians are declaring that they (and only they)
Will fix Washington. So call my little idea a backup plan, in case the most recent public servants somehow fail in their quest.
Here T’is:
1. Rather than taxing the peepul back to the Stone Age, I suggest a Tax on Public service.
If you want to be known as Senator Somebody….you must pay a minimum tax of $15,000,000 per year of service. And not out of the public till, either: you must use your own amassed fortune. If you can’t afford it, someone else will.
2. Anyone public servant found with his hand in the till loses the hand. Figuratively speaking, of course: we aren’t Muslim. But that servant would forfeit his entire fortune, and be tossed out of office and right into debtor’s prison, where the amount he attempted to steal would be the price of his freedom.
Note: Just by putting into practice the first two steps, we would see the end of influence peddlers, extorsio-lobbyists, “soft money”. No public servant would be willing to be ‘influenced’ if there was even a small chance that he would be caught and booted into debtor’s prison. The straight and narrow would have to be expanded for all of the honest traffic which brings me to
3. Any actual work which is necessary for the good of the country, such as maintaining the (lovely) infrastructure…will be done by private contractors, not government shovel leaners. Contractors win contracts by bid, not influence. Contractors lose bids by attempted influence, which subjects them to the same debtor’s prison. Can’t show partiality, just because they aren’t as low as public servants. Rather than expanding government to do work…cut a check and put the private sector to work. This means:
Schools? Put them up for bid. If you want to run a school, YOU pay government, government doesn’t pay you.
Health care? Up for bid.
Social Security? Up for bid.
You get the idea: there is no money to be made working FOR the government. Private sector is where the money is, where the money should stay.
4. Ambition in the heart of a politician is like a loaded gun in the hand of a monkey. Ambition must be channeled, directed into positive goals:
If a Senator or Representative can delete $150,000,000 per year of government waste, through firing layers of bureaucracy (ten times his minimum yearly tax)…he is allowed to run for a second term. If not…not.
No more lifetimes of living at the taxpayers expense, filling their pockets with tax dough. Once government gets cut down to a workable size, where goals are accomplished quickly and cheaply…maybe a third term would be allowed for a public servant. But they would have to maintain that government waste to minimum tax ratio. I don’t want to be considered unfair. The one who cuts the most waste can be President. For the next year. One term and out.
Friday, September 19, 2008
License To Ill 2008
Ah yes, the Beastie Boys of Autumn are coming back, and we should be ready.
Have you ever seen a person act inexcusably while intoxicated? That’s fancy language for:
“Have you seen drunks do stupid things?” Yes, yes, and yes to your next question.
As long as it is a social event: birthday party, holiday, big game…social drinkers are forgiven anti-social behavior, just so long as:
Nobody saw it
Nobody heard it happen
The cops don’t catch you.
You’re only guilty if caught. Isn’t that an interesting concept? Rather than being hindered by a conscience
(which, when a drunk is about his business, is bound, gagged and tossed in the truck of a car) the only rule is: don’t get caught.
Eventually, everyone sobers up; the conscience escapes the trunk and starts causing kettledrums to beat inside the head of those who have ‘drinker’s remorse’.
But this isn’t a post about alcohol consumption.
Near the end of every election we endure those charmless gremlins who steal the yard signs of opponents. “The Grems” might also key a car with the ‘wrong’ bumpersticker in a parking lot, or, as happened in 2004, shoot shotguns into campaign headquarters, slash tires on vans meant to get out the vote, physically beat those with whom they disagree politically.
Partisan pride is the excuse-it’s considered forgivable, as “both sides do it” (see my post on JABA), ‘the other side is evil incarnate, so they deserve much worse than they got.’, etc.
No, No and No.
Those who attempt to justify such behavior stain both their political party and their conscience. If your “blowing off some steam” becomes criminal, then you are guilty, whether or not someone witnesses your offense.
Don't be a partisan gremlin, and don't applaud the fools when they boast about their exploits.
For the record, I have never so much as touched an opponent’s yard sign. Or been drunk. The conscience is so much lighter when you accept responsibility for your actions, and have nothing to regret.
Have you ever seen a person act inexcusably while intoxicated? That’s fancy language for:
“Have you seen drunks do stupid things?” Yes, yes, and yes to your next question.
As long as it is a social event: birthday party, holiday, big game…social drinkers are forgiven anti-social behavior, just so long as:
Nobody saw it
Nobody heard it happen
The cops don’t catch you.
You’re only guilty if caught. Isn’t that an interesting concept? Rather than being hindered by a conscience
(which, when a drunk is about his business, is bound, gagged and tossed in the truck of a car) the only rule is: don’t get caught.
Eventually, everyone sobers up; the conscience escapes the trunk and starts causing kettledrums to beat inside the head of those who have ‘drinker’s remorse’.
But this isn’t a post about alcohol consumption.
Near the end of every election we endure those charmless gremlins who steal the yard signs of opponents. “The Grems” might also key a car with the ‘wrong’ bumpersticker in a parking lot, or, as happened in 2004, shoot shotguns into campaign headquarters, slash tires on vans meant to get out the vote, physically beat those with whom they disagree politically.
Partisan pride is the excuse-it’s considered forgivable, as “both sides do it” (see my post on JABA), ‘the other side is evil incarnate, so they deserve much worse than they got.’, etc.
No, No and No.
Those who attempt to justify such behavior stain both their political party and their conscience. If your “blowing off some steam” becomes criminal, then you are guilty, whether or not someone witnesses your offense.
Don't be a partisan gremlin, and don't applaud the fools when they boast about their exploits.
For the record, I have never so much as touched an opponent’s yard sign. Or been drunk. The conscience is so much lighter when you accept responsibility for your actions, and have nothing to regret.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The Final Jesture
I have no right to be writing this post. It isn’t political, or humorous; it touches lightly on theology, but not as you might expect. A few short words about shortened life.
David Foster Wallace hanged himself the other night. I had never heard of him, had not read his acclaimed novel, “Infinite Jest”, and I have no obit, no praise for his work, no “Left us too soon.” to shake my head over.
Then why mention Wallace at all?
Affinity. A bonded humanity. Bear with me.
I guess I was affected by Wallace's suicide in part because he was younger than I am; to find life that miserable, that unbearable is sad. He was renown for his humor.
There is happy humor and unhappy humor, happy funnymen (example: Patrick F. McManus) and unhappy funnymen (Sam Kinison).
The clown’s painted smile often hides a frown.
Here’s the theology you might want to skip over: Man was created for God’s Praise, to commune with our Creator. But we live in a fallen world, where many (most) are separated from God.
That this IS a fallen world is very apparent to those humorists working out their displeasure with agile minds and acid tongues. Much of their humor is based on how rotten, how unfair the world is.
Anger turned inward will eat you up. Anger turned outward adds to the fallen state of the world; as what you sow, so shall you reap, and angry begets angry.
As I said, I have no idea about Wallace’s work. But I think we can infer that he wasn’t happy, that the world seemed wrong to him, or he wouldn’t have wanted to leave. His writing may have been joyous, humorous, without a touch of anger or bitterness. That’s the outside man seeking applause, kudos, laughter, hoping to bring peace to the inner man. The clown’s painted smile.
For the most part, I’m a happy funnyman. Because I was made to be at Peace with God nearly 30 years ago, I have no anger at being stuck in a fallen Creation. I do not vent at God, as Kinison (a former Assemblies of God minister) did until his car crash. I still have a dark side, but it would fit in a thimble with enough room left over for your thumb. Meaning that I’m human, but I’m getting over it.
I said that these would be a few short words about a shortened life. God sets the number of our days, and He decides when we've had enough. For His children, He decides when we are ready for More. It is a wonderful, joyous thing to be at Peace with God.
David Foster Wallace hanged himself the other night. I had never heard of him, had not read his acclaimed novel, “Infinite Jest”, and I have no obit, no praise for his work, no “Left us too soon.” to shake my head over.
Then why mention Wallace at all?
Affinity. A bonded humanity. Bear with me.
I guess I was affected by Wallace's suicide in part because he was younger than I am; to find life that miserable, that unbearable is sad. He was renown for his humor.
There is happy humor and unhappy humor, happy funnymen (example: Patrick F. McManus) and unhappy funnymen (Sam Kinison).
The clown’s painted smile often hides a frown.
Here’s the theology you might want to skip over: Man was created for God’s Praise, to commune with our Creator. But we live in a fallen world, where many (most) are separated from God.
That this IS a fallen world is very apparent to those humorists working out their displeasure with agile minds and acid tongues. Much of their humor is based on how rotten, how unfair the world is.
Anger turned inward will eat you up. Anger turned outward adds to the fallen state of the world; as what you sow, so shall you reap, and angry begets angry.
As I said, I have no idea about Wallace’s work. But I think we can infer that he wasn’t happy, that the world seemed wrong to him, or he wouldn’t have wanted to leave. His writing may have been joyous, humorous, without a touch of anger or bitterness. That’s the outside man seeking applause, kudos, laughter, hoping to bring peace to the inner man. The clown’s painted smile.
For the most part, I’m a happy funnyman. Because I was made to be at Peace with God nearly 30 years ago, I have no anger at being stuck in a fallen Creation. I do not vent at God, as Kinison (a former Assemblies of God minister) did until his car crash. I still have a dark side, but it would fit in a thimble with enough room left over for your thumb. Meaning that I’m human, but I’m getting over it.
I said that these would be a few short words about a shortened life. God sets the number of our days, and He decides when we've had enough. For His children, He decides when we are ready for More. It is a wonderful, joyous thing to be at Peace with God.
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