Not Live Blogging The New Year

...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.”

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?

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.

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.
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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.

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

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.

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.

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."