Nothing To Do With Christianity

I'm on the job, Frankie.
Hey, YOUTH!
What you see pictured above is not Christianity.
It is a Human facsimile of Christ and His Church but, being a wholly human enterprise,
it offers NOTHING but false faith and empty 'purpose'.
Run from it as quickly as you can.
Seek Christ not in a church, but where you are...right now.
When He died on the cross He made it possible for ALL to seek and find
God without going through any Human intermediary.
If you want purpose in your life,
If you hope for a better future,
If you want to LIVE,
Seek Christ.

The Yet Is Best To Kingdom Come

You will see and maybe send Christmas cards which proclaim:
"Peace on earth, goodwill towards men."
You may say to yourself, "Yeah, we all want peace and goodwill. Those are our goals."
Hold on, Peanut.
What does the verse say?
 ¹⁴    “Glory to God in the highest,     And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
Luke 2:14
First and foremost, God receives the Glory.
'peace among men with whom He is pleased'.
What started with a few shepherds, has spread through out the entire earth, through Christ and the men with whom He is pleased-those who believe, who are called by His title, Christians.
You may not be able to tell from the outside,  and there may be rancor and divisions amongst us imperfect Christians, but we are at peace with God and pretty much at peace with each other.

When will it end? It won't.
¹⁸“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Genesis 22:18
When Christ returns and  rules from His city Jerusalem...all the nations of the world will be blessed.
"⁹And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one." Zechariah 14:9
Here comes the good part showing that all the world will be blessed:

"²⁰“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 
²¹‘The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I will also go.” 
²²‘So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.’ 
²³“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” Zechariah 8:20-23
 
We may have to wait awhile, but give Glory to God, for He will accomplish what He has promised, and there will be Peace.

For Your Enrichment

Something a bit different. Here are a few of the podcasts which I have been listening to lately which I think may prove interesting to y'all:


99% Invisible

Criminal Podcast

And finally, without a single molecule of explanation...
Welcome To Night Vale

I listen through iTunes with my fancy shmantzy iPod, but look for the links and listen however you do.
Peace and Love and all of that.

Christians On High Horses:Nyet Yet

"¹¹Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 
¹²Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of ^£visitation." 1 Peter 2:11-12

Knightstown, Indiana-town had a cross atop a Christmas tree, and some ACLUddite said that the cross 'challenged his civil liberties'.
So now the cross is gone, and some of the Knightstownians are riled.
Hold on, Christians soldiers! Don't go marching as to War until you cogitate some.
This Knightstown massacree is a perfect opportunity to keep our behavior excellent amongst 'em.
Remember: WE are the aliens and strangers here in this present cosmos; if someone puts up a cross and you like it, great. Merry Christmas.
BUT if someone objects, this is their world. We are to obey all civil authorities PERIOD. If a town allows a cross, good. If a town rejects a cross...that is the right of that town.
¹³Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 
¹⁴or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 
¹⁵For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men."
1 Peter 2:13-15 
Christians are to be humble, not getting on some high horses, demanding this, that, and most especially the other.
Right now today some of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world are facing persecution, being murdered for carrying the name of Christ.
So, if you are offended by someone else who is being offended by something else that offends some other neighbor...you can handle it. The 'fleshly lusts' in verse 11 above would include the fleshly demand that things be done your way. To be right.
We're the aliens now...but one day we will all be righteously riding on high horses:
"¹¹And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 
¹²His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 
¹³He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 
¹⁴And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses." Revelation 19:11-14
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Hooves Two

Part one talked about the 'little hammer theory'-that someone with low self esteem will "
carry around reasons "WHY" they deserve misery. I use the metaphor of 'little hammers'. They have a collection of little hammers with which to hit, to knock themselves down."
That is internal.
External?
If there is someone whom you dislike, do not respect...you will jump on any decision
of that person, becoming hyper-hypercritical.
Every single move of that person you will see in absolutely the worst light. 
Ask anyone about their EX. You know what I mean.
You will convince yourself that they deserve every punishment which happens, and also believe that they do not deserve to be credited with any accomplishment.
Why?
Simply because you don't like them.
A person with low self esteem punishes himself,
OR
projects that displeasure onto others that they can safely find fault with.
It's all  defense mechs. Rather than beating themselves up, they find a target they can unload on to make themselves feel better.
They will grab any hammer to toss at that person-he's too smug, he's a liar, she's a fake, whatever.
What you see above are Dulcimer hammers. What kind of music you make with them is up to you.
Not everyone suffers from low self esteem.
Some with rhinoceros skin have a greater self esteem than they ought. Just another defense mech to make it through life.
Is there a happiness medium? Well?
Yes. don't beat yourself up, and don't believe your own press.
Forgive the hammer target, whether it's yourself or another. Forgive-we're all just living, sharing the earth's crust. Seek peace.

Hoofprints And Hooves

Here we go.
Those who suffers from low self esteem, a poor self image carry around reasons "WHY" they deserve misery. I use the metaphor of 'little hammers'. They have a collection of little hammers with which to hit, to knock themselves down.
They will grasp on to any hammer within reach. And they keep them inside, close at hand.
Examples-"I'm fat!" (hammer 1) "I'm ugly!" (hammer 2) "No one likes me!" (three).
The person might actually be thin, beautiful and popular, but those are the hammers that he or she will pound themselves with because they will never be thin enough, pretty enough or popular enough.
If, by some miracle, they do toss away one of their little hammers...they still have the others, and may pick up the dropped one at any time.
The heart of it is finding justification for feeling so critical about themselves. 
A well integrated personality does not suffer from low self esteem-they assess themselves clearly, accepting that they have good and bad qualities, just as we all do.
A well integrated personality can handle criticism, accept responsibility for their actions because their egos are not threatened. I call it rhinoceros skin.
A person with low self esteem will see any criticism from others as a nearly mortal blow to their ego-so they have created a defense mechanism: nothing is their fault, everything that happens is because someone else did something bad. They can't handle an ounce of criticism.
Are those with low self esteem doomed to a lifetime of little hammers?
No.
Everyone goes through those phases, and the first step towards earning your rhinoceros skin is to toss away your hammers. Don't treat yourself so poorly. Accept that you are a person of value, someone who will, yes, make mistakes, but also someone who will achieve goals and do good.
If you do screw up...resist the temptation to pick up that hammer. Instead:
"Yup-I blew that. Not the end of the world." And then move on.

3rd MAN OR WOMAN INTERROGATIVE POINT

Noticed something a bit ago that seems a trend.
Look at our buddies in the picture above.
Each on the left is dialoguing with the right.
The man in the DQ interacts with the construction worker.
Mom left remotely speaks with Mom right.
The guy loving his Italian DQ tries to share his enthusiasm with a few "Italian" stereotypes.
Separated by location, not looking/speaking through a phone or laptop...
and WE are the third persons (Godview) watching their interact.
See? We've been conditioned by decades of commercials to accept viewing interactions in the 3rd P.
Back in the old days we would see through a split screen a father talking on the phone with a daughter about the merits of Old Spice coffee or whatever is being marketed at us.
Now?
We have distant communicators interacting WITHOUT DEVICE.
We don't hardly notice. Weird.

Evry Silver Has Dark Within

It's a trick-admittedly not a very clever one. Misspell the first word of a post title to catch the attention of the reader, who assumes a mistake. 
At least you may pause to read rather than passing by in a split second to go look at dog pictures.
Still here? Good. 
I may as well start with the beer commercials.
Happy beautiful people (racially-coded, carefully gender-coded...but all HAPPY!) drinking at parties/events, promoted at us by whichever beer company.
Huopo zeitgeist. 
These beer adverts show ALL silver lining, but the dark within oblits any good light.
This isn't an alcohol screed. Read on, please.
"How did people maintain their facade of 'Everything is warm and fuzzy, bright and good in my life' before Facebook?"
Facade. Facebook. You DO realize that the first syllable is: Fac  (Fake)?  I know-'C' with an 'S' sound.
But 'fake' is right there in the meaning: synonyms are: show, front, appearance, pretense, simulation, affectation, semblance, illusion, act, masquerade, charade, mask, cloak, veil, veneer.
If everyone were living great happy good shining light lives everyday, Facebook would mirror reality. It is at best a glass darkly.
You might, if you know me (or don't), assume from this post that I am despondent or morbid.
Nyet, comrades. 
Like everyone else, I am light and darkness.  I'm just being honest about it. 
I enjoy Life, but will enjoy it more when, having passed from this mortal mud hut, I will be light in the presence of God, all dark left behind. 
But until that day...here we are. 
Don't sabotage your life with darknessess hidden by silver linings. If drinking is killing you, quit.
If your life isn't as cheery as your Facebook posts...do what you can to confront and defeat the dragons holding you in darkness.  Asking for help is not weak, but an admission that none of us is strong on our own. You are made for better things. Life IS humbling. God gives Grace to the humble, and He always will.

Please Drink And Drive

PLEASE DRINK AND DRIVE. PLEASE.
What's missing?
{DON'T}
Why?
Don't is insensate, emotionally. Invisible-we live our lives ignoring most don'ts. 
We don't notice don'ts anymore against the passing colors of everyday life because we
feel that they {don'ts} don't apply to us personally.
"No one can tell me how to live!"
So...why the gentleman pictured?
We've all seen emotionally charged don'ts displayed-
in the case of drunk driving, a picture of
an angelic child killed by a drunk driver is used
to tug at our hearts and reinforce the DON'T.
This is Thelonious Monk. Not killed by a drunk driver.
Pictured as the opposite of the angelic kid picture.
I also show his picture to remind us that he existed, and that his music still exists.
DO seek him out, and please do notice the don'ts around you.
Some of them might save your life for another day.

This Poor Woman Has Suffered Enough

This isn't mocking, or me being sarcastic-I think that the misguided "Let's force the Electors to switch their vote!" people are doing harm to Hillary Clinton.
Her defeat was most devastating because she and her faithful were so certain that she would win.
When she conceded the election, that was the end-she was done.
We've all had failures, we've all been hurt by losses.
Those who are threatening Electors, or promising to pay any fines if there is a penalty for switching their votes on December 19th...they are the ones who keep fresh the election loss for Hillary; they hurt her by not letting go of a mad hope.
Do you see her campaigning? Is she calling for Electors to switch their votes? No.
She's a pragmatist.
Let it go.
A handful of fanatics attempting to pressure others into changing the outcome of an Election-that is not democracy.
Time to move forward.
Go.

No Moral High Ground In A Swamp

Y'all wishing evil on President elect Trump, nipping at his heels-you are fighting against our collective Future.
Swamp creatures of the [D] AND [R] varieties will egg you on, keep the hypermental fires burning against those who support President Elect Trump's plans to Drain The Swamp (DTS).
January 21st WE WILL be living under a Trump administration. 
Don't fight against our future.
You and I need PEACE.
We can have PEACE.
But only if we are peaceable.
Expect the Swampers to fight dirty, to obfuscate and lie.
Expect the Media to dance to the Swampers tune.
Trump promised Term limits. Term limits would go far in draining the swamp.
Term limits isn't a Republican or Democrat ideal-if it were, it would have been
implemented already.
Such limits are an American ideal-the President has a term limit, and we love that.
If a Representative or Senator is term limited,  no man or woman will be entrenched in political deadlock for very long.
Right now we are paying way, WAY too much for nothing being accomplished!
If you don't like Trump just as I don't like Obama, follow my example:
in eight years I have always accepted that Obama is President while opposing just about everything he has done.
I have respected the Office holder, and the Office, even when he has proven himself to be disrespectful of most of the beliefs that I hold.
You can survive four years of Trump. Prove how good you are, be a good citizen and vote him out of office next chance you get, in four years. Peace.

Save Your Giddy For Heaven

No, this isn't from tonight with its 'el supremo luna'-but 14 months ago. Doesn't matter-been thinking about the euphoric and desolate emotions cascading back and forth across the body republic.
The Always-Trumpers feel great, and that's okay. 
The Never-Trumpers of all stripes have felt terrible, but that's normal, and that emotion is already
passing. People get on with their lives. We are resilient that way.
Why my yammer, then?
Daniel.
Taken as a slave to Babylon, he thrived in service to a succession of Rulers DESPITE the
Never-Daniel elements nipping at his heels for 70 years.
Trump promised to 'drain the swamp' of Washington.
He hasn't taken office yet, but already the swamp creatures are planning their defense, seeking to remain in power.
I would use 'The Battle of Helm's Deep" as an example except that would cast Trump as an Orc, so let's just say that President Trump is going to face fierce opposition from creatures who have been entrenched in Washington for decades.  
The Never-Trumpers of 2016 will nip at his heels all through his Presidency. Half of them will have an "R" after their names.
Balaam son of Beor comes to mind. When Balak, King of Moab tried to get Balaam to curse the Israelites, God wouldn't allow it. But Balaam had an idea-the Moabites should cozy up to Israel and entice them to inter-marry with Moabite women...and thus draw them away from their purpose and their God. Ballgame.
I imagine that the Trump team is going to face all kinds of enticements to MODIFY Obamacare and Planned Parenthood rather than exterminating them. 
Joshua and the people of Israel were supposed to 'drain the swamp' entrenched in the Promised Land. Didn't go as planned, and the nations which were supposed to be wiped out continued to fight against Israel for centuries.
Bottom line: Okay to be happy that Trump won, but the task ahead is monumental. Pray for him and strengthen his resolve if he seems about to falter. By that I mean yell your head off if he drifts off course. Respectfully.

You Want CRAZY? Oh Yes, I'll Show You CRAZY~!~

60, maybe 70 something years old. This old man rode up to the ship on a bicycle, wearing an ancient leather football helmet.
He was SCARED almost to DEATH...but a Man on a Mission. He asked if I was the Officer in charge and, for that time, for an old man so serious and frightened...
"Yes I am. How can I help you, sir?"
He handed me three pages of scribbles, told me to get a helmet so that THEY couldn't control my mind, a helmet that would protect my ears from the ELFwaves.
I shook his hand and thanked him and he scampered down the ramp and onto his bicycle, never to be seen again.
I noticed that his leather helmet had earholes; maybe THEY got to him after all!
Why he would approach a military ship? No idea. But Paranoia possibly picks and chooses heroes and villains.
Maybe he thought that we were 'safe' and not "in on IT" because he saw two robins that morning. Or he saw something in the clouds. Favorite song on the radio-whatever.
If you want to see CRAZY...click on the pages above. And get a good helmet.

Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of This Moratorium Day

Sorry that some may not find this as funny as I do.
I cling to the same defense that Paul Biegler put forth to gain a "Not Guilty" verdict for his client Lt. Frederick Manion in the courtroom drama "Anatomy Of A Murder". 
You see, I was under the control of an "Irresistible  Impulse" which forced me to skate near the thin ice of my personal Election moratorium. Yeah, that's it!
As I doubt that one of the parties is willing to acknowledge that Carlos Danger even exists-you guess which one-then writing about him should not touch on the Election at all.

Do Yourself Good

Growing up, we all knew right from wrong.
You can remember first catching someone in a lie.
You remember when you lied.
You know wrong from right.
Reward and cherish truth.
Oppose and do not reward lies.
Your back will be straighter,
your vision clear.
And your conscience will hug you.

Me In The Meantime

I keep coming back to the same Scripture verses which have blessed me and continue to nourish to my soul.
^"21This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
²²It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
²³They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
²⁴The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
²⁵The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
²⁶It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD." Lamentations 3:21-26

Bathroom Humor

"The gun will be in the restroom hidden behind the toilet. At some point excuse yourself, go to the restroom and come out shooting."

Best and Brightest

Sometimes it's so easy that even I can make funny.
So...Packers hosting Giants. Both defeated by the Vikings.
Lambeau Leap or Lambeau Weep?

Testing Their Outrage

Well.
That didn't take long.
How do I feel about the lewd and vulgar Trump audio?
Don't like it. It is indeed vulgar and lewd.
How can I, a Christian, continue to support Trump?
With a clear conscience. 
I've been expecting a dozen or so "October surprises" from the Clinton camp, and I'm pretty sure
that there is more to come.
The Clinton's have been masters of "Opposition Research" for decades.
Trump by being Trump will have gifted them plenty of ordinance with which to work.
I am heartened by the gleeful moralizing exhibited by friends so concerned about MY
candidate.
Let us, just for fun...test their outrage.
If the shoe were in the other mouth-if an 11 year old audio tape of Hillary Clinton OR Gary Johnson were released which matched, vulgarity for vulgarity, the Donald tape...would it change their vote?
Would they be so outraged as to reject Clinton? Johnson?
The cynic in me says, "No."
Because to them, Trump is not a viable option.
That's where I'm at.
I had no illusions about Trump being some highly moral person of great character.
You might say that he has lived down to my very low expectations.
With a clear conscience I will vote for him if he remains in the race. 
Because for me, Hillary Clinton is not a viable option. 
In the past two Presidential elections I have voted for a Cultist and a Liberal in RINO clothing,
so I have experience voting for the least evil option which is still EVIL.
This rhubarb WILL make the Debate tomorrow night a Must Watch Event.
See you on the other side.

Problem Identified

Hillary {2016 Bimbo Eruptions} Clinton!

I see that the Clinton Opposition Research Facile had dug into Trump's past and found a beauty queen from 20 some years ago to whom he allegedly once made an unfavorable remark.
Also, the Social Media mini-tsunamis are cresting with the wisdom that Trump once stated that a 12 year old Paris Hilton was 'attractive'.
Don't you see?
The Clinton campaign is using Bimbo eruptions against the Donald! 
Remember Romney? Mitt? Tall guy, executive looking?
The Obama Dirt Farmers went all the way back to his childhood to paint him as a 'bully' when he was ten. But of course Obama's college transcripts were off limits.
And now...a beauty queen no one remembers is getting the full courting press by the media, hanging on her every pronouncement of Trump's alleged deviltry 20 plus years ago. 
As for Paris? I have no idea what she looked like when she was twelve, but I assume that she was a cute kid.  If you had brought her in front of Hillary Clinton and asked, "Is this girl attractive?" She would have said, "Of course she's attractive."
Nothing creepy or sexual about that. 
Unless in 2016 the desperate housewife of Bill the alleged rapist and alleged serial sexual molester needs to pull the pins on a few bimbo grenades to toss into the opposing camp.
Just to be safe, rather than posting pictures of the former beauty queen or Paris Hilton, I googled "The oldest woman in the world" who now graces this post.
The old canard, "How dare you bring up Bill's troubled past! He's not on the ticket!" is answered by:
"No, but his enabler, the one who did all she could to destroy ANYONE who got in the way of the Clintons...she IS on the ticket, and does not deserve to be President."

A Beautiful Phrase

Just read a post from a nurse sharing some stories of her workplace.
She used a beautiful phrase:"Comfort Measures Only".
I love that.
I love the idea that those who are nearing death, who do not wish to be kept alive in pain may ask that extraordinary measures not be taken.
We all will pass, but not all have that option available.
Comfort measures. That is perfect.

DEBATE RULES! DEBATE RULES! BEETLEJUICE!

For those of you who intend to watch the "Thrillah (of the) Vanillas" Debate Monday night,
the Rules have been leaked:

RULE: Clinton is allowed to sit down during the National Anthem, but MAY NOT raise her fist
in protest.

RULE: Moderators are allowed to address Clinton as "Madame President" but MAY NOT call
Trump an egg sucking hound. However, they ARE allowed to address Trump as a 'homophobic racist deplorable'. 

RULE: While Trump is answering a question, Clinton is allowed to smoke discretely.

RULE: Every time Clinton lies, Trump must take a shot of tequila. 

RULE: Every time Trump tells the truth, Clinton is allowed to fume and look angry.

RULE: Moderators MUST update the audience on the Falcons/Saints game at least every ten minutes. Unless it's also a blowout.

Are You Carrying?

Not really a POLITICAL post, more about the interactions we have as humans.
There's a very good reason why the Bible places such an emphasis on Forgiveness.
We ALL screw up.
We all have personality warts, failures, rough edges which
abrase against one another's rough edges.
Not one of us tripping over our own feet can exist without needing to be forgiven.
Persona non Grata-describes one who is not appreciated, is unwanted...but the actual meaning (Doug's interpretation) is a person to whom Grace (forgiveness) is NOT to be extended.
This is universal-it is a lot easier to tear someone down than to forgive them.  If you forgive someone, you must drop any grudge against that person...and for some, that is impossible.
If their entire existence is defined by being outraged, offended, hateful...to forgive someone attacks their self image.
Here's the bucket. Follow me on this, please.
If person ONE has an issue with person TWO and vents to persons THREE and FOUR (Or four million)...THREE and FOUR may take up and carry the outrage of person ONE.
Especially if they already have issues with person TWO-it reinforces their grudges to find others who also consider person TWO a Persona non Grata.
So...if you sift out all the forgiveness, hold on to grudges, and never extend grace...will grace be extended to you when you screw up?
Break the cycle.
If I have offended anyone, if any are holding on to grudges against me, please forgive me. I am imperfect, and have issues. I'm trying my best to make it through life without offending anyone. And I fail.
I am sorry. Please forgive.

Fear'n Not No Matter {Or Anti-Matter} What Happens!

Picture above is of a chilly morning a few years ago-in this context it denotes a Horizon which
we seem to be traveling towards in a hurtin' hurry.
No lie-whilst we zip around our anthill cities busy working our busywork and arguing everything from baseball teams to Candidates...I can't help but see God readying this world for Judgement. I've read enough of God's Word to recognize actions which being Blessing and other actions which bring Curse.
Guess which actions dominate this current landscape?
Yup.
You hear Christians and some Othren speaking of the Tribulation period of the End Times.
Christians look forward to this, not because we are sadistic haters of humanity, but because it signals the return of Christ Who will rule His Creation from Jerusalem.
He will put an end to human striving and governance. No more elections!
I am not making light of the Tribulation which will occur-nothing as terrifying has ever taken place before...except.
Except God once brought Judgement on wicked Judah/Israel in Jerusalem in a passage which reads like a type, a symbol/model for the final global Tribulation.
This is only my opinion-I could be absolutely wrong; I am not a scholar, just a Christian seeking to learn from Scripture what God reveals.
But Ezekiel chapters 8 through 14 (or so) do seem to be a template for coming worldwide Tribulation.
You Christians out there, if you have read this, I encourage you to ask God for understanding, to open those chapters for you as you read them. And I mean that-read them.
As for the Othren, those 'Other than Christians' who think that God is a lie, a fraud, a manufactured religious Scarecrow propped up to keep peoples subservient to other Peoples...you do the same.
Ask God for wisdom, to open the Scriptures for you...and you may find that God is Real.
We can all be encouraged by the fact that Jerusalem's future is much brighter than it's past.
May God richly Bless you today.

Respectful Something

We're all thinking of this Day, this anniversary of 9-11-2001.
We didn't know what to do, how to process what had happened.
The young lady pictured above acted. 
At the resort where we worked she set in place our small memorial around the flags,
tea candles in white bags which looked wonderful when lit.
I took this picture before they were lit to signify lights gone out, lives lost.
I've always appreciated what my friend did, how she gave us a focus,
a way to show our respect for those who died on that terrible day.
May God Bless her and you today.

Hope On Hope On Hope

Christians, justified by faith, at Peace with God, exult in hope of the glory of God.
We need not worry nor fear the terrible passing things which surround us here in this evil world.
It is God's plan to redeem this Creation, and we will see that Day.
May God richly Bless you today.

Our Courageous Commander In Chief Once More Leads By Example

So, if you call President Obama a bad name, he goes/stays away?
This might encourage bad behavior.
I hope.

Sad In A Pantsuit

Full admission-Hillary Clinton isn't one of my favorite people.
Her assumption that she can win the election is galling.
She seems to believe that IF she can successfully denigrate/demonize Donald Trump...
SHE will appear to be...the better option?
If someone lies to me, it offends me.
The baked in assumption is that they can get away with it because:
A: either I'm too stupid to know that they are lying OR
B: they don't care whether or not I know that they lie. I mean nothing to them.
Hillary Clinton expects voters to trust her?
Here's the honest truth: Trump will win the election because he is not
Hillary Clinton.

Walking Into My grave

Tonight I walked our town cemetery, looking for/finding friends. No names, as privacy
extends beyond, but I saw one stone, a duet marker as yet incomplete, the husband
yet alive.
I wondered how it was for him, to see his name and birthdate there next to his wife's particulars.
Moving on, I saw a classmate, and recalled when he passed.
But then the living.
I continued my walk at home, visiting with a neighbor; my usual route and then more visiting with friends coming out of a restaurant.
About the walking-back in May I hit the Diabetes lottery and came out a winner.
So now I have changed everything in my life, and go out walking most every night.
Sounds odd, but this diabetes has been a blessing, in that it has forced me to focus more on remaining as healthy as I can for as long as possible.
Look for another post soon.

Focusing On A Square

"Sharknado 3" is made all the more majical with the casting coup inclusion of Anthony Weiner Abedin's as NASA Mission Control Administrator Regina.
He's a natural-when he's watching that white square cube for early warning reports of Sharknados...you feel as if he's really, really watching it! 
Like to see Meryl Streep try to match Tony Abedin's stagecraftiness!


 

Stain The Coarse

Staying the course.
Let Hillary denigrate Trump.
Let Trump riposte.
Nothing she says will change my mind about voting for Trump.
Nothing He says will change my mind about voting for Trump.
Wondering about the picture?
Up until THIS ELECTION, "The Heat" was the worst thing I'd seen...
and I only wasted 12 minutes on that before giving up.
We still have 80 plus days to endure this contest, including at least
5 'October Surprises' because every previous election only needed one.
This is five times worse.
Stay the course-someday it will all be over and we can get back to our simulacrum 
of a decent country.

The Peace We've Hoped For

APRIL 5TH, 2017  Former President Obama tours Middle East with a ceremonial Olive Branch, seeking to bring together warring peoples under the banner "THE PEACE WE'VE HOPED FOR".


APRIL 12TH, 2017 Former President Obama is taken hostage by a Islamic terrorist offshoot calling itself the "Peace Warriors". The Peace Warriors demand 400 million dollars from America for the return of our former President.
President Obama is videotaped calling his successor in the Oval office.

 

Back To Basics

"How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,     
Nor stand in the path of sinners,     
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!     
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,     
And in His law he meditates day and night.  
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,     
Which yields its fruit in its season     
And its leaf does not wither;     
And in whatever he does, he prospers.    
The wicked are not so,     
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.   
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,     
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.     
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,     
But the way of the wicked will perish."

Christians may seems odd to you.
Good. 
Our lives have Christ as our foundation.
He is working in us to make us like Himself.
Wicked scoffing sinners have what for a foundation?
Themselves?
Here's the funny thing-Christ is the one who saves us
from... the ranks of
wicked scoffing sinners.
No one is born holy-what you are we once were.
Don't think that there's no chance for you to be saved~
while you are still alive there is Hope.
Seek Him.

Speaking Of Heroes...

Nadezhda Bazhina. Russian High diver at the Olympical thing.
Jah-she flopped instead of flipped and landed her firmament in the water backwards.
On the largest possible global stage she went all Laces Out.
My Hero!
Why?
Because she's young and will get over this.
Because one bad dive doesn't define an athelete.
Because she is among the world's best, who won the right to represent her country in Rio.
People who never make mistakes never improve.
Nadezhda Bazhina reminds me that we all fail at times, and it humbles us.
That is good.

Wherever You Fnd Your Heroes...

If they make you better,
Boost them.
Cheer them.
Quote them.

It's not the Ferguson, but it's still pretty good.

Yup-I Remembered It Right!

Something bugging me all afternoon-first off, this isn't so much a political post as it is me trying to wrap my head around something that happened years ago. The graphic above, formatted to fit-is from the Huffington Post, two years ago.
What bugged me: I had heard Hillary Clinton state on a video that 'she and Bill were dead broke when they left the White House'.
I'm not sure if the minimum had been raised above $200,000 per year for the President in 2001-but let's just for fun(ny) set it at $200,000.
Eight years equals 1,600,000.
Dead broke?
If I had earned 1,600,000...I would be considered 'wealthy'.
How fiscally irresponsible must you be to earn that much and end up "Dead Broke"?
I'm not just rhetoricalizing-I really can't understand WHY this is part of the Clinton narrative.
To show that they are just 'common folk' who live hand to mouth with the rest of us?
Shame? Naw.
Stage setting? Making it appear that Hillary has overcome so many obstacles on her journey?
I don't believe that they were 'dead broke' when they vacated  the White House. If they were broke...they have somehow survived with bank accounts intact.  And how!

Happy Haloween, Everybody!

Can we all just get along?
As of right now (!) 95 days until the Election.
Each side will say unbelievable things about the other.
And Polls!
Polls are the most fantastic fairy-dust foolishness ever perpetrated on a humble populace.
Polls should not be believed, EVER. The last two days before an election polls usually
'tighten up' and approach Reality so that the pollsters can claim to have 'gotten it right'.
But even then...naw.
Here's an idea-hold the Candidates-all four of them-to the same personal standard that
you have for yourself.
If you hate lying and refuse to lie...
If you honor truth...
If you always accept responsibility for your actions...
If you do your best to follow the Golden rule...
don't accept any candidate who doesn't measure up to your standard.
See you in November.

Vlad Tepes For United Nations Sec Gen!!!!

The charming fellow pictured above in an artist's rendering is Vlad Tepes, Vlad the Impaler,
alleged proto of Bram Stoker's Dracula.
His main CTF?
Keeping the Muslims from taking over Europe.
His diplomacy included large pointed sticks...and he succeeded.
As a boy he had been kidnapped/ransomed by the Ottomans (Muslims); he learned their language and later in life would dress as an Ottoman (no mention made of a cohort disguised as a Lazyboy), infiltrate their camps and set about perpetrating as much breaking bad as he could.
If he were here working his progrom (sorry-program) today, Democrats would call him a hater and write legislation demanding that the large pointed sticks not exceed a half an inch in length, be composed only of air as wood is harmful to the environment. I know, right?

What's All This Hating Talk About?

I was thinking about one of the regular charges brought against Christians-that we be haters of:
Gays
non-Christians
everyone else who doesn't believe in God
everyone who believes in the wrong god
everyone.

You hear Christians talking about "Love your neighbor" and the first thought occurring is:
"Hypocrites!"

Hold on there, hypo-critters! Here is the verse as it reads in Luke:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

If you feel that we are not doing the second part (Love thy neighbor) WE CHRISTIANS believe that YOU totally ignore the first part about loving God with all of your heart.
Many of you are proud of that.
Here something that might blow your mind:
The Bible, God's Word, does not tell you how to live...if you are not one of God's people.
It does indeed speak to Christians, and all of the lessons apply to us and our lives.
But if you are not a Christian, if you live your lives apart from God...He does not expect you to
be righteous.

But Doug! You might say-why do Christians continue to fuss about abortion, homosexuality, SIN in our country if the Bible isn't meant for us?
It's our country, too. And you are our neighbor whom we are supposed to love as we love ourselves.
God commissioned us to share the Gospel and be light in a darkened world.
"¹⁹“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 
²⁰teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
We 'fuss' about such issues because we know that there are none righteous, and that Sin brings death. We don't want you to die. We want you to live in Heaven with us forever. No hypocrisy.

Hiding Our Heads In Sand, Kneeling Towards Mecca

GREAT! The Circus is in town but I'm busy!
Grand Guignol, anyone?
Caught only a few DNC moments, but I did hear Lizzy Warren state that their candidate Hillary Clinton would stand up to the big banks!
Well, she DID stand up in front of a few of them and was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to speak.
Words of wisdom or last year's box scores-content was not...um...Queen. They were buying low, getting in early, hoping that their ROI would be HUGE once she was ensconced in the Ovoid Office.
You know what I would have loved?
If Bernie Sanders (remember him?) would have taken the mic, stared right at Hillary and shouted,
"INITIATE PLAN X-1"
PEACE NINJAS JUMP IN FROM THE SHADOWS, KITE IN FROM ABOVE, SHOUTING
"A NEW DAY DAWNS! A NEW DAY DAWNS RIGHT NOW! IF YOU ARE WITH US, STAND UP NOW!"
And Bernie wins it all-the Nom, the Gusto AND the right to lose to Trump in a spectacular fashion. November can't November fast enough for me.

The Best News Forever

Forget Christians and your issues WITH Christians for a moment.
God is still saving souls.
There is HOPE for you.
Cut out the middle man-if you were to ask Christians questions about God, we would point
you to the Bible, so forget Christians and ask your questions of God.
Ask Him to prove Himself to you through His word.

"The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,     To the person who seeks Him."

You may think that you cannot trust the Bible's accuracy.
But a perfect God is fully capable of keeping Man from ruining His word.
Which is why there is HOPE.

Hilly's Choices!

Oh, the FUN! This is 2016, folks! Goldman Sachs, (which paid Mrs. Clinton bundles of cash for a speech) Morgan Stanley-heck, even AARP each have a plentitude of Vice Presidents!
AARP probably has a Vice President in charge of keeping track of how many Vice Presidents they have!
So, why should Hillary be limited to one running mate?
It's not illegal, is it?

I Expected No Less

So...what's new, politically?
Oh yeah-FBI recommends no charges for Hillary Clinton concerning her home server fiasco.

I'm not surprised-this be a corrupt world, and the corrupt cream still rises to the top in every corrupt society. Since this world is upside down, they actually descend...but I don't want to scare the kiddies.
Do you want dictators? Because that's how you get dictators.
(dougshrugs)
Not a betting man, but I would bet that IF Hillary hadn't gotten the "All Clear" from the FBI, we wouldn't see President Obama standing next to her in the fot-op above. 
I obey the laws of the land in which I live
BUT
I am an alien.
At least that's the term Peter used in 1Pet2:11.
Here, I live under a corrupt government in a sinful world.
But my residence is in Heaven.
According to scripture, Christ will return and rule the nations.
We will be with Him, though we do not yet understand how the world will
change, or what our particular roles may be. 
I look for that day. 

Atheists Blessing Christians

Sounds like I'm joking-"Atheists Blessing Christians"? In what mad universe, Fredric?
S'true, though.
Heard a sermon today about humility, of how God humbles those whom He will.
Christians most especially aren't exempt. He humbles us for our own good and for His good purposes.
We Christians can suffer from pride/arrogance just the same as any other bi-pedal non-monkey.
Atheists may not believe He exists, but they are doing the Lord's work when they criticize/point out the hypocrisies of the saints.
Case in point-a few decades ago an evangelist named Swaggart was discovered to be having sex with a prostitute who was not his wife. This made the headlines for a few weeks, and Swaggart begged forgiveness from both God and the world.
When he was later caught once again with a prostitute, he claimed "The Lord told me it's flat none of your business."
Enter our hero, Frank (Joe's Garage) Zappa.
Guitarist. Atheist. Snappy dresser.
Zappa released "Jimmy Swaggart versions" of some of his songs. They are...what you might imagine.
I am a Christian who will remain imperfect until Heaven. I fall into sins as we all do; anyone who has known me for a while could probably point to this or that and say, "Doug is a hypocrite and a  __________ and there's the proof!"
Atheists  delight in finding such proof and broadcasting it. I try to live my life so that they have noting to talk about...but there's that Pride thing again.
Keep us honest, Athei-buddies. But be careful that none of our pride/arrogance/hypocrisy gets on you and turns you into simulacrums of Us.

Lost 'cause

Word in the neighborhood is that Hillary Clinton is being interviewed by the FBI concerning the home email server business.
Won't matter a fidget for her supporters-they don't care.
Won't change the minds of anyone else, either.
Those who already don't like her weren't going to vote for her anyway.
I'll share one of the secrets of the Universe, so please listen carefully:
The only way that Trump might be beaten in November is if Joe Biden
steps in (it) to supplant Hillary Clinton as the nominee.
He may be the epitome of a goofy TV sitcom Dad...but he isn't hated by
many of the Democrats that can't stand Clinton.
Please remember that wisdom guided by experience is out the window with this
election.
Past is no predictor of the future.
See you on the other side, Rhodes.

Comfort For Some

"Who is among you that fears the LORD, That obeys the voice of His servant, That walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God." 

Even in the darkest of dark times, we who fear (respect) the LORD, who obey Him, who Trust in His name can and do rely on Him.



Behold, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with firebrands, Walk in the light of your fire And among the brands you have set ablaze."
The human assumption is that our 'own' light/wisdom/achievement is capable of dispelling/vanquishing darkness. But such Human wisdom always fails, because we carry the Darkness inside each of us. It's called Sin. 

"This you will have from My hand: You will lie down in torment."

"He Is Not Mad At You"

"He Is Not Mad At You".
Looks like a positive statement, right?
It's been posted on the signboard of the local Christian radio station for months.
If we assume that "He" means God...
then it really is important to know who the "You" represents.
If the "You" means Christians, then I am fine with the sign-God is not mad at us.
But if this is a blanket statement, telling all who read it that
"He Is Not Mad At You"...
then that is bad humanist thinking masquerading as theological thought.
God is indeed at enmity with a sin-plagued humanity which is absolutely
filled with hatred/ at enmity with Him.
 "He Is Not Mad At You" is awfully close to the lie that God is too loving to send anyone
to hell.
God is loving, but also just, and hell will be full of people who have rejected His Grace, the atonement made available through Jesus Christ.
Bottom line: if you are not at peace with God, then God is not at peace with you.

Best News I've Heard All Week

Congrats to United Kingdom for throwing off the chains of the European Union!
Let the modern day King Georges of the E.U. get MAD...I don't care.
Sure, the U.S. stock markets dived down tremendously...just means that this is a
great time to invest, so buy! Buy! BUY!
President Obama had "WARNED" the U.K. that if they did choose to leave the E.U., they
would go "Back to the end of the line" regarding trade agreements with the U.S.
I'm assuming that President Obama's psychosis has degenerated into full blown Solipsism.
He may leave office in January right into the safe haven of a padded room. Visitors allowed every other Tuesday.
Back to the Good News-just as it is a bad idea to co-sign a loan for someone who has no financial discipline, the United Kingdom will no longer be tied to the loser Countries of that same stripe-Greece, are your ears burning?
May Germany follow the U.K. out of that amalgamation of despairs.