Don't Understand Fear

I'm not an idiot.
But I can't get my head around how fear works.
Paris. Terrorists. Murderers.
Weaponized Fear?
Oh, I get it, in part-it's a control thing. Scare someone, make them fear you...you control them.
For a moment. And then the blowback.
We are three weeks away from the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It scared us, for a moment.
Then...blowback.
Our resolve was heightened, we entered the War and in a few horrifying years we won surrender from those who would re-make the maps, remake the world in their own image.
Paris. As President Obama is too much of a coward to state the obvious, the attacks in Paris are the work of Islamic religionists who are following the tenets of their faith. You won't find Southern Baptists tossing explosives into crowds of innocents while shouting "Allahu akbar.".
Here's why fear is a mystery to me. Long term, it doesn't work. No one stays scared. Fear is for a moment, then other emotions take over and bad things happen to the fear mongers.
Also, without putting too fine a point on it...I don't fear anyone. I love my life, but when I die I will have a better, fuller life in Heaven.
Hard to scare someone who isn't afraid to die.

Reminder From The Remainder

Just came across this photo of Otto Frank, father of Anne, revisiting the attic where his family hid from the Nazis. He was the lone survivor, and knew loss such as few of us living now could comprehend.
So, why is this post on FDW right now?
That picture.
Back in the late 1960's my high school staged the play, "The Diary Of Anne Frank".
The set dressing, the stage, as I remember it, looked remarkably like this picture.
I remember the production because my brother played the character who betrayed the family.
Right now, as always, family and friends, those in my circle...we are all in the process of grieving, mourning, celebrating, welcoming and saying good bye. It's called Life.
Otto Frank remarried, and that is part of this post, too. We move on, cherishing those lost while continuing to Live.

Fair? Unfair? Just?

I haven't any idea how true or untrue the story on Drudge shown above may be. Could be swamp gas, political rhetoric, factually correct or something else.
This isn't about the story as much as the intimation it alleges.
Here's the thing that struck me-IF a Republican President defied rulings of the Supremes, or dared bypass Congress to advance his own political objectives...would Liberals raise a stink about it?
I think they would.
So, if it is wrong for a Republican to act like that...why isn't there more outrage from Democrats when President Obama ignores Congress and the SCOTUS?

I Hold This Truth To Be Self Evident

Still not going political, really. Just an observation which reminds me of one of my greatest failures that I allegedly 'won'.
High school theatrics. Putting on "The Thurber Carnival" ala James Thurber whom I still read on occasion.
There's a soliloquy that runs about ten minutes, and at tryouts I couldn't believe how my castmates stunk up the place. Like a moron, I did the best I could... but I had more enthusiasm than talent.
Oh, I 'won' the part...and stunk up the stage every night.
I know, I know-the Democratic field is strong, every one of them a champion of the common pee-pul.
I think they are all sandbagging. Playing to lose so that History doesn't record them as another Millard Fillmore. Don't know him? My point.

Disgusting Must Mean Excellent In Texas!

Yup. Back on my hobby horse, riding against the wind of popular opinion.
Saw on Reddit that Texas has, well--you can read the graphic above. The tenor or alto of the accompanying article, written by a man named Brian M. Rosenthal is that Planned Parenthood being dropped from the Texas Medicaid program is a bad thing.
It's GOOD news to me, Brian!
The long/short of it is that I am looking for Christ to return and set up His Kingdom, ruling the world from Jerusalem.
I'm pretty certain that there will be no Planned Parenthood, no Abortion allowed at all in His Kingdom.
So I cheer Texas and other states which are shutting down Planned Parenthood's money train from our government tills. I want my taxes to subsidize Gun shows and Tea parties and other examples of Planned Adulthood. See you at the human races.

If Christians Bother You...

This one is for the pagans. If your ears shut down and you go "la la la la la" until a Christian shuts her or his mouth...this one's for you.
It's your cosmos, friends. This whole world order is ordered to reject the claims of Christians and most especially their God.
You LIVE substantive proof opposing their claims.
With no evidence of God, you think Christians must be deluded by others or self deluded. Only a fool goes by faith in what they can't see/prove; you are no fool.
Picture above represents that old story (fable?) of Joseph and his coat of many colors.
From about the age of 17 Joe lived in your cosmos. The world today with its ills and problems is the same as it was in ancient Egypt.
He went from slave to Prime minister, second in command to Pharaoh himself, whichever Pharaoh
was ruling then.
All without ever compromising his belief in God, which we Christians share today.
It's your cosmos.
If you knew God as we know God, you wouldn't have a single doubt as to His existence. But then, if you knew God as we know God, you would be a Christian. And you would reject the flawed cosmos which has no answers worth accepting.
The fact that Christians bother you is good. It means we are doing our job.

Jinx, Like Karma, Are Less Than Vapor

Excuse, please- the Cubs...are doing all right. As in winning playoff games.
When Joe Maddon was announced as their skipper before this season...I doubted. I knew he was good, but I also know the Cubs. Manage the Cubs? Really? On purpose?
I don't blame anyone for leaving Florida, but...the North side?
I don't care if they fail to win the big trophy-they are already doing better than any Cubs team has in decades.
I was wrong to doubt Maddon, and I will cheer for the Cubs the rest of the way. Part of the fun of not having any 'Pay' TV such as cable or satellite is that I miss any ball games that aren't on network TV.
Such is life.
Go Cubs!

Top Of Your List

Not because I say so.
Not as a last resort when your world goes to hell.
Trust God
Because He deserves our trust at all times while MAN
deserves our mistrust at all times.
It's really that simple.
But it doesn't happen unless God makes it happen.
Appeal to God to make it happen for you.
We have cookies, too.

Good Ink

There's ink and there is ink.
I'm not into tattoos, but I get it. Expression, definition, body as canvas to declare to the
world "This is me." 
That is cool and fine-I've seen some exceptional artistry, and so have you.
I'm watching football tonight (shock-I'm a guy) and I see some college players who could give Lydia the Tattooed Lady some lessons de arte.
My mind, being what it is, collates data and recombines bits to make connections. Here's what I came up with.
Tattoos/Football/beer commercials/alcohol/emotions jacked by game/loss/loss of temper/abuse/need for the black dot program.
Real cheery, right? You should see me at a funeral.
I appreciate this black dot idea, as no one should live in fear of someone they live with.
Alcohol causes more problems than politicians, and that is saying something.
But this isn't an anti-drinking screed. We are now in the NFL season, college football running hard, emotions-highs and lows-are heightened during this season.
Some of the nicest sober guys wouldn't want to be in the same room with their drunk selves.
But oftentimes others are there, and now...black dot.

But Why Bernie Sanders?

This isn't going to be a screed aca-political-just a few questions to clear away some fog.
Why Bernie Sanders, and why now?
Politically, Sanders is what he terms a 'democratic socialist'. From the wiki page, which may be 100% wrong, but here goes: "Democratic socialism rejects the social democratic view of reform through state intervention within capitalism, seeing capitalism as inherently incompatible with the democratic values of freedom, equality and solidarity.".
Does that sound like a fair assessment to you?
Here comes the 'why Bernie' stuff.
If you live in America, you are involved in a capitalist society. If you are earning money, living in a home on which you pay rent or mortgage (or own outright-miracles do happen!), if you are putting money away for retirement, paying your bills, getting that coffee at the bistro...you are a Capitalist.
The very life you are living is what Bernie Sanders preaches against.
I saw a man wearing a Bernie For President shirt...working the counter at a hardware store.
I get part of it-most people think that the world is unfair, so someone coming along calling for change to improve the world will get a lot of listeners.
I personally think that the world is unfair in a lot of ways, but I differ greatly with Sanders in that I do not believe Mankind capable of fixing what he has broken-I look to God, for Christ to return and wipe away all human messes.
Here's a litmus test for you who emotionally/socially/politically agree with the positions Bernie Sanders holds:
If Mr. Sanders were right in front of you holding a piece of paper which states, "I ____________, do on this date promise to do my part in helping Bernie Sanders succeed by monetizing all I own, my house, my car, my 401k, EVERYTHING...and giving it to the poor. I hereby reject Capitalism, and will no longer partake in that evil enterprise."
Would you sign it?
I get that your heart may be with Sanders...but your wallet?
As for 'why now'...would Bernie Sanders even get a headline if the Democrats had  solid candidates leading their field? Clinton and Biden and most other 'established' Democrats are multi millionaires-I would love to see Sanders in a debate with them. Whatever happens, I continue to pray for God to Bless this country. Join me in that if you will.

Amazing Progress

These are amazing times, and I am particularly amazed at the advances in technology we enjoy which might have seemed like magic to our earlier selves.
Above is a picture of what Grandpa used to call "Records" with the latest generation iPod superimposed for a good reason.
I have a "Record Player" which has indeed played records which would revolve 78 times a minute.
I can also 'burn digital files' of those old analog 78s.
Today while working in my living room I tried and enjoyed more "magic" technology-that same record player is "Bluetooth enabled" and I listened to my iPod through its speakers.
Amazing.
As I've mentioned before-my Dad didn't have electricity in their house until he was in his teens.
At that time, '78's' were the main form of recording audio. Now I can listen listen wirelessly to a device I carry on my belt.
That device also has two digital cameras, all kinds of helpful applications, plays videos/movies and has enough 'storage' to hold thousands of albums.
Amazing.
Appreciate what we have, things which our previous generations couldn't dream of.
I've heard it suggested that the poorest Americans are rich compared to some other populations.
Rich or poor, good or bad, cell phone/wireless technology is balancing the scales globally.
I don't apologize for being born into a wealthy country-I had no say in it-but I am glad that the tech advances we enjoy are benefiting everyone. Very cool.

Sometimes Beyond Comprehension

These ignorant jabbererers who ranch on that there is no God, that we are here by happenstance, without order or rhyme to reason...should really try their hands at some less intellectually challenging enterprises. Stamp collecting-do people still do that? Washing Mason jars AND lids. Soap operas.
Just like gravity (jump up and you will land somewhere) we are pulled by our hearts, minds and beings to:
Appreciate beauty.
Bring chaos into order.
Value some things over others.
A Christian will tell you that every good gift is from God, such as the gifts of appreciating beauty, ordering chaos, etc.
The picture above is beautiful. To me, at least.
But part (for me) of the beauty is tied to the facts that:
A: God made it, and
B: God made me capable of finding it beautiful.
A complex mass of organic materials combined through the evolutionary process to eventually stand upright and file taxes...Evolution can't explain a sunset, or why we find them lovely.
It's no secret, and I share it for free: We humans are made by God to carry His likeness. He appreciates Beauty, so ipso facto, do we.
Even the most ardent agnostic/atheist/un-deist may be a fan of the beauty found in God's Creation.
"Just happenstance!" they cry.
Poor, self deluded intentionally ignorant jabbererers. Try as they might, they can't argue against the double witnesses of beauty and their appreciation of it.

Sad

PHOO!!

Couldn't name a song;  if asked their names I'd have to say "No idea." But the Foo Fighters
are this week's Heroes, and that ain't bad.
You know why. 
They grieved the Democrat's favorite Church: The Westboro Baptist clan/cult.
The Foo gentlemen let the Westies know that when they show up at soldier's funerals...their input isn't appreciated.
That's putting it mildly.
I know, I know-there are some elements of society who think that the Westboro group is mainstream Christian, that we of the faith cheer on their spreading the hate early and late.
Nope.
If the ground were to open up under the Westboro Baptists dirty feet whilst they were raising their stink at a military funeral...I wouldn't be at all surprised. It's happened before.
²⁹“If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. 
³⁰“But if the LORD brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the LORD.”
³¹As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; 
³²and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. 
³³So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 
Numbers 16:29-33 
Thanks, Foo Fighters, for fighting against hateful moronism.