The one thing that is the major part of this Christmas celebration is Peace and Joy. It is a wish and we can only make it happen in our own hearts. As I write this I have just come from church and the Joy of the season seems to be tempered. If there is one time of the year that we a vulnerable to the effects of evil it is during this season. Yet it has to be joy in our hearts that shows it to others.
It is particularly hard to be joyful right now and I do not know how anyone with no faith can handle what has gone on. It is the faith that there is a higher power that is good and is wanting all his children to return home. With out this rock to build on what can you use to center your world with reason and hope?
Evil is a real presence in the world and you do not have to believe in God to recognise it. The Sandy Hook attack broke our hearts and the country is flailing for answers.
Now the firefighters in New York State have been set up for attack and two are gone and two are in critical condition. There are two things that hit me hard and it is children and firefighters. You have to be of that brotherhood to fully understand.
How can we deal with the tearing of our hearts? The only thing I know is to fill the hole in the heart with the faith that this will pass and there is strength in pulling together and putting trust in good. If you don't the gap will be filled with bitterness and that is when we are most vulnerable to evil.
Lashing out trying to do anything just to feel better is no solution. So many will turn their pain outward and anything that makes them feel better will be the order of the day. It is turning within ourselves that healing begins.
I look to the joy of the season and find that many do not. It has to be you and me that keep the simple trust in our hearts and hope that evil will be pushed aside. In our society it is not popular to be a person of faith. Yet we now see what having no faith has done to a society and a country who puts Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness as its foundation. To turn from these principles allows the opposite to hold reign.
As I gather with family and friends I will still mourn the evils that have befallen, us and take solace that there is still a higher power that wishes that we heal our hearts and rest our troubles on his shoulder.
As we live through the troubled times that seem to be ahead let us all take the time to give thanks for the good and for the defeat of evil. There is a line in a song that sums up what it takes to affect those around us, 'THEY WILL KNOW US BY OUR LOVE.'
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
BEING PLAYED
HE THAT CANNOT REASON IS A FOOL. HE THAT WILL NOT IS A BIGOT. HE THAT DARE NOT IS A SLAVE.
Andrew Carnegie
In my social interactions I have refrained from joining the contentious arguments concerning the terrible shootings of Newtown. Grief is the order of the day and those jumping onto causes compound that. The Senator from New York jumped onto the national news advising President Obama to "exploit" this tragedy. It is a mantra these days to "not let a good disaster go to waste". What a sad commentary on society and politics.
Words matter and have affect. Politicians act on the direction of the wind and emotion. Many take the public as a giant mass of unthinking groups that act upon emotion. Thus there are people who design talking points to keep the message constant and hammered home without thought of real solutions and meaning. Just a means to an end.
It is sad when those with the power think that those below cannot discern fact from fiction. And it may be true considering how things are today. I try to speak from experience, observation, and study.
There are thousands of individuals that suffer the same type of mental problems that the shooter had in Newtown. A friend of mine has two children this way. The experiences that she and here children have had in the schools and community are identical. Mental stress aggravates these problems and the intense media and political coverage have forced them to stop watching the television. The thought of having similar experiences as the shooter is terrifying to them. If the capacity to do such heinous things is there, the fear of what they do and what society does increases the fear.
The help available has had to be fought for by the parents and even when schools and social services know what needs these people have they have to be constantly fought for. And once a child passes the age of 21 there is no more support even when it is known that support is needed.
Statistics have no meaning for groups that will not equally look at them. It is easier for a sound bite than to set down and discuss what can be done. The quest for solutions turns to grab for more power.
The fight for additional gun controls is an advocacy for setting aside the right to Habeaus Corpus and the empowerment for the government to grow at an exponential rate and turn the millions of law abiding citizens into criminals. Yet the prisons overflow.
Will all the high sounding self righteous rhetoric accomplish one thing? No. The shouting will succeed with further divisions and nothing will be accomplished. With the fact that evil will always be there we have to guard against the individual who will find a way to accomplish the act.
There have been reported intervention with such individuals, even on that same day, that we are horrified when one slips through. The horror should not diminish but the common theme seems to be that the signs for the act seem to always be there but know one will leave their comfort zone to point it out or do something about it.
An argument that was brought home by a school district employee is that we can protect airports and Washington and yet ignore the same answers in the schools. A majority of teachers at his school want voluntary concealed carry. The schools can also provide security officers. It is a matter of cost and commitment.
I hope that this will find its way into print since when I say something amusing there seems to be more regard. I find nothing amusing to come from this horrible event.
Andrew Carnegie
In my social interactions I have refrained from joining the contentious arguments concerning the terrible shootings of Newtown. Grief is the order of the day and those jumping onto causes compound that. The Senator from New York jumped onto the national news advising President Obama to "exploit" this tragedy. It is a mantra these days to "not let a good disaster go to waste". What a sad commentary on society and politics.
Words matter and have affect. Politicians act on the direction of the wind and emotion. Many take the public as a giant mass of unthinking groups that act upon emotion. Thus there are people who design talking points to keep the message constant and hammered home without thought of real solutions and meaning. Just a means to an end.
It is sad when those with the power think that those below cannot discern fact from fiction. And it may be true considering how things are today. I try to speak from experience, observation, and study.
There are thousands of individuals that suffer the same type of mental problems that the shooter had in Newtown. A friend of mine has two children this way. The experiences that she and here children have had in the schools and community are identical. Mental stress aggravates these problems and the intense media and political coverage have forced them to stop watching the television. The thought of having similar experiences as the shooter is terrifying to them. If the capacity to do such heinous things is there, the fear of what they do and what society does increases the fear.
The help available has had to be fought for by the parents and even when schools and social services know what needs these people have they have to be constantly fought for. And once a child passes the age of 21 there is no more support even when it is known that support is needed.
Statistics have no meaning for groups that will not equally look at them. It is easier for a sound bite than to set down and discuss what can be done. The quest for solutions turns to grab for more power.
The fight for additional gun controls is an advocacy for setting aside the right to Habeaus Corpus and the empowerment for the government to grow at an exponential rate and turn the millions of law abiding citizens into criminals. Yet the prisons overflow.
Will all the high sounding self righteous rhetoric accomplish one thing? No. The shouting will succeed with further divisions and nothing will be accomplished. With the fact that evil will always be there we have to guard against the individual who will find a way to accomplish the act.
There have been reported intervention with such individuals, even on that same day, that we are horrified when one slips through. The horror should not diminish but the common theme seems to be that the signs for the act seem to always be there but know one will leave their comfort zone to point it out or do something about it.
An argument that was brought home by a school district employee is that we can protect airports and Washington and yet ignore the same answers in the schools. A majority of teachers at his school want voluntary concealed carry. The schools can also provide security officers. It is a matter of cost and commitment.
I hope that this will find its way into print since when I say something amusing there seems to be more regard. I find nothing amusing to come from this horrible event.
Friday, December 14, 2012
BREAKING HEARTS
SUFFER NOT THE LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME.
Jesus Christ
Normally I will wait a couple of days when thinking on a subject before writing about it. I can not wait this time. If your heart is not breaking for the victims of the senseless shootings in Newtown then you have not a heart. There is not the words that can bring back or help the families of the senseless tragedies.
There is always evil in the world and it is easy to say we have to do something to stop this. Evil has to be opposed by good people but the remedies offered by many just inflame and create more such situations.
It is normal to be angry at the selfish person who caused this. You have to be super human to be forgiving right now. There will be many who will seek to understand and seek what justification the man had. I don't want to understand it. There is no understanding this aberration. Thank goodness it is not my place to forgive for I could not.
What I do understand is that there are many that will come forward to use this tragedy to further other goals. As it was said by one advisor "don't let a good disaster go to waste". We will be bombarded by one side and another about "doing something".
We have deep divisions in this country and this will make them deeper. Old cliches will be dredged up and much argument. I have deep feelings on the subject but right now I want, and you should too, grieve.
Facts are not complete at this time and it is amazing how so many know what went on and what we should do. Bad things happen to good people. There is not much good that can come out of this accept that people start returning to the values that are not allowed in the school anymore. Tonight the churches in Newtown are full. Prayers are everywhere for the victims and the families. I am sure there was prayer in that school today no matter what the ACLU wants.
This will happen again. The only thing that needs to be done more than ever is pray.
Jesus Christ
Normally I will wait a couple of days when thinking on a subject before writing about it. I can not wait this time. If your heart is not breaking for the victims of the senseless shootings in Newtown then you have not a heart. There is not the words that can bring back or help the families of the senseless tragedies.
There is always evil in the world and it is easy to say we have to do something to stop this. Evil has to be opposed by good people but the remedies offered by many just inflame and create more such situations.
It is normal to be angry at the selfish person who caused this. You have to be super human to be forgiving right now. There will be many who will seek to understand and seek what justification the man had. I don't want to understand it. There is no understanding this aberration. Thank goodness it is not my place to forgive for I could not.
What I do understand is that there are many that will come forward to use this tragedy to further other goals. As it was said by one advisor "don't let a good disaster go to waste". We will be bombarded by one side and another about "doing something".
We have deep divisions in this country and this will make them deeper. Old cliches will be dredged up and much argument. I have deep feelings on the subject but right now I want, and you should too, grieve.
Facts are not complete at this time and it is amazing how so many know what went on and what we should do. Bad things happen to good people. There is not much good that can come out of this accept that people start returning to the values that are not allowed in the school anymore. Tonight the churches in Newtown are full. Prayers are everywhere for the victims and the families. I am sure there was prayer in that school today no matter what the ACLU wants.
This will happen again. The only thing that needs to be done more than ever is pray.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
MAKE GOD LAUGH
WANT TO MAKE GOD LAUGH? TELL HIM WHAT YOUR GOING TO DO. Barry Ward
This is a saying that my good friend Barry Ward (singer extraordinaire) uses in his singing ministry quite often. And it brings home many times that I have thought I was going one direction and end up somewhere else. There have been many life changing moments in my life, as I am sure there has been in yours, and I never saw it coming.
My younger days dreams were of a ranch, a wife, kids, and a normal life. Yet "normal" just did not seem to be very attractive. Maybe because of a personal tragedy I began to see life differently. I noticed how many people spent their lives in a monotonous manner. How many lived to work rather than worked to live. With a little exposure to working in a factory setting I knew that it was not what I wanted.
I could not conceive of spending a life doing things that did not interest me or spark passion. I would have been very happy on a small ranch somewhere but the reality was and is that it is a privileged few who have the opportunity. It always aggravate me that those who the option was available was, many times, not interested.
I was fortunate to find a life in something that I was passionate about. And as the future lay before me and I knew what I wanted, the life was taken from me. It was a devastating blow to lose what I had taken for granted. I was also fortunate that I was able to pursue many other passions in life. I could have gone the wrong way but I never foresaw where I am today.
Does this make me some kind of wise sage that can talk to you every week with great insight? NO, I am not that pompous. I find things I am wrong on everyday. I am human which puts me in a great plurality of those who stumble around learning life the hard way. I am as fallible and hypocritical as any other human.
Do I have a wall full of certificates that give me the credibility to tell you things you may or may not want to know? No. I am able to write this Blog and relate my thoughts because a lot of people greater than I will ever pretend foresaw the need for a Constitution and the willingness to sacrifice everything including their lives. Just so I can do this and you can agree or disagree.
I am sure that I have given God some belly laughs with my plans and dreams. I am sure I had him wincing many times. The great thing is I can stumble around and keep trying and he will keep letting me until I finally learn that I am not in control.
I learned early that life is very fragile and tomorrow is always a dream and today is reality and you had better live it to the full. Dealing with others tragedies on the fire dept. and EMS was a daily reminder that the next minute is not always there.
As I am writing this there is a funeral being held for a nice lady that I knew all my life though our paths did not cross often. Six weeks ago she was found to have breast cancer. She was my age. In my life I lost most of my good friends early from cancer.
We take so many things for granted. I am always irritated by groups who have nothing better to do than create problems for others. I hope some day that they will realize that there are better things to do in life than be a burden to others.
I will continue to send you my views with the thought in the back of my mind that 'man's wisdom is foolishness in the eyes of God'. I will be delighted to still comment on the self made experts and give you my VIEW FROM THE HILLS.
This is a saying that my good friend Barry Ward (singer extraordinaire) uses in his singing ministry quite often. And it brings home many times that I have thought I was going one direction and end up somewhere else. There have been many life changing moments in my life, as I am sure there has been in yours, and I never saw it coming.
My younger days dreams were of a ranch, a wife, kids, and a normal life. Yet "normal" just did not seem to be very attractive. Maybe because of a personal tragedy I began to see life differently. I noticed how many people spent their lives in a monotonous manner. How many lived to work rather than worked to live. With a little exposure to working in a factory setting I knew that it was not what I wanted.
I could not conceive of spending a life doing things that did not interest me or spark passion. I would have been very happy on a small ranch somewhere but the reality was and is that it is a privileged few who have the opportunity. It always aggravate me that those who the option was available was, many times, not interested.
I was fortunate to find a life in something that I was passionate about. And as the future lay before me and I knew what I wanted, the life was taken from me. It was a devastating blow to lose what I had taken for granted. I was also fortunate that I was able to pursue many other passions in life. I could have gone the wrong way but I never foresaw where I am today.
Does this make me some kind of wise sage that can talk to you every week with great insight? NO, I am not that pompous. I find things I am wrong on everyday. I am human which puts me in a great plurality of those who stumble around learning life the hard way. I am as fallible and hypocritical as any other human.
Do I have a wall full of certificates that give me the credibility to tell you things you may or may not want to know? No. I am able to write this Blog and relate my thoughts because a lot of people greater than I will ever pretend foresaw the need for a Constitution and the willingness to sacrifice everything including their lives. Just so I can do this and you can agree or disagree.
I am sure that I have given God some belly laughs with my plans and dreams. I am sure I had him wincing many times. The great thing is I can stumble around and keep trying and he will keep letting me until I finally learn that I am not in control.
I learned early that life is very fragile and tomorrow is always a dream and today is reality and you had better live it to the full. Dealing with others tragedies on the fire dept. and EMS was a daily reminder that the next minute is not always there.
As I am writing this there is a funeral being held for a nice lady that I knew all my life though our paths did not cross often. Six weeks ago she was found to have breast cancer. She was my age. In my life I lost most of my good friends early from cancer.
We take so many things for granted. I am always irritated by groups who have nothing better to do than create problems for others. I hope some day that they will realize that there are better things to do in life than be a burden to others.
I will continue to send you my views with the thought in the back of my mind that 'man's wisdom is foolishness in the eyes of God'. I will be delighted to still comment on the self made experts and give you my VIEW FROM THE HILLS.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
TRUTH
"we do not go into ceremony to talk about God.
we go into ceremony to talk to God"
Chief Quanah Parker
TRUTH. "What is truth?" Pontious Pilot.
After years of wondering what passes for truth in our government and the vicious political campaigns that have divide our country into seething factions, how do you establish truth?
We could start by forgetting the talking points and the spin of the network news shows and open our eyes and call truth for what it is. The United States is bankrupt. Every legitimate accounting, economic, and logical person in this country has to admit that there is no way to pay off the national debt and run the country by being 16 trillion dollars in debt. And there is no end in sight.
We are about to go over the so called 'cliff'. The last one that wants it to be stopped is the administration. In the war on the classes that has been waged for the last 20 years, truth has been the casualty. When the do nothing congress does just that, and the president acts on his impression of a mandate, it will cost all of us dearly.
Will all suffer monetarily. Most experts think so. Many don't have a clue how it will impact them. Those not paying taxes are delighted that those 'rich folks' are going to get it stuck to. Yet the cost of everything will hurt them the most. The cost of everything will go up and yet they do not care because 'them rich folks are getting it good'.
Many of these folks who are so in love with hating the rich profess to be good Christian people. Some do not. For those who judge that those rich folks are evil there will come a time when what they profess to believe will be thrown in their faces.
There are many phrases from scripture that are easily forgotten when envy drives a person. Phrases like, 'do not judge lest ye be judged', or 'to whom much is given much is required'.
Like it or not our entire society in the United States is based on two things. Judeo-Christian values and British Common Law. With all the vehement protest and legal battles the underlying principles are still there.
So the principles (commandments) that are so dear too many, thou shalt not steal, murder, ect. are fine but thou shalt not covet thy neighbors goods is not? Hating someone for being rich, or having things you desire (or would deny anyone) is coveting.
If the government would take everything that everyone has and continue on its path the truth is we are still bankrupt. Financially and morally.
Who will stand and say the Emperor is not wearing clothes? No one in Washington.
WILL YOU?
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