North Florida Writer - Blog

SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: Springtime Reminds Us of New Life

3/24/2019

The horses graze adjacent to a budding pear tree in North Florida.

For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land - Song of Solomon 2:11-12 (ESV)

Spring usually arrives early and is very short in North Florida. Come late February the trees often begin to blossom as they show signs of plants coming to life after a period of dormancy during winter. While our winters aren't as long here, they often come with a number of cold snaps, sometimes down into the teens, which for a period turn things from green to brown. But even when we still have some cold nights into early March, they don't usually reach the freezing point which means that the warming afternoon sun urges the plant life onward with bursts of beauty.

As Christians, spring often can remind us of the New Life that we are promised if we are reborn in Jesus Christ. And while the changing of the seasons, when drab winter turns to beautiful spring, is a good reminder, it shouldn't be taken for a valid example of what being born again in Jesus really means. For most of the plants haven't died at all, they have merely gone dormant to protect themselves from the bitter winter, only to awaken like a bear from his den in hibernation and come forth with energy. But with the rebirth through Christ of we humans, we accept the New Life when we accept Him as our Savior but still end our mortal lives before going forth thereafter in our new selves, living with Him in our new home in heaven.

It's appropriate in our human existence that spring falls at the same time of our celebration of the Gift of Eternal Life which Jesus died to provide us. As we watch the plants come alive in color and purpose, we prepare for that day each year where we mark the moment when our chance for Eternity was given for us on the Cross. At that very moment when He died, we were forgiven of our sins. The only requirement left was for us to accept His most generous offer and believe in Him by faith. And if with our free will we decide to do just that, the beauty and glory of an earthly spring day will be just a pittance compared to the beauty and glory we will behold when we depart for heaven. It's truly indescribable in how wonderful it will be.

Dear Lord, We thank you for the reminder of rebirth that the spring provides for us and we thank you for affording the opportunity for that rebirth that you gave us with the sacrifice of your only Son. Help us to make the right choice and believe in faith and follow Him so we might partake of the joy of Everlasting Life with you. We ask in Jesus' name, Amen.

GOING TO THE DOGS WITH RESCUES: PART ONE, MAX THE DALMATIAN

3/23/2019

Max in his later year with his sidekick Kahuna. Wagging to the bitter end.

I've always wondered why people wanting dogs always go for the fancy pet shops or expensive breeders to find one. Over the years my wife and I have rescued a number of wonderful dogs and have found them to be the most loving animals one could have. Yes, you have to spend some time allowing them to get to know you, but once they do and they realize you have saved their life they love you like no other dogs ever could. Max, a liver spotted Dalmatian, was our first and he came from a very bad situation, chained and neglected. He is the first of a series of dogs that I will discuss in a series of blogs over the next few days. He is now gone, but he lived a long and happy life with us showing his big heart and a constantly wagging tail. Max was rescued by my wife in the Fall of 2000, when he probably would have died of a broken spirit had he not found a good home. My wife, a Dalmatian lover and a modern day Dr. Dolittle, immediately fell in love with him and he became an important part of our family.

As a young dog Max was a constant mischief maker. Oh, it was nothing serious, but he always took a morning run and would return home with various prizes, food of course, often with tell tale signs of where they came from. Packs of donuts, McDonald's cartons, or just a loaf of bread were some of the prizes he gathered. We kept him in a large, free roaming fenced in area but he always found a way to get out with some of his friends. Afterwards, he loved to take a snooze in the barn.

His best friend was Kahuna, a cat who is also now gone and as they both aged, they would lie on the porch together and I really think they were reminiscing their younger years. Max was always the gentleman with Kahuna and with people, except for one thing: he was a major league sniffer. But once he checked you out he would usually just lie beside the chair and participate quietly in whatever conversation was taking place. In all the years we had him, he only showed aggression once and it was toward me as I was hitting golf balls in our open meadow. We quickly realized that Max had obviously been beaten in that past home, so once I put the club down, he wagged his tail and came to me. I never picked it up again when he was nearby.

After many good years, he developed cancer and began to slow down. We knew that he would tell us when it was time to go and he did. One day he just decided he no longer would stand up and he had a look on his face as if he was telling us it was time to go. We realized that he was in pain and so, he was given his final rest and we buried him right here in a spot where he loved to rest. We think about him often whenever we pass that spot. Though he crossed the rainbow bridge nearly five years ago, we still remember him and it brings a smile to our faces.

And you know what? I read an article where Billy Graham, the great evangelist, was asked if dogs, even though they do not have a soul, would be in heaven. Mr. Graham very wisely penned a response in which he said that if dogs are part of your family and you love them, the become part of your heart and mind. He was of the opinion that since they were part of you, when you depart this earth they will be there in heaven with you. I trust that will be true when our day comes.

Dogs, and especially rescue dogs, and their masters: It all happens because of love between we humans and our dogs. It's a mutual attraction that grows stronger with time. We are so much better off because it does.

Monday: Gretchen, the little dog with a huge heart.

Can We Learn Something Valuable From a Television Episode?

3/22/2019

Sometimes TV can point out something we know and bring it to life.

The other evening before turning in for the night, my wife and I watched an episode of The Practice, a show that went off the air in 2004. Now we have given up on TV since the comedy became mostly vulgar or too suggestive, the sports became politically correct instead of the game and late night couldn't figure that late night was for comedy not political shenanigans. So, now we just hook her smart phone up to the TV set and watch streaming shows that we select, not the networks. And this one particular episode just happened to point out something that is a major concern today that most of us realize but just are often afraid to discuss.

In the episode, Bobby Donnell, the senior partner of a Boston law firm specializing in criminal defense (played by Dylan McDermott, center of the picture above) was preparing for his closing arguments in a case involving a small time but old bookie. It seems that the defendant had knowledge of some major crime activities in gambling, yet he wasn't willing to talk about them, saying that his "friends" wouldn't like it and they would probably kill him for it. The state prosecutor decided to take him to trial for his bookie operation and throw the book at him, not because he cared about the petty crime in the old man's bookie operation, but to force him to tell what he wouldn't. Donnell knew the old man, knew he was a family man, lived well within the law excepting his small operation which never caused physical harm to anyone, and took him on as a client. The case didn't go well, pretty much a slam dunk, and Donnell didn't know if he could pull the case out of the fire so that the old man could live out his life with his family instead of in prison.

Enter actor Steve Harris (top left in the photo above) as attorney Eugene Young, who is asked by Donnell to handle the closing argument, feeling that Eugene, a man who grew up on the streets and had private investigative experience in his background, might have just the right approach to work a miracle. Young steps up to the plate and delivers a summation which not only portrayed his acting skills but to the layman's eye would make a good defense lawyer. He explains to the jury just what dirty tricks the prosecution has carried out, that the case isn't about justice at all and that all of the jury members have probably gambled, many through a bookie and other's through state approved gambling, such as the lotto, horse racing and other sporting events that allow a wager. Then he talked about the old man, who was well liked in his neighborhood and helped friends and neighbors in time of need, contrasting that with the prosecutor's actions. And then, in his final words, he stated that we just don't operate this way in the United States of America, that this kind of behavior is what is done in a land of tyranny. After a quick deliberation by the jury, they returned a verdict of not guilty.

Now I understand that this was just television drama, but I have to admit as it ended I thought to myself that this is just the same thing that is going on in Washington today and my wife agreed. And if we Americans want to remain free, we have to stand fast by using the law for justice, not as a means of destroying anyone you need to use while you try to get to someone that is really the target. And what if you use false documentation as a basis for establishing probable cause? Well, regardless of your political or social views, how would you like to be on the receiving end of such a travesty? After all, if it can be used on someone else, it can be used on you. We need to think about that and what it means in what is supposed to be a free society. If it goes unchecked, it likely means we all will be trading freedom for chains.

The Good Old Days: It Was Tough to be an Almost Teen Boy in the Springtime

3/21/2019

Now long gone, I attended from Sep '53-June '60

The picture above is of good old Wilson School in Newport News, the school I attended for the first through seventh grades. If you live in the Boulevard section of town, from Walnut to the Hampton city line, it was the neighborhood school and many of us were there for the entire seven years. It wasn't fancy as you can see, but it had huge windows that when opened, allowed the breeze from Hampton Road harbor to come in and cool things down on a hot day, particularly those south facing windows on the top floor. Both the sixth and seventh grade classrooms were right inside those windows and the view was fantastic and that became somewhat of a problem in the spring. From the fall of 1958 until finishing the seventh grade in June 1960, the entry of the reality of what girls really were would begin to take hold on me and all of the boys in our class.

From the vantage point of those windows, when the subject was boring it was easy to get lost while looking out at the green grass and trees filling in during the typical beauty of budding spring in Virginia. In my case, I could even see my house since it sat right across the small marsh and open lot and was only about two hundred yards or so away. I could even tell in the springtime if Mom was home, for she loved to tend her roses in the afternoon and they grew along the fence that faced the school. But what my mind was focused on was that big vacant lot between the school and my house.

The big lot, the largest open space in the neighborhood outside of the school grounds, was where we gathered on nice days to play baseball in spring. Sometimes we even tried a change of pace with football but that was usually reserved for the fall or even a warmer than usual winter day. Even though the field had a slight incline, it worked and our thick ligustrum hedge served as the protective barrier behind the catcher. Unless you were Mickey Mantle, a foul ball, right or left, landed in safe territory clear of homes, but sometimes it could be in the edge of the marsh which necessitated care to avoid the rare but sometimes presence of a water moccasin. So, my mind would often be on the game planned for after school and I only remember one occasion where I was caught dead to right not knowing what the teacher was talking about. I was late for the day's game that day as I had to write on the blackboard "I will not daydream in class" one hundred times. I did get some ribbing when I showed up on the field later, as did anyone who suffered my fate, which was inevitable for all of us sooner or later. Boys would get caught and 'fess up, girls could smile and get away with it.

It was during these days that we boys noted a change in all of us in our daily plans. On certain days, different boys at different times weren't present, but over a short period of time it took hold of all of us. Girls, those creatures that we had routinely loved to tease and who teased back suddenly looked different in our eyes. I remember the cute little blonde girl with the white blouse who wore long pigtails. She was the one who cried in second grade when I dipped a pigtail in the desk inkwell and she didn't even know it until the teacher said the back of her blouse was smeared in ink. I spent an hour on the pink bench that day and a mere five years later I found myself thinking she was very pretty. We couldn't understand how our parents knew it was time to tell us about the way things were, but I guess the fact that we started wanting to invite girls to birthday parties on our own, without parent's requiring it, we should have been able to figure it out.

Those days were sometimes confusing times but also wonderful times and we were blessed to have parents who took parenting seriously and would oversee us even when we didn't realize it. Now in my case, the "birds and the bees" comprehensive discussion was provided by my older brother and my pastor, Dr. Buckles. Mom felt that it was important for me to be taught the whole truth by another male and Brother Bobby did a good job of it and Dr. Buckles, a man who was very fatherly to me after Dad died, always took a personal interest in me in those days. I was very fortunate and it instilled in me a healthy respect for what was the way to live and what was not. I feel sorry for so many young boys today who get the message from people who have no business being the one to share the message. And believe me, in my case, God played a most prominent place in what was expected of me.

The Good Old Days: they weren't perfect but they did a good job of preparing me to be an adult in a society which needs to return to some of the same principles that always worked. Some things are just right and others are wrong. There is no such thing as "anything goes" because, when "anything goes," society goes with it. Have a blessed day.

The Answer Lies in the Beautiful Sand and the Blowing Winds

3/20/2019

Look at those beautiful oceanfront dunes behind the little boys.

Two little boys, one a mere toddler, stand in from of the sign on their grandfather's new beach home in Nags Head, North Carolina. The time is the late 1940's and that beautiful beach on the Atlantic was windswept, wild and free back in those days. I know because the lot line is at the telephone pole and that adjacent property was owned by my parents and to the left of the picture near those nice beach dunes our cottage was nearing completion. If you look closely you can see the dirt improved driveway on the sand used to enter and exit the property, a drive to be made of concrete when closer to completion. The two boys were brothers named Johnny and Frankie and while I knew them both, Frankie on the right became a close boyhood friend. He and I were of the same age. We spent years playing and growing in the summers on that wonderful beach and the memories flood back into my mind as I grow older. But that is not the principal reason for today's blog, no, not at all. I write to discuss the cost which should have never been required to replenish the beachfront on that beautiful shore and a few other related things.

So, what do I mean? Well, the answer lies in the sand and the wind and the way they can work together or tear one another apart and it's all part of nature. You see, back in those days pictured, when a storm came with winds off the sea, lots of sand blew toward the west, caught by the scrub growth in the vacant sandy land between the beach road and the dunes. Later, when the predominant wind field changed to a more seaward flow, the sand would blow back to be caught by the natural sea oats along the beach dunes. They prospered, but for them to do so, requires the sand to be carried by the wind. When the oceanfront became heavily built up, often with multi-storied buildings spaced close together, the flow was broken and that meant that erosion would take a much more serious place in oceanfront beach issues. That necessitated man to create programs like beach re-nourishment at huge cost to the taxpayers and that very sand never ends up with the same staying power as that which came naturally. They build it up and then it washes out and the cost continues to grow as it repeats itself.

The Jockey's Ridge dune formation back in those early days was much more prominent and taller than it is now. It has literally been pancaked and that has been caused by the same issue. Those healthy, but low dunes that run north of Jockey's Ridge are saved by the woodlands right behind them. Jockey's Ridge began the same way, but ultimately the forest was covered totally in that location, allowing the foundation for the dune to grow. It can no longer replenish itself and the western line of dunes are not likely to cover the remaining woodlands since there is no excess sand to capture. With so much of the large land area that used to be the flats now developed and covered either with concrete, homes or planted grass, the excess amounts of sand are gone because they are all covered.

Also of note is the lack of infrastructure to move the water which used to ultimately percolate out through the sandy and flat scrub land from excessive rain and or flooding from salt water. That's why the major pools of stagnant water form after heavy rains and flooding storms and the only solution being used is to pump the nasty and toxic mess into the ocean, the very body of water that tourists come to the beach to enjoy. As the process continues and more and more algae blooms will grow, a similar fate to that which we see down here in Florida repeat itself endlessly. In the case of the Outer Banks, this creates a situation where another perfect storm like the Ash Wednesday nor-'aster in 1962 would likely be disaster from which the area might not recover. It is likely the building of a new bridge up below Corolla will likely just add to the situation with the higher growth and the impact to that portion of the beachfront in years to come.

I don't write this piece as a doomsday prophet, nor do I expect some miraculous change in economic outlook to take place, but I do think it's important for all who enjoy and love the Outer Banks to realize that what is basically a sandbar showing above water with massive volumes of water on both sides, can only go so far before the islands speak out in the only way they can. That answer will likely be giving themselves back to the natural environment from which they were born, the Mighty Atlantic. The old timers of those days of my youth, many were my relatives, warned of what would someday happen and they were wise sages coming from a long line of those glorious Outer Bankers with the strange accent. They were right and nature will do what nature is going to do, so just at least be aware and don't be shocked when things don't turn out the way that some promise they will. Man has never been able to truly defeat the sea and natural elements, he just fools himself for a few generations at a time. I love the place and I'm just glad I have the memories that I have from those days gone by. I just hope that everyone will think about it and try to live accordingly.

So, What Will Heaven Be Like?

3/19/2019

How wondrous will the end of the trip be?

Those of us who are Bible-believing Christians know that if we put Our Lord and Savior first in our lives and try as hard as we can to live as He asks that at the end of our life on earth we will inherit the Kingdom of God for eternity. Think about it and what that means. Our life on earth is just an ink spot on the time of eternity, so if we believe and do as He asks to the best of our lives we will find a wondrous and joyous permanent eternal home with him in heaven. That brings up a very good question, since we don't really know just how wondrous heaven will truly be, so let's ponder. What do you think from the perspective of your life experience will heaven be like? I'll give it a shot, realizing that I have no way of knowing but from my earthly perspective these are some of the things that I would like to see.

Those of you who know me are aware that I love the sea and I love horses and both of those natural things require a wide expanse of area, so I think I am fortunate, for I can picture a beautiful green meadow full of beautiful grass and flowers on high and dry land overlooking a deep blue sea. Now, I won't have to worry about shelter for all things are bright and beautiful. So, I will be able to live outdoors without fear of skin cancer or other mortal issues and enjoy the beautiful views and the wonder of watching the grace and joy of horses running wild and free. They will be there since they are now part of my soul along with dogs, cats and beautiful birds who don't have to be tended with arthritis and other ailments.

Since there is no physical limitation or boundaries and there is no fear of death, wild animals will become tame and live peacefully among us and visits with the Lord our Savior and the Father will be nothing more than receiving the call and we will be with them in the City of God, golden and shining in the sunlight. The same will apply with regard to past loved ones who are also present; we will see them readily, only they will look radiant and still have a youthful countenance. When God calls us all together in a Temple of Gold, it will hold all heavenly souls and we'll rock the house with joyous praises in song, amazed that we now have the voices of a professional choir, only even better. And even though we have no earthly needs, there will be joyous fellowship gatherings where everyone is there and gets along and the food will be indescribably delicious.

God will assign us work, but it will be done with our new, perfect bodies that will allow it to be done without pain and with joy in our hearts and we will sleep in the open under the stars as all eternal living things will be in harmony with the heavenly hosts. Imagine lying in a soft meadow looking up at the stars, crystal clear and bright and perhaps a faint hint of the City of Gold will show on the horizon, just a hint of it's wonder that still won't alter the view. Oh, I could go on forever as I try to imagine the beauty but, of course, it may be nothing like my thoughts at all. But, one thing I know for sure. It won't really matter then at all, for what we will find will be so beyond anything imaginable and so wonderful we won't give it a second thought. We will be well aware at the point of entry that we have succeeded with the greatest success a mortal could ask for at the conclusion of mortal life: Eternity.

So, now readers, is there any one among you who would like to take a stab at describing what heaven will be like to you from your current earthly perspective. If so, send me a note as a response to this blog and I'll be back in touch. Don't worry, your contact email will not show on the blog but only by the Administrator who is me. Whether anyone wants to post a guest blog or not, I hope you will give the exercise a try. If nothing more, it will help you maintain your faithful focus for putting your eye clearly on the prize. God bless you all.

The Sad Tale of the Whale

3/18/2019

Dead whale on beach (courtesy Corolla, NC Rescue Service)

In the month of February of this year, the coast of North Carolina and Virginia have noted a high number of dead whales washing up on the beach. Four were found within a two week period. Now, of course, the global pundits have come out and immediately charged it's due to the use of plastic and it should be totally banned. They have also, as they usually do, put their push behind the United Nations as the organization which should govern the process to direct and lead enforcement for the world, a body that has continually shown more and more hostility to America. I don't know about others, but I have no desire to see a group of bureaucrats in Brussels tell Americans what to do. And while I do believe we need to look at cutting down on plastic for bags and drink cups and plates and other such things, I think we need to be very careful before we blame plastics for the total blame, at least as far as the United States is concerned. Yes, we do have some who are inconsiderate in the way they dispose of thing, turning beaches at times into a litter field, but we have to look much deeper than that to find the real sources of the problem.

As it turns out, sixty percent of the waste plastic which gets into our oceans comes from five nations in Asia. These are China. the Philippines. Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand. China is by far the worst nation on earth generating approximately five million tons a year. This came from a report published by the Ocean Conservancy and the McKinsey Center for Conservation and Environment in 2015, the most recent such report available. No other nation on earth came close and while the UN pushes for strict limits under its control on the use of plastics for convenience, China always promises but never delivers on its commitments to follow such a plan. Russia and India often follow a similar tack, but none with the massive impact of China. We also need to take into account that a large number of whales wash up due to hitting a ship propeller, something that is really unavoidable unless we stop sea travel and transport which is totally ridiculous. So, what can we do within reason to limit the unnecessary death of these great sea mammals at least on our part?

Well, being both a believer in conservation within reason and the requirements of a modern society, I think that the limit of use of plastic convenience items such as bags, plates and utensils is a good idea as long as we can find an economic solution that is affordable by not just the elites and rich, but everyone. For one thing, I remember when we used to go on picnics with real utensils, just putting them back in the picnic basket and bringing them home to wash. And, of course, the strong and durable plastic plates are a great idea, for we can bring them home and wash and reuse them as well. As for the cheap plastic bag at the grocery store, I think we could easily eliminate them and go back to paper which is both biodegradable and recyclable as well. Individually owned cloth bags are fine, but they won't work for large and poor families, so that's why I favor paper, just like we used in the old days. Finally. being good citizens and not throwing waste certainly needs to be taught to children, especially if their parents will conduct themselves in a way to lead the family in this effort.

The United States has taken great strides to bring the largest economic engine in the world to a much more appropriate level of resource use that will provide both convenience and a higher level of conservation approach to business. A nation like China must also do its fair share which it routinely shows that it will just disregard. We can't become alarmists to the extreme in America if sixty percent of the source is on one continent and it's not ours. We can find answers since America always has used her sovereignty and the genius of her people to do things better than most of the world combined. Let's do what me must, but do it the American way and use the leverage of our leadership to make it happen worldwide. The UN has proven time and again that it can't lead, it would rather try to dictate for its own one world government goal. If you love America as most of us do, that is never acceptable.

SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: Don't Wait, Don't Procrastinate

3/17/2019

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."
- Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT)

PROCRASTINATION. It's a problem that we all have at times and it sometimes puts us in a position that causes serious stress. Take the college student who waits until the last minute to "cram" for a final exam. Or the working man who can easily finish his work for the week on Friday, yet ends up daydreaming and has to jump through hoops on the following Monday morning to catch up. It even adversely impacts the soldier who knows he has a big uniform inspection coming up and waits and waits until it's almost impossible to shine that brass and spit shine those shoes in time.

We humans are so often torn between what we need to do and what we want to do that we often choose the latter and create a major problem for ourselves. Yet, even then, when we hustle and get it done before the deadline we easily forget the error of our ways. If we don't learn and get a reprieve, the same thing will likely happen again we might not be so fortunate then.

Looking at our spiritual selves, what about the wonderful opportunity we have to gain Eternity through the grace and love of Our Savior? What if we procrastinate on making our decision to believe in Him by faith and earthly death comes before we make that commitment? Well, the answer is not one that we like to contemplate, for the Bible is clear that we must believe in Him by faith before our time on earth is done. It's the one time we don't have a second chance to make the decision. The consequences therefrom are also never ending

So, simply stated, don't procrastinate on deciding to put your life in the hands of Christ. We must make the decision today and do everything in our power to live for Him throughout our life. He wants us to join Him with Everlasting Life when our earthly life is done, but we must make our own free will decision to do so and it must be done before our life on earth ends, a time and date that we will never know until it happens. Give your life to Jesus while you can. It's one time when you beat the procrastination bug that will stay with you forever, both here and in the life that awaits.

Dear Lord, Help us to fight the temptation to procrastinate about our decision to put Our Lord and Savior first in our lives. It is truly the gift that keeps on giving forever and we thank you for giving us the most golden opportunity of them all. We ask in Jesus' name, Amen.

Happiness is Having "The Three Amigos" in the Family

3/15/2019

Left to right: Molly, Salvador and Valentino

My wife and I live on a wonderful rural homestead with our horses, dogs, cats and birds, including some free ranging chickens. Now living with free ranging chickens is always a challenge since varmints are always around who try to come calling for a free chicken dinner. Early on, we lost a few and when we also lost a wonderful Great Dane, we decided we would replace him with a dog who was noted for keeping watch over animals. Our search revealed that none were better than Great Pyrenees, a dog who takes it as his natural job to protect all living things that are part of his family. Once they are trained to recognize all residents, including all of our pet family as well as we humans, they devote themselves when darkness falls to guarding everything within the property, staying up most of the night while sleeping during the day.

When Charyl went to check out the breed at a farm in South Georgia, she found Valentino, Val For short, the dog on the right. She also learned, however, that Val had a brand new half-brother who would be available in another seven weeks, so my Dr. Dolittle of a wife just decided that two was better than one. Boy, did that turn out to be right and with our rat terrier, Molly, a wonderful little dog that we had already, the Three Amigos, consisting of Molly, Val and Salvador, nicknamed Sal, quickly followed their instincts.

Now Molly sleeps in the house while the big boys stay out, prowling the property line and keeping a quick lookout. At night when they bark out by the fences, Molly comes over to my side of the bed and whimpers to go out. Out she goes and she's off to work as a spotter. One night, when the varmints were multiple coyotes, she worked to keep the big boys abreast of where there was a weakness in the fence line. There has been only one occasion since we've had them, nearly five years, that the enemy made it across and yes, a chicken was killed. But Salvador, rushing to the scene of the chicken scream and made sure that he wouldn't go home to tell about it. He was instantaneously crushed.

While the boys sleep during the day, Molly maintains a vigil and should she bark, they will be right there at her side to ward off the varmint. The three of them work like a charm and I wouldn't trade any of them for the world. They are great dogs, working dogs and members of our family. They greet me each day and never ask for much, just food and clean water and a few moments of personal attention. This human couldn't have a better and more loyal friend anywhere than these Three Amigos.

Dogs: You just gotta' love them. If you don't, you probably have never lived in rural country. They are jewels in the meadow and in the forest.

Whatever Happened to Individualism and Self-Reliance?

3/14/2019

Great quote and it's just as valid today as it ever was.

Maybe it's just because I'm getting older and am missing something, but I wonder today why we are pushing so hard for conformity in all things and individualism seemingly is being shouted down by group-think. I was thinking about this yesterday when I couldn't post anything on Facebook due to the blackout and found this quote courtesy of InspirationBoost. com. Think about it. If you are over fifty and of course there are many others of us who were taught self-reliance by parents that are younger, we are faced with a wave in the new society which is a massive push for conformity. The United States of America, a nation founded by hearty individualists willing to take risk and asking for God's guidance, went forward with individual drive, ambition and God's grace to carve out a nation with each left in many ways to his or her own skills to do it with.

Look around and what do we see. Kids are being taught a story line where free and open debate is criticized and even today there is a push for changes to our national political structure that would create a pure democracy if they are successful. And we build massive developments that are largely cookie cutter in design that lack character and, frankly, I wonder how one might find their house if the lights went out. And then yesterday, with the Facebook failure, many of us sudden realized how much time we spend on that medium where face-to-face friendships have so often been replace by "talking" with others through an electronic box. And where will the outcome of all of this take us in the future?

Well, with a free and open exchange of ideas which is what real debate does, we would both learn from others and develop our thinking skills as well. And if we revert to a pure democracy by replacing our constitutional democratic republican form of government, we would find that mobocracy or tyranny of the majority takes hold. The form of government we have was developed as it was since our founders knew what a leader could do with a majority. They tyranny of kings that they came from clearly showed them why the rights of individuals, right created not by man but by God, had to be maintained. The rights of the minority always must be properly taken into account if we want to be free. As for housing, well, automation is one of the reasons and the the high costs of today are compelling, but still, wouldn't it be nice if there was another way? And automation of the social scene, well, that is just something that we have to guard against individually for it is easy to become an addiction. Remember those days of the family having dinner as a unit and talked, rather than ate while playing with an electronic device? I truly think that we were better off as it was the one time daily when the entire clan was together.

Now I understand that there are plenty of good things in our modern society that make things better, but my point is to say that we must never let our individualism, our "gut" reaction to things to slip away. We are each a lot smarter than we think when we practice making our mind really work, not just accept things proposed. And remember, God is always there to help us be the best we can be according to His eternal plan, not the whims of society. So, just take all of the modernity and conformity around us with a grain of salt. After all, we were given a brain to use and not lose and with the grace of God it might be amazing what we might come up with. I guess, in the end, that's what I'm driving at. Read the quote from Emerson, but don't forget to add the inclusion of Our Creator in the equation, and we can maintain our individualism, using self-reliance, to come up with the right answer instead of accepting blindly an approach someone else is pushing. We all have the strength and the power to do so if we only search within ourselves and especially our heart.

Remember, we don't have to be a blind conformist to be a good citizen. Quite the contrary, a good citizen uses his or her own mind to make the decisions that impact all of us. Have a blessed day.