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SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: God is Always There for Us!

5/31/2020

He is always standing by, awaiting our call.

Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you; Beneath his wings of love abide, God will take care of you.
Refrain: God will take care of you, Through ev'ry day,O’er all the way; He will take care of you, God will take care of you. - Civilla Durfee Martin (1905)

Those words make up the first verse of a popular hymn now over one hundred years old, God Will Take Care of You. The lyrics by Civilla Martin are timeless, for God is always standing by to take care of our problems if we only ask Him for His help. She wrote them when she was home ailing and her husband had a long trip to make by himself. She was supposed to go with him and she was worried about his safety until her young son to her not to worry, for God would take care of him, just as he will of you and me. I was reminded of that recently when I received word from a dear friend of something impending that would destroy a good friend if it took place. Something had to be done fast.

It was Memorial Day and I was sitting in my easy chair with my Kindle Book when a Facebook message popped up and startled me. It was from an old friend and he just said he was very sad, tired of getting old and just didn't want to live any longer. He was thinking about taking his life. For a moment, I sat there stunned, then read it again and realized this was something really serious. So, I went to my computer, logged in and sent him a message, hoping he was still online, saying "don't do anything until I talk with you." Then I called his home number and finally after three tries he picked up. He was very morose and sounded inebriated. I just got him talking.

My wife heard me from the other room and as I talked, she came to my side saying softly for me to give her his name and number. He was too far away from us, hundreds of miles, to rush to him so she did the next best thing and called the police in that city. I continued to talk with him as the dispatcher said to her they were sending officers but then, suddenly. the phone went dead. At that point the police dispatcher said he had to get off the line but would follow through. There was nothing more we could do. I remember saying a prayer for him that night and the next day. I was tied up with my Mohs surgery on my ear all day so could do nothing further. And I've got to tell you, after the surgery was much more drastic than expected and when I say just how extensive it was, I was a bit overcome temporarily, thinking the worst about my friend's situation and my own. The only thing I could do at that point was pray, and I did so in earnest. It was only then that I heard that lovely hymn, God Will Take Care of You ringing in my ears and I realized He was right there with me.

Well, before going home dog tired that evening, the doctor showed me what he had done after the picture I had originally seen and before dressing my aching ear. I was truly amazed how he had been able to make it look almost like new. Oh, it would take time to heal, but in the end it would be quite normal, the difference only noticeable on close inspection. But the greater thing happened the next day when, resting at home, I went on line early in the morning as I routinely do. There, awaiting me was a message from my friend's little sister who I had forgotten follows my writing. It said that the family had been able to access his smart phone and they found my quick note in response to his on that fateful day. And she told me that, if as it appeared, I had intervened with my wife, they were very thankful. He was cared for and would be observed for several days to find out just what was going on in his head and yes, he did have a gun in his possession but the phone went dead when he fell and hit his head. I responded to her with a thank you, and then I wrote to my friend saying that I understood he might not want to be in touch any longer, but that I did what I did because I couldn't just let his comment go by without action. I ended by saying that he still had something great to offer others and his family and that I loved him like a brother. The next day he responded by telling me that I need not worry, that I had done the right thing and he loved me as well.

The only thing left that I can say is that in my moment of concern, both for him and my own physical alteration going on, God took care of both of them. Yes, He listened to my prayers and they were answered. And he worked diligently through my wife as well and I am oh, so pleased. So, thank you, Lord and friends, He'll do the same thing for you as well if only you are willing to sincerely ask. He always responds well to those who love Him, for he is all about Love. Have a blessed and wonderful Lord's Day.

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So, What is the Attraction of the Beach?

5/29/2020

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Beautiful wide open Atlantic coast beach in Northeast Florida.

With the passage of Memorial Day, prime beach season now opens in the United States and the millions of beach-loving Americans on the Atlantic seaboard begin their annual trek to the coast. Some want fancy hotels and restaurants and places where they can swim in a clean, clear pool and gaze at the beach and shore in front of them without even dipping in a big toe. They want night clubs, entertainment hubs, and what's even more amazing to me is some during their visit never even get any sand on their feet. Some others never even see the sea right in front of them as they sit on their beach blankets, their heads buried in their smart phones. And, of course, that's perfectly fine for those who enjoy such an experience, but for me it never works. As far as I'm concerned, the beach is the point of land from the top of the frontal dunes down to the final break point where waves meet sand. From as far to the north and south that the sand and surf connection can be seen, that is the beach.

Perhaps my viewpoint comes from spending so much time in those years gone by at Old Nags Head when beaches were really family towns as opposed to resorts. The ocean could be seen riding down beach roads, not blocked by huge resorts and hotels and access was easy just about anywhere along the way. Beach living back them was roughing it, with no air conditioning, limited phone connections, most didn't have TV and transistor radios were in vogue. There were a limited number of hotels and motels and, of course, food markets and souvenir shops as well. Rather than tourists, the predominant group visiting the beach were beach cottage owners or their friends who would come, spend most of their time on the sand and in the water, with all other things of much less significance. Yes, there were a number of local restaurants serving seafood in the local fashion for the community and the food was good, plentiful and served to packed houses on weekends. On weekdays, however, there was usually not a big line and the old timers and locals were seen there on those days. And as far as night life, outside of the Casino, Ras Wescott's dance hall by Jockey's Ridge and the Recreation Center where teens would hang out, there wasn't much, not even a movie theater unless traveling to Manteo. Small gatherings of neighbors, however, were conducted in cottages or on breezy porches with board games and cards the order of the evening. Maybe it was also a night fishing experience on the beach, replete with bonfire and lanterns, with everyone gathering around the fire after fishing was done. Or perhaps a romantic stroll in the moonlight did the trick. It didn't matter, for a busy day of sun and surf tired everyone out and they turned in at a reasonable hour for many never missed the continuing thrill of a glorious sunrise which was always a wonder.

Now I'm not trying to say in this new and fast-paced age of today that we should try and go back to the past for that is not even possible. But I think it might be a good idea during a beach visit that some time be put aside to experience some of those joys that were simple but so meaningful. Like experiencing the sunrise from the beach on a beautiful morning or even on a stormy one. Or taking an afternoon walk after the heat of the day and watching the elements of nature in action. Don't forget to look for seashells along the way as the sandfiddler crabs stir about doing their beach cleaner duty. Pay attention to the seagulls and the pelicans on their daily struggle for survival in their search for food. Or watch for a shark coming into the shallows to feed on a passing school of fish or the dolphin stalking him and planning his attack to kill his hated enemy. It will become obvious after seeing the chase begin as it ends with a huge geyser display out of the sea that the fatal blow has been dealt and within a day the lifeless corpse of the shark will wash ashore. In the evening, a walk under the rising moon is as romantic as it gets and a good game of cards or a family table game is always a good way to bring lasting family memories on a rainy beach night. Good conversation around the table is a great way to bond after the hectic schedule from back home made it so difficult. And watch how the little ones when playing on the beach in the wet sand give up the fancy toys and turn a simple shingle found on the beach into a highway construction grader or a drip castle becomes Disney World. It's surprising the fun and joy that can come from the simpler pleasures along the shore and they bring some of the best memories. So, for a day or two, put away the smart phone and turn off the television and rough it like the good old days. The peace, simple fun and togetherness it can bring is awesome and you might just find you want to try it again and often.

So, have fun at the beach but never forget that the real joy of the beach is its beauty and simplicity and the way it can take all of those stressful issues and kinks in the body and melt them away. Nature as provided by God can always do that for us, we just have to open ourselves to it. I hope you'll give it a try.

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Good Health Insurance Isn't a Card, It's Access to Good Care

5/28/2020

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Bravo! Quality Care at UF Health Dermatology is about the staff.

One thing is for sure about life as we get older, the little sins in our younger days of being carefree and sometimes reckless with regard to taking good care of ourselves catches up with us and hits us head on whether we like it or not. One of the most prevalent examples is in the area of skin care, for those of us who spent summers at the beach as I did, with no hat, no shirt and no sunscreen (it really was non-existent in my young years) shows up in the form of skin cancer. This past Tuesday was one of those bad days for me as I had to undergo Mohs surgery, more rounds of it that I had expected, and it reminded me of some of the foolishness of those fun in the sun days. But it also reminded me of something else and that is the importance of having a good healthcare provider and coverage for it that really works.

As I sat there in the surgery room, waiting for my doctor to return with the good or bad news after each of the multiple sessions based upon a pathology check, I thought about all of the hype about universal healthcare coverage today. We are told by the zealots who want to finish off the dwindling relationship between doctor and patient that the government knows best and one size fits all is a winner that will save everyone money while giving quality care for all. We are told not to worry, that the addition of illegals and others ineligible for American care at no cost will be easily handled and that we will all be glad we got it. Yet, when Obamacare was proposed, an early push toward the ultimate goal of single player later, we found that costs went through the roof and that many just couldn't afford the premiums let alone the outrageous upfront co-pays and these were people who previously had affordable insurance that worked. And with the Medicaid system offering payment rates to doctors that are so low that it makes the work unfeasible, more and more practices no longer take Medicaid and some not even Medicare unless the patient has a good supplement. You can't blame a good doctor for wanting a decent payment after all of his or her training and his high malpractice policy costs. No, the blame is with the politicians and the bureaucrats who replace the doctor as the decider of who gets what and how. Things have gradually been heading this way for a long time and Obamacare just sped up the process. And for those who have high premiums today, just look at one size fits all for we are paying for every kind of service, not just the ones we need. Even worse, doctors, particularly the general practice types, are basically glorified clerks with the data gathering tasks while being limited in treatment to exactly what the bureaucrats who think they know best what works. And this is leading to a shortage of doctors since the rigors of medical school becomes no longer worth the reward. No, the doctors have been reduced to pawns and the patients find themselves limited to getting what the system wants, not what they need.

As I thought about these things during my lengthy visit, I realized how fortunate I was to have coverage at probably the least limited of options still working today. Oh, the premiums are much higher and the co-pays as well, but it is still so much better than many working for small private businesses or independent and on their own. I also know, however, that what the future holds unless we wake up will be less attractive as the co-pays and the other out-of-pocket expenses will ramp up much greater than they already have, choices will be further limited and quality will disappear with long waiting times abounding. I only pray that Americans will wake up, rise up and demand a return to patient-doctor systems that provide what patients and doctors want, a medical system. Doctors want to return to practicing medicine, not serving a bureaucratic master who loves his or her power. It can be done, but to do it, the secrecy of pricing needs to be removed and the competitive process of choice in healthcare needs to be the rule. When doctors can show some initiative and compete for patients, such as the growing trend for concierge medicine at affordable pricing shows, great strides can be made. It takes freedom to change the long antiquated system that we have today. It takes some thinking out of the box, not the attitude of it's just the way things are. Think about it while I go back to nursing my aching body as I finish my recovery from Tuesday's action. And have a great day.

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MEMORIES OF GROWING UP: How Did Mom Always Know?

5/26/2020

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THE IMAGE OF ANGELDOM CRUSHED: Mom on the left circa 1920. Aunt Alma is at far right.

As we get older and have more time to ponder our lives in detail, one of the questions that I always ask myself is how did Mom always know what I did? I mean it was like she had a drone circling above me everywhere I went to send her the message of what I did or was about to do before I did it. Of course, there were no drones back in those days, but neighborhoods were much more closely knit and mothers talked to one another routinely to keep all of their darling kids on the straight and narrow. But even with that, there was more to it than that and I just couldn't quite grasp how she never missed a step along my path.

As a boy, both very small and even into my teenage years, I can remember when Mom learned of something that I didn't do quite right and she would call me on it. She said I was expected to do better and that I should never fail, even as it was usually truly a minor issue. Maybe it was a little snark, or a joke that turned out badly, or even doing something stupid like trying to eat a snack in class, but she'd call me on it. And I remember on occasion asking her if she ever made even little mistakes when she was growing up. She would pause and look at me and say, "Well, I'm your mother and I was an angel." Notice, however, that she didn't say she did nothing wrong, just that she was an angel. And I often wanted to say something about that but never did. Then as I walked away at the end of the conversation, I thought I noticed a twinkle in her eyes and a slight smile telling me that she hadn't been perfect but, again, I wasn't about to pose the possibility. But I also wondered just how perfect she was. I knew she was hardworking, but she also had a fun loving streak and I just had a hunch that she had a weak spot. After all, I knew she had been a high school girls' basketball player back in the day when there were no gyms in small rural school and they played out in the cold using oyster shells to line the court. Ouch! I figured that one day I'd somehow find out.

Years later, living in Florida not too long before she moved into an assisted living facility, she sent me a box of pictures and things that she had kept for me. She did that for each of us children and opening it after all those years, I just chuckled and enjoyed looking at the pictures and all of the other contents. And there was my first hint of Mom growing up as a student in school bending the rules. I don't know if it was deliberate or not, but the box included several of her high school report cards from her days at Manteo High School in the late 1920's. I picked it up, and looked through the grading report and found something that made me laugh. Sure, she had good grades, but she also had a citizenship grade listed as "NE" which meant "Needs Improvement.." Reading on, there was the annotation of why she needed improvement. It said "eats in class." Aha! That was a good start, but I wanted one more piece of evidence to give me a more complete evaluation and I finally got that just in the last week or so.What made it even better was that it was from an earlier stage in life for it showed me her high school shortfall wasn't an isolated incident.

As I opened Facebook one morning recent, a younger cousin of mine from Wanchese who I've never met in person sent me the photo above which included Mom with her tongue hanging out in a group picture with two of her sisters and a few cousins. I thought of Mom in her dressy outfit wanting to just show her independence and I had what I needed. The older girl on the far right was my Aunt Alma and she and Mom were quite close and had a few common characteristics. She looks like she's about to take the head off of someone, maybe the photographer, probably because she didn't want to be dressed up. Yep, that was Mom and that was Aunt Alma and now I know the rest of the story. And I thank Lou Ellen Quinn for sending it to me for all of my pictures of Mom as a little girl are gone. Remember, memories are what life is made of as life goes by. That latest addition to my memory bank is a great one for Mom, up there in heaven, consider yourself busted. I know that got a laugh out of her. How about you? Have a blessed day.

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MEMORIAL DAY 2020: Honoring Those Who Died for Us

5/25/2020

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The American Cemetery in Normandy, near the site of the dramatic invasion of Europe.

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
- John 15:13 (NLT)

The verse above from the Gospel of John tells us simply what sacrificing life for others clearly states and why we honor our fallen military warriors today. Each of them, no matter what their duty at the time, died as part of an effort to keep Americans free. Millions of Americans over the years have gone to war and hundreds of thousand have died, but through it all those who are gone knew that they were in harm's way against fearful enemies, yet they willingly did so anyway.

Now I've seen and read many comments on this day how it is a day to honor those who have served and, of course, any day is a good day to celebrate their service, but on this day we honor those who have died and never got to come home. There were young husbands and fathers who never got to see their new baby son or daughter. There were nurses working in hospitals near the front lines who had their lives snuffed out during a bombing raid. There were teachers who would never teach again and preachers who would never preach again. They were all ages, some even younger than enlistment age when they slipped through the cracks in their fervor to be part of the war effort. They came from all races and creeds and large cities, small towns and even rural farms. They were doctors, lawyers, teachers, farmers, business people, ministers of faith, fishermen, office clerks and every occupation imaginable, yet they all served and died for the cause. Most were really just boys, young men and a few women who were just starting out in like and never given the chance to prove what they could be. But when called, they answered that call.

Today they are buried in beautiful, well groomed and well known cemeteries like Normandy above, Arlington National or the many Veterans Administration facilities and even local church and community cemeteries the nation over. Some were even laid to rest at sea or buried in an unmarked grave in a foreign land when nothing more could be done at the time. Yet we honor each and every one of them. And on this day, their names are on display in those facilities for any and all to see and remember and for those not seen, they are etched in our memory. So, on this Memorial Day 2020 I hope everyone will take a moment of silence to remember what they gave up for us or maybe even go to a local ceremony for the occasion. These brave Americans all represent a moment in history when violence and tragedy surrounded them in the moments before they took their last breath. It's the least we can do to promise we'll never forget and learn from them what duty is all about.

For those who served and died in places like Trenton, Saratoga and Yorktown; Vicksburg, Richmond and Gettysburg; Verdun, Normandy, Bastogne, Italy, Guadalcanal and Midway;the Chosin Reservoir, the La Drang Valley and Khe Sahn; Iran and Afghanistan and so many more, we salute you and honor your memory. Whether you served as soldiers, sailors, airmen, nurses, coasties or even carrying much needed supplies through treacherous waters as a merchant mariner, we will not forget you. Rest in peace on this, your special day. You are now at your eternal home.

Standing watch at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery.

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SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: "Let My People Go!"

5/24/2020

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A surreal photo: Manhattan in mid-day lockdown.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go back to Pharaoh and announce to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.
- Exodus 8:1 (NLT)

Most of us who are of faith in both the Christian and Jewish traditions are familiar with this passage from the Old Testament. After being given guidance by God, Moses went before the powerful Pharaoh and demanded that he be allowed to take his people out of Egypt to travel to the Promised Land. "Let my people go" was the demand as Pharaoh just toyed and played with him. But as the the promise of what Egypt would suffer if they held the Israelites in bondage took effect over and over, Pharaoh would meet with Moses after each suffering event and promise to release them, only reneging on his word each time until, in the end, the Angel of Death striking his beloved son made him relent. Yet, even then, he soon sent his legions after them and we all know that story of what happened at the Red Sea. The miracle of the parting of the waters let Moses' group pass while the charioteers and heavy-laden soldiers became mired in the wet sands and were swept under as the sea returned to its natural state.

Fast forward to the present time and look at the picture of Manhattan on lockdown during the busy time of what would normally be a working day. It is almost totally abandoned, and such scenes are just starting to be less than normal in America today as the country very slowly begins to get moving again. Yet, even in the hope of limited openings and the likelihood of more and more activity being allowed, many legitimate questions remain unanswered concerning the how and why of the decisions being made. Places like abortion clinics have been deemed essential and have remained open while most routine medical operations, including needed but not immediately required treatments pile up in backlog to free up hospitals and doctors for COVID-19 case treatment. At the same time, however, the workload is not nearly as heavy as expected, leaving medical personnel often furloughed and hospitals seriously underutilized. Schools, both at lower and higher levels, even though normally filled with the least likely to become infected among us, remain shuttered as well as churches and other houses of worship while liquor stores have remained open. Big box stores and large grocery chains have been busy while the small businesses that generate fifty-percent of America's employment remain closed in so many places and people lose hope while being out of work. Some believe that as a result, the rate of suicide before all is said and done may be worse than the virus. Unintended consequences are often missed when government makes decisions, Yet government, however, has never missed a beat and we see leaders at various levels clearly exceeding their authority while showing an almost gleeful demeanor as those they govern suffer. And, of course, the media plays its part to feed the issue, moving the bar higher and higher when we are now at the point where the supposed cure is much worse than the disease that is clearly much less severe than we were told. I don't know about you readers, but there is something very abhorrent to me about a nation which will take our hope and salvation which our faith reveals and try to shelve it at the urging of supposed medical experts who clearly show their disregard for the people they work for, even as many other medical professionals, the ones out in the field on the front lines of battle with this unseen enemy counter nearly every misguided missive thrust upon them. Yet, no one wants to hear them. It just doesn't make sense and we of faith need to open our hearts to God in order to discern what this really means and what it should be telling us. Thankfully, many have done so and are now challenging the validity of what has been thrust upon us.

Today, maybe the cry should be a modification of that one from God passed on by Moses to "let my people go." To me, I think it very well might be "Let my people work and survive." After all, God made us to work and earn our bread. God expects us to use the talents he gave us and to use our minds positively to live and survive as He would have us do. It is hard to imagine that God would tell us to sit home, be silent and allow the power elites to turn us into jello over an issue like survival. And He certainly wouldn't expect us to close His House in such a great time of need and I think that is why the President yesterday made the statement that our churches should be opened. Certainly we have to apply smart and careful application of how that is done, but that's really not very difficult and it mostly involves using common sense. And isn't it interesting how the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) came out with guidelines within mere hours after the President's comments about the churches? That's what good leaders do, they prompt action on a wise course.

Make no mistake. Donald Trump is President today for a special reason and he is the leader of this nation, like it or not, for just such a purpose. And before you say, but he had such a bad background in so many ways and is so crass, remember the background of so many in the past who have been used by God for a special purpose. There was Moses who we have just read about. Moses, a less than imposing man despite the movie depiction, a man who was not a great speaker and was basically an introvert and a fearful man, often afraid to make a decision. Yet God picked him to lead his people out of bondage and their are many, many more devotees of God in the Bible who also had dismal records along the way before they really accepted what God wanted from them. There was King David, a great warrior and gifted leader who also defied God in the most demeaning of ways when he sent his most loyal and brave warrior to sure death in battle so that he might take the man's wife into his bed and have her for himself. Then there was King Cyrus of Persia, a man who was not a believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but who was chosen by God to free the Jews after years in captivity in Babylon and let them return to the Promised Land and their beloved Jerusalem, the City of God. And, of course, we can't leave out Paul, a man who made his living persecuting and capturing those Jews who had accepted the new Christ and yet was chosen to take the message of Forgiveness and Redemption to the Gentiles around the world. So, Trump was elected against all the odds and those who didn't want him elected have gone on steroids in their quest to try and stop him and his mission. And they really haven't been able to get close. There is a reason for that as there is a reason for all things and for me, I think maybe because at this moment in time, when many think his days in office are over, there might be a much greater reason for that which is unfolding. It likely will surprise all of those who now think, like they thought nearly four years ago, that he is on the ropes. They couldn't destroy him then, but they think they can use a crisis that is full of questions with few answers to do the job now. A big surprise and a shock is likely awaiting them and all things that happen on this earth are never by coincidence.

Perhaps, and I personally I think it is much more than a perhaps, just like Moses took the task of fighting to let God's people go from bondage and leading them to the Promised Land, Donald Trump has the task of letting God's people get back to work to live free and productive lives, both in their need for employment to gain the things they need to sustain themselves, but also for their need to be able to carry on the work of their faith which needs the sustenance of the open church. As I've alluded to before, Donald Trump is no saint, but he is an American who understands that this nation was one founded under God and that God is the ultimate decision-maker of all things about life. And American Christianity played a central role in her creation and, as such, Christians, just like Jews and all persons of faith in a God of goodness and light, not evil, have a right to exercise their freedom of religion and no government has the right to eliminate that right. It is God-given, not a dictate of mortal man. This current situation of sealing shut the country and closing her doors to the normal way of living never happened before and it was done in order to grasp and get control of what the unknown expectation was before it grew too great. We know in our hearts, as does our President, that this has now been accomplished to the degree necessary to get moving again and it's time to open the country and that includes access to our houses of worship. Should we use care? Yes. Does that mean staying closed with decisions made upon dubious foundations? No. No misguided politician, no matter what the true motivation is, has the right to continue to infringe upon those rights and that, in a nutshell, is why the President has said and done what he has said and will continue to act on. So, get over it, for like it or not, he is still the President of the United States and was duly elected to that office legally and within the guidelines of our Constitution. And as long as he stays within the boundaries of the Divine Rights which God gives to leaders trying to do his bidding, he will prevail. God knows that sometimes He needs to use just the right combination of talent and nerve to get the job done. This is one of those times.

Lord, We thank you for living in a time where we have a real opportunity to show our commitment to you when so many stand against us. And we pray that you'll guide us in the way to your Truth and our Salvation. And be with our good leaders as they try to map out a course that is pleasing to you. Amen

Could today's "Let my people go" be "Let my people work?" I truly believe it is.

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If We Understand Evil, Then the Power of Goodness Shines Brightly

5/22/2020

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Good vs. Evil on earth is with us until He comes again.

Recently one of my long-term followers said they could no longer follow me since I frequently wrote about politics. I was told that my ideas were faulty and that until I revised my personal views that no matter how much she enjoyed some of my work, my personal politics would preclude any further contact. I thought about it, then wrote a short response saying I was sorry she felt that way but that my views are long held and involve my reading and evaluating politics for many years (I'm a Political Science major with a Master's in Governmental Administration), then I wished the reader well. Now, as I've thought about it, I believe it to be important that we understand the good from the bad of things and evaluate all things from our own viewpoint. I don't think anyone from the start plans on being bad or evil, but their experiences and what they are taught, or not taught, plus their human environment plays a major role in what they become, good or bad. Over the years I've become more confident of what I believe and hope that others might reach that point if they haven't already. But it is important that decision be made by each individual via study, reading and evaluation.

As I have thought about where I find myself after all of these years, I also think of the great German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the founder of the German Confessing Church which broke away from German Lutheranism when it caved to Hitler's guidance which would govern church operations and beliefs. Bonhoeffer fought the Germans from his bureaucratic job while also keeping his church operational in secret, often meeting in hideaways in the forest. Bonhoeffer was eventually caught, tried and convicted and hanged naked on a chilly early spring day not long before the Allies secured control of the country. As he walked to his death, he knew they wanted to take his dignity but they could never take his faith. During his walk to the gallows, he pointed skyward toward heaven and before death, looked skyward with a smile on his face and prayed for His father's grace. His guard, one of a number who had grown to greatly respect their prisoner who continually taught them about God, accepted Christ shortly thereafter saying that the man with such grace and peace just had to be correct in his course of action. We who are Christians, wherever we might be, are expected to be willing to show such testimony at death and it is one thing I hold to be true. I only pray that I have the strength to do so if it is my fate and try to use that thought in standing for what I see to be right. You are, of course, entitled to another viewpoint if you wish, but remember we all are responsible in the end for what we individually believe.

In my personal life, I was raised in the Christian faith and was taught to live by the Golden Rule, which really from my perspective is nothing more than a shortened statement of what you will be if you follow God's Commandments as delivered from the mountain by Moses. Have I been a perfect steward of what I was taught to believe? Absolutely not since I am a sinful mortal like all of us are, subject to falling to temptations at times when we think our wants are so much more important than our needs that we'll do whatever is necessary to gain them. We see that taking over so many things in America today and nowhere is it more prevalent than in our political system. I think it goes right back to the teachings of Jesus where He told us it is much easier for a poor man to inherit the Kingdom than a rich one. And why is that? Simply put, it's because a poor man doesn't face nearly the temptations of a rich one. The rich man, with his money, prestige and resultant power, can likely buy anything in the world he wants and that can include a huge bundle of vices.

So, getting back to the political world, it is something we don't need to shy away from but take head on instead. After all, whether we like it or not, politics has a huge impact on our life, our well being and our freedom and if we don't face that, we will suffer at the hands of politicians and their bureaucracy which today thinks it knows better what we need to do than we ourselves. So, how should we respond? Well, since we can't understand something unless we know its basis, take the time to read sources on both sides and the middle of the political spectrum and think seriously about it from your own perspective. If you usually rely on the New York Times, then read Breitbart News on the internet as well, or vice versa if you are naturally of an opposing persuasion. And if you watch the main stream media, try Fox as well, although Fox of late has shown more of a propensity to be much more moderate and watered down and, frankly, it runs counter to what I believe. If you really want a conservative view, particularly on a constitutional issue, take the time to listen to Mark Levin on the radio. Now Mark can sometimes get very fired up and sometimes people misunderstand him. But his knowledge of the Constitution is very thorough and all should take the time to hear him. The point is, there are many different sources for many different viewpoints including my own, and we should take the time to expose ourselves to those things across the spectrum and evaluate them and then we can grow in wisdom and Spirit on this crazy orb we occupy. And, of course, all of those things must be as a supporting source for the Holy Bible, the history of the world according to God.

In closing, let me leave you with this. Everyone is entitled to believe what they want, but no one is entitled to shut someone down just because they disagree peacefully. We must educate ourselves and find out what the real truth is if we want to really understand. I, in turn, will continue to write about those things I find important and that, of course, involves in addition to politics, a heavy dose of nature and how it's Creator, God Almighty, desires us to use it. Read it or not, that is your right. But writing about it on my own pages and blog, that is my right and I will continue to vigorously speak my piece as a free American. May God continue to grant us the ability to speak and write freely and openly and may He continue to bless America while we love and follow Him.

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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: Stay Focused on Hong Kong and Taiwan

5/21/2020

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IMPOSING HONG KONG: Additional struggles will soon be on the way.

I worried this morning as I thought about my blog topic for today. What did I worry about? Frankly, it was the reaction to my readers at a time when many are still glued to the COVID-19 issue and wondering when they will be finally freed to get on with their lives. But it as at times likes these when we are preoccupied that we have to remember we live in a troubled world where many different things await us in many different ways. And while we as a nation are beginning to open our eyes, we need to fully understand that it's not just a matter of gaining control of our source of production for the things we need, the issue with China is also an issue of impact to our very survival. The next chapter of the struggle begins tomorrow when the Chinese Communist Government convenes it's annual People's Congress to reconsider what it should do about Hong Kong.

While most of us certainly remember those recent riots and shutdowns and some of the brutal retaliations by the police, many don't remember that the cause of the riots was not the action of the good citizens but was caused by China trying to renege on the agreement made between China and the British in return for the removal of British governance. The agreement was made in 1984 and it gave Hong Kong autonomy in governance for the territory until 2047. After one hundred and forty-six years under the Crown, it was a minimum necessary for a people not expecting to have to surrender their individualism and capitalism to an autocratic Communist state. But now, it appears that the Chinese, with ruler for life Chairman Xi leading the way, are ready to lower the boom strictly and change Hong Kong as her citizens know it. The original thoughts when the arrangement was made was that over time, as China experienced more wealth and good fortune with semi-free enterprise system, the nation would itself be changed to a more relaxed governance, but it appears today that is not the case. If anything, we should expect the opposite and the protests we have seen are likely to get bigger, more agitated and very bloody. If the People's Congress approves the imposition of harsh rules for the operation of Hong Kong, and they will if the Chairman tells them to, we can expect a powder keg that when it explodes will be a modern day shot around the world. Will Xi set it off, well, many say he will, some say he will defer, but only time will tell.

And this brings me to a related matter and that is Taiwan, the island state of twenty-three million only about one hundred miles across the Taiwan Straits from Mainland China. China claims it is theirs, the Taiwanese say no, and the United States has sold a number of defensive weapons to the small island government as part of the effort to maintain international status for the entire South China Sea region. Remember that China has arrogantly claimed that the South China Sea is their protected territory and they have, accordingly, built a number of man-made islands for control oversight including a significant military base. If Hong Kong becomes completely autocratic with their free market economy succumbing toward China's style of central control, look for Taiwan to be next and with it chaos throughout the Western Pacific area will quickly follow as well. Japan, a good ally of America and one that has never wanted to very strong military since the days of Tojo, finds the need to arm itself with our help. We need to pray that cool heads will prevail but, at the same time, America can't sit idly by while China relentless take steps to spread its power throughout the world. Passivity and appeasement has never worked before and it won't work with China, ruled with wreckless abandon by the Chinese Community Party. We must stay strong, resolute and prepared and that appears to be the policy that President Trump is following. While we must be very careful and reserved in any response we must take, pursuing he President's course is the proper way to go.

The beautiful and modern capital of Taiwan, Taipei.

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RAVI ZACHARIAS, R.I.P: A Leader of the Defense of Christianity Has Gone Home

5/20/2020

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Ravi Zacharias: A fearless defender of the faith

I was saddened to learn of the loss of Christian Apologist Ravi Zacharias. He was a man of great virtue and wisdom and a man who offered as strong a defense of the truth of the Christian faith as much as humanly possible and he did so with a fervor that was of the Spirit. His defense never became judgmental of others, but it did present his message in a fearless defense of Christ, done so in a way that often brought some of the most skeptical to the faith. You see, Christian Apologetics is not an apology at all, but a vigorous and sometimes intellectual explanation of the living proof of Jesus Christ to audiences, especially those likely to be skeptical. Ravi became devoted to his cause, yet in presenting his views, his audience developed a respect for his virtue and knowledge and in that way he gained many new devotees to Christ. He was unafraid to face any audience although in his younger days he was sometimes threatened, but later he even received a standing ovation from the Russian military war college.

Ravi's early life was like so many who grew to be great persons of faith. His mother was of Hindu birth but had been converted to Christianity by a missionary as a young woman and was turned away by her family. His father, an Indian national who worked as a civil servant was a bureaucrat for the British colonial government and he learned English well and was a nominal Anglican. But Ravi grew up confused and in his youth decided there was no God and declared himself an atheist. His mother, however, refused to give up on him and as God shows up in some of the strangest situations, He did so for Ravi. This troubled seventeen year old teenager, filled with hostility and not wanting to go on, attempted suicide. But visiting Swiss missionaries visited him, left a Bible and tasked his mother to read to Ravi from the Book of John. As she read from John's Gospel, one particular passage impacted the trouble young man, Chapter 14, verse 9 which says, "Because I love, you also will live." He was at the low point and thought he needed to learn more, so he prayed and the result was an opening of his heart and the beginning of a wonderful future on behalf of the Lord.

Fast forward to about ten years ago when I met Ravi over the airwaves via the Bible Broadcasting Network (BBN) on a Sunday morning before going to lead an adult Bible study class. It had been suggested to me by one of my students who shows the love of God in all that she does. I checked him out and I was hooked. The first time I heard his voice, however, I thought he was a Scotsman, but when I later saw his first video, I learned that the British administrators in his days in India were Scottish and he adopted the dialect. It was music to my ears coming from Scottish descendants myself and from them on he was part of my Sunday morning experience. Within a short period, I realized that of all the evangelists I've ever heard, be it in person or on TV, only Billy Graham ever touched my heart to the degree that Ravi did, and so I, as well as all who appreciated his gift of inspiring oral presentations, will miss him. But we are fortunate that his many sermons were saved and I'm sure BBN will use them routinely. And I also know that I may not know who, how or when his replacement will be, but I do know that God will provide someone according to His schedule. And for Ravi, enjoy your much needed rest and freedom from suffering, for God has called you home. Enjoy the Light and warmth of heaven as you join He who you so love at His table.

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ARE WE HEADING FOR A SERIOUS SUN VERSUS MAN MOMENT?

5/19/2020

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Good luck on controlling the sun, modelers.

For years I have watched with a lot of skepticism how we humans think we are so smart and so all knowing about things that are clearly beyond our control. Nothing makes this quite so apparent as the Global Warming movement, conveniently changing its name to Climate Change as nature doesn't cooperate with what the so-called experts try to push on us. The earth has gone through cycles of warming and cooling since time began, yet somehow we think that looking at models made up of data can tell us more than what we see with our own eyes and collect through empiricism. No, computer modelers put reams of data into their computers and massage it and try to tell us exactly what will happen. Never mind that the data only covers a very small portion of time due to the lack of data from days gone by, they nonetheless wrap their findings up in jargon and self- importance and deceive us constantly. The falsehoods get found and they regroup and continue the same process, and it's all funded by the public in the name of valid research for our good. In reality, however, they hide and manipulate the sources of their data and how it was derived. To add validity to my statements here, we have just been through the same jaded cycle with the COVID-19 issue and it has been as faulty as the climate models.

Today, however, some dramatic changes are taking place, natural changes, which will throw a wrench into the hype and the manipulation regarding our climate. Most aren't aware of it, some don't want us to know about it, yet a trend seems to be developing that will have some dramatic impact on our lives and their is absolutely nothing we can do about it. I've found a number of technical sites regarding space and the cosmic world that have reported about the issue and finally it has shown up in a major publication, the New York Post. It seems that the sun is now halfway through its second consecutive year of inactivity, meaning a low level of sunspots. With over one hundred sunspot free days in 2020 to date, and a similar level of nearly eighty percent sunspot-less days in all of 2019, the lowest level of action in recorded history is underway. Thus far, there is no indication of a change anytime some and if it continues very long it could create worldwide food shortages on the horizon with the resultant shorter growing cycles and freezing temperatures in places not normally experiencing them. With the Corona situation already showing indication of food shortages in many places, the compounding by this if it continues unabated would be tragic. And according to SpaceWeather.com, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientists report that such a stretch of very unusual action on the sun could be the lead-in to a major solar minimum period with truly disastrous impact. Actually, the world has had two such periods within the last four hundred years and they made life very difficult.

The earliest of the two anomalies was called the Maunder Minimum and lasted from 1645 to 1715. It was brutal and was part of what was considered the Little Ice Age. Only seventy-five years later, the Dalton Minimum impacted the world and both of these cold periods caused bitter cold, significant increases in snow with long periods of freezing, shortened growing seasons and crop failure, famine and volcanic eruptions. And remember, they were all caused by that wonder of the sky, the Sun, part of God's creation over which Climate Change scientists and their models have absolutely no impact. Gee, I wonder why the rough estimated numbers for what took place in those days are never mentioned by them or the media. The secret is, folks, just like the COVID-19 fiasco, they don't want us to know, they want to be able to frighten us in their own ways and just wait, should this event show signs of really coming in the near future, they'll certainly figure out a way to try and blame it on man. It's why the changed their religious fervor from Global Warming to Climate, thereby giving them the ability to claim good or bad it was their program in action. The job for us is to do our own research, pay attention, and be able to separate fact from fiction on our own. With a little effort and some good common sense and a questioning mind, I believe we'll finally realize that we are smarter than they are. And if we add God to our side, I think it will be absolutely so. I just thought readers had a right to know, for it's not to cause fear but provide information. With that and God, we can prepare to meet the challenge.

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SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: God is Always There for Us!

So, What is the Attraction of the Beach?

Good Health Insurance Isn't a Card, It's Access to Good Care

MEMORIES OF GROWING UP: How Did Mom Always Know?

MEMORIAL DAY 2020: Honoring Those Who Died for Us

SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: "Let My People Go!"

If We Understand Evil, Then the Power of Goodness Shines Brightly

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: Stay Focused on Hong Kong and Taiwan

RAVI ZACHARIAS, R.I.P: A Leader of the Defense of Christianity Has Gone Home

ARE WE HEADING FOR A SERIOUS SUN VERSUS MAN MOMENT?

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