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Are We in a Constitutional Crisis?

6/28/2018

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Recently we've been hearing a lot of pundits talk about how Trump and the Republican Congress are stoking the flames of a constitutional crisis by the things they are saying and the actions they are taking.  Meanwhile, rolling mobs descend on decent, law abiding citizens, berating them, screaming filth at them and it often gravitates toward violence. Many of them aren't even American citizens, driven by their desire to force themselves on our country whether we like it or not. Others even include representatives of Congress, pushing an agenda that is so far removed from the belief structure of the average American that it would be laughable if it weren't so dangerous.  But, to the question, we haven't reached the level of being in a constitutional crisis but we could very easily fall into that category if tempers aren't calmed and order enforced.  So, how do we go about doing that?

The answer lies in the Constitution itself, a document which was written by men who understand what a government operating under tyranny itself could do and they strove to make sure it didn't happen in the new nation they were tasked with getting underway.  After all, George Washington could have been crowned King, but he knew what that would ultimately lead to.  And these men banded together, despite sometimes heated debate and disagreement, to hammer out a document which could do those things, provided that the land was inhabited by those who both understood what it meant and desired to remain free.  Today, with so many who either don't know or don't care about such things, it becomes much more tenuous and it is incumbent on Americans to forge together a majority to maintain support and belief in that wonderful document.

Here's how the Constitution is constituted and what it should mean for the goings on of today. First, it is a document with separation of powers between three equally important components, yet in different ways. The President is the Chief Executive, responsible for the day to day functioning of the government while also serving as the principal representative of the land.  The Congress, made up of the Senate and the House, writes the laws. The Senate also has the responsibility for ratifying treaties and for giving advice and consent in the appointments of importance to the President, the Cabinet and select others. Then, there's the Judiciary, the body tasked with interpreting the Constitution, not rewriting it and creating law.

The problem we have today is when some of the different components mentioned either fail to do their  duties or they abrogate them to someone else.  Take, for example, the Obama healthcare plan.  It became law because Congress didn't apply due diligence, bickering instead and then the President took the law and allowed the bureaucracy to create complicated rules by which it would operate.  It has been inoperative because it is not based upon reality, both in practice and in terms of economics.

Today, the Justice Department and its subordinate Federal Bureau of Investigation has seemingly placed itself above the law.  Congress is asking for documents to show why and what they have done in secret and they have repeatedly turned them down. And remember, nothing in the Constitution created either bureaucratic body, they were authorized by the Congress to work for the President and assist him in carrying out his burdensome duties.  But Congress, clearly in the Constitution and with the House holding responsibility for initiating appropriations, clearly has the authority to conduct oversight of both the DOJ and FBI.

The Judiciary has gone through a long history of expanding the rule of the federal government, largely originating from the Commerce Clause which would probably make Jefferson and Madison roll over if they knew what it was used for. In doing this, many of the prerogatives which were granted to the states have been negated, thereby reducing the authority they were originally granted. And when the election of Senators was taken away from the state legislatures, changed instead to a vote by the people, the representatives for the states were removed.  Just think, had that not been the case, the likes of John McCain would have been working for the State of Arizona instead of who knows who. Then entire concept of Federalism was deal a major blow over time.

So, in a nutshell, if America is to fall from being a democratic republic to a Robispierre version of mob rule tyranny, it will do so because leaders are weak, they don't stand for the oath they agreed to and were sworn under and that allows mere men (or women) to be the rudder of the ship, instead of granting that power to the law.  Whether it be through mob action, tyranny within the bureaucracy and political elites, or lobbyists and corporatists, it would be a disaster.  We, the people, must not allow that to happen. We have the power, we just have to use it legally, with our brains and with the backing of our God.  Are you ready?


 

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Immigration and Decency?

6/26/2018

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Today in America we have ourselves in a royal mess over the issue of illegal immigration.  Those in favor say its our duty to allow anyone into this country who wants to come,  especially all of the children, and that those of us who disagree lack common decency.  Now, we've heard this same "stuff" for weeks and it doesn't pass the smell test.  First, any supposed open borders push, which is really what they want, defies common sense and will only result in the destruction of the land that was created to be free.  Unbridled access to people who can't speak our language, don't want to speak our language and expect to live as wards of the state for as long as it takes is just something that we are not desirous or capable of doing, unless we just disregard the needs and aspirations of existing citizens in the process.  So to say that we lack common decency, when it is delivered by people who clearly lack any common sense is laughable at best.  Americans as  a whole are the most compassionate and truly decent people in the world, but we, like any other people, are limited in what we can do while sustaining our own nation.   And that's a fact.

Now, those who have come across will be fed and taken care for, but after all is reviewed they should be sent back, with their parents if they came with parents (many were alone) and should they want to try to earn legal residence, let them follow the law like  so many others have done, many still waiting for finalization.  After all, America is a nation of laws, not man. And the application of lawful compassion is decency, not creating chaos and disorder. And that brings me to one final point.

The same people who want to condemn patriotic, sovereignty-loving citizens have no problem condoning the words and actions of others who completely disdain us and the President who was freely elected to govern the nation.  I am speaking of a sitting member of Congress, a woman and a vile person who on this past Saturday, in front of a large and obnoxious crowd,was quoted verbatim as saying the following: 

"If you see anybody from that Cabinet — in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station — you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. And you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere.”

Read those words carefully and if you think they are acceptable, then frankly you lack the very decency that you claim to possess. We all know who she is, she's clearly on the edge and may have already lost it, but I won't positively identify her since I committed to not mentioning name.  But if you do remain silent with a no nothing stance concerning her remarks, your deafening silence is like a million words concerning where you stand.  Should anyone come to harm from her outlandish conduct, I hope she will face the full fury of the law from inducing such hate.  She probably should be removed from office. She is a disgrace to herself and those she is supposed to represent.

We're more civilized than this, America, let's get it together.


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It's Sick Out There and It's Getting Sicker, Even in Lexington, Virginia

6/25/2018

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Red Hen Restaurant, Lexington, VA
Radio host Bob Grant, probably the earliest of broadcasters who could be dubbed talk radio before it was in vogue, always opened his show in New York with the words, "Ladies and Gentlemen, it's sick and getting sicker."  Poor Bob is probably rolling over in his grave today as he learns of the lack of respect or decency toward the Office of President of the United States.  It's not necessary that you like the President, and down through the years it has always been a case of those for versus those against, but never has the behavior been as vile as it is not just to the man, but the office he represents.  And now, a significant sized group of miscreants have taken it upon themselves to harass, follow and yes, even threaten, the people who surround the President in performing jobs that have been performed routinely since the beginning of the Republic.

The most recent example involved Presidential Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, who stopped for a bite to eat in a picturesque college town in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, Lexington, at an establishment called the Red Hen. It is pictured above.  It seems Ms. Sanders had ordered dinner when the owner came up and told her she would have to leave. She created no fuss and as she prepared to leave she even offered to pay for the limited service already received but was waved off by the proprietor.  It seems the owner took a vote of his employees and they said she should not be served.  One even went so far as to tweet and say that Ms. Sanders had created a problem when, in fact, all she did was take a seat and place an order.  Little Lexington, you see, is a Deep Blue college town in a county that is Deep Red, so rather than serve the public, he decided to base a welcome to his establishment on political philosophy.

This is a parallel to a prior situation that was a bit nastier in Washington last week when Homeland Security Secretary Nielsen was run out of a restaurant by an angry crowd just because she worked for the President.  And there is even a very publicly recognizable Congresswoman who is urging her supporters to harass and make life miserable for all Trump Administration employees wherever they are found, saying it's the right thing to do because God is on their side.  Really, I don't know what God she worships but it surely isn't the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. There is a bright light in all of this, however, for as the average American witnesses this " unhinging and dismantling of the brain" in so many, the tides of favor continue their upward tick for the President.  Americans by and large are fed up with such behavior and it will garner a solid response.

Oh, and about the little restaurant in Lexington? Well, it seems that the five star rating the establishment had through the Yelp rating pages has now dropped to a two and one half star rating in just a few days.  Keep it up, Mr. Owner, and you'll soon be out of business and, should that happen, you'll have no one to blame but yourself.  As the old General, Russell Honore, who led the effort to make New Orleans livable again after Katrina said, "Don't get stuck on stupid."

How interesting that this little outrage would take place in the hometown of the university which adorns both the names of Washington and Robert E. Lee. That school has a long history of supporting good manners and Virginia traditions and seeing the way the earth is turning these day, we can only hope civility returns quickly.

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SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: The Faith and Perseverance of Daniel

6/24/2018

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Young Daniel, picked by Nebuchadnezzar to be an Advisor to the KIng
Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.  To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.    - Daniel 1:6-7 (NKJV)                                                        
The Book of Daniel in the Old Testament tells the story of a young man and his friends who were carried away from their native land to serve Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, a man who could have kept his country strong and prosperous but instead fell prey to the temptations of conceit and self-worship. After Babylon defeated the Jews and sacked Jerusalem over five hundred years before the birth of Christ, a select group of smart and attractive Jewish young men were sent to the King to compete for positions of service in an advisory capacity due to their high levels of intelligence. Daniel and his three friends were four of them and they would compete for the honor of being permanently a part of the King’s court based upon their training and how well they answered questions in an interview by the King.  While they didn’t want to be kept in Babylon, they knew that God had a plan for them and that they should serve their earthly master loyally while never failing to maintain their own religious beliefs for the duration. They trusted that God would eventually return them to the Promised Land.
 
While the thousands of Jewish people were forced to serve in less attractive capacities, many as manual laborers for the King’s grand projects to enhance the Kingdom of Babylon, Daniel and his favored few were given food fit for the King and wine of the same quality. The King wanted these young men, plus the others being trained to compete for counselor positions, to be strengthened and made wiser by eating well and enjoying wine. Daniel, however, and his compatriots objected, with Daniel saying he needed to honor his past heritage by taking sustenance from their simple foods and avoiding the liquid spirits that would have an opposite effect. His argument was that following what God expected would make them stronger of body and mind, thereby better equipped to serve.
 
This created a dilemma for their trainer and head of the Staff, a Eunuch who was tasked to strict obedience to the King’s wishes. Eunuchs were selected for such leadership roles because in that state they were always compliant to the wishes of their King and had no natural disposition to challenge his wishes or abuse their power. So, the Eunuch was fearful of allowing Daniel to adjust the regimen scheduled, yet he understood the strength of Daniel’s argument. Knowing that these four young men were extremely bright and presented an appearance in the top of the competitive class, he accepted Daniel’s challenge, allowing those four in training ten days to honor their wishes. At the end of that period, they and all the others in training would be examined by Nebuchadnezzar where he personally would select those he thought best to continue their training.
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When Nebuchadnezzar called all of the candidates before him, they were examined for physical appearance, strength and stature and verbally tested for answering questions and providing wise advice.  Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were so superior in all phases that they were immediately put into staff advisory positions while the others were all rejected or sent back for more intensive training.  Daniel’s persistence in following God’s wishes resulted in their future, while not free, being one where they could use their influence to keep their Jewish faith in place while also serving the earthly King who had custody over them. We will see over the next few weeks just how this action was part of God’s plan and the ultimate reunification of the Jews with their beloved Promised Land.
 
What we can learn from this story is that God does indeed work in mysterious ways. But if we maintain our faith and trust in Him he will deliver for us.  It isn’t always at the time and in the way that we wish, but it will be delivered in a way where we can serve Him best. Patience, persistence and faith are all part of allowing us to do these things for Him in response to His calling given to us.
 
Dear Lord, Thank you for the story of Daniel and what it teaches us and help us to take its full meaning into our hearts and use it to make us stronger, better and more devoted to you. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
 

 

                                                                 
 
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Focus: Not with Emotion, But with Logic

6/23/2018

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Have you ever tuned in the evening news or one of the Sunday Washington political talk shows and wondered if you shouldn't live on another planet?  Really, we all talk with people every day and learn of concerns and dislikes when it comes to the issues and yet the media constantly bombards us with commentary which is alien to our way of thinking.  Then, do to time constraints, we move on, unknowingly allowing such talk to enter our thought processes and, over time if not careful, slowly turn us into believers of thoughts which don't make sense. We must guard ourselves from the easy listening drivel of the pundit class and instead use our own brains which God gave us to be something other than an absorption blanket.  But whatever it does, it's not good for the nation.

The problem, however, is much bigger than just the pundits. It's everywhere as fast-paced life affords little time to give a full view of things, unless we take it upon ourselves to do more.  When we accept commentary as fact, no matter what the issue, it is very easy to get carried away in the emotion of the issue and even if we think we are personally innocent, there is likely the occasion where most of us get  carried away.  Social media today feeds on what the pundits say , pumping out "stuff" in mass with little, if any, verification other than accepting as fact that which they want to accept.  Opinions are great, but if we really want to learn the truth, we must broaden our scope and look at publications or shows which give us both sides of the issue from each point of view and also look at what really is happening, not what a paid reader of the news wants us to believe. How can we know the truth if we base it on a speaker or a writer who slants his work where he wants it to take us? We can't, but that is the nature of our world today.  We refuse to take the time to look at things from all angles and the result is often faulty decision-making.

But it gets worse. No one loves the thirty-second sound byte approach to news and information more than our elected politicians. They send huge sums of money, given them by those who have a specific self-centered objective, to run campaigns in just that manner.  And we fall for it, hook, line and sinker, with the same old, same old politicians being reelected until they can no longer walk on their own down the legislative aisle to their desk. Then they retire and we pay for something to be built in their honor.

So, what can we do to change the way we reach our conclusions if we are willing to devote the time. Well, here are a few, nothing scientific or earth shattering, but they will help in getting us in mode to think before you react.

First, think about what we see routinely and the types of issues that people around us talk about with their concerns.  Then compare that with what we see and hear on media sources, print, sight and sound.  It will be amazing how different what they consider to be the issues are from the ones we are concerned about. 

Second, take the time to look at differing points of view by exposing ourselves to different sources. For example, if we routinely watch CNN, watch Fox, or vice versa and tune in and pay careful attention to what is being said.une out to what is being said.  Do the same with print media as well. If you read the Washington Post, also read the Washington Times for example and we will see the differing slants on the same story. Again compare what we've read with what we've witnessed with our own eyes and that in itself will likely be an eye opener.

Next, do research on the topics we find important in our lives and see what is being said about them, pro and con.  Don't use social media like Facebook and Twitter and the like for they are really for people who don't want to think.  They're fine for sending pictures and quips but that's about it.  Think about what was read vis-a-vis our individual experience and then reach a conclusion about what is best.
 
And finally, never evaluate a politician merely on their sound bytes and what they say they'll do. Look at their record and we'll see what they've done and once again balance that against our experience. That on its own will probably serve as a form of term limits since politicians routinely promise and don't deliver.  At least on the record performance usually works that way.

Logic comes from thinking through the issues and studying what works and doesn't.  Emotion is nothing more than feelings and feelings don't lead to real solutions. As we've seen for many generations before us, emotions lead to doing something because it feels good and it's why the same problems surface over and over again and are never resolved. Feelings also drag us into areas that aren't really the major issues of the day, but the ones that sound good and surface through the emotions. They are intense but they haven't been thought through.  Let's think about it and really do those things that need to be done.  When we do, assuming we can truly open ourselves up to the time commitment and the view from different perspectives, we'll find that we all have much more in common than not.  And that will bring us together to make life better for all.

In a nutshell, it really boils down to this.  Don we want to base our votes and actions on the words of a George Soros on the one end or the Koch Brothers on the other? Both pay big bucks to influence opinion with flashy ads and spots, but neither really has our real interests at heart. What they have is their own self-interests and when they see it works with great success in molding us into little sheep, they continue it and things stay just as they want them to be.  We can do better and if we look at the truth after careful consideration, we'll know what to do if we are honest to ourselves.




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Have You Ever?  Just Imagine

6/20/2018

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SOMETHING I LEARNED FROM SUMMERS AT OLD NAGS HEAD

While visiting the beach, have you ever, over the period of an entire day, really looked at the changes in nature that take place right in front of your eyes?  We can carry out such an exercise anywhere since nature is all around us, but at the beach, with its clarity and wide open panorama of earth, sea and sky, it is really striking.  So, how many of us have ever really done this?


To make it really clear and fascinating, we need to put the I-phones away, the book down and the radio off and just pay close attention.  In any twenty-four hour cycle the changes are beautiful and dramatic.  I remember as a boy at Nags Head I did this occasionally.  I was a very serious and pensive young man and I wanted to picture in my mind the wonders of God before my very eyes.  It started with the sunrise, the continued late morning, then afternoon before dusk and, finally, on a moonlit night.  We can do this regardless of weather, but on a bright shiny day the color changes are so clear that we know we are beholding something special.

The sunrise starts things off for the day. It's cool with a briny taste to the air which lightly salts the lips, but refreshing in a different sort of way. First, the dark sky lightens to a dark, then light purple and gray before moving into the pleasing pastels of  pink, then an orange or red before yellow.  As the sun begins to rise out of the sea, things come to life.  The sandfiddlers on the beach are on their morning search for food as are the birds. The smaller ones work the water line looking for bubbles, the sign of life in the wet sand below, while the larger ones, the big gulls, osprey and pelicans either dive or snatch fish unlucky enough to be spotted in the ocean below.  Those fish have been focused instead on smaller fish like menhadin, racing to escape a similar fate.

Moving later into the morning  with the sun fully emerged and climbing, the sky shows baby blue against the glare of the sun and all life emerges, including humans coming to the beach. It's too bad they've missed that special early morning moment but there will be other days.

As afternoon comes and the sun starts its descent back toward the earth, or so it seems, the blue sky turns deeper and the sea breeze brings cooling relief from the heat with its onshore flow. The sea responds by picking up a chop, with the foaming tops of the waves contrasting beautifully to the deep blue ocean.  And then comes sunset which isn't so clear from the beach but if seen from higher elevation, particularly on an inhabited sand bar like the Outer Banks, is gorgeous dropping into waters of the protected, tranquil sound.  The beautiful colors return, competing very well with that of early morning.

Finally, dusk turns to night and if it's the right time on the calendar, the moon replaces the daytime sun as it then rises from the sea, casting it's soft light on the sandy shore while shimmering in ripples across the lightly rising and falling ocean swells.  When dark enough, the heavens literally open up above clear and bright, for the dark ocean offers no obstacle to a magnificent view.  It is breathtaking and clearly shows, as the long day draws to a close, that the earth's Creator, the same Creator who made each of us, is the only perfect builder of what was created for us to use, protect and nurture.

What does that really mean to us?  Well, it should be pretty simple. It means that we need to listen carefully to what He asks and respond appropriately.  And if we truly stop, look and listen, the very observations we made on that long but special day, will give us the answers.

How did I come by these views? It's easy, it came about from "Summers at Old Nags Head."  Although those days were long ago for me, anyone can come to the same conclusion today if they follow the same process.  It truly was amazing for me and it will be for you, too.

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Our Country, Our Way of Life: America, Let's Celebrate Her

6/19/2018

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Here in the United States of America, we today find ourselves arguing continually about things we don't agree on while never opening our eyes to look at the things we should agree on.  While disagreement has always been a common part of a society with free speech, today we find more and more who want to limit the speech of those who disagree with them.  This change is clearly noted in the chambers of government where some try to shout down others and refuse to accept the long standing rules of conduct needed to maintain legislative order.  And sadly, it's also found in our universities where professors take it upon themselves to dictate what and how to think, killing the very process that was designed to allow different ideas to be explored and considered.  After all, isn't that a major part of what a college education was supposed to provide?

So, isn't it time to take a different approach and accentuate the positive about America instead of the negative?  After all, this great experiment in free government is still the model for the world to see, but for it to work each of us must become engaged, understand the wonderful way it was designed to work and then act accordingly.  Alexis de Tocqueville, a very wise Frenchman who visited this country and marveled at it years ago, saw the wonders of the land but also saw the potential pitfall.  That pitfall would come when those who weren't really into the nation but into self-interest put themselves first and abused the system.  America is made for productivity and work, and when we strive for that, we all succeed and the land prospers.  When the takers outnumber the makers, a major problem lurks.  That's approximately where we find ourselves today.

Look, I understand there are some in high places in business who take advantage of workers, but I also know that there are some lazy citizens who also expect something for nothing. So, we need to change the outlook from all sides and look at what is truly great and good about this land, from her beauty and self-riches to the millions and millions of citizens who truly want this land to stay free and prosperous.  So, as stated before, let's accentuate the positive and use the energy that will provide the impetus to move upward for all.  After all, if America is, as some think, such a bad place, why do you think so many from other places want so badly to come here?  Why do those who constantly scorn her and say they will leave always stay?  They know what America can be and they want to take advantage of it.  And if they want to come legally and follow the rules for admission, this sovereign land is willing to have them.

The Fourth of July is soon upon us.  How about if we redouble our efforts to look at America with a glass half full instead of half empty?  When we do, we'll see that it's much more than half full, it's probably closer to ninety plus percent.  With that viewpoint, closing the gap to reach one hundred percent is doable.

If we are citizens, this is our country and it is incumbent on each of us to quit the whining and moaning and do our part to make it better.  But we won't do it under a tyrannical system of government which only, in the end, causes pain and anguish.  No, we'll do it by marveling in the genius of the system of government founded by those wise men in the latter 1700s, men who risked their all so that America might be free.  And the world has been jealous ever since.

Savor our past, work diligently for our future and the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave will not be going anywhere but up.  The most generous nation the world has ever seen will still be a leader of the world, only a leader which puts her own first while assisting others in need with a properly placed hand.

Celebrate America and may she always be a Nation under God. In the words of Patrick Henry, "Give me liberty or give me death."


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SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: Use All Your Special Gifts

6/16/2018

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And I have all the technology that this poor fellow lacks. God be praised.
We humans don't realize how truly fortunate we are.  We were created by God in His image with an expectation by Him that we will use our lives to fulfill His purpose for creating us.  He wants us to follow His plans for us by loving Him and living in a way that will accomplish that end. 

Sadly, we often don't even come near that mark. Part of the problem is that sometimes we don't keep our conversation going with Him regularly enough to realize what it exactly is that he wants out of us. That takes time and in an impatient society that expects instant gratification, we don't understand that God works according to His time schedule, not ours.


It doesn't matter if we are old, young, rich or poor. It doesn't matter whether we are woman or man, white or black or yellow, each once of us has a special gift from God that He wants us to use in our lives in praise of Him. So, if you've been wandering around wondering what the purpose of your life might be, talk to Him today and start the conversation.  He'll show you and lead you down the path to find it. Often we get the answer in ways we don't understand, but if we trust, listen, and follow Him it will present itself and you will know.

In case you think that I see myself as some kind of wizard on the subject and you think I am being preachy toward you, I am no exception to the picture I just presented.  I was born into the church but as I grew I stood back from it and found excuses for not being there on Sunday.  But the memories from my childhood of singing "Jesus Loves Me" in Sunday school, or participating actively in youth fellowship, or even getting a tingle down my spine when the wonderful minister of my youth was exuberant on Easter Sunday telling the age old story came back to me eventually.  As a result I became active again in the Christian fellowship and felt oh, so much better for it.  But something was still missing. It's as if I knew God had a plan for me and although gainfully employed with a good job, there was something else I must do.

That something else only came to me in retirement about six years ago and it came in my introduction to writing.  Oh, I wrote position papers, marketing reports and other business documents for years.  I was complimented on my writing but, upon retirement, I realized there was so much more to writing.   So, I took a year long course to hone my skills and began writing devotionals and Christian blogs like this one.  Then I took the leap into the book publishing world and began writing books.  They weren't very good at first but each got better, and while I'll never be a Ernest Hemingway, I feel that it is my duty to impart the things I love about this world and our blessings gained through experience.  I believe it is my way of sharing my love for God and what He gave us.  And I know this: when I am writing and asking God for His help in leading the way,  I become relaxed and at peace, always looking for the natural things around me to keep me in tune with His message.  Finally, getting to this point, I know it's what is expected of me; I just feel it every day.

Does this mean that I'm going to be a best seller? No, probably not, but it does mean that I am doing something that is expected of me and that it will have impact in ways that I may not realize are happening.  And it also means that God knows.  Oh, yes, He knows what I am doing and I believe He is smiling down on me.  That is more fulfilling to me than any best seller could ever be and furthermore, it motivates me to keep working and trying.

Dear Lord, Thank you for your love and grace that you give to us.  And help us to see the things that you want us to see and do the things that you want us to do, for with you we are everything. Without you, we are nothing.  We ask in Jesus' name, Amen.


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It Looks Like Michael Horowitz's Report Just Pulled a "Comey"

6/16/2018

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So, the much awaited Inspector General's report on obstruction of justice and other related matters by the Department of Justice and it's subordinate Federal Bureau of Investigation is out and it clearly shows that a number of key people failed to follow agency procedures and rules in dealing with the Hillary email scandal.   Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz filed a detailed report with the Department, but what we don't know is to what degree the report was modified or changed within the Department. After all, the Justice Department had it for review for three weeks before allowing Congressional or public access and with both the DOJ and FBI finding their reputations in tatters due to the involvement of some o their own  in it, what, if anything, was done to water it down.

What's even more amazing, within mere minutes of release of the over five hundred page report, Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader and a man who would likely run over his own mother on the way to a mike and camera, rushed to the press to proclaim complete exoneration of Hillary and Democrats while harping once again on the "Russiagate" probe.  It makes me even wonder if Schumer and his compatriots had advance access to be able to see the report, since he certainly isn't a speed reader.

Meanwhile, a group of Republican Congressmen, including two Conservatives from Florida, Ron DeSantis and Matt Gaetz, have written to the DOJ requesting that the original report and any draft changes to it before public release by produced to Congress.  I think they have good reason to do so since now known unsavory characters like Peter Strzok and Rod Rosenstein are still employed despite their clear bias.  And evidence has surfaced from early emails released by the IG that show inconsistencies with the final report.

In all fairness to Horowitz, a man who has a good reputation on both sides of the aisle, I think it is a case of undue pressure being submitted on him and since he has no power to indict he likely made adjustments to get relief. I'm not forgiving him for that but I do think it's easier for others of us to complain than it would be to withstand such pressure.  But the IG has been summoned before a Congressional committee next week and I'm sure he'll be grilled in depth. Even Trey Gowdy, a man who generally sides with prosecutors and has heretofore defended Justice, smells a rat and will likely be asking some tough questions.

Look for this issue to not go away but instead face much more scrutiny in the days to come.  America and her people deserve that. We can't have a two-tier justice system, one for the political and power elites and another for the everyday man.  Our form of government can't survive that.  And look for this issue and it's findings to put more pressure on Robert Mueller to wrap up his "Russiagate" probe which has cost millions and has used technigues which shouldn't be used against citizens in a free society. Plus, some of the same names in question in the Hillary matter are those heavily involved in pushing the witch hunt against the President and his supporters.  There is much more than a coincidence here for sure and it is duly noted by many in high places.

Interesting times are upon us.  We'll just have to pay attention and watch the future unfold. Otherwise, the Deep State will never disappear, it will only continue to fester and grow.


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Say NO, Mr. President, to Paul Ryan's Immigration "Scheme"

6/14/2018

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As much as I hate to admit it, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is a master at getting what he wants and he doesn't care who he steps on, including the President if he thinks he can get away with it.  Ryan, a Republican in Name Only (RINO) in conservative clothing, is pushing his plan for an immigration "scheme" which will please his corporate masters and stiff the President as he departs the Speaker's chair and heads out the door. Of course, he is likely assured of a high paying job, either for a lobbying firm or some other major corporate interest, if he can get them what they want: cheap labor.  No wonder Ryan announced his retirement but decided to hang on until the end of his term. He hasn't delivered the goods yet.

For those of you who either don't know or have forgotten the President's plan for immigration, it contains four pillars, all four of which he says are non-negotiable.  They include: 1. A path to citizenship for "Dreamers," 2. Border security including a wall, more manpower on the border and significantly improved technology, 3. An end to the diversity lottery, and 4. Restrictions on family based immigration.  Trump came up with this concept as a peace offering with Democrats, which gave them what they wanted for the "Dreamers" in return for what America needs to stop the continual inflow of illegals. 

The Democrats, of course, as well as the RINOs objected and the plan went nowhere.  Why?  Well, the Democrats want more illegals entering the country, knowing they will vote Democrat as citizens provided they continue to give them the goodies to which they have been accustomed. The RINOs, catering to their Chamber of Commerce masters, want to maintain the flow of cheap labor, substituting the new arrivals for better paying jobs for American citizens.  Sadly, it's par for the course inside the Beltway.

So, that brings us to Ryan, the soon to be former Speaker who has to come up with something good for his masters while conning the American public into thinking it is good.  The word has it he plans shortly to offer two bills on the floor. The first is the Goodlatte bill and the second a supposed compromise bill which guts the Goodlatte bill.  Representative Bob Goodlatte (R-Va) authored the bill which met Trump's requirements and therefore gives Ryan future career troubles, so  Ryan figures he can get RINOs and Democrats to overcome the will of his party.  Remember John Boehner, anyone?  The outcome would be a travesty to what most Republican were elected to do and it would also be a sell-out the country.

Mr. President, if it comes to your desk, please veto it.  Remember what Ryan did to you on the Omnibus spending bill.  His plan is just more of the same.  Don't listen to him and, instead, go with your "gut" on this matter. It got you elected the first time and it will do it again.  And as for Ryan, send him home with the shame he deserves.

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