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Remembering Halloween in the Good Old 1950s

10/31/2018

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Pumpkins and Black Cats: Perfect Halloween Combination
As a writer of nostalgia and nature, Halloween is always a great topic.  The memories of that day as a  youngster always brings a smile to my face and I can still remember the anticipation growing as we couldn't wait for the afternoon dismissal from school so that we could  put our plans in action.

Old Newport News was a great place to celebrate Halloween. I lived in an older, settled neighborhood where many residents were there for generations.  Everyone knew everyone else and it made Halloween fun and safe.   We had no Scrooge-type neighbors, all maintained a well stocked candy basket for the kids and they laughed at the costumes and tried to guess who was behind each mask.  While we hoped to be unrecognized, it usually didn't work since they knew us so well.

Upon arriving home from school, Mom would give us something to eat for she knew we were too excited for a big meal and also had an early neighborhood party to attend.  The party was a neighborhood tradition, we would attend it in costume before trick or treating and that meant we had to get ready right away.  Big Sis was the make-up artist and on one  special year I was going as Dracula. Dressed in black pants and a dark shirt and wrapped in Mom's black full length cold weather cape from her days at Bellevue School of Nursing in New York, it was pinned at the neck so that I could swirl it around as I approached my next victim. The make-up work by my sister is really what made it work. She used an eyebrow pencil and crushed charcoal to contour large eyebrows, mutton chops for sideburns and topped it off with a black French  beret.  Once the plastic fangs were inser ted into my mouth, I definitely looked the part and was then off to the party where we bobbed for apples, ate snacks and Halloween cookies and played a few party games.  At six-thirty sharp, Dad showed up along with a number of other parents and we were off.

Now my dad loved Halloween and any special day for that matter. I think he enjoyed it because as a boy he never had time for fun, always working or studying and he was now living our childhood with us.  And what a surprise it was when he came to the door in a ghoul's mask that was quite realistic.  He did admit that when he got home earlier, Mom didn't appreciate it when he pushed his face up into the kitchen door window and rattled the knob. When she turned around with a pot full of spaghetti she threw it into the air and it stuck to the walls.  It took her some time to get over that one, but she knew something else would come along to take it's place.  That was just Dad.

Living in a city neighborhood, you could cover quite a bit of territory fast and get a lot of "loot," meaning a bucket load of sweet tooth killer. When we got home, Mom told us to dump it out in individual piles on the kitchen table so she could inspect it. Then she told us we could put it back in our bags and keep two pieces for tonight, that was the limit.  She gave us a cup of cocoa while we enjoyed the sweets, then told us to label our bags and leave them on the table as we went to bed.

Her final words as we headed up the stairs were, "Don't forget to brush your teeth and say  your prayers."

In the morning when I came down for breakfast before school, the bags were gone. None of us would dare ask where they were for we knew that she had locked them away. She would ration the treats out on a daily basis, just a habit she had since she was a poor little girl. And you know what, I still had candy after New Year's Day and yet I was allowed just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth but without making me sick.

It was a different time back then. No one was in danger on the streets, no one stole another person's candy and there were no dirty tricks played on the neighbors. The neighborhood was too close knit for that and our parent's maintained responsibility and provided oversight for what we did.  It wasn't too many years later when things began to change.  I would have never thought about sassing an adult or talking back to a police officer or a teacher, but the moral teachings of yesteryear started to fall by the wayside. I give my thanks to this day for  the  teachings of my parents in my formative years and the fun we had as a family unit. It went a long way, with the help of God, to keeping me out of trouble. I believe if we'd learn from those times and try and emulate the concept of following rules and having good manners, we could make it much better today. I know it always served me well.

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Can the Sea Be Used to Send a Prophetic Message?

10/30/2018

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Do you see the face? A photo by Wes Snyder, Photographer
Yesterday I was looking through one of my favorite Outer Banks Facebook pages and came upon this awesome picture.  It was taken in March of this year and it captured the power of a huge wave at the Outer Banks Fishing Pier during a nor'easter.  The picture, taken by professional photographer Wes Snyder of Manteo,  was impressive not just because of the fearsome wave, but also because of something else in the picture. Look to its right side in the pilings and see if you notice it,  a face.  Many viewers, including me, see the face of a bear peering out from the wave. Can that image be providing us with a prophetic warning?

I've seen many waves, some much bigger than this at Nags Head in massive storms and I've seen images in pictures from many perspectives.  Clouds commonly show things to us and our imagination but there was just something that stuck with me about that bear face and for quite a long time yesterday I couldn't pin down exactly why that was. Then, all of a sudden it hit me like a brick and it was about a story I have been teaching in my adult Bible school class.  The story comes from the Book of Daniel in Chapter 7 where he sees in his dream what will happen to great kingdoms, both in his time and later.

I won't repeat the story, it's readily there in the Bible for anyone to read, but I will comment on the impact of the bear.  In Daniel's dream there was a large bear with three ribs in his mouth. He was vicious and deadly and he would destroy many people and a three kingdoms, the greatest of which was thought to be invincible.  I saw in that picture taken by Wes Snyder a tragedy as well, but, don 't worry, I'm not gifted with the visionary power of Daniel. What it told me was not something that would destroy a great nation such as ours. It could, however, signify the future of those beautiful Outer Banks if mankind isn't more careful in what we do.

What do I mean?  Well, I remember a great storm that ravaged the Outer Banks fifty-seven years ago next March and it was considered one of the ten worst East Coast storms of the twentieth century.  I witnessed that storm and it's aftermath on the East Coast and that big wave reminded me of it.  And while I'll write a special piece on the storm's fifty-seventh anniversary next year, suffice it to say that my memory of that time coupled with the picture shown  here provides what I think is a warning for the future of the Outer Banks.

The Outer Banks are very fragile, they are mere islands of sand jutting out from the mainland and easily assaulted by nature.  When that great and destructive storm in 1962 came, the Banks were lightly populated and the water had a way of being absorbed in the open lowlands.  Today, however, those days are over and as man builds more and more without the infrastructure or capability of the natural environs to replenish itself, continued travel down the current road will likely lead to a disaster.  And that visionary bear seen in that beautiful picture provided by Wes Snyder?  Well, maybe, just maybe he's a replication of of Daniel's great bear who will devour the sandy islands with the mighty sea of which he is a part.

Think about it, folks, just think about.  Never doubt the power of God and what He can do.  Also never forget that we need to study history if we don't want to make the mistakes of our past.  Put those two things together, God and history, and I think the answer is obvious.

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SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: Choose Real Life, Not a Temporary One

10/28/2018

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He's always with us when we choose to really live.
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.      -  Deuteronomy 30:19 (KJV)

It's truly amazing when we look at the world around us these days. There is so much anger and so many people going about their lives seemingly noticing nothing around them but what they seek for themselves.  Yet, at the same time, we find others who seem at peace and calm, it's as if they know who they are, where they are going and how things will turn out.

I can't speak for everyone in that second category, but I can honestly say that if you are a true believing Christian, meaning you try as hard as you can to live your life for our Lord, then that peace and calm is a natural result in the storm that is earthly life.  Christ's teachings make it clear that if we believe in Him by faith, we will live forever with Him. And while that doesn't mean that things will be easy and that we won't face pain and suffering in this life on earth, it does mean that when this life is done we will join Him in Glory. And even in our pain and suffering, He will  give us the strength to "hang in there" knowing that our lifetime on earth is a mere dot on the timeline of eternal life.

Make no mistake about it.  In our earthly life others will scorn us, ridicule us, harm us and possibly even kill us, but what is an earthly life worth if it ends in darkness?  And what is it worth if we succumb to the temptations of this world and become slaves of our own mortal weaknesses? Whether it be greed, power, lust, hate or anything else that consumes us on  earth, we will become slaves to it and it will bring us down.  And if we don't wake up and realize the truth before it is too late, a dark and sinister eternity will await us instead of one with warmth, love and beauty. The truth that we must recognize is that Jesus Christ is our Lord and the only one who can fulfill the promise of what we really need, not our wants.

As the verse from Deuteronomy above says, God has given us life and death on this earth and in those days it involved following His Law. That is still the case today regarding earthly life. But with the coming of Christ, a new opportunity was given us, an opportunity to be forgiven for our sins which would also afford us an eternal life when this one is done. If we break the chains of slavery to sin, open our hearts to the power of the Holy Spirit within us and use it to connect us to a life in Jesus, the ultimate in living will become ours. And it starts right here on earth when the commitment to Him through faith begins by humbly accepting his forgiveness.  Then the Forgiver of all Sins  will gladly welcome our call for membership in the greatest treasure that could ever be ours: a permanent life with Jesus.

That is something that I, for one, don't want to miss out on.  How about you?





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The March on the Border: The Rest of the Story (Or at Least Part of It)

10/26/2018

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The Human Wave Marching North
For all of us who have been following the current wave of illegals slowly heading north from Honduras by way of Guatemala and Mexico, it has been impossible to miss the lack of information by our national media for why this is happening now.  They try to tell us that it's an impromptu event, that thousands suddenly dropped whatever they were doing and came together near the Guatemala-Mexico border to begin a trek to lawlessly invade the United States.  That it is a lawless venture is clear from the way they rushed the Mexican border and now they continue,  excepting those who have changed their mind due to illness and other unintended  consequences of what they are doing.

So, who or what organization(s) is taking a lead role in supporting this action and why? Well,  a think tank in Washington, the Capital Research Group (CRG), has published an excellent article which was picked up by the Drudge Report and it at least gives us a hint to what kinds of organization are involved.  CRG was founded in 1984 to study the actions of foundations, charities and other non-profits related to how they spend their money.  While the organization is a strong supporter of the Constitution and Conservatism, it is not afraid to take on any organization in search of the truth, be it a liberal or conservative one. By so doing, CRG hopes to shed light on the fact that so many such organizations actually support causes quite contradictory to the goals of their donors.

Read the article for yourself. It's thorough and well-researched and should be an eye opener for all Americans.  Here's the link, just copy and paste to your browser to bring it up.

https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-open-border-activists-behind-the-illegal-immigrant-caravans/

God bless America and may she ever be free and sovereign.



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CHILDHOOD MEMORIES: Positive Ones Help Us to Become Secure Adults

10/25/2018

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"The Big Apple" from high atop the Empire State Building
As a young boy, I was very blessed to have wonderful parents and some very wonderful experiences traveling with them.  By age nine, when I lost my dad, I had experienced so many good things that it made the transition to having a mother have to fulfill both mother and father roles much easier to handle.  And those early years played a big part in determining who and what I was and establishing my strong belief system and outlook on life.  Here is just one of those stories, one that I remember today just as clearly as when I was experiencing it.

                              “OH BOY, WE’RE GOING TO NEW YORK CITY”

 
As a young   boy in Virginia, when November came around I began to get excited about a special trip we took each fall.  Usually close to Thanksgiving, Dad would take the family to New York City for a long weekend.  We’d leave on a Thursday afternoon and return on Sunday and what made it so special was our method of transportation. Instead of driving, Dad would take us to Richmond where we caught an overnight Pullman from Richmond to the “Big Apple.” That first year was before I started school, so I was ready to go all day.  My older brother and sister came in just before three with Dad right behind them, and we were off to Richmond in minutes due to Mom’s efficient packing and organizing.
 
Arriving at Broad Street Station around five-thirty, Dad checked on the schedule and said boarding would start at half past seven.  And then he suggested something that made us all very happy.
 
“How about we go across the street to dinner,” he said. “There’s a great home cooking place a block away and we can get a nice meal.”
 
As we walked out of the station, there down the street was the restaurant.   I don’t remember its name, but it was right below the Fine Foods of Virginia (FFV) sign and Dad said that was a good omen. Actually, he had been there before and loved it.  As we walked in the doorway, we loved it, too. It was decked out in red and white checkerboard tablecloths with a large smiling rooster looking down from the wall. It was Southern tradition at its best with fried chicken and a variety of other chicken dishes, pork chops, dinner steaks and all the trimmings.
 
I was the only one who wanted chicken, but Mom figured after it came someone else would like some, so she ordered a whole friend chicken and when served it was in a basket with coleslaw, red potatoes and homemade biscuits and honey.  Everyone else was busy talking and eating and I was only devoted to filling my stomach. When Mom looked over, she said that it looked like I was eating the whole thing.  In reality, I made it about two-thirds of the way through it when my eyes told me enough is enough. They all laughed about that for the entire trip.
 
As we boarded the train I noticed that an engine was being back into place for hook up and that porters and train personnel were switched out.  Dad told me how the tracks from Richmond to Washington were owned by the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, which would provide the engine and staff on that route.  In Washington, another switch would be made to the Pennsylvania Railroad. In those days train engines and crew had to be from the railroad that owned the tracks. I had seen the pictures of the Southern Railroad classic The Champion, which ran from Miami to Richmond and thought we would be pulled by that beauty on to New York.
 
I fell asleep quickly in my comfortable Pullman berth, waking up in Washington when I felt a sudden thud. I thought something ran into the train.  Mom and Dad laughed when they saw me look out the window and point out the lighted dome of the Capitol in the distance, and they told me the jarring motion was due to the hookup of the Pennsylvania Railroad engine which would carry us the rest of the way to New York.  Shortly, I fell asleep again.
 
I was awakened around six by Dad, telling me to get up and get dressed.  We were going to breakfast in the dining car. Walking into the car, it looked like a narrow but fancy restaurant.  There were white table cloths everywhere and fancy drapes on the windows.  Each table had a small vase of flowers and the silverware shined like pure silver. The napkins had the Pennsylvania Railroad logo, as did the pat of butter in a small butter dish on the table.  The waiter, dressed in white shirt and tie with a crisp white serving jacket came and took our order.  He brought us a beverage, my choice was chocolate milk, and we could see out the window the beginning of morning dawning. We were moving slowly, all because of the requirement to time everything just right.  We took our time with a wonderful breakfast, then went back to our compartment as the Pullman was picking up luggage. He smiled, telling us we would be in New York in fifteen minutes and where to find the luggage on arrival. It was then that I realized why Mom was so late joining us for breakfast; she was getting things ready to go without our disrupting her effort.
 
Suddenly, it was dark again outside as we entered the Holland Tunnel and then, just a few minutes later we started pulling into Pennsylvania Station.  Dad found our luggage, generously tipped a porter to get him a cab and load our things in the trunk and as we walked out into the now brightening light, I looked to the right and saw for the first time the Empire State Building.  Coming from a town where the highest building was about six stories, and few of those, I marveled not just at that landmark but the volume of other tall buildings in front of me. It was as if I was at the bottom of the Grand Canyon looking up for a glimpse of blue sky.
 
We checked into our hotel, the Barbizon Plaza, a wonderful hotel in the 1950s and walked out on our room balcony to look out on the beauty that is Central Park.  Dad said we would go there in the afternoon but first he wanted to show us some of the sights. Since he and Mom were both at Bellevue Hospital in the early to mid-1930s, he as an interning doctor and she as a student nurse, the old hospital was where they met and fell in love.
 
After visiting the hospital on the East River, we rode down Park Avenue, saw Times Square and went to lunch at Tavern on the Green in Central Park. It was a cool and pleasant day to walk and we visited the zoo before heading back to the hotel.   I had no idea what treat was awaiting me and was disappointed we were going back so soon.  Dad saw my disappointment and told me to be patient, that we would have an early dinner and then we’ see.  What did he mean by that.
 
We had a nice dinner in the hotel dining room. I even had my favorite dessert, banana pudding which was richer than I ever had and served with two fancy cookies.  Then Dad said he had a special treat. He had tickets for seven-thirty but he wouldn’t tell us. From the look on Mom’s face I knew that she knew and was smiling at we three kids, especially me. We departed the dining room and a bellman hailed a cab. Soon we were off to Fiftieth Street and what was then Madison Square Garden.  I could read at age five and immediately saw the marquee sign which said, “World Championship Rodeo with special appearance by Gene Autry.”
 
Dad had ringside seats and as the show began, here came Gene Autry on Champion to the center of floor, welcoming everyone to the rodeo. And since it was almost Thanksgiving and the holiday spirit was in the air, he rode slowly around the ring singing a song that was still fairly new and loved by children of all ages, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”  And he stopped wherever he saw children up close, including me, tousling my hair as he made two circuits around the ring before exiting the stage.  That was something I’ll always remember as well as the entire rodeo.
 
The next morning, Saturday, we were up early with great plans. Dad was taking us to the Museum of Natural History and the Hayden Planetarium, afterward we would go up to the top of the Empire State Building for a soda and sandwich and a view. The picture shown is, of course, of the city below today, but it was not dissimilar to that back then. The buildings were maybe a little smaller and a little older, but it was a glorious view of the lower Manhattan, both he East and Hudson rivers, New York Harbor and New Jersey and the Atlantic.  It was an unforgettable moment.
 
That evening, on our last night, we went to see a special pre-Christmas performance on ice at Rockefeller Center with dinner. Sitting there later and watching the skaters on the ice below with the Christmas decorations all decked out early, it certainly got us all decked out in the mood.
 
Our return train ride brought us back at ten in the morning on Sunday. It was a beautiful day and as we passed through New Jersey, moving from the heavily industrial to the more open areas downstate, I thought of what a great country we had and how lucky I was to have such opportunities.  We made it back to Richmond around six, got home to Newport News shortly after eight and were exhausted.  But late in the morning after my older siblings were off to school, I went outside to play with a few of my friends, anxious to tell them about my weekend.  Later, when Dad said we’d do it again next year, I when I went off to school I was excited to tell my friends about the great weekend. And later, when Dad said we’d do it, I was doubly excited. I vowed that the next year we would get to the Statue of Liberty; we just ran out of time.
 
We actually made three more annual trips to New York before my dad’s untimely death. But I am  still, to this day,  thankful for my loving parents and the things they did for us to make growing up so special. Between places such as New York, other travels and "Summers at Old Nags Head," and the places I’ve seen as an adult, I’ve been just about everywhere I’ve ever wanted to go and I’m truly blessed.

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Sharks in the Water: They Get a Bum Rap (NATURE BLOG)

10/22/2018

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Large shark at the breaker line, doing what they do. Prowling for food.
I remember as a boy at Nags Head, sitting on the beach in late afternoon and wondering why the surfers were out looking for the big wave breaking out past the sandbar at low tide.  The channel between the high tide   breaker line and the sandbar was only about twenty yards across, yet it had multiple schools s of small fish running southbound with the current.  The conditions were right for finding a shark trapped in the sandbar, unwilling to head out the break in the bar since the rip tide was nearly gone and there would certainly be “Mister Bottlenose” and his friends waiting for him, not a good idea for any shark wanting to survive another day.

 I thought that everyone knew that swimming or paddling in the ocean nearing sunset was never a good idea.   Doing so in waters teeming with schools of fish made it double  bad.  These were prime target time s for predators such a big blues or even sharks to be searching for a meal.  Yet, here were these surfers, probably in their late teens or early twenties nonchalantly awaiting the “Big One,” not the shark or big blue but the perfect wave.

A short time later I spotted a tiger shark swimming up and down the channel, a not uncommon but also not routine occurrence in those waters, I tried to get the attention of the fellows on the board, but they just waved and kept paddling.  In the meantime, the shark, a young adult with stripes clearly visible through the small final breaker at the beach, continued to gorge on fish as he moved. It was the perfect way for him to satisfy his enormous appetite.

Later, one of the surfers approached me on the beach, asking why I was waving frantically. I told him about the shark and he just laughed and told me I had a big imagination. The laugh changed to a very surprised look when moments later he saw the shark swim by.  He uttered nary another word, but turned red in the face as he walked over the beach dune.  I never saw him again on the beach.

The point of all this is that sharks are always in the vicinity of the coast on the Atlantic.  More often than not, we don’t see them, but just like the picture with this story, they are part of nature in the ocean.  Some are more aggressive, like the bull shark who seems to have the most common occurrence involving human tragedy, but most sharks really aren’t interested in us at all.  But when we are in their element, particularly in their path as they chase the schools, if we are “hit” by one it’s not that he wants us as his prey, but just that wet happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  And since they feed around dawns and dusk, being in their hunting zone at that time is just foolishness.  And as far as murky water is concerned, often it includes dead sea life components which the sharks pick up on and figure there is a meal and since they can’t see it, just like we can’t see them, welcome to the killing zone. Anything in his way is fair game.  Thankfully, most sharks take an initial small bite and since they don’t like the taste, the victim is luckily only required to go for simple surgery or stitches. But, if it’s a big bull, all bets or off.
There’s also one other factor, especially common in Florida, which just bugs me to death.  Some surfers hang out around the inlets because the meeting of the sea and sound or inland waterway river, generates large waves which surfers love.  Sharks, however, love them, too, since schools of fish run in and out from the calmer river and the ocean continuously, hence another great hunting zone.

In all fairness, a lot of the hype and fear has come since the advent of movies like “Jaws” which, unfortunately, many people take as fact. And since that time as well, the coastal beaches have swollen dramatically with visitors.   As a boy at Nags Head, there usually weren’t more than twenty thousand visiting the beach at any one time during the popular months on the Outer Banks.   Today it’s more like a quarter of a million, more than tenfold in number, and this is the rule at most popular beaches, many with much larger numbers.  With the increased volume of people come more and more who don’t have a clue about “the rules of the sea,” meaning common sense on the ocean.  Huge numbers, many not properly education in the ways of the sea, always generates a higher number of encounters with sharks.  This isn’t unlike the huge spike in drownings since the ocean isn’t like the neighborhood swimming pool and many newcomers have no idea what they are dealing with.  A little educational preparation about the ocean before a first visit is always a wise idea.

So, give the sharks a break and realize they aren’t the problem.  They are just doing what they’ve done for thousands of years and they play a huge part in keeping a population balance in the sea.  Survival of the fittest is a natural phenomenon.   The food chain plays a great part in balance and if we try to rid the sea of sharks, some very unexpected consequences are likely to fill in the gap.  God knew what He was doing when He created the creatures of the deep, just like everything he does.  Be safe, be responsible and continue to enjoy the beach and sea.

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SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: Faith and Politics in Christian Lives

10/20/2018

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INTRODUCTORY NOTE: Just to be clear, this is NOT a voting recommendation for candidate(s) or Party. It IS, rather, a commentary on Christian life and responsibility.

A very important  mid-term election is coming up in the United States in a few weeks and I know that by now many are fed up with politics.  Unfortunately, politics plays a very important part in our lives, like it or not, and much of it involves determining how much of your own income and your own personal freedoms you will be allowed to maintain.  Sadly, however, much of politics is about power and money and government is the only earthly entity I know of that has the legal right to take your possessons from you with the force of law.

While that might sound cold and hard, it's important to realize the distinction between giving freely of ourselves and our resources and doing so to avoid some type of punishment, be it a fine or whatever action might be taken.   It is for this reason that it is so important for Christians and all who love freedom to participate in the arena known as public elections.  Who we vote for is a personal decision, just as it should be, but as Christians, we should consider one overriding factor as we evaluate who we vote for. That overriding factor is what God would have us do.

We all fail at so much of what God asks of us and that is because we are mere mortal sinners, not godlike, no matter how hard we try.  But God wants us to live for Him first and if we are to try and do that, we must spend some time seeking His guidance in how we should vote, just like everything else in our lives.  But how do we do that? After all, there is so much information being bandied about, some outright false, some misrepresented in a more subtle way and even more which is true only because it leaves out those things that might cast disparity. So again, how do we get around that in finding the truth?

Well, if we are believers by faith and pray earnestly, read the Holy Word regularly and study it and meet routinely with those who share our faith, both in church and other related activities, we begin to develop discernment.  Discernment allows us to see through the hype and pretty pictures and canned position statements in the search for truth, and spiritual discernment comes with faith in practice.

So, what I'm saying is that we should gain as much information as we can find on each of the candidates, study it and take it to God in prayer. We must ask Him to help us see the "light" about each candidate, both pro and con and from that we will be able to make a good choice. Now, it's not easy and it takes work and we have to use our smarts and our spiritual strength in the process.  But, remember, we must do it with God, for He wants us to make the right choice.  He gives  us free will, but He is always ready to help us when we are uncertain. And since we are all made in His image, doesn't that make sense?

With just a couple of weeks to go, that's a lot to put on our plate, yet it is so important. Don't forget that those elected are given a lot of power to impact our lives, so isn't it important to try to make a decision that benefits what we believe through our faith in the Lord?   When we put God in the equation to work for us, His children, the decision will be a good one.  Work the process through to its conclusion, good luck and don't forget to vote.

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The Intricacies of God's Creation

10/19/2018

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The earth and stars are glorious to behold.

As a man of faith and a lover of nature, I am constantly amazed by the large numbers of people who can't conceive in their minds of a  magnanimous and all powerful God.  All I have to do is walk outside and look about me with the horses, dogs, cats and the wild things as well as the earth, trees, plants and sky above to realize that someone of exquisite taste and endless knowledge created it all. None of these animals and  plants are quite the same, each is unique, just like each human being is unique. The complexity with which these differing creations of God were assembled should astound anyone and while some might have the audacity to suggest that man can replicate them, he can't. He might try with some partial success, but the full package will never be accomplished by man, nor will it ultimately prevail.


Go outside and look at the beautiful night sky on a crystal clear night. Watch the moon slowly rise out of the ocean or over the forest and realize how all of these timetables are always on schedule, requiring so many different things to be in synchronization perfectly.  It's like the universal orchestra following the maestro as he directs their action. And the orchestra plays wondrous sounds, like birds singing, the wind whistling through the pines, or as a drum  roll as an ocean wave comes ashore. Down here we might even here an alligator "bark" or a panther "yowl," accompanied by the hoot, hoot of a wise old owl. Tune into it, feel its vibes in your soul and open your heart. You'll soon  become aware of His presence and His love for all of us and it brings comfort and peace.

Maybe the reason some can't accept any of this is that they just don't take the time to look and listen. It takes time to understand the concept of faith and it is a work in progress. It's not science and it requires an open heart to sink in, for without an open heart, the Spirit can't envelop us and put us in touch with the Maker through His Son, Our Lord. There is plenty of evidence for it, but not absolute scientific proof and, of course, when we open our hearts, we become vulnerable by that very openness. This is a worry for some, but without an open heart, we can't accept His love and grace and truly believe.  Once we do, the worry dissipates as we learn that He is always at our side.

Still skeptical?  Well, try taking a test drive. Commit to reading the Bible for a few days. Pick a chapter and read it several times, thinking between reads how it can possibly relate to life today. The more you read it, the more it makes sense.  Pray, just close your eyes and pray. Address God with your joys and concerns, but remember to thank Him first for all that you. Try it for awhile, you get better with practice and He wants to hear from us in our own words.  And then, check out a church of your choosing and make a visit.  You can shop around for some time if you want, but give it a try.  I think you might find yourself pleasantly surprised, but if not, or you don't want to consider the idea, remember you're free to do what you want.  In the end when it comes to our believing through faith or lack thereof, it's an individual decision to make with whatever consequences there are entirely up to us.  But choose wisely, my friends, choose wisely and, whatever you do, have a wonderful and peaceful day.

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"I Stand for the Flag, I Kneel for the Cross"

10/17/2018

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I am a traditional, conservative Christian and I write today's post not to expect others to do as I do but to state that I, and others who are of like mind, have every right to take this position with regard to the social issues of our time in America. As a nation in which freedom of speech is guaranteed by our Constitution, I refuse to be silenced on my beliefs.  I am no threat to anyone else, believe others may believe as they wish as long as they respect the rights of others and this should apply evenly and equally in our nation.

But what happens when a political organization makes a decision that violates those rights of one of their own members? How does that happen in a nation which was created under God, yet allows others to have different views? How can that personal view be used to force him out of a position to which he was recently selected? 

My case in point involves the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Democratic Party organization where Mark Salvas, a former active duty Marine and Gulf War veteran who made the "I stand for the flag and kneel for the cross" statement on his personal Facebook page.  Salvas was the new Chairman-Elect of the local party and was summarily stripped by the still current chairman for being insensitive.  Really, so the leadership in the local party has embraced political correctness to the point where basic freedoms are denied to its leaders under the guise of not being sensitive?  Frankly, it is just another case of political correctness run amok.  The statement just basically says that by standing for the flag, you are patriotic and by kneeling for the Cross, you are showing your allegiance to our Savior. Nothing more and nothing less.

Look, I'm not a Democrat, but that's not the point. I would be just as offended if the Republican Party or any political group took such a position on the basic freedoms. The  still sitting chair said that the statement by Salvas was offensive to blacks, I suppose referring to the Black Lives Matter and police issue that has been turned into a politically correct stance with the National Football League and kneeling for the National Anthem.  And the league continues to find itself dropping off in attendance and revenue by their own deafness to truth and their audience.

Freedom is freedom and the Constitution is the rule of law. Trying to change America by silencing those who don't agree with you never works in the end.  And the political correctness shown by those who continually push the envelope with it is reaching a breaking point.  If any party continues to spend it's time trying to change things by social force, including more and more violence, the backlash will ultimately be huge.  I think it is already underway.

Each of you can do or think as you wish, but for me, I will continue to stand for the flag and kneel for the Cross. After all, despite what some others don't like but haven't been able to change, One Nation Under God is found emblazoned in many ways, millions of Americans stand tall for their Christian faith and are unwavering and millions and millions of Americans have opted to always stand for our flag and our anthem.  I will remain joined with them until my dying day.

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SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: Why Works Naturally Come with Faith

10/13/2018

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Young woman helping an elderly lady walk
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?   If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?      -  James 2:14-16 (KJV)

As a Christian, when you read the first verse of the passage from James above, you might see a conflict with the teachings of Jesus and others in the New Testament.  For it clearly proclaims that the only way to be born again into a New Life is through believing in Jesus Christ as Lord by faith. Faith is the key ingredient and there is no ignoring that. So, what is James talking about needing works for faith to save us?

There's really a simple answer and the key is the requirement that we love others as we love ourselves and that love involves anyone, including those who have been hurtful to us or caused us harm.  Love is a clear requirement placed on our faith by Jesus.  All it takes to understand that is to realize what Jesus did for us, following the direction of His Father, when he died for us to forgive us, including those who had so brutally crucified Him. Once we were forgiven, all that was needed for us to gain eternity was to believe in Him by faith, faith following His extraordinary work of love.  Could anything be a greater act of love than that?  Certainly not.

James is merely indicating that if we believe in Lord Jesus as our Savior and commitment to following His example, an example of unending love, that it is impossible for us to not show that love to others in what we do in our life experience. Doing good work for others is a natural consequence of our faith, for how could you go about your life totally self-centered and be practicing of love for your fellow man or woman?  You can't.

I first read this short book of the Bible in high school. I was probably interested enough to initially read it since in had my name, but my mother often quoted James about good works and the pitfalls of gossip, which he discussed extensively in his work.  And I remember after reading it, seeing an incident in our church parking area which told me a lot about the importance of works showing your faith. 

As we walked to our car parked about a block away after church one Sunday, I watched a prominent member of our congregation, a deacon of elder in the church, who was in the process of pulling out of the parking lot on his way home.  He was in a big hurry and nearly hit an elderly member crossing the street.  He had to see her and she was shaken, yet he gave it no notice in his hurry to get home for Sunday dinner.  Mom and I walked over to her, walked her to her car, made sure she was settled and steady, then returned to the family car to go home. 

I'll never forget how Mom looked at me approvingly and said, "I know you just read James. See what he meant about good works, Son?"

I've always remembered that and, yes, I never could help but wonder about that man whenever I saw him after that.  Oh, well, it just goes to show that it's a good idea to practice what we claim we believe.  Sooner or later, others will figure it out, but it doesn't matter, for God always knows. The word of James makes it clear on the relationship between believing by faith and good works. Oh, you can  be a non-believer and practice good works, but you can't be a believer and not practice them. The connection is so clear and so important in daily life.

Dear Lord, We thank you for James and his wonderful, short book in the New Testament. We ask that you always guide us to practice our belief in what we do and say and give it our utmost to live as you would have us do.  In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.



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    ABOUT ME

    Hi, I'm James, a writer who studies nature,  animals and all things created by God. I also write from time to time about what I think God expects of us.  I would love to hear your thoughts on these subjects. I hope you enjoy my comments.

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