Presidential politics

Hello again!

The President of the United States is the most powerful office in the world. It is, easily I think, also the most misunderstood. People tend to give the President credit where credit is not due, and, more importantly, tend to affix blame where none is warranted or earned. This is where most Presidents fail - the battle of public perception.

Bill Clinton was, in the minds of most people, a successful president. Were his policies responsible for the successes of his administration? I doubt it. Most would give credit for his successes to the policies of previous administrations, the Ronald Reagan administrations for the most part. He was just smart enough to leave it alone and take all the credit. The failures or successes of the Bush administration can be left on Clinton's door as well. Have we fought a battle on terror for the last 6 years because of Bush? No. Clinton had Bin Laden in the palm of his hand, and he let him go. Those chickens came home to roost on 911, and we've been paying the price in the blood of Americans every since. Is Iraq as important to the war on terror as the Bush adminstration says? That will remain to be answered by the subsequent adminstration. If we pull out of Iraq before the Iraqis are prepared to run their own country and the forces of militant Islam take over, Iraq was an abject failure. If we ARE able to intall a government that is friendly to America and play that chess peace in the broiling board that is the Middle East, then I'd say Iraq was a success. A stable, America friendly Iraq is a valuable peace in that game. If we can make it so, it is an object much to be wished for.

So, what's to come? A Democrat administration, doing what Democrats do best, will poll the public and find out that Americans are against the war in Iraq. They will pull our forces out prematurely, and all of those lives given will have been lost in vain. Hopefully, a Republican administration will be more cautious, understand exactly what is at stake, and remove troops at a slower pace. Troops will be removed, one way or the other. The outcome depends upon how quickly they are removed and how good a job we do preparing Iraquis to take over the reigns when we do leave.

I have a feeling that Americans, understanding little other than what happens between their thigh and mid-chest, will insist upon a Democrat. Hopefully, that Democrat is someone with a brain in his head and not a pollster who seeks power for power's sake, like HRC. I wouldn't be surprised if it is Hillary, but I would lose a lot of faith in the collective intellect of the American public if that power-monger ever becomes President. Who's to say that she's smart enough to leave it alone and take the credit for the former adminstration's efforts like her husband did.

I have the most wonderful life in the history of the world!!!

Dear Reader (From the number of replies I get....there's only one! LOL!)

I thought I'd take a moment to tell y'all how wonderful my life is! I have a job most guys would kill for. I teach science (pretty cushy, by most standards; certainly more cushy than jobs I've had in the past!), and I coach (an occupation that most of the guys in the world THINK they can do, but few ever get the opportunity!). I live a very comfortable, middle class lifestyle that many would simply die for. Granted, I don't have "personal assistants" waiting on me hand and foot, people doing my yard, pool, etc., for me, or that sort of thing, but that's not my dream anyway, so I'm happy as a clam doing my own yard, my own car maintenance, routine maintenance, home repair, and that sort of thing anyway. So, to sum up, I've got a great job and exactly the lifestyle I love, so who could want more?

Well....I did. I had no one to share my joy with, at least not until recently. I met the woman of my dreams in February. It was truly love at first sight! We spent practically every spare moment together for several months, and were married on June 7th. I know a lot of people think they're happy, but think somewhere deep inside that something's missing. I used to be that way before Kim. Now, with Kim by my side, absolutley NOTHING is missing!!! She's the most awesome person ever, and I love her with every ounce of my being! Now, I truly have it all, and I thank God for watching over me, hearing my prayers, and giving me the desires of my heart. I have found the love of my life, and I have never (and I doubt I ever will!) been happier!

Here's the good part! Kim feels the same way about me! She thinks I'm the greatest, and she loves me as much as I love her! She's truly the most awesome person ever, and I am truly the most blessed man ever to walk the earth!

How could it ever get better? Stay tuned! Who knows what God has in store?! All I know is that God has blessed me beyond measure and I shall praise Him forever for all of His blessings!

Dan

The War

One of the coaches at work has been watching "The War" with some interest. His father fought in WWII and was held prisoner in a German Stalag for two years or so before being liberated. He theorizes that, if placed in a similar situation today, we would never again be capable of fighting a global conflict like WWII; I am forced to agree.

My colleague argues that kids today have had things too easy. They are unwilling, in fact, UNABLE, to sacrifice the way people did back then. They'd rather be overrun by Japanese or Germans than fight for their freedom or give up any of the luxury they've come to depend on to keep their liberty intact. I find that argument compelling, because all of the evidence I've seen in the classroom tends to support it. I don't think that it's the main reason we'd lose another global conflict if involved, though. I think we'd have a hard time competing in such a conflict because we are no longer the industrial giant we once were. One thing has been true in every war since the cavemen; the combatant nation with the greatest industrial output wins. In WWII, our tanks were not the best. They probably came in third in fact, behind those of the Germans (the Tiger was arguably the best) and those of the Russians. The deciding factor was the fact that we made so many of them and constructed ships to have them delivered at an astonishing rate ("Liberty ships"). That combined with overwhelming air power that decidedly reduced the industrial capabilities of our adversaries gave us the edge in Europe. Our ability to produce warships at an equally astounding rate overwhelmed Japan in much the same way. Would we have the ability to do so again if the need arose? I don't know, frankly, but I sincerely doubt it.

"But Dan," you say, "we don't fight wars that way anymore. We lob cruise missiles from hundreds of miles away. We fly stealth planes and disable advance radars before we overwhelm our opponents with smart bombs and satelite-guided missiles. We don't need numbers like we once did." Oh, really? If we ever fought another multiple theatre war like the last big one, our military would have to quadruple or perhaps quintuple in size and the numbers of planes, bombs, and missiles produced would have to rise exponentially. I'd have to argue that we don't have the capability to meet such production demands any longer and we definitely don't have the will to fight for a righteous cause like WWII any longer.

How can I think that we don't have the will to fight that way anymore? During WWII, this was predominantly a Christian nation. We tended to see things in terms of good versus evil much moreso than today. Hitler was seen as evil incarnate, a demon who needed to be defeated at all cost. I don't think he'd be seen in such black and white terms today. We'd adopt our usual "if it doesn't affect us, let's leave them alone" attitude, just like we did with Rwanda, and Bosnia in some ways. Would we eventually join the fight? Well, even in 1939, when Germany invaded Poland, we didn't join in immediately. During 1940, when Germany overran all of Europe except for England, we still had no direct involvement. Not until late 1941, when Japan attacked us directly, did we join the war against the Axis. Much like with our more recent national outrage at 911, the nation joined together against the evil Axis. Would we react similarly today? Let me ask this; have we remained outraged at the AlQaida attack on American soil on 911, or have we mostly forgotten that day and our short-lived resolve to fight terrorism, tired suddenly of fighting when body bags start coming home? I think it's more the latter; we're already tired, yet terrorism isn't gone. It's as big a threat now as it was then, if not moreso.

Could we win another global struggle if we were to be involved in one? I'd assert that we ARE involved in just such a struggle and we've already lost our taste for it.

I pray that God will bring us peace, but I believe that wars and rumors of wars are our fate from now till the day that Jesus returns. - Dan

Interesting couple of days

Hi, again. My "one man and a dolly" service went back to work today, moving my youngest from her apartment back to her mother's place. This is the same daughter who, not too long ago, begged to move into my place because her mother was going to charge her rent to stay with her. Of course, since then, she moved back out of my place to her own place in Houston. I have since moved myself; it seems to be an ongoing theme. Earlier in the week, she called and asked me to help her move that very night. I explained that I had to work the next day and could not help her that night; I could help her this weekend. We just finished a little while ago - I'm beat!

I have to admit it - I'm confused. What's going to be different THIS time at the house of sand and fog? I give it about 6 months at the outside. My baby girl does not get along with her mother for long periods of time and mom almost ALWAYS finds a way to make one unreasonable demand or another that puts their relationship on hold for a period of time. I hope baby girl will do whatever's necessary to further herself and build a life for her and her daughter.

Meanwhile, the love of my life was AWESOME, as usual. I introduced her to my oldest daughter (who also lives with mom), and they seemed to get along quite nicely. I asked my ex if she'd like to meet Kim, but she declined. It's probably best. Kim's not petty, small-minded or vindictive and she might not have reacted to her negativity the was my ex expected her to. After we finished moving all of KK's stuff into the house of sand and fog, my oldest asked if they could borrow my dolly. I told her that I would love to leave my dolly for them, but could not. The house of sand and fog is a black hole for Dan's stuff, I explained, and every time Dan loaned something for use over there, it never comes back. I told her that, more than several months ago, I loaned my fishing rod to my oldest son and it fell into the black hole and did not come back. Fool me once, shame on you; fool my twice, shame on me! Anyway, my darling was proud that I stood my ground. Not only that, but my oldest found my fishing rod and returned it! Woo-Hoo!

Anyway, if anyone has the ability or desire, please pray for my youngest. She needs to get on with her future. I covet your prayers. Please pray that she goes back to school and sticks with it this time. Please pray that she gets along with her mom this go around and does not base her happiness on her relationship with some guy this time, but finds happiness in her relationship with Jesus. Also, please pray that whoever went to look at my house this afternoon liked what they saw and makes an offer.

Dan

Anybody got any "mean" pills?

Well, we lost again tonight; this time 24-12. We scored on the opening play of the game, kicking off to the other team, causing a fumble, and running it in for a touchdown (conversion failed). Then we kicked off, and they drove the ball right down the field and scored. Game tied at 6. That's the way the first half ended, so not so bad, so far, right? We took the opening kickoff of the second half and ran it back for a touchdown (conversion failed), so now its 12-6, our lead. Good news, right? Well, apparently, our guys thought that the game should have been over at that point, because that's when they quit playing football. We kicked off, they took it down and scored, game tied. We got the ball back, went 3 and out, then kicked a punt about 13 inches. They took over and drove down and scored. 18 to 12. Still not out of reach, right? We got it back, went 4 and out, giving them the ball back on our 25. They went in and scored - 24 to 12. That's where it ended, folks. I'm sorry, but our guys just don't like 3s and 4s. They don't play the third or the fourth quarter, and its killing us. We're now 1 and 3, and we have the monsters of the district coming up next week. About this time next week I'll probably be writing obituaries for several of my players and talking about our 1 and 4 record, so stay tuned.

Its never a good sign when your team physician is Jack Kevorkian.

I missed the memo

Sorry; I missed the memo. Tonight was apparently "drive 15 MPH below the speed limit" night, and I didn't get the word. It was pretty obvious from the funeral procession down 517 that about 350 other drivers didn't get correspondence, either. Seriously, at one point, I was tempted to call the SPCA; there was a dog relieving himself on the lead car's back wheel, or at least that's what I thought. When I got closer, it was apparent that the driver of the lead car was blind and the dog was leading as fast as it could. People, I'll say this as nicely as possible. If the speed limit is 60...DO 60! Have some consideration for people who have better things to do than drive for hours on end!

Professional sports forgot why we loved them

For as long as I can remember, I've been a fan of professional sports; football, basketball, and baseball. I'm losing my taste for it, however. I'm just not interested in watching a bunch of drug-affected freaks get paid millions to do what isn't even possible, let alone within the norm of human experience.

I got tired of pro basketball first. The NBA has been unwatchable for years. Unlike college ball, they pretend that they restrict their defenses to man-to-man only, and then do whatever they can to disguise the zone they're playing. Uhhhh....why not just let them play a zone if they want to? It doesn't hamper the entertainment value of college ball. That's one. Two, if you're a so-called "superstar," you could pull out a gun and murder someone on the floor and they'd never call it. That finals replay they love to show of M. Jordan sinking the game-winning shot to win the championship makes me sick. They pass him the ball, he travels with it, then he pushes off, then he takes the shot. There's at least three turnovers on that one play, but no official who values his job is going to call anything on a superstar at any time, let alone a game-winning situation like that. Shaquille O'Neal should foul out of every game he plays in within about 3 minutes. He basically just bulldozes over the top of whoever guards him, but he's a superstar, so they don't call offensive fouls on Shaq. Nevermind the fact that he never touches the ball without travelling with it, but that's another story. I'll start watching the NBA again when they: 1. let teams play whatever defense they like; 2. Call the game equally, regardless of whoever's on the court; 3. Start policing the behavior of players (enough "wrist-slaps" for drug violations - fire them! And enough "so and so's got a baby in every city." I'm not the morality police, but the employers of these players SHOULD be! Whatever happened to team curfews?)

Of course, everyone knows why I'm fed up with baseball. One word: steroids. Okay, so fans were really exercised when the greed of players allowed them to strike and cancel the world series. Baseball decided to look the other way as M. McGuire and S. Sosa, just as juiced up as they could be, had that little home run race that "saved" baseball. Then baseball looked away as B. Bonds, his head 3 sizes larger than it used to be, hit 73 and further reinvigorated the game. Frankly, it's a huge disservice to the players who're clean - it diminishes their accomplishments and makes it harder for them to compete without juicing up as well. Frankly, I think they should test ever Major League player unannounced every other month or so and fire anyone who's caught cheating. That's what would happen to someone in any other workplace and that is what MLB should do. Otherwise, they should stop pretending that "the sanctity of the game" isn't being tarnished, put Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame, and let pro wrestlers in for 7th-inning stretch entertainment - one-steriod manufactured freak entertaining another.

As far as I'm concerned, football is the least affected of all pro sports so far. I mean, guys like Lyle Alzado or Brian Bosworth happen from time to time, but they're pretty much summarily dismissed when they're unearthed. What get's me about football is the whole character-issue thing. When a guy's making several million dollars a year to play a game, why does he feel it necessary to kill dogs, beat his wife, burn blunts, race cars down the freeway, get into bar fights, kill ex-girl friends, turn his ex-wife into a Pez dispenser, or all of the above? Look, I know that no one is a saint, but come on! is it too much to ask for you not to kill dogs, ex-wives or girl friends, and to stop setting up drug deals? I may just stop watching televised sports altogether and simply watch reruns of my 7th-graders playing. At least I know they're pretty good kids for the most part and they're not doing anything illegal - just having fun.

I thought that's what sports were all about - having fun. I guess that just goes to show what I know. Anytime there's as much money involved as there is in pro sports, there's always going to be someone who's trying to find an edge. I hope everyone stops watching - maybe then it'll go back to what it's supposed to be - Fun.

The Drive In

My drive is a little more elongated than it used to be, and it's a whole lot more frustrating. Here's how it goes:

Dan leaves the house at around 6:10 or so and drives down the neighborhood road (speed limit 25) onto the long road that goes out to the highway. The speed limit on the long road to the highway is 30, even though it's mostly 4 lanes and goes through nothing but businesses all the way. The speed limit should be 40 at least, but Alvin can't make any money on it if the speed limit is 40, so there you go. On this road, there are not one, not two, but THREE unecessary stop signs, two traffic lights that really aren't necessary (one of which changes on a timer and NOT an "underneath the pavement" pressure switch like most of the lights that have been installed since 1962), and a light that probably is necessary, but is green just long enough to allow about 2 1/2 cars through before it goes yellow! Such being the case, a drive of 3 miles that should take about 5 minutes usually goes at least 15 on a good day and more like 35 on most days (just kidding! My darling bride is giving me a hard time for hating on Alvin, but it's a nice place if you can ever get off of South St!) Not kidding now; it takes twice as long as it should, but I'm going to try and see the bright side here. I must be getting 45 MPG while driving 30 on the road that should be 40. From the long road, I have to take a short jont onto a freeway of sorts, which isn't too bad; the speed limit is 55 and it's 4 lanes that are divided, so no real road blocks there. The next is the worst. From there, I turn onto an FM (Farm to Market) that is only two lanes along some stretches and three (a middle turn lane) for most of it. The speed limit is 60 for most of the way, but it always seems like I find a way to get behind someone who's confused by this; either they think that there's a school zone in force, or they think that "60" is not the miles per hour that they are allowed to travel, but the upper limit of engine RPM they are permitted. I can't tell you how many times I find myself saying, "FEEL AROUND ON THE FLOORBOARD!!! IT'S THE TALL SKINNY PEDAL ON THE RIGHT!!! Passing is permitted along the two-lane stretches (if there was ever an opening!), but NOT permitted when the road goes to three lanes, which is the majority of the road. Some folks seem to think that double-yellow stripes are merely a suggestion; they pass in the turn lane regardless. One day, there is going to to a HORRIFIC accident on this road as some ignorant, blind, or stupid person tries to pass in the turn lane and rear-ends someone who is using it for its intended purpose; to make a left-hand turn without disrupting the flow of traffic! Honestly, as frustrated as I get following somone doing 35 in the 60 mph stretch, I don't think I'll ever fall far enough behind in my busy schedule to kill someone else with my lack of patience.

Once I get off the FM, I turn onto the Interstate and head north. Usually, the Interstate runs pretty well, at least until you get on into town a bit. Right about where the Clear Lake traffic enters, all three lanes just basically shut down. Now, here's something I've never fully understood; how on earth can the traffic just STOP when there's no visible obstruction or other obstacle to prevent it from continuing?! It amazes me! I've got it figured out, though. Right after the Nasa Rd 1 debacle (they're putting in some sort of fly-over bridge to Nasa 1 to soothe the congestion there...), the traffic in the fast lane just magically stops (no reason, mind you; it just stops), so you have to move from the fast lane to the far right-hand lane and then back to the middle when you approach the entrance for the Clear Lake City Blvd entrance ramp - it's the only way to keep moving.

The drive typically takes about 45 to 50 minutes - that long if no one does anything ignorant AND if it's not raining. You know, it never rains here, so no one here knows hows to drive in it without shutting everything down and CRAWLING!!!

Oh well, thank the Lord for safe trips and for keeping me sane in less than optimal conditions! - Dan

call me McAuley Culkin (hope I spelled that right)

because I'm home alone! My darling bride went to the ladies retreat this weekend, so I'm typeing on a keyboard and watching "The Unit" reruns! LOL! Good news, though! I got a call this afternoon and someone else is looking at my house this evening! Pray that God grants favor and I get an offer!

Buy American

I just read an article that made me somewhat upset. It reminded me of why this country is losing the economic battle on a worldwide scale to Japan, China, and India, and I can sum it up in one word; unions.

Since the dawn of capitalism, industrial might has been based not upon the availability of cheap natural resources, the ability to move those resources from the point of inception to the mill, or the existence of infrastructure to move finished goods from production to market, even though those factors all play a part in the total package. The largest factor by far in any industrial enterprise (or agricultrual enterprise, for that matter) is the availability of cheap labor. Inexpensive labor leads to competitively-priced goods and allows the country of inception to compete on the world market on an even basis. The country with the lowest labor costs will inevitably win that battle, because no other expense adds or subtracts more from the cost of the finished product, regardless of what that product is.

The article I read talked about labor negotiations between GM and the UAW and the greatest sticking point in the talks is the provision of health care costs for retirees. For years, American auto makers have been bound by contract to pay retirement pensions for retired employees, including health care expenses. Japanese auto makers have no such expense, which means that they can produce a car for much less than their American counterparts and sell that car for whatever the market will bear. What that means is a much larger profit per unit than what American auto makers can expect. Since the Japanese make much more per car, their total revenue is huge compared to that of GM, Ford, or Chrysler, giving them the ability to reinvest in their plants and improve the product and the machinery that produces it. The costs of production for the Japanese therefore are reduced while costs to produce an American car keep going up. It's a negative spiral for America, and Japan is reaping the reward. Are American cars as good as their Japanese rivals? I think they are, but the perception is that Japanese cars are produced with higher quality standards, get better fuel economy, and last longer than American cars. It's time for the UAW the wake up and realize something very simple; if you kill the cow, you won't have milk any longer! The UAW needs to make significant concession to American auto manufacturers and it needs to happen now, or there won't BE any American automobile manufacturers left to pay those contracts! No cow equals no milk!

Cheap labor is hampering the American economy from every angle of the economic spectrum. China and India are two great examples. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't advocate employing slave (prisoner) labor in factories like the Chinese or paying people 0.25/hr like the Indians, but we've got to realize who the competition is and understand that any industrial giant MUST have labor costs that allow manufacturers to compete on the global market or the competition will be skewed toward those who have low costs against those who do not. Traditionally, the United States has always had a source of cheap labor, typically from immigrants who seek to better themselves in this country. African slaves were the first, but they were supplanted by wave after wave of others; Chinese, Irish, other Europeans, and now Mexicans. When Mexican immigrants better themselves and rise above the level of entry-level worker (unskilled labor), who will supplant them? Frankly, it may be too late. Manufacturing concerns have been moving oversees for years because of the very factors I describe here. Oh, we call them unAmerican or unpatriotic, but the fact is that they cannot compete on the global market without cheap labor, so they move to where cheap labor is available and then "import" the goods produced to sell on the American market. Oh, sure, some American laborer lost a job because of the move, but without the survival of the enterprise, that laborer would have been without a job anyway. There are certain basic facts that do not change. The law of supply and demand waits for no man. Lower production costs mean lower prices. The least expensive goods are the ones most in demand. Higher demand creates a diminished supply and drives the price up. When Americans are willing to swallow their pride and work for the good of the whole rather than the wealth of the individual, we will be able to compete on the global market and then those very economic facts that work against us now will work in our favor.

Make those concessions, UAW, and make them now, before the cow is dead and all of the milk has dried up. - Dan

Life is good!

Without a doubt, this is my very favorite time of the year. Of course, I'm busier than a one-legged man in a jump rope contest, but that's part of what makes it fun. I don't do "sit around and relax" very well, so busy is more my style.

Naturally, THIS year is even better than year's past since I remarried this past summer. My wife is absolutely the most wonderful woman EVER!!! In addition, though, I was given the pre-AP classes this year and it's been a lot of fun so far. It's hard to describe how much energy you get from teaching a bunch of kids who're excited to be there, engaged in the learning process, asking intelligent questions, doing the work, etc. It's a blast so far. Also, football season is in full swing and my coaching partner and I got some halfway decent kids to work with this year, so we're trying to make the most of it. Although our first game was against one of the traditionally weaker teams in the district, we DID beat them! The 8th grade game was called at halftime because of lightning, so we only won 12-0, but it could have been 35-0 just as easily. The 7th-grade game was a little closer.

7th grade games are a little strange, especially the first several. Our district allows the coaches to be on the field with their teams during these first few games to help the players get into position, etc. I coach the defense for both grade levels, so I take a lot of pride in the kid's performance on the defensive side of the ball especially. On the other team's first possession, we stopped them cold on three consecutive downs. We had them 4th and 14. Few teams at this level ever punt - they just don't kick that well at the 7th grade level - so the other team went for it on fourth down. Even though we hit their ball carrier about 5 times in the backfield, nobody wrapped him up, and he went about 75 yards for a touchdown. They ran in the conversion to make it 7-0 (extra point kicks are worth two points; runs or passes into the end zone on a conversion are worth one point in our district). We got the ball on the kick-off and started a drive that ended with the end of the half and a last-play touchdown and extra point to tie it at 7 apiece. Then the defense went to work. We stopped them cold on their next possession and took over on downs. Again we scored on our next possession to make it 14-7. Then we stopped them again. When time expired, we were driving again, but the kids were really happy to get a win in their first game!

You know, coaching at this level doesn't pay a whole lot. In fact, when the time spent in practice and at games is weighed against the monetary gain, it wouldn't be worth it to most people, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! I remember very few of my 7th-grade classroom teachers, but I'll always remember my 7th-grade football coach - Coach Campbell. I don't remember much at all about my 8th grade classes (except my honors English class - THAT was a hoot!), but I'll never forget Coach Teutsch. I think what I do matters a lot to a lot of young men, and those guys are our future, so I think I'll stay with it as long as I can!

Next week we've got a little tougher opponent, so here's praying for success and no injuries! LIC, Dan

Fan of "colored" teams

Hi! This is Dan. I've been a fan of "colored" teams for as long as I can remember. What are "colored" teams? Well, it's not a racial thing, if that's what you think! I was born in Ohio and was raised a Reds baseball fan and a Browns football fan, so if Brown and Red are colors, I'm a fan of colored teams!

Being an Ohio sports fan isn't easy. The Reds haven't had a successful season since 1990, when they won the World Series somehow. That was when Marge Schott owned the team and brought shame on anyone and everyone who cheered for the Reds because of her overt racism. Even worse, being a Browns fan has been a nightmare! The Browns' last championship was in 1964. The team packed up and moved to BALTIMORE of all places, and then the new Browns were born several years later. Uhhhhh....they're not very good! I just watched them get beat by the Steelers again. Now, the Steelers aren't very good - they'll probably finish 8-8 again this year and get left behind the playoff buss one more time - so what does that say about us? Uhhhhh....we're REALLY bad, that's what!

Oh well - life is more than pro team's wins and losses. I lose more sleep over the performance of my 7th and 8th graders than I do the Browns. After all, I have a lot more to do with their performance than I do with the other!

In any case....Go Browns! I still cheer for them even if they do play really poorly! LIC, Dan

My life....

Here's a glimpse into my life (which is pretty fabulous right now, BTW):



A couple of months ago, Bank of America sent me notice via snail mail that my BoA Visa was being cancelled because my credit report said I was a poor risk. I called them up and queried as to why, on an account that has never been paid late, NEVER been partially paid (always paid the entire balance every month), and never had any other problem of any kind, would be closed by them. They said that my credit report was poor. So I pulled up my credit reports and, sure enough, my ex did me dirty and failed to pay any of the accounts that were left with her (she got the house, so she got the electric, gas, cable, etc., accounts). I asked them what kind of people they were looking for - I mean, anything that's MINE has been paid on time, in full, every single month. They said sorry, no sale. So I contacted the electric company and told them that the unpaid debt they were reporting on my credit report was not mine. I sent them copies of the divorce decree, the "marital agreement" (strange name for that document - it's the property division agreement), AND the warranty deed I had to file that surrendered any right or responsibility I had for my former residence. They basically said, thanks for the info - we're tacking the unpaid balance onto YOUR electric bill at your new home. Uhhhhh...I know english is a second language a lot of places in this country nowadays, but where's the common sense? Well, I've sent a complaint to the PUC and I'm waiting to find out if ANYONE in this picture has a brain in their collective head, so more to come on that story. Anyway, back to the original thought - BoA cancelled my credit card because of poor credit that wasn't even mine, right? That was a month and a half ago. Yesterday, I got a bill from them. Mind you, I have paid every bill I've ever gotten from them the day I received it IN FULL, so there shouldn't be any bills coming now, right? Well, the knotheads sent me a bill for the annual fee on the card despite the fact that the card has been cancelled and the account closed BY THEM two months ago, so I called them. I was treated to the usual phone puzzle - dial one for english, two for spanish, three for french, four for german, five for lithuanian, etc. I think I chose "one" but I'm not sure. After the usual barrage of elevator music and infomercials, I got a real live human on the line. Of course, I had to go through five more "dial one for blah blah blah, two for golbidy gook, three for brain aneurism, four for instant power of attorney" menus first. The real live human said "this is blah blah blah, how can I give you excellent Bank of America service today?" I said "Well, that's a really good question. You all sent me an bill for an annual service fee on an account YOU closed two months ago and I really don't understand why that is." Blah Blah Blah said, "Sir, I'll be happy to investigate that for you, can you hold a moment?" I said, "sure - I was really enjoying the elevator music and the infomercial - I can hold." After another lifetime on hold, she finally came back and said "Sir - the charge for annual service fee has been removed, but I'll need to forward you to another department to have the fee for credit protection taken off." I said, "thank you; I'll wait." FINALLY, another real live human being came on the line and asked what he could do to help me. I explained the situation for the ten thousandth time and he finally got back on the line and said "Sir, the charges for annual service and the charge for credit protection have been removed. I have a confirmation number for you." I thanked him and wrote down the number and hung up the phone.

Now, I KNOW things are more complicated today than they were twenty, or thirty, or fifty years ago. Back then, you drove to a bank, spoke face to face with a banker, and reached agreement (or disagreement) on whatever business you had to do. If there was ever a problem, you went to that same guy and dealt with it PERSONALLY. Now, things are much less personal and your word is only as good as the electronic number they assign to you based many times (my situation especially) on things that are beyond your control. I have to believe that a real live human being would listen to what has happened in my case and say, "you know what - your ex has done you dirty. None of this stuff is yours - in fact, everything that IS yours has been taken care of and paid on time. I think you're credit worthy."

I think I liked things better the way they used to be.

Meanwhile, I've been blessed beyond measure! I'm now married to the love of my life and she treats me like a king! I have a great job that I love, eternal life when I die, and I'm loving what my life has become! I know that these little inconveniences will go away eventually and I've got another twenty or thirty years of happiness in front of me! Praise God forever! LIC, Dan

Another call...

I got another "showing service" call today; an agent wants to show my house! It's been on the market for about 3 weeks, and it's been shown 3 times. If you're reading, please pray that God will send the right someone who will make an offer on it. I'd like to make a modest profit, but it's getting to the place where I'd almost be happy with a "break even" just so I can stop LOSING money on it. I think I'll contact my agent and ask about a price reduction.

It's funny. I paid $48,000 for it over two years ago, paid $5,000 to get the foundation levelled, put about $1200 into the garage project, around $2000 into the storage building in the back, about $500 in the dog kennel and patio cover, and about another $1000 or so into interior improvements. That's about $58000 altogether - I'm only asking $65,000, so it's not like I'm looking to become the next Donald Trump or anything - I'd just like a fair return on my investment. Of course, all of that's not funny. What IS funny is the fact that, no sooner than I put my house on the market, the housing market goes into the toilet and builders are practically GIVING new houses away; no closing, no down payment - just move in! Oh well...like I said, please pray that God sends someone who will love it to buy it!

Lord God,

I don't often ask for things just for myself. I usually pray for others or merely for guidance and protection. This time, though, I need something just for me and Kim, Lord. I'm asking that You send a buyer to buy my house. Please send someone who will love it for what it is - an inexpensive home in a great neighborhood; a home that has been well taken care of and has provided me with shelter and warmth during a very trying time in my life; a place where I've been alone, and a place where I've entertained family, friends, and the one true love of my life. Lord, I ask it in the name of Jesus - Amen!

Here's the skinny on corn

Last time, I said I'd go into the whole corn fiasco a little bit. You remember corn, right? It's the grain that grows on ears, right?; usually golden in color? Gold it is, because corn growers are taking their crops to the bank right now, big time, and it's all because they have a better lobby than the lumber industry.





Ever heard of MTBE? It WAS a gasoline additive - a really good one, I might add. It was developed in response to the EPA's mandate for "oxygenates" in gasoline sold in ozone non-attainment areas. Here in Texas, most of the major metropolitan areas of the state are in such areas (Harris, Bexar and Travis counties, for example). MTBE is an abbreviation for Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether; the base molecule of the compound is a simple alcohol, the single carbon Methyl Alcohol, or methanol for short. When gasoline was no longer allowed to contain lead, gasoline blending operations had to find another compound to boost the octane in gasoline (actually, gasoline has NO octane in it - it's an 8 carbon molecule all right, but it's called Isopentane). At first they added whatever they could. Benzene, a common chemical in industrial operations, was the first weapon of choice. It was relatively cheap and it burns REAL good, but it's also a known carcinogen. When it was decided that benzene wasn't such a good idea, Butane was often added. (Yes, butane; just like in cigarette lighters) The problem there was that it made the gasoline TOO volatile - it evaporated at much too high a rate and caused that haze we see in the air in major cities. So, it was decided that a new material would have to be chosen to replace these other octane boosters. MTBE was chosen.





MTBE is volatile, but not as volatile as butane. It has a characteristic ether odor, but isn't narcotic like ethyl ether and has no known carcinogenic health effects. It was perfect! Remember when I said that the base unit of the compound is Methanol? Well, methanol is made from wood ("wood alcohol"), and tree huggers don't like the idea of someone cutting down a tree to make fuel (does anyone remember "wood?"), so they decided to do whatever they could to stop the use of MTBE in gasoline. First, they said that it causes cancer. Well, it had been thoroughly tested on laboratory animals for that, but it WAS fairly new and there was no human data available ("epidemiology"), so the allegation that MTBE causes cancer created quite a stir, but not enough to make it go away. Infrastructure for MTBE delivery had been developed; the compound was easy enough to manufacture and it was relatively cheap, so junk science that accused the compound of carcinogenic capability was basically ignored. Then, it was discovered that MTBE was showing up in underground water in various parts of the country. MTBE vapor from fuel storage and/or delievery facilities was being dissolved by rainwater and was emerging in aquifers, so MTBE was outlawed and the search for a new "oxygenate" was begun. That's when the fight began, because big agriculture wanted ethyl alcohol to become the oxygenate of choice and the lumber people said that methyl alcohol ("wood alcohol") should be used. Well, let's examine this, shall we? The infrastructure for methanol was already in place (recall that methanol is the base compound in MTBE) and not a lot of tweaking would be necessary to replace MTBE with pure methanol. Methanol manufacturing, storage, delivery, and blending facilities were already under contract and functioning in MTBE service. No overhead! What did ethanol offer? There was little or no manufacturing capability (at least not on anywhere NEAR the scale necessary for use as a gasoline additive), no means of moving ethanol from the corn fields to refineries, and little or no plan in place to make any of that happen in a timely manner. Anyone ever hear of the law of supply and demand? When something is in great demand, prices go up until supplies catch up. So, which choice made more sense from practically every standpoint imagineable? Uhh...methanol, of course! So why did ethanol win out? The agriculture lobby is stronger than the lumber lobby and corn is supposedly more friendly to the environment than lumbering!

Uh...last time I checked, trees were a renewable resource just like corn! Granted, it takes longer for a tree to grow than a stalk of corn, but the machinery was already there! Meanwhile, consumers are paying out the wazoo for the shortsightedness of Congress and their inability to fight for a good decision on behalf of their constituents because some lobbyist made a better campaign contribution than some other lobbyist. Will ethanol ever catch up with what methanol would have been from the start? Well, eventually, I suppose - as long as corn supplies can keep up with demand. What happens when that next two-year drought hits? Does anyone remember 4 or 5 years ago when corn fields were burning up all over the country? Well, I guess time will tell.

Enjoy $4.00 a gallon gasoline - it's right around the corner and there's little or nothing we can do about it as things stand now. - Dan

incrementalism

I don't often talk politics here, but it seems to me that the people of the United States have gotten so used to incrementalism that they don't even realize it when they are being nickle and dimed into the poor house!

What is incrementalism? Well, you see it everywhere, but here's a couple of examples. Last year at about this time, gasoline hovered at around $2.00 a gallon. It's been that way for a couple of years, so we'd found a way to budget for it and still make ends meet. Then, with the "ethanol" crisis, gas went up to around $3.00 a gallon and people started screaming bloody murder. Now it's gone back to around $2.50 and everyone's happy! WHY IS EVERYONE SO FLIPPIN' HAPPY???!!! It's half a dollar more than last year and Exxon is about to offer Bill Gates a loan! Next year, it'll be another "crisis," gas will go up to $3.50 a gallon, everyone will scream, and then it'll settle in at $3.00 and everyone will be thanking the god of refined petroleum products that it's not $4.00! Socially, it works the same way. Everyone looks the other way as the vulgarity of Hollywood is splashed everywhere - the next thing you know, social morality is a thing of the past and what had been unacceptable and morally outrageous only a few years ago is commonplace and tolerated, if not accepted.

With gasoline - what're ya goin to do? We have to get to work; we don't have much choice in the short run. With questions of morality, we have a big say, and we don't have to protest or make a big stink about it! All we have to do is refuse to buy the garbage they're selling and they'll start creating entertainment that's more acceptable. After all, they worship a god as well - the god of profit and the free market. We can manipulate market forces as well as they can and turn THAT situation to our liking.

Along those same lines...the Democrats just don't get it! They increase the minimum wage, ostensibly to increase the buying power of people on the lower rungs of society. What's the outcome? Milk goes up to $4.00 a gallon, bread to $2.00 a loaf, beef to $5.00 a pound on the average. Do minimum wage people not EAT, or what? The fact is, their buying power has been REDUCED, not increased! Way to go, Democrats! Oh, I know; the increase in the minimum wage is only part of the story. A lot of corn that used to go toward feeding beef and dairy cattle is now going into energy production. Why? Well, I'll get into that next time!

LIC, Dan

day's over!

As I've mentioned, this time of year is the very definition of "hectic."

Although my schedule at school is a bit more workable than in years past, I've still got two preps (science and pre-AP science) and coaching duties both during and after school until around the middle of March. This means that my schedule goes something like this - get up around 5:30, attend to personal hygiene and dress, make coffee, pack lunch, feed dogs (take out garbage on garbage days), drive to work (takes about 50 minutes now), check box and sign in, open room and turn on computer, open any files to be used in the day's lessons, work on lesson planning, grading, filing, notes home, or other "teacher stuff" not related to instruction, teach classes until 3:45, coach football (or basketball, as the case may be) until ~5:45, wait for kids to call home and leave, drive home (arrive home at about 7:00 pm), eat (my darling bride has been making sure I have a hot meal when I get home! Is she AWESOME, or what?!!!!), unpack my gym bag from the day, repack the gym bag for tomorrow, make lunch (I make a salad for lunch - "packing it" entails loading a bag with silverware, napkin, salad dressing, and a breakfast bar), shower, and get ready for bed at or around 10:00. If I get to spend some time with Kim, it's a welcome bonus! Anyway, that's how days go for the next 6 months or so and when it's over at the end of basketball season, I'm usually pretty exhausted!

As I said, though, my schedule is much better this year than either of the last two. The year before last, I only had one prep, but I was only given one conference period every other day. I thought I was going to go crazy trying to keep up! Last year, I only had one conference period again, but we went from an 8-period block schedule to a 10-period schedule (from 90 minute classes to 70 minute classes), which meant that my one conference period shrank as well. Not only that, but I had two preps last year (science AND a study skills class), which just about drove me up the wall! I told the Principal that if it wasn't changed this year, the next time he saw me in his office I'd have a transfer authorization in my hand and he could start looking for a new science teacher! I guess he took me seriously. This year's schedule is MUCH better!

I feel for the other 7th-grade science teacher, though. Except for the conference period dilema, she's in the same boat I was in last year! She's got two preps (they gave her a speech class) and all of the honors kids are with me, which means that she's got the middle-of-the-road kids and lower for the most part. I know it may not sound objective, but having kids who are less gifted academically really wears on you after awhile, especially when there's no respite from one period to the next. You start to wonder if you're just not doing your job or if there's something you COULD be doing differently that you just haven't figured out yet. It's VERY frustrating! I know - I was there last year! What's worse in her case is the "inclusion" load. Last year I thought I had it bad! Out of about 45 inclusion kids, I had about 30 of them. Inclusion kids, for those of you who do not know, are kids with Individualized Education Plans which call for modifications to their instruction. An inclusion teacher will come in to assist with them, but, depending upon who else is in the class, designing instruction to meet the needs of ALL students in the room can be a daunting challenge! This year, the split of the inclusion load is even more lopsided than it was last year. I've got about 8 or so altogether and she's got the remainder - about 35 or so if I had to guess. Granted, with two honors classes out of 6 science sections I'm teaching, there's not a great opportunity to spread the wealth, but I have a hard time believing that it couldn't be spread out a little better than that. Oh well - I'm not going to complain! This year's awesome so far and it just keeps getting better, praise God!

Well, I've got to get to bed! 5:30 comes pretty early! - Dan

A new year

Well, here we go with another new school year. This year in Texas, the school year starting date was pushed back a couple of weeks (trying to save on electricity, I think), so we're beginning a little later than has been true in the past. Our 7th-grade group this year is HUGE, so classes are going to be large as well. From what the 6th-grade teachers tell me, it's a pretty smart group, by and large, so this should be a fun year!

It'll be fun for another reason - I've been given the pre-AP classes this year and, from everything everyone who's ever taught one has told me, I'll never want to give it up once I've taught it! I'm PUMPED!! I love to see the light bulbs come one and a group of honors kids has more than it's fair share of light bulbs do just that, so it ought to be really cool!

If you're reading, please pray that God will go with me and help me to be a good example to these kids, that He'll help me to be patient and understanding with them, and He'll help me teach them to the very best of my ability.

LIC- Dan

garage day

Well, this was a day in the garage. I hung an 8x6 wall of pegboard the other day, but I had another 8x6 section to go and a whole lot of "stuff" to move first. Anyway, I got that done today, but I still have some shelves to hang and another bike to suspend from the ceiling, then the garage might start looking a little better, or at least useable. I DID move the compressor into place and get it plugged in and hooked up to the hose reel, so now it's useable. I've just got more stuff than there's room for here, but this too shall pass!

I just got a call - my agent is showing my house! Pray that whoever sees it will be favorably impressed! Praise god forever! LIC, Dan

Status

Today's status - A/O this afternoon, there is nothing left at my house except the boat and boat-related stuff. I'll grant you, a house note is a little steep for boat storage, but it beats paying a house note AND boat storage! My darling bride has been AWESOME during the process! Over the last several days, I've been moving stuff from the garage to the house (house stuff that was in boxes) and rearranging the garage to make room for garage stuff from my house. She went through the boxes and sorted stuff out, even putting together a care package for my daughter (which I delivered yesterday)! I'm telling you, this is the most awesome woman EVER!!!

In any case, please pray that the house sells quickly to someone who needs a good little house at a good price!

Tomorrow is a "mop-up" day. I've got to take a fish tank that I have here at home to the school and retrieve one that is currently up there. It's a hexagon-style tank that is much more complete than the one we have here. It'll still cost some money to put it together, but it'll be cheaper than the one that's here now. I'm going to use it as a terrarium in my classroom.

Speaking of class, pray that school goes well this year. Toward the end of last year I was completely out of gas. The pre-AP kids were all across the hall, which meant that all of the regular-ed and below kids in the 7th grade were placed in my class. Education is a lot like golf. You may only hit a couple of good shots in a round, but the few good shots you DO hit keep you coming back. Last year, with the group I had, there weren't very many good shots, and it wore me out. This year, I've been awarded the pre-AP classes, I'm teaching nothing but science, AND I have a conference period every day. For the last two years, I only had a conference period every other day, which also wore me out! I should be able to do a better job this year and reach more kids - that's what I'm there for! While we're at it, pray that I can be a good example for the kids that are assigned to me - help me to be the light of Christ to them and help me to show them that being a Christian can be a fun thing and that science and Christianity are not mutually exclusive!

Well, this is my prayer and I hope you'll join me in it! Love in Christ, Dan

House update

Yesterday was the "clean out the garage" day. Man! It's hard to describe just how much stuff was in the garage (and the boat and all the boat-related stuff is still in there!) - today, we're taking some stuff to my daughter's place and finishing up with the storage building. By the end of the day, Casa del Dan should be totally empty and ready for new occupants.

While I was working over there yesterday, a fellow drove by with his daughter and son-in-law. He asked if I was the owner and I told them that I was indeed. They asked if they could see the place. I said "sure! I'd love to show it to you!" So I took them around and showed them the whole place. They didn't say a whole lot, but the man asked me about the price and how firm I was on it. I told them I'd like to get my asking price, of course, but everything is negotiable. They said that they have to be in a place by the first of the month, so I hope they choose mine! Lord God, give them a favorable view of the place and help them see what a great place it is! Help them with the financing or whatever else might get in the way. Father, if they choose another place, help them anyway. They seemed like nice people who could use a good place to start their lives. Lord, I don't often pray for strictly selfish things, but it sure would be a blessing to Kim and I if my house were gone! Lord Jesus, You said that anything we ask in your name would be granted if our faith was even as big as that of a mustard seed. I cannot judge my own faith, Father, so I ask you to consider my prayer and grant it if it is in Your will. Lord Jesus, I love You and I praise You this day and every day! I ask these things in Your holy precious name, amen!

While I'm praying, here's one for "Dean." Father, Dean looks like a really bad storm, the sort that could cause indescribable damage and heartache for millions of people. Lord, I know that You said that storms come to the wicked and the righteous alike, but I pray that wherever You send Dean, a minimum of damage might be done and as few people as possible will be affected. Lord, watch over us and guide us, protect us, and keep us from harm. Lord, I ask it in the name of Jesus, amen! - Dan

Church hurts

Many of us know people who have gone through "church hurts;" those injuries that are inflicted by others at church either intentionally or unintentionally. Church hurts are the worst, because we expect to find love at church, not judgement or condemnation. Sadly, we often find just that, and worse.

In my new church, I've found love and acceptance. I guess such has not always been the case. Several years back, my church suffered a "split," where those who were "pure" (never divorced; both man and wife attending; ostensibly sinless, etc) went to a new church and those who were not invited stayed at my church. Now, let's get one thing straight. Those who stayed behind were not necessarily guilty of "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" or whatever; they simply didn't fit the "perfect" mold of those who were not left behind. Perhaps a man or his wife were unequally yoked and only one or the other actually attended services. Perhaps a couple had been divorced and remarried. Perhaps someone had actually suffered a backslidden condition and come back seeking forgiveness. Whatever. These were NOT asked to move. In any case, I have found that this bunch of people actually know what Christianity is all about; forgiveness and acceptance. The bible is pretty clear about what to do with someone who isn't living an acceptable lifestyle. My new church seems to be pretty clear about it as well.

Anyway, some of the folks from the "new" church seem to be spreading the rumor that those who attend my (ACoC) church don't believe in baptism. Not only that, but we're all going to hell because we clap our hands while singing praises to God. Apparently, clapping while singing isn't scriptural. Well, maybe the folks from the new church got a different version of the bible than the one I've been reading. Psalms 47 is pretty clear: "1 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy." Maybe they skipped that chapter when they were reading, but I don't know. I do know that I pray that God will open ALL of His scripture to them that they may understand His Word. Then there's that thing about baptism. Apparently, you have to be baptised to be saved. Now, I'm not going to say that baptism isn't important, quite the contrary. The Lord Jesus Himself went to the River Jordan to be baptised by John the Baptist. Why? Because baptism is symbolic of the death of the old man and the birth of the new one. Jesus thought it was important, so should we! Consequently, when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we should follow His example and be baptised! Is it absolutely neccessary for salvation? I don't really think so! There's exactly one scripture that I can find that says "believe and be baptised" in order to be saved (Mark 16:16). On the other hand, there's a TON of them that say that belief itself is all it takes! (John 3:15; John 3:16; John 3:18; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 6:35; John 6:40; John 6:47; John 11:25; John 11:26; John 12:46, etc.). So what do we make of this? Do we believe Mark 16:16 and rely on belief AND baptism, or do we go with John and believe that belief alone is sufficient? Frankly, I think that belief is all it takes, but we should follow the example of Jesus and be baptised when we come to believe. If we do that, we are aligned with the scripture regardless of whether you believe that Mark 16:16 is genuine or not! This, by the way, is what Alvin Church of Christ practices - new believers are baptised!

So why would someone lie about all this? Who knows why satan does what he does? Does he want to divide Christ's church and cause His people to mistrust one another? Well, I guess so! John 8:44 "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." All I can say is, do not give place to the devil! (Ephesians 4:26/27 - 26"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.) How does it benefit one person, or one congregation of people for that matter, to denegrate the work or the people of another? The answer is, it does not! All it does its give the devil satisfaction!

One last thought. Jesus was pretty clear about how we should figure out who believes and who does not:

Matthew 7:15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."

So, the question is pretty clear. Does ACOC bear good fruit or not? I'd have to say, from what I've seen so far, the fruit is pretty good. The fruit I see from detractors has been falsehood and inuendo. Perhaps they are raising thornbushes, but it is not for me to judge, but for God alone. Matthew 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." I will not judge those who detract from the work of ACoC and I would quote the above and caution others to do likewise. - Dan

What WOULD Jesus do?

Several years back, lots of us wore "WWJD" bracelets to remind us of the question - "What Would Jesus Do?" The point, of course, was to make us mindful of the life of Christ and help us to be more Christ-like in our everyday lives. I've thought about that more than a few times. It seems to me that the best indicator of what someone is likely to do is their history - what they've done in the past. If someone has been a habitual liar, for example, then that person is likely to lie when questioned about something that may call for a little "behind covering," so to speak. Likewise, a theif is likely to steal, and a murderer is likely to kill. When we apply this logic to Jesus and ask instead, "What Did Jesus Do?" we find that the bracelet was not misplaced. Jesus DID forgive those who persecuted Him "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do;" He DID give to those in need; he DID pray, and that often; He DID treat others as He wished to be treated, and He DID keep the commandments of God! I submit, therefore, that the better question, or perhaps the more pertinent question, is no "What Would Jesus Do?", but "What Did Jesus Do?", and it would behoove us all to follow His example as He gives us strength to do so. - Dan

Jesus' Hardest Teaching

In "small groups" this past Sunday evening, we spent most of the session talking about love for our friends. Brother Jerry's lesson Sunday morning dealt with "the greatest commandment," that we should love the Lord our God with all our soul, all our strength, and all our mind, and that we should love our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 22:34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."). Now, those of you who know me at all know that I'm a "literal" guy - anytime the bible can be interpreted literally, it should be taken that way - that said, you know I have no problem with this teaching! Jesus says, quite literally, that all of the rest of the law, and all of the prophets, hang on these two commands! Such being the case, we should, quite literally, love God above all things and put Him first always, AND we should love one another as much as we love ourselves! As tough as that may seem (let's be real, shall we? How often do we REALLY put God first? How often is it that He's the first thought and our first consideration? I'm not pointing fingers, mind you - I'm just as guilty as anyone! Even in the most devout households, God usually comes in second or third, but rarely if ever FIRST!), we are commanded to make it happen! My experience has been thus - if you put God first and put all of your trust in Him, you cannot HELP but love others! Whether we go to the extent that is described next....

Okay, that's a tough teaching, that "God first" thing. We have cares and concerns that we have to look after, doesn't God know that? Well, if you thought that one was tough, try this one on for size!

Matthew 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

In that same session of small groups, one of the men in the gathering told of a hamburger joint in town where Muslim tracts have been left on the tables, some of which are rather desparaging about Jesus. He made it clear that he'd not go back and several in the group made it clear that they would boycott the place as well. I could not recall the scripture at the time, but I thought to myself, "it is not the well, but the sick who need a physician! " Jesus tells us to love those who despise us and pray for those who persecute us! How badly do these people need a Christian presence! Yet, in our typical "circle the wagons" fashion, we're going to prove that the tenets of our faith are no better than those of Islam - we're going to wage war on the "infidels" and attempt to drive them out of business! Frankly, I should have spoken up, but I'm new to the group and I could not remember the scripture, so I kept quiet. As I said, I'm no better than they for having kept quiet, but this scripture more than any other (IMHO) separates Christianity from other world religions (nevermind that Jesus is ALIVE and all of those other guys are dead - I'm speaking only of the teachings of our holy scripture versus that of other major world beliefs). We are commanded to love those who mistreat us, to love and respect those who persecute us, and to pray for those who disagree! I don't think Islam can make that claim and I know that Hindus, even thought they espouse a non-violent lifestyle, believe that "karma" will even things up in the end (a little devine retribution, if you will). Frankly, I've got a lot of growing to do - I'm not there yet and I don't know of a lot of folks who are.

God, give me the ability to be more like Jesus this day. Help me to love You with my whole being and to love my neighbors as I love myself. Lord, help me to love those who hate me or treat me with disdain and pray for those who persecute me. I can't do it of my own power, but I know that, with your help, I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me. Watch over me and my darling bride and keep us safe and healthy. Grant her the desires of her heart - she loves you with her whole heart! All of this I ask in the precious name of Jesus, amen!

- Dan

Conspiracy!

As many know by now, I'm a little "off" when it comes to noticing things that don't occur to most people. Recently, it occured to me that there's a conspiracy going on here! Anytime I pay something online and print a verification receipt, it prints not only the receipt, but also the three other pages that go along with whatever else is on the webpage! That means that I wanted one piece of paper and I got three! It also means that I wanted to use "X" amount of ink, but wound up using "Y" amount! Now, I don't usually get real exercized about such things, but this overkill on paper and ink is adding up! Think about all of the other folks who do things the way I do - pay bills online and print a receipt with a confirmation number on it for my records - the numbers of extra pages printed for nothing, not to mention the extra ink involved, must be truly mindboggling! It's a conspiracy, I tell you! The paper manufacturers, the ink makers and sellers, and the web-masters have all gotten together and spun an evil plot! "If you rig it where every 'print' command will print two worthless pieces of paper, we'll kick you back half of the additional paper/ink sales! Think of the opportunity!"

I think I'll go back to using stamps - it's cheaper! - Dan

Anybody know anything about real estate?

I'm trying to put my place on the market. My darling bride set me up with a "help" service through USAA and I've talked to a couple of agents now. I met with one this afternoon and I'm scheduled to meet with another tomorrow afternoon. The first said that she could list at my asking price if the "comps" agree. I'm sorry....what's a "comp?" I mean, I guess it's pricing that comparable homes have sold for in the vicinity, but what does that matter? I've got my asking price and what I'm prepared to sell for; what does it matter what anyone else has sold their home for? I guess I'm at a loss! Oh well, the place is MT and I dropped off the mail forwarding thing at the post office earlier, so I'm good to go! If you're reading in, please pray that this place sells quickly - I don't really want to pay the house note for boat storage, if you know what I mean! LOL!

Tomorrow, I have to go back to work (early coaches' days). Friday and Saturday, I have science training while my darling bride goes to see her oldest graduate from college (and I have to MISS IT!!!! :( ) The following week, we have one more coaches' day, then all of the teachers at my school have to report for staff development. The following week, the kids come back! What was supposed to be a long summer has been the shortest summer on record! Oh well...times' fun when you're having flies; at least that's what my old buddies Mike and Steve used to say.

Y'all have a good day and I'll talk to you later! - Dan

The house is MT!

Today, I finished moving everything out of the house. I also moved most of the "outside" stuff, including my dogs. Now THAT was a trip! The dogs have never gone on a "road trip" before, so they didn't know how to act in the truck. The female, "Belle," jumped out before the truck was even moving and wriggled out of her collar. Precursor, is what that's called, I think. Anyway, I got her back in the truck and settled down, and then we took off. The male, "Jack," was fine until we took off. I was going about 45 or so when he chose to jump out! I slammed on the brakes and jumped out - he was hanging off the side of the truck from his chain and did not know what to make of the fact that the ground was moving so fast! Well, when I got him settled down and back in the truck, I realized that I lost a lid for one of the big rubbermade containers and a patio chair, so I went back and found both items and loaded them back up, dogs still intact. Well, then it started raining! What a trip! Oh well, we all made it safely and got the load unloaded without any dead dogs or dead drivers. I'm almost done! - Dan

Another "big item day"

Yesterday was another busy day at Casa del Dan. I moved my refrigerator and chest freezer, the washer and dryer, and most of the boxed stuff that was left. Most of the effort went into cleaning - it's hard to imagine how dirty things get (especially BEHIND them) when they haven't been moved for awhile. I have to admit - my refrigerator was a little less than clean, so I emptied it, took it apart and cleaned it really well. Now, it sits in the garage at my new abode, keeping drinks and other things nice and cool! Anyway, today I have to pick up the few little items that are left in the house, get the smoker and patio furniture, and move my dogs to their new home! They'll be so excited! Well, got to get with it! I can put the place on the market now and next weekend, I get to move everything in the garage! Oh boy! - Dan

Update

Today, my darling bride came to the house after work and moved all of my clothes ALL BY HERSELF!!! Did God bless me with a great woman, or what?

As for me, I moved the computer desk and hutch, my bookcase (the one I made myself), and my antique dresser. I saw that the sky was getting dark (what a shock! It hasn't rained here since.....yesterday! LOL!), so I ran that load over to the house real quick, and it's a good thing; it was POURING when I got back! I took advantage of the rain out to finish painting the bathroom and packing up the kitchen. Then, miraculously (thank You, Jesus!), the skies cleared and I was able to move all of the stuff I'd packed, my bed, the book boxes, and several other items. AT LAST! A FULL LOAD! Well, my bride and I are both exhausted, so I'm calling it a night! - Dan

Getting there, but bushed!

Today was the day that would be reminiscent of what the goats have coming (as opposed to what the sheep can expect! LOL!).

When I got to the house, I dug out the flatbed, which is a chore in itself. I built my garage as a "drive-through" so I could keep the flatbed trailer in the back yard. Getting it out to use it entails moving the boat out of the garage and dropping that trailer out on the street, then backing through the garage and hooking up to the flatbed, moving it out and dropping it on the street, hooking back up to the boat trailer and backing it back into the garage, and then hooking up the flatbed and backing it back into the driveway. Now, all by itself, that's usually about a half an hours worth! Anyway, when I got done with that, I mowed the yard front and back, and then ran the weedeater all over the yard. Mind you, it's already about 250 degrees in the shade, so THAT got me sweating a bit! After I cooled off a bit, I finished the trim work in the bathroom, caulked and primed all of it. I'll do the finish coat tomorrow. When I got done with that, I cleaned up the mess in the living room (it's where I'd been doing all of my sawing and mitering) and started loading stuff onto the flatbed. I simply loaded all of the tools I'd been using into a box and put that in the truck. Then I broke down the sleigh bed in the back bedroom and loaded the matresses and bed pieces onto the trailer. Next came the armoir. Now, my armoir is large - it can be used as a TV cabinet or as a clothes closet. It almost killed me to move it, but I got it done without dieing! Then I loaded up my dresser, which is also very large and heavy. Oh, I also loaded my sawhorses, the dining room table (with the 4 chairs that go with it), and a box full of bathroom stuff. Now, I've unloaded all of that at my new abode and I'm once again cooling off. Tomorrow is another day - I think I'll move something HEAVY tomorrow! LOL!

The sheep don't know how good they've got it! - Dan

remind me to buy "new" next time!

Well, as anyone who's been following along knows, I'm in the middle of a remodeling/refurbishment of my house. I've finished the living room, and it looks great! Then I started the bathroom. Oh, my goodness! The sink base was rotten, so I disconnected the sink and put the base on the curb. The commode came up easily enough, but there isn't much of a flange left to mount it back on, so I'm going to have to get one of those spacer deals so it's actually got something to seal against when the wax ring is installed. I pulled up the linoleum, which revealed the crack in the slab that I knew was there - I just didn't know how wide it was! It goes 3/8 to 1/2 inches in most locations! it hasn't moved since I had the foundation leveled a couple of summers ago, but it needs to be sealed and leveled so I can put the ceramic tile down. Oh, I decided to remove sheet rock up to about 32" so I could check plumbing and what not, only to find that all of the 2x4's, including the base plate, were rotten - so I had to saw them off, install a new base plate, and sandwich new wood where the old studs were so that there's something there to nail to when the wainscoting goes up. Whew! Anyway, I finished the studs yesterday. So far today, I've cut and fitted a backer to replace where the sheet rock was and replaced a rotten elbow and close pipe for the drain stub. Then, I mixed up a big batch of thinset and filled in and leveled the crack in the slab. I'll have to do it again in the morning, but at least it's a start and the thinset I'll use to mortar the tiles in place will also act as leveling if I'm careful about how the tiles are placed (making sure its a level installation as I go). Well, got to go. I've got a piece of the beaded panel that I used on the ceiling in the LR that I'm going to use as wainscote in the bathroom and I've got to cut it in half. - Dan

Cracking up!

Recently I wrote that it seemed as though television over the public airwaves is sponsored with distrubing regularity by pharmaceutical firms who, it seems to me, are making their best effort to market directly to the public. What's the purpose? Even though they always say "ask your doctor if blah-blah-blah is right for you," I think the real reason is to make people identify with the actors and then conjure up whatever ailment is supposed to be cured by the miracle drug being sold. Why else would they do it? If someone had the symptoms described without any prompt, wouldn't the person affected go to their doctor and tell him/her so? Wouldn't the doctor then offer choices and counsel the patient about possible side effects? If not, maybe you're seeing the wrong doctor! Anyway, the whole thing rather disturbs me. I am not a doctor and I don't want some 30-second spot on television offering me a list of symptoms that I can adopt as my own and then offer MY advise to my doctor regarding a potential cure! Oh well - off the soapbox on that one for now!

What made me laugh, and brought the subject to mind once again, was a commercial my darling bride and I saw last evening. It was a drug to alleviate the symptoms of RLS, but it was not the same concoction that's been advertised in the past. Sorry, I don't recall the name of the compound; I was laughing too hard at the end of the advertisement to catch it. As they were listing the possible side effects, they mentioned that an "increased desire for sexual activity or gambling" may result from taking this particular drug! SEXUAL ACTIVITY OR GAMBLING!!! I looked at my darling wife and said, "Man! We've got to get some of that! We can go gambling, and then have sex! Or, even better, we can have sex WHILE we're gambling! It'll be awesome!!!" Corporately, we thought that that was about the funniest thing we'd ever heard! I know they have to list side effects, but a couple of questions come to mind. First, if a drug might cause you to lose normal inhibition and have an increased desire for purient pleasure, why on earth would anyone ever take it anyway? Second, how on earth did they discover this interesting side effect? I mean, did the monkeys they tested it on start spontaneous breeding while wagering for bananas, or what? In human trials, how did that go? "Ma'am, did you experience any unusual sensation or symptom while taking the drug?" "Oh, yes! I had an uncontrollable urge to fly to Vegas and bet the mortgage and while I was there, I had seventeen gigilos up to the room!"

Someone please beam me up! Crazy glue got into the water supply and it's having a deleterious side effect! - Dan

change of plans

Well, as usual, I'm pretty busy! I just changed the oil in my truck and I'm only posting while I'm waiting for it to drain back into the crankcase (changed the filter, too; you have to run it for a minute and then allow the oil to drain back down so you can top it off). Anyway, here's the change. We decided to stay in her house and sell mine, so I'm finishing up the projects I started to get it ready to put on the market. The living room (if I do say so myself) looks AWESOME!!! I put in wainscoting with a chair rail (called a "lip" for such applications) and now I'm doing the baseboard. I finished up the crown moulding yesterday and painted. This morning, I did a little repair work to the ceiling (I put in a beaded ceiling panel over the Christmas break and painted it antique white, but it had a couple of "dips" that had to be repaired, so I did that yesterday) and touched up the paint. It also looks pretty good (or, at the very least, a WHOLE lot better than the sheet rock ceiling that was in place when I bought the place!). Anyway, the "wow" factor upon entering my humble abode is a lot better than before, so I may be able to get my asking price without too much hassle. When I finish the base, I'm putting ceramic tile in the bathroom, along with a new sink base, wainscoting, chair rail, and baseboard. It ought to look pretty good, too, when I get done. Oh well, that's enough time for the oil to drain. Got to get back at it! - Dan

rambling

I guess my mind is a little different than most folks. I tend to make mental connectios that most people don't think about at first blush. For example:

If whale oil comes from whales, where does baby oil come from?

A friend tried to commit suicide by slashing his wrists with a razor, but it didn't work. He forgot to plug it in.

If I tell you that I'm Lysdexic, do I get a handicapped sticker on the front or the back of the car?

The other day I got my hair cut. Several people asked me, "Dan, did you get your hair cut?" I said, "No, I got both of them cut."

If I dreamed I was a Michelin, would I wake up tired?"


Today I saw a bumper sticker that said "Unions - the people who brought you weekends." I'm sorry, but I thought that weekends were God's idea? I mean, didn't he choose Saturday as His day of rest? Didn't we Christians move the Sabbath to Sunday in honor of Jesus' resurrection? I think God had a lot to do (uh...EVERYTHING to do) with weekends and the union had NOTHING to do with it!

Am I imagining things or is television being brought to us by one syndrome after another these days? I mean, you may have read from my previous posts that I consider myself extremely blessed and one of my greatest blessings is good health, so I have a hard time commiserating with people who have various ailments. I guess, being nearly 50, I can relate to a few of them, but it seems as though every person in America should have, oh, 5 or 6 ailments apiece to finance all of the prescription drug commercials that are on every 5 minutes of so. Either that, or the amount of money that drug companies make on every prescription is OUTRAGEOUS!! I have a feeling it's the latter, but I do worry that people are being made to question their health so they "ask their doctor" and get prescriptions they don't really need just because they talked themself into the newest syndrome because of commercials. I have to go. My restless legs are acting up and I have to go take a pill. - Dan

Blessed!

I'm so blessed I can hardly see straight! Praise God in His highest heaven for all of the wonderful blessings He's given me!

Let's see if I can list a few:

1. I met, fell in love with, and married the most wonderful woman on the planet! She absolutely completes me in every way and she doesn't seem to see any of my faults at all! I love her absolutely!

2. I have excellent health, which after years of looking over annual physical reports for the entire workforce of my former employer, is somewhat rare! Last check-up, my blood pressure was 114/72 (I told the nurse that it's not usually that high...I must be nervous!), my cholesterol was 130 (but my HDL was in the "high" range, which means my chance of an arterial blockage in my heart is practically nil), my EKG showed abnormal because of bradycardia (heart beats too slow!) and my chest x-ray was clear (except for the clear image of Jesus in the middle - looked a little like the image on the shroud of Turin!)

3. I have a great job, which I dearly love! I'm a teacher and coach, as many probably know already. "My" kids keep me young at heart and coaching the boys in football and basketball has been my lifelong dream! So basically, I'm living out my fantasy at work!

4. A couple of months back, I got a new truck. It's a 2007 F-150 Supercab (I always buy a supercab - more interior storage for those things that need to be kept dry and clean). For some reason, I qualified for 0% financing, which made the note on the new truck about $200 less per month than what I was paying on the old one!

5. I know I don't have to tell anyone who knows me, but for the "tirekickers" out there, my greatest blessing of all is that Jesus loves me! He took me in, washed me clean, forgave me of all of the bad things I've ever done or thought, and sent His own Holy Spirit to live in me and help me live in Him! This is truly the greatest blessing of all and I will praise God every day for it forever!

Okay...I know that I've listed some pretty terrific things and you may be thinking "this guy's life is just peaches and cream! No troubles at all!" Well, I have the same problems a lot of other people have, I just don't dwell on them and I don't let them steal my joy! The problems I have are miniscule compared to the blessings, so why should I dwell on the speck of sawdust when the plank is so big? The moral of the story? Count your blessings and make a choice to praise God for what He's given rather than worry about what you DON'T have! Praise God forever! - Dan

atheism

I'll admit it; I have a lot of respect for atheists. I mean...such FAITH! Let's face it - we're surrounded by articles of blind faith all the time! The other day it occurred to me just how faithful you have to be to operate a motor vehicle. I drive on those "4-lane separated by a double-yellow stripe" type roads all of the time. What's to stop someone from simply saying "oh, yeah? That little bit of paint isn't going to stop ME" and just coming across into the oncoming lanes of traffic. Forget maliced intention - what's to say one of those guys doesn't have blow-out and swerve into oncoming traffice by accident? Driving, then, is a HUGE act of faith! You know what else is a huge act of faith? Atheism! How can anyone examine the evidence of God's existence and come to the conclusion that all of the order in the universe is some huge cosmic accident? I don't get it, but I'll hand it to the atheists - their faith MUST be significant to come to that conclusion in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary! What sort of evidence? Well, here's a few items of the hundreds I could present:

1. We can isolate all of the chemicals that make up a simple cell and mix them in the correct proportions, but we cannot make it live.

2. The earth is located 93 million miles from the sun - if it were further away, planetary temperatures would be too cold to sustain life; if it were closer, the planet would be a desert.

3. Even with identical genetic material, identical twins have unique fingerprints.

4. Despite exhaustive attempts to locate one, no link between modern man and the fossils of ancient humanoid creatures has ever been found. Modern man just "suddenly" appeared on the scene appromimately 50,000 years ago.

Now, I know the devout atheist will find a way to punch holes in these statements. Isn't that what the faithful do? Defend their faith? Absolutely! However, based upon the ever-changing science that forms the basis of their faith, these statements are incontovertible. We CAN in fact isolate and mix in proper proportion all of the chemicals in even the simplest cell (even an archeabacteria, known to live in the harshest of environments fills the bill!), but we cannot provide the spark of life! That honor belongs to God alone! The fact that the earth is in a perfect position to sustain our carbon-based life forms is also inarguable. It IS where it IS and if it were not there, life as we know it could not be sustained here for long! Identical twins DO have different fingerprints! But wait! I thought that chromosomes, made up of genes and genes made up of DNA controlled every aspect of our make-up? If two individuals have identical DNA, shouldn't they be identical in every way? I guess not! And then there's man. Archeologists and Paleontologists will tell you that Australopithecanus is the ancient ancestor of man and that he evolved from that line to the present. As evidence they'll tell you that the little monkey-like creature made and used tools, a sure sign of higher intelligence. Uh...I've seen a racoon break a clam on a rock! Is a racoon my ancestor, too? If monkeys evolved into human beings, why do we still have monkeys? Didn't they like being human? Maybe the air conditioning and the advantages of fire were too much for the little fellows! I mean, picking ticks off of your sister may be a lot of fun, but COME ON NOW!!!

Anyway, I admire atheists! It takes a lot of faith to ignore the truth and follow a lot of half-baked theories and suppositions as gospel! My faith only allows me to drive on the "four lanes separated by a double-yellow stripe" without worrying too much! (After all, if someone does have a blow-out and swerve into the oncoming traffice, I know where I'll be right after I draw my last breath! - Dan

packing

As I mentioned before, my darling bride and I were married on June 7th. As with most "seconds" I guess, we both have houses and a lot of duplicate "stuff," much of which will go into storage for kids/grandkids, down to Goodwill, or just out on the curb. Sorting through and packing is never fun, but necessary. We're going to sell her house and she's moving into mine, which is going to be much cheaper. The downside to THAT is that I've got some repairs and updating to do and I don't have much time to get it done. I'm putting a new floor (going with Pergo, I think) in the living room, but I'm doing crown moulding and wainscoting with a chair rail first. Today, I'm finishing up the sheet rock repairs and painting. Part of that gig included moving all of the electrical outlets up (they're all about 5" off the floor!) and then finishing it off with the 6" baseboards. It ought to look NEAT when I get done, but it's going to be a fair amount of work! That said, I'm off to get busy now! - Dan

This is the Day that the Lord has made! Rejoice and be glad in it!

You've probably heard that verse of scripture a thousand times, but how often do we really understand what it means and put it into practice?

Literally, the moment of the present, that is, our very ability to comprehend our own existence, comes from God! Do animals understand their own consciousness? What would their behavior suggest? Do they interact with caring and compassion, or is every day just another day of hunting and gathering, of instinct-driven activity, and of survival? I think you know the answer to that one! We alone have the ability to understand our place in the cosmos and we alone (collectively) have the ability to change the outcome of our own circumstance just because of the intellect that God has blessed us with! Therefore, we alone have the ability to understand God's work in the universe and appreciate what He's done! In Hebrews, God tells us that the universe is upheld by the power of His Word! We know also from scripture that God's Word never returns to Him without accomplishing what He intended. The KJV uses the word "void." Such being the case, "the day that the Lord has made" is an act of His will; it only comes about because He said so! How wonderful is that! Thank You, God, for giving us this day! Thank You for blessing us so! Thank You for providing us bread this day and for upholding the universe by the power of your Word! It stands to reason, doesn't it, that Jesus asked only for "this day's bread" as He prayed the Lord's Prayer! Tomorrow, if it comes, is yet another blessing unspoken, for God has the ability, at any time to simply say "nevermind," and all of His creation would simply cease to exist! I rejoice in the fact that God has given us His plan in the Holy scripture and that He has given us assurance that His plan will be accomplished in His time! Praise God forever! - Dan

babysitting

I know I've been out of touch for awhile...it happens every year for about 6 months or more as we do first football and then basketball. The school year always keeps me hopping regardless, and this year I taught a special summer camp throughout the month of June (and got married on the 7th, praise God!) so this summer has been even shorter than usual!

This past September, I became a grandfather for the first time. My youngest daughter had a daughter herself, so I'm becoming aclimated to the wonderful world of babysitting again! Guess what? Dirty diapers STILL stink, bottles are still a pain (why can't they keep them IN the crib?), and everything in the world that crawls, creeps, or has nasty disease will STILL wind up in her mouth! The good part - my granddaughter is absolutely the BEST child I've ever seen, and that's not just grandpa talking! She NEVER cries, always giggles and laughs, and just has the best nature of any baby I've ever seen, my own included! In short, she's a real joy! What makes it even better is that my new wife just adores my grandaughter and is SO good with her! You'd swear that the child was her own! What a blessing she is to me!

Well, if you're reading this, I know you don't believe a word of it because grandpas are ALWAYS proud of their progeny and always telling tall tales, but I don't really care! My grandaughter is the best baby EVER and my new bride is the most wonderful woman on the planet! God has really blessed me recently, so I offer my praise to Him and I give Him all the glory!

Humanism rules!

Funny, huh?

I've been helping my elderly mother out for the last couple of days. She's 77, has diabetes, neuropathy, and has a hard time walking as a result. Such being the case (and since she's my mom, who I love dearly!), I've been trying to help her out as much as I can (she's very independent, but I'm afraid she's not going to be able to live alone much longer as much as she'd like to!).

Anyway, we talk often about all sorts of things, from politics to pseudo-religion that's passed off as genuine by the powers that be, to whatever. Today, we got into talking about the glitz and glamour that surrounds the likes of Paris Hilton, Angelina Joulie, and Madonna, to name a few. I mentioned that the works forwarded by the aforementioned are often lauded in the press as wonderful, but what is the reasoning behind those works and what do they mean in the greater context?

Frankly, I see examples all around us. The other day, I was watching some Holywood show about some party planner, but I can't remember his name. The show described the party of some well-to-do fellow who'd survied cancer and was throwing a hugh party to celebrate. The cost of the party was in the millions! I was appalled, frankly. I thought to myself, if I survived cancer, and I had that kind of money, I think I'd donate it to the American Cancer Society or some other worthy cause rather than simply throw it away on some party that will be forgotten 48 hours after the fact. I guess that's just me. I also thought of Lance Armstrong, a personage who's been sainted for the fact that he's thrived since surviving cancer himself. Not once have I heard Lance give credit to the God who created him; it's always a triumph of the human spirit, mind over matter, good karma, or whatever. I think it's horrendous that a miracle such as his has been trivialized with such blather and that God is never given credit, but who's to say that God won't use the snub itself for His glory? I don't know what the future holds, I just know that it rubs me the wrong way, just as the publicity to surrounds Paris Hilton, Anglina Jolie, and all of the others who're sainted because they're allowed to adopt some children from less than ideal circumstances and have been blessed enough that they can afford a nanny to raise them.

I don't remember the verse offhand, but it goes something like this: In the last days, good will be called evil and evil will be called good. I think that much of what we're seeing these days is evil that is being called good, while much of what is good is being demonized or otherwise corrupted so that the work of the Lord is credited to others, like the power of positive thought or this lifestyle or that. Let's give credit where it's due! God is in control and He always will be! He upholds the universe by the power of His Word and nothing was created that was not created by Him. If we live, it's because He wills it and if we die, it's because he has willed that it is our time to go. Frankly, I'm tired of hearing about Paris, and Madonna, and Angelina. What they do may or may not glorify God, but if they actually DO good work, I'd sure love to have the credit go to the rightful owner - God Almighty!

I know most of you have given up on me...

...after all, it's been awhile since I posted here and people have a lot better things to do with their time than re-read old posts from me!

I've been busy! First of all, I got married on June 7th to the most wonderful woman on earth! She's a godly woman and her apparent poor eyesight and decided lack of judgement led her to fall in love with me! I think I started the rapid trek down that slope the moment I laid eyes on her, but, "once burned, twice shy" they say, so I did not immediately tell her that I thought I was falling in love with her...it took a couple of weeks!

Anyway, she's every man's dream woman and I'm so blessed that we found one another and fell in love!

My darling attended a Church of Christ, which of course is a christian denomination that I had little experience with. I've known people over the years who attend the CoC and every one of them without exception was extremely devout and faithful, but I had never attended a service at a CoC until I met her. The services are much like services elsewhere, with one exception - there's no music! I'm not sure what the reasoning is behind not having music, but I suspect that it stems from one bible verse or another that I'm not familiar with. I may ask about it when I get an opportunity. In the meantime, here's what I know about music in the church:

Psalm 150
1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

Okay...it's sounds to me as if there was a lot of music going on there! In fact, I don't think that David (or whoever wrote Psalm 150) left any contemporary instrument OUT!! As many of you know, I believe in a literal hermeunetic; if it's possible to accept the scripture at face value (no figures of speech discernable), then we should accept what it says at face value. What part of "Praise the Lord with trumpet, harp, lyre, tamborine, strings, flute, and cymbals" doesn't the CoC get? As I said, I don't know the answer, but I'd like to find out. Frankly, I don't mean to make it sound like a big deal, either. The fact of the matter is, God is clearly working in the CoC and the people who attend services there and belong to that church, at least the one I've been attending, are very godly people who believe the Word of God with their whole hearts! I'm just curious about why there's no music when the Word clearly declares that there should be people praising the Lord with more than their voices!