Christmas

WARNING: This blog contains a message that may be offensive to some.  I'm going to say it anyway..... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

There it is.  I said it, and I'm not sorry, even though some people want those words banned.  One dopey principal in New York wants everything related to Christmas and God eliminated from the public school system.

At one school in Brooklyn, Santa Claus is banned. The Pledge of Allegiance is no longer allowed.. “Harvest festival” has replaced Thanksgiving, and “winter celebrations” substitute for Christmas parties.

The dopey principal, Eujin Jaela Kim, has given the school a politically correct scrub-down, to the dismay of many teachers and parents.

“We definitely can’t say Christmas, nothing with Christmas on it, nothing with Santa,” PTA President Mimi Ferrer said administrators told her. “No angels. We can’t even have a star because it can represent a religious system, like the Star of David.”

A memo last month from assistant principal Jose Chaparro suggested a “harvest festival instead of Thanksgiving or a winter celebration instead of a Christmas party.” He urged staff to “be sensitive of the diversity of our families. Not all children celebrate the same holidays.”

If I went to that school, I would go out and buy a bunch of Merry Christmas shirts and wear one every day!  If I got suspended, I would just enjoy my extended Christmas break!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this.  The Bible says as followers of Jesus we will be persecuted and even hated:  "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived."

In the end, though, this principal reversed her decision because of the protests from students and parents.  Christmas will still be celebrated.  But this principal is still a dope!

Imagine Heaven (The End)

One thing is certain about heaven.... you'll never be bored!  People often think heaven will be one long worship service. In Imagine Heaven, John Burke writes about the important jobs and responsibilities we'll have in heaven.

He says we'll be rewarded with special assignments and projects.  It will be work perfectly fitted to what God created you to do.  It's what you were wired to do.  If you love creativity, imagine creating something for the Creator of the universe.

The Bible says some of us will rule cities and nations.  Burke suggests others will compose music, paint beautiful pictures or write stories for God.  All those special projects you didn't have time for here on earth, you'll be able to complete.  You'll have all the time in the world to finish it.

Some NDErs in the book said there's plenty to do in heaven.  You can explore the beautiful mountains and breath-taking scenery in heaven.  Some said there are libraries, museums, art galleries, music concerts and sporting events.  Now, I'm not sure about all that, but it makes sense.  If God gave us all these things to enjoy while we were on earth, why would He take them away when we get to heaven?

Heaven will be a partying place.  There will banquets and extravagant dinner parties.  For us Texans, it may be a Bar-B-Que hoedown!  It will be the best tasting food you've ever eaten.  We can finally pick fruit from the Tree of Life and eat it.  The best part is that Jesus will be the guest of honor at our parties!

Of course, there will also be music and worship before the very throne of God.  We'll never want to leave His presence, and the good news is we'll never have to leave.  This is only the beginning of what awaits us in heaven.

As you can probably tell, I enjoyed this book.  In writing these blogs, I hope it makes you want to go to heaven as much as it makes me want to go there.  Heaven is real.  Don't miss it!

Imagine Heaven (Part 5)

What we do with our lives matters.  Every moment matters more than we can even imagine.  That's what John Burke writes in his book, Imagine Heaven.  He says we should live every day with eternity in mind.

While most of the people in the book who described their near-death experience said they didn't feel condemned or judged when they "visited" heaven, many of them reported seeing lots of books in heaven.   Lots and lots of books that record our words and actions while on earth.

The Bible describes two judgments in heaven.  The white throne judgment is a judgment of faith and determines who belongs to God.  Anyone whose name isn't found in the Book of Life will be thrown into hell.

Burke explains that the other judgment is called the bema seat judgment and is where God will reward us for things we did for Him in our earthly life.  The word judgment is translated from the Greek word bema and refers to the judge's seat at the ancient games.  It's like the Olympic judge's stand, Burke says.  He likens it to a giant awards ceremony, such as the Oscars.

While everyone in heaven will experience the bliss of an eternal home with God, there will be levels of rewards.  God loves to reward every faithful deed.  We don't earn God's love or acceptance into heaven -- that's a gift that we receive or reject.  But our faithfulness to God in this life determines our experience in heaven.

Matthew 6:19-20 tells us, "Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.  Store your treasures in heaven."

I don't know what kind of rewards we'll receive.  We always hear about earning another jewel in your crown.  I think the rewards will be something more substantial.  If God blesses us with so many good things in this life, I can only imagine what He has in store for us in heaven!

The greatest reward of all will be being with Jesus.  We'll be in His presence forever.  Nothing can compare with that!

Imagine Heaven (Part 4)

Heaven is real.  That was made very clear by many of the people in John Burke's book, Imagine Heaven.  But not everyone who had a near-death experience (NDEs) saw heaven.  Some saw a very different place.  They got a glimpse into the hellish afterlife that awaits those who aren't saved. They found that hell is also real.

A lot of us, including some Christians, believe in a "fairly tale" version of hell, complete with a little red devil with a tail and holding a pitchfork.  We know hell is a bad place, but it is far worse than we can ever imagine.

The NDErs who "visited" hell don't like to talk about their experience.  It's too painful.  Those who did share their experiences in the book say it felt like they were trapped in a cave or deep pit where there is complete darkness.  They describe a putrid smell like feces, burning sulfur or death. The odor was so overwhelming that it was nearly impossible to breathe. 

The ones who visited heaven said they felt such incredible love and acceptance, but those who went to hell said they felt totally alone and abandoned.  They could hear the cries and screams from others, but the complete darkness kept them for seeing another soul.  They felt such isolation in hell because they had been separated from God forever.

The NDErs who saw hell believe their experience was meant to be a warning.  They were given a chance to come back to their earthly lives so they could change and avoid spending eternity in that place of torment.

We all have that same chance now.  God never intended for humans to be in hell.  He created hell for Satan and his angels.  God gives us a choice.  We can accept Jesus and live for Him and spend eternity in that wonderful place called heaven, or we can reject Him and spend eternity in hell.

Heaven is real, and hell is just as real.  Which will you choose?

The Truth About Trump

With Donald Trump at the top of the polls, I'd had a wait-and-see attitude about him. Trump says what a lot of people are thinking, especially about immigration.  But he's also drawn criticism for his personal attacks on anyone who dares to disagree with him.

I laughed when he called Rosie O'Donnell "a fat pig."  I overlooked it when he said John McCain wasn't a war hero.  I even ignored it when he insulted my favorite Fox News anchor, Megyn Kelly. 

But he went too far for me with his mocking of a disabled New York Times reporter.  Worse still, rather than apologizing for making fun of the reporter, Trump claims he is being unfairly attacked for his comments and alleges that he doesn’t even know what the reporter looks like.

This hits home with me because I know what it's like to be mocked and made fun of.  It's not funny.  It's mean, and it hurts. 

All of Trump's attacks are mean-spirited and hurtful.  They are more than that, though.  They reveal a character flaw in Donald Trump.

The Bible teaches that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45), and so Trump’s consistent pattern of personal attacks points to deeper issues which make him unfit to be president.

Think about it.  Is this the man we want to be our president? The warnings in Proverbs are strong: “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 29:20). And, “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back” (Proverbs 29:11).

We need a statesman as our next president, not an irresponsible flame thrower like Trump.

Cruz-Rubio 2016

Who are you voting for for president?  I've mulled over all our choices and have reached some conclusions:  Trump has an Obama-sized ego.  Bernie Sanders is the vanilla Barrack Obama, and Hillary is just a disaster.  Of all the Republican candidates, I like several of them, but I believe Ted Cruz is the most qualified and has the best chance of winning.

I picked Cruz for several reasons: 1) he is a man of solid moral and conservative convictions; 2) he is a proud Texan who's willing to take on the Washington insiders; and 3) he can bring a needed shift in the direction of our country.

I know that the president can only do so much and that our hope for real change must be first and foremost in God.  I also believe that the greatest hope for real change in America remains the people of God — committed followers of Jesus Christ.

 

There's no question that an ungodly leader, like Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, can bring destruction to a nation, and a godly leader, like Cruz, can bring positive change.. Proverbs 29:2 says, "When the righteous become great the people rejoice, but when the wicked dominate the people groan."

 

There are several godly candidates running for president (all of them Republican; I could not possibly vote for any of the ungodly Democratic candidates), and if our nominee ended up being someone like Dr. Ben Carson or former Governor Mike Huckabee, he would have my support.

 

But in looking for the leader who most closely shares my values — pro-life, supports traditional marriage, pro-Israel; having a good handle on economic issues, immigration, and national security; and not being part of the political establishment — Cruz comes out on the top of my list.

To take it one step further, I am hoping for a Cruz-Rubio ticket, and I think they have a real possibility of making it all the way.

Imagine Heaven (Part 3)

I've always wondered about heaven: Will I be myself? Will I see friends and loved ones? What will Heaven look like? What is God like? What will we do forever? What about children and pets?  John Burke's book offers some interesting theories on these and other questions.

Will we look the same in heaven?  The NDErs in the book say we will be recognizable in heaven much like the way Jesus was recognized after He was raised from the dead.  When we die, we get an upgraded spiritual body (version 2.0).  Then, after the resurrection of the dead, this spiritual body will unite with our resurrected earthly body (version 3.0). 

Burke says we will be "in our prime."  We will have all the energy of an active, full-of-life little kid!  Won't that be great!  I found it interesting that Burke says we'll have many of the same personality traits the we have now, like our sense of humor.  We'll still eat.  But we won't need to sleep because we'll never get tired.

How will we get around in heaven?  I plan to leave my scooter parked at the gate. Imagine being able to travel at the speed of thought!  If you want to go someplace, just think about that place and you'll instantly be transported there.  Of course, you can still travel the old-fashioned way, by walking, if you just want to stroll through heaven and take in the beautiful scenery.  What about walking through walls the way Jesus did?  It's possible, Burke says.

Will we wear white robes all the time?  We can wear a white robe, but Burke suggests we'll be able to wear casual, everyday clothes or whatever feels comfortable to us.  Others suggest instead of white robes, whatever we wear will shine because we'll have the light of Jesus in us and shining through us.

Hymns or Contemporary music?  That has been the debate by many churchgoers in this earthly life, but in heaven it won't matter.  NDErs describe the most beautiful music they've ever heard, unlike any music they've ever heard on earth.  It will be spontaneous praise to God, a new song to the Lord.

We'll also have heightened senses of sight, smell and taste.  The NDErs in the book say they saw new colors in heaven and colors they've never seen on earth.  They also report eating the most delicious fruit they've ever tasted.  They said they could pick fruit off a tree and instantly a new piece would appear in its place. 

Burkes says time doesn't stand still in heaven, but it will seem like it does.  We'll never be late because time won't be a factor.  We'll have an eternity to explore, experience and enjoy the marvels of heaven!

And if you were wondering, Burke says there will be pets in heaven!  We love our animals so much here on earth, and they will be with us in heaven.

There's just not enough words to describe heaven.  You'll simply have to experience it for yourself.  I hope to see YOU there!

Imagine Heaven (Part 2)

All of us long to know what life after death will be like.  In Imagine Heaven, John Burke compares over 100 gripping accounts of near-death experiences (NDEs) to what Scripture says about our future in heaven.

When people have a near-death experience, they often say they saw their whole life "flash before their eyes."  The NDErs in Burke's book report a similar experience when they visited heaven, having what they call a "life review."

But this life review isn't what you might think it is.  It's not a look back at your achievements and greatest moments on earth.  It's also not a review of your biggest sins.  If you've been saved, your sins have already been forgiven.... Jesus paid the price for your sins.

The NDErs describe the life review as a look at your actions and the ripple effects they had on other people.  For instance, how did your unkind words to someone make that person feel?  How did your angry outbursts affect those around you?  Or it could show you how your encouraging words blessed someone and helped them.

Our words matter to God.  The Bible says, " But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account."  I'm sure we're all guilty of saying things we shouldn't have said.  I know I am.

The NDErs report seeing lots and lots of books in heaven.  This is where God has recorded our every word, action and even our thoughts. God isn't showing us these things to condemn us.  Burke says the purpose of the life review is to ask ourselves, "Did I live my life for God?" and "Have I loved others the way God loved me?"

The main thing is love.  This is why Jesus said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself."

NDErs say they felt such incredible love from God and our purpose in this life is to love God and show God's love to others.

Have you lived your life in love?  That's the question we'll all have to answer one day.  When we have our life review before God, will He see our love for others?  I know I have some work to do to improve the way I show love to others so that when I have my life review, I'll hear Him say, "Well done good and faithful servant."

Imagine Heaven (Part 1)

Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people.  That's the message John Burke tries to convey in his book, Imagine Heaven.  I read the book, and it changed my whole perspective about heaven. 

When I think of heaven, I usually think of angels floating on clouds and people in long white robes   continually worshipping before God's throne.  That may be part of heaven, but there is much more to it.  John Burke says heaven is not like "a boring church service" that literally lasts an eternity.  Heaven is everything we enjoy in this life and much, much more!

Burke says people can't imagine how great heaven really is so they don't "live for it."  This life is only a shadow of the real life that begins when we get to heaven.

The book paints a vivid picture of what heaven is like by sharing the accounts of people who've had near-death experiences, which Burke calls "NDErs."  These are people who've been declared clinically dead, went to heaven and got a brief glimpse of the heavenly realm and came back to their earthly life. 

Burke interviewed or studied the near-death experiences of hundreds of NDErs, including Colton Burpo and Don Piper, both of whom have written their own books about heaven (Heaven Is Real and 90 Minutes in Heaven).  While their accounts can't totally be verified, Burke hopes these glimpses into heaven will make others live with heaven in mind.

"People don't realize how great life with God can be, starting with this life, but even more in the life to come," Burke wrote.

He wants people to see that our earthly life is just the opening act.  Real life doesn't begin until we get to heaven!

The NDErs in Burke's book describe a common experience when they leave their physical bodies to "visit" heaven.  They all talk about traveling through a dark tunnel or tube at a high rate of speed.  At the end of the tunnel, they report seeing a Being of light, which they believe is God.  The light is so bright, even brighter than the sun.  Once in heaven, people report seeing people they knew on earth who had died.  It's like a great welcoming committee, where their loved ones are waiting to greet them as they arrive in heaven.

As they look around in heaven, NDErs say they feel such an overwhelming sense of love and acceptance emanating from the Being of light (God).  The sense of peace is indescribable, NDErs say.  Even when they're shown a "life review" of all their good and bad aspects, they still feel God's incredible love despite all their faults.

I plan to write more about all these things in the coming days.  I just wanted to give you a taste of what I felt as I read the book.  It made me want to go to heaven, and it made me want to make sure I'm prepared to go there someday.  I hope this will intrigue you to make sure you're prepared too or that you'll want to read the book yourself! 

Heaven is going to be great.  Don't miss it!

Rain Storms

Storms are part of life.  If you're alive, you are going to go through storms.  We're still in the Bring The Rain series at church.  This week, Pastor Lynn talked about the rain storms in life.  The Bible says it rains on the just and the unjust.  Storms are a natural part of every human life.

But good things can come from stormy times.  God wants to bless us in spite of the storm.  He wants to bless us in  the midst of the storm, and He wants to bless us as a result of the storm.

We can grow from the storms in our life.  We can learn things about God in the midst of the storm.  We learn God is still faithful in the storms.

Life is full of peaks and valleys.  It's during the hard times that we have to trust God most.  It's easy to trust Him when everything is going well, but it takes faith and perseverance to hold on to the promises of God when trials come.   That's when we need to press in and draw close to God.

Pastor Lynn said the storms don't affect the words of Jesus.  God will always be with us.  His Word will always be true, and He will never leave us.  Pastor Lynn also said storms don't affect the character of God.  He will always be the healer.  He will always be our provider.  He will always be our savior and redeemer!

Pastor Lynn reminded us that storms are temporary, but God's promises are eternal. We can't give up.  We have to keep pressing in and keep our focus on Jesus.  The Bible says He is a Light unto our path and a Lamp unto our feet.  So keep looking upward and focus on Him.

Finally, Pastor Lynn said no matter what kind of storm we face, God is with us.  He loves us,  and He is there for us.  As Jesus told his disciples when He came to them walking on the water, "Don't be afraid.  Take courage.  I am here." 

In the midst of our storm, Jesus would say the same comforting words to us: "Don't be afraid.  Take courage.  I am here."

'Whatever Works'

The good thing about living in a small town is everyone knows your name.  The bad thing about living in a small town is... everyone knows your name. 
 
I'm not good at remembering names!  I recognize faces, but I don't have a clue who they are. But nearly everywhere I go I see someone who greets me by name.  This even happens when I'm out riding my scooter.  People will give me a shout-out, hollering "Hi, Chris!" out their car window.  Others will honk and wave (and most of the time it's not just the one-finger wave).

People also try to be helpful when they see me out on my scooter.  The other day, I was sitting at one of my usual hangouts, and a man in a van pulled up beside me.  He just wanted to check and make sure I was OK. On the side of the van, it said, "CareMore Health Services."  It was nice that he took the time to Care More.

Some people can be too helpful.  I was riding and enjoying the cooler fall-like weather, and I noticed a car passed me driving real slow.  I watched the car go to the corner and turn around.  Then, the car stopped, and a woman got out.  She ram up to me, saying, "Aren't you cold?"  As usual, I wasn't wearing a jacket (but at least I had on long pants instead of shorts).  Even after I assured her that I was OK, she kept insisting that I MUST be cold!  I had to hold back my inner Judge Judy who wanted to scream out "Hey, lady, it's 62 degrees NOT 32 degrees! I'm NOT cold!"  I don't even think about a jacket until the temperature dips below 40.

I know people just want to help, but sometimes I wish they would leave me alone and let me live my life as I see fit.  I've been doing this without their help for 40-something years.  It reminds me of the words of that old Billy Joel song, My Life:

 

"I don't need you to worry for me 'cause I'm alright /
I don't want you to tell me it's time to come home /
I don't care what you say anymore this is my life /
Go ahead with your own life leave me alone."

 

 

I do appreciate those who try to help, and I'll ask for help when I need it.  If I really want to do something, I can usually find a way to do it.  It may not be the traditional way of doing it.  It may not even be the best way to do it.  But if it works for me, then what difference does it make?  That's become my mantra.... 'Whatever works.' 

 

So if I don't take your advice, don't be offended.  Just remember there's more than one way to do things.  And for me, the best way is 'Whatever works!'

The Winner Is....

Election Day 2016 is still over a year away, but every day we're being bombarded by the latest poll results predicting the winner.  One poll has Trump winning over Hillary.  Another one puts Biden as the winner, and still another has Rubio winning.

The prognosticators have it all wrong.  The real truth is this: No matter who ends up in the White House, NO ONE wins!

The candidates themselves don't win.  The next president will inherit the big mess left by Obama.  He (or she) will get the $18 trillion deficit created by Obama's careless spending.  He'll have to deal with the turmoil in Iraq and Afghanistan.  He'll have to fix the health-care debacle and the illegal court ruling on the definition of marriage.  That can't be a winning situation.

We, the people, don't win either.  No matter who we elect, Democrat or Republican, we will continue to see our rights being taken away.  From our freedom of speech to freedom of religion to gun rights, we're seeing our freedoms slip away because of political correctness.  It's sad when illegal immigrants have more rights than natural born citizens.  In the end, no one wins.

It's not all bad news, though.  There is still hope.  That hope is God!  I've read the end of the book.  God ultimately triumphs.  If we're on his side, that makes us the true winners!

Listen Up

In this week's Bring the Rain series at church, Pastor Lynn asked the question "Are you listening?"  He showed how the rain comes through answered prayers.  That's how God gets the rain to us, but we have to be paying attention and recognize His voice.

Pastor Lynn used the story of Samuel to illustrate this.  As a young boy living in the temple, Samuel heard someone calling him.  Thinking it was Eli the priest, Samuel got up and went to Eli.  Each time, Eli said, "I didn't call you. Go back to bed."  After the third time, Eli realized it was the Lord speaking to the boy.  He told Samuel if he hears someone calling him again, he should say, "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening."

That should be our response, too.  When we pray, we should say, "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening."  That should be our prayer every day. Then, we should wait for God to speak.  God wants to speak to us every day.  The question is: "Are you listening?"

God speaks to us in many ways.  It can be through reading our Bible, through the words of songs or sermons or through other people.  Sometimes, it comes through dreams and visions or through that still, small voice on the inside of you.

The bottom line is this: God wants to speak to each one of us.  He wants to bring rain into our lives.  He wants to fulfill the promises, which is the rain.  We have to be in tune to His voice by listening  If we really want the rain of God. then we must ask ourselves, "Are you listening?"

Words of Wisdom

"When we have done our best, we also have to learn that we still need to rely on God.  Our best -- no matter how good -- is incomplete if we leave God out of the picture."  That sounds like something a preacher would say.  You wouldn't expect to hear a politician say that, but that's exactly what Ben Carson said.

Those words are not only good advice but also show the character of the man who said them.  Carson recognizes that he can do nothing without God.  That's probably why Carson is such a brilliant surgeon.  He uses his knowledge and skill to do his best but then relies on God to help him be the best.

That applies to our Christian walk too.  We can try our best to be a "good" person, but our best still falls short.  We have to have Christ to make us right with God.  When God looks at us, he doesn't see our shortfalls if we have relied on Christ as our savior.  God only sees his sinless Son   He makes the difference in our lives.

Carson's words show that he knows where his strength comes from.  If he's elected, I think Carson would look to God to help him make good decisions.  That's what this country needs.

Character counts, whether it's Democrats or Republicans.  Ten of the Republican candidates for president have conceded that same-sex marriage is the "law of the land."  They have kowtowed to five unelected judges on the Supreme Court rather the fight for the real definition of marriage. 

I'm thankful that we do have a few godly men running for president.  Besides Carson, we have Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum in the race.  Any one of them would be a good and godly leader.  We've seen what happens when we elect a godless heathen as president.  Now, it's time to elect a real Christian to the presidency.

Immersed

This was Week 3 of the Bring The Rain series at church.  Pastor Matt gave the sermon this past Sunday and talked about going deeper in our relationship with God.  In this series, we've learned that water (or the rain) symbolizes the Holy Spirit, and we should immerse ourselves in the river of God.

The text this week was Ezekiel 47:1-5, where the prophet Ezekiel had a vision of a man leading him into the water.

 ^"Measuring as he went, he took me along the stream for 1,750 feet and then led me across. The water was up to my ankles.

 He measured off another 1,750 feet and led me across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist.

Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to walk across. It was deep enough to swim in, but too deep to walk through."

The lesson in this is that when we first come to God, we began wading in the water.  But we shouldn't stay in the shallow water all of our Christian lives.  As we grow in God, He will lead us to go deeper in the river, first in water up to our ankles, then up to our knees, then up to our waist, and finally until we are totally immersed in the water. 

That should be our goal: To become so immersed in God that He totally consumes every area of our lives.

Who's Judging Who

Is he or isn't he?  There's been a lot of debate over whether Barrack Hussein Obama is a Muslim.  Some say he's a Christian.  Others say only God knows what's in a man's heart, and we shouldn't judge whether he is or he isn't.

I agree that only God truly knows a man's heart.  But you can tell a lot about a man by his outward actions.  Whatever is in a person's heart is what's going to come out.  I had a teacher once who would always say, "Garbage in, garbage out."

If you want a more scriptural way of saying it, Matthew 7:16 puts it this way, "You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?"

Also, Proverbs 20:11 says this: "Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right."

That doesn't mean we have the right to go around judging people.  No one is perfect.  We all struggle with sin and temptation, and we always will until we get our glorified bodies.  But there are certain tell-tale signs.

Look at Donald Trump.  He said he believes in God, yet he also said he's never asked God to forgive him for anything.  That should tell you a lot.  If we don't confess our sins, God can't forgive us.

The popular "Fan or Follower" books and video from a few years ago showed that a lot of people are fans of Jesus, but very few are true followers.  Sadly, our churches are full of Jesus fans.  Trump may be a fan, but his actions don't line up with the Bible that he likes to carry around.  

As for Obama, I don't know if he's a Muslim.  I know he doesn't live like a Christian.  I think he's just a heathen.

God's Timing

September came and September went, and we're still here.  Prophecy watchers and many Christians, including myself, believed something big, possibly the rapture, would happen in September 2015.  The month ended, and everything is seemingly the same.  But take a closer look and you can see the rumblings of change taking place around the world.

From the huge plunge in the stock market to Christians being jailed for their biblical beliefs, we're seeing signs of rapid change.  Then on Sept. 30, the last day of the month, Russia began airstrikes into Syria, possibly the opening salvo leading up to world war.

Persecution of Christians is becoming more widespread right here in America.   October began with a crazed gunman opening fire at a community college in Oregon.  Before shooting his victims, he asked them what religion they are.  If they said 'Christian,' they were killed.

Just because the rapture didn't occur in September, it doesn't mean we should stop watching for Jesus' return.  Man's calendar may be a little off.  God's calendar is the one that matters, and the next big event on His calendar IS the rapture!

Don't lose heart.  God is seldom early, but He's never late!

Small Steps

So how do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.  That's a cute saying, but there's really a lot of truth in that.  To accomplish anything in life, you just have to take one small step at a time.

I've found that to be especially true in my recovery from surgery.  After my surgery in January 2014, I could hardly even move my right arm.  I couldn't do anything with that arm.  Even simple tasks like picking up my water cup was nearly impossible.  That's a big deal because I drink A LOT of water!  I'm sure the nurses got tired of coming in to hand me a drink.

I also could hardly change the channel on the remote or type on the keyboard like I'm doing here.  I was in bad shape.  The neurosurgeon said I could regain use of that arm, but it could take up to a year before I began to see any improvement.  It has now been a year and a half, but I'm finally seeing my strength returning in that arm.

It didn't come easy, though.  Through small steps -- even baby steps -- I'm able to do some of those simple tasks, like typing this blog.  I started out typing only a few words at a time.  Now, I can usually type a whole post in one sitting.  My computer use is at the level I had before my surgery.  Overall, I'd say I've regained about 75 percent of the function that I had before.  That's a great feeling!

I recently reached another goal.  I can transfer from my scooter to the bed with only minimal assistance.  It used to take two people to put me in bed, and I sometimes had to wait 30 minutes or an hour until they got two aides to help me.  So this was a big accomplishment for me, but it only came by taking one small step at a time!

#BTR

Bring the rain!  I say, 'Bring the rain!'  Pastor Lynn began an exciting sermon series on #BTR: Bring the Rain.  He's teaching us to look for -- and pray for -- the rain of God in our everyday lives.

As believers, we are blessed in so many ways, but this is only a trickle compared to the rain God wants to bring into our lives.  Right now, we're seeing the drizzle.  God wants to send an abundace of rain.  We have to pray for the rain.  We have to pray persistantly like Elijah when he prayed for rain to come after three-and-a-half years of drought.

In 1 Kings 18:43-44, it says, "Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.”  Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’”

Right now, we may only see a little cloud, but the rain is coming.  Pray expectantly.  Elijah expected results when he prayed.  He expected God to answer his prayer.  He was persistent, and he had expectation.

Even if we don't see results right away, don't give up!  "God's delay doesn't mean His denial," Pastor Lynn said.

The clouds are gathering, and rain is on its way!  Hold on!  I hear the sound of the abundance of  rain!

Remembering Jesse

JESSE SMITH

A friend of mine died this week.  Jesse Smith was my friend and neighbor here at Pampa Nursing Center.  I only knew her about a year, but she impressed me with the way she made everyone feel at home around her.

When new residents arrived here, Jesse made a point of finding out their name and something about them.  Then when she saw them in the halls, she'd always call them by name and ask about their day.  She knew all about the staff and their families.  She was funny and had just a great sense of humor.

Jesse was a former educator and coach.  I can only imagine how many young lives she helped shape in her career.  And even though she was a staunch Democrat, I enjoyed talking to her.

Rest in peace, Jesse!  We're going to miss you!

Wondering....

There are some things you just have to wonder about....

Why does the media defend Obama, insisting he's a Christian, but the same lame-stream media ridicules godly men like Mike Huckabee and Ben Carson who live out their Christianity with their actions?

What's wrong with Carson saying he wouldn't support a Muslim for president?  Isn't he allowed to state his opinion?   

Why is it OK for Trump to insult John McCain and Carly Fiorina but the media pounced on him because he didn't challenge a supporter who said Obama is a Muslim?

When did it become a slur to call someone a Muslim anyway?

Does anyone actually believe Obama is a Christian?
 

Why all the hoopla over the pope's visit?  Do you think Jesus will get the same reception when he returns?

Shouldn't the pope stick to warning people about the heat in hell instead of worrying about global warming?

When the pope was talking about climate change, poverty and same-sex marriage, do you think he left any mention of Jesus out of his speech by accident?

Isn't it time for the pope to go home so the media can take its sensationalized coverage off of him and put it back on Trump?

I was just wondering.

Praise God

Pampa's Celebration of Hope crusade saw more than 800 decisions for Christ last week.  That's 800 new souls in the kingdom, and that number is probably a lot higher because sone people never go down during the altar call but make a decision in their hearts.  God looks at the heart and knows who makes a sincere commitment.

I thank God for the new Christians, and I pray for those who heard the salvation message and went away unchanged.  For some, that might be their last chance to hear the message and turn their lives over to God.  Jesus is coming soon.... sooner than some may think.

With 800 new born-again believers, the real work is just beginning.  It's now up to the churches and other Christians to take in the new ones and teach them to live for God.  It's one thing to make a decision for Christ and another thing to live it out day by day.  Even some of us older Christians have a hard time doing that.  It's a daily decision to live for the Lord.

The crusade was a good start.  Now the churches need to step up its efforts to reach the lost.  The evangalist for the crusade said something that shocked me.  He said more than 10,000 churches in America went a full year without seeing a single person saved in their services!  That's sad!  The mission of every church should be to see the lost saved.

What happened to hell-and-brimstone sermons?  We rarely even hear about sin and the need for repentance.  We want to hear messages that make us feel good.   We don't want to be confronted with our sins and messages that will literally scare the hell out of people. 

It's time to step up and tell others about Christ.  Their lives may depend on it.  Time is running out.  I'm ready for heaven, and I want to take as many with me as I can..

Friday Flashback 2

This week's flashhback is from October 2011 during the exciting presidential primary season....

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2011

Ins and Outs

He's in; he's out; he's in. Now, Chris Christie is definitely out of the race for president. Ask me if I care. I don't.

Chris Christie may be a good governor for New Jersey, but he's not a true conservative. I don't see why so many people were pushing him to get into the race. I want a true conservative as our next president, and Christie doesn't fill the bill. His views on gun control, civil unions for gays, immigration and global warming are all wrong. I'm glad he's finally ended the charade and made it clear that he won't run.

Sarah Palin has finally decided that she won't run either. It's about time. I was getting tired of watching her race around the country in her bus acting like she was already a candidate. I think she knew all along that she wasn't going to run. She just likes all the attention.

Palin is a true conservative, and I like her and what she stands for. But she's too polarizing to get elected. She's the Hilary Clinton of the Republican party. You either love her or hate her.

My man, Rick Perry, took a hit in the last debate, but he's still in the race. He made some mistakes in the debate, but so what? He'll be all right; he's a Texan. Unlike the Dallas Cowboys, Perry can still make a comeback. (Come on, Cowboy fans, you know it's true.) It will be fun to watch Perry claw his way back to the top of the polls.

You can't count Herman Cain out either. He's been on a roll lately. I like Cain but wonder if he has enough experience in foreign affairs. Then again, he has to be better than Obama. Anyone is better than Obama!

After the next debate, I think we'll see several of the candidates drop out, such as Jon Huntsman and Gary Johnson. They don't have much of a shot of winning the nomination. Michele Bachmann is fading fast, too. Newt and Santorum need to hustle if they want to stay competitive.

I think it will come down to a three-way race between Romney, Perry and Cain. Whoever comes out on top will take on Obama to make him a one-term president, and that's really all that matters.

Life Lessons

A friend of mine was put on hospice today and is in serious condition.  It makes me sad.

One of the hardest things I've found about living in a nursing home is the constant reminder of death and the finality of life.  By the time most people come here, they've already entered their end-of-life journey.  I can count 27 residents here who have passed away in the year and a half since I've been here.  I don't mean to sound morbid.  That's just the reality of living in a nursing home.  Death is a daily fact of life.

I've met a lot of great people here.  Some come for only a short time to take therapy.  Others come here to die.  All of this makes me think about my own life, and it has forced me to change some things.

None of us is guaranteed a long life.  Psalm 90:10 says, "Our days may come to 70 years or 80 if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away."

Time passes so quickly and before we know it we come to the end of our lives, and it's time to die.  I've come to realize what really matters:

• Put God first.  When you get your priorities straighf, everything else will fall into place.
• Love More.  Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.  Love your family, love your friends. Love life and live it to the full.
• Pray.  Pray about big things; pray about small things; pray about everything.  God cares about every detail of our lives.
• Cherish Every Moment.  Don't take life for granted.  Follow your heart and follow your dreams.
• Don't Worry.   Don't sweat the small stuff.... it's ALL small stuff.
• Live For Today.  Don't let the past overshadow the future.  Repent for past sins, forget  past mistakes, let go of past hurts, move on.
• Laugh.  Don't take yourself too seriously.  Live, love, laugh.
• One Day At A Time.  We're not promised tomorrow.  Live each day like it could be your last because it could be your last. 

Weekend Update

I had a very uplifting weekend, and I needed it.  With all the bad news and violence in the headlines, it's downright depressing to watch the news or read the paper these days.  It's almost scary, hearing about the attacks on police and violent protests.  It starts to take its toll on you after a while.  I needed an emotional escape.

I got that emotional pick-me-up when I went over to the theater Friday night to see War Room.  I was actually surprised that our small local movie theater was even showing the movie.  The last two Christian-themed movies -- Left Behind  and Do You Believe? -- never made it to Pampa.  So I was excited when I went to the theater's web site Friday morning and saw that War Room was playing here.

War Room shows how our prayer life can change things.  When we get in our "prayer closet" and pray fervently, it will change us.  The "prayer closet" becomes our war room, where we call on God to change a situation or circumstances.

From the producers of Fireproof and Courageous, War Room is a compelling drama with humor and heart that explores the power that prayer can have on marriages, parenting, careers, friendships and every other area of our lives.  Everyone should see this movie.

My uplifting weekend continued Sunday at the opening night of the citywide Celebration of Hope crusade.  It was awesome to see hundreds of people fill the football stadium at the high school to praise God.  Evangelist Rick Gage brought a message of hope to Pampa.  Jesus is our hope, and without Him, we have no hope of salvation.  The four-night Go-Tell crusade is aimed at reaching the lost and showing them that Jesus is the only way to God.  Many responded to the altar call and went down to make a commitment to the Lord.

The evangelist said something that shocked me.  He said less than 10 percent of teen-agers today go to church and have a personal relationship with Christ.  That number just shocked me!  Wednesday night, the last night of the crusade, will be youth night.  I'm just praying that youths will come and that their lives will be changed by the message of hope.

It was a very good weekend, and I'm excited about all that's happening in Pampa.  I hope you all have a great week and experience God in some way this week!

Politically Incorrect

Now that I have an iPad right by my bed, I've been blogging a lot more.  I have a lot of ideas for blogs, but not long enough  for a separate blog.  This is just some random thoughts.  This will probably make half of you laugh and the other half mad.  That's what I call 'fair and balanced.'  Here goes:

Poor Hillary.  Her poll numbers are dropping faster than Bill Clinton's pants.  Hillary is pretty desperate.  She wants to add some spice to her campaign rallies by adding more heart.... she must have Planned Parenthood on speed dial.

Nazi Pelosi showed her support for Hillary, calling her a candidate with integrity. I don't know how Pelosi can say that with a straight face.  Must be the botox.

Joe Biden is considering a run for the presidency, but it may be too late for him to get in the race.  There's only room for one clown, and that's Trump!

There's a lot to say about Trump, but he's probably already said it about himself.  Trump would be the most narcissistic president since, well, Obama.  I'll have to admit that Trump is good for a few laughs.  He said he knows a bimbo when he  sees one... he's married three of them.  Frankly, a bimbo would be a step up from the first lady we have now.

Now that same-sex marriage is legal, does that mean Bruce Jenner can marry himself?  I hope they're very happy together.

Mom asks me ''what's this LGBT stuff I keep hearing about?' I say, Liberal Godless Boastful Transgressors.
.
Black lives matter.... except to other blacks.  They want to deny black-on-black violence.  It would be more accurate to say Black LIES Matter.

With the second GOP debate set for this week, the number of  candidates should start to be whittled down soon.  If the rapture does take place this fall, that will take about half of them out of the race.

These comments weren't meant to offend (that's just a side benefit).  If you are offended by anything I write, let me just say in the words of Hillary Clinton..... I'm s-s-s-sorry!

Flashback Friday

With Donald Trump dominating the headlines today, I went back and found this post I wrote about Trump in February 2011.  I thought it would be interesting to repost it for Flashback Friday.

***********

Monday, February 21, 2011

Trumped

Happy Presidents Day! Remember the brave patriotism of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Lincoln and others. Jimmy Carter, though, deserves his own special day... It's called April Fools Day!

Speaking of presidents... The Donald for president? Real estate mogul Donald Trump says he is seriously considering running for president in 2012. Trump said the United States is faring poorly and has lost the respect of the world. That's true enough, thanks to our joke of a president Barack Obama.

When I think about it, Trump might actually make a good president. He certainly has more executive experience than Obama had. Trump's also a brilliant businessman. He's worth an estimated $2 billion from his successful real estate deals in New York City. Trump has also made it big as star of TV's "The Apprentice," where he gets $3 million per episode.

As for foreign affairs, Trump even has experience dealing with other nations. He is, after all, the organizer of the Miss Universe pageant. That's more than Obama, the "community organizer," had when he ran for president.

Trump can be a tough leader. If one of his Cabinet members doesn't do a good job, Trump will simply say "You're fired!" You can bet he won't mince words either. Remember the feud he got into with Rosie O'Donnell? He called her a "fat pig." Well, at least he's honest. Imagine if he would use that tactic with our enemies around the world. It would certainly make things interesting.

Actually, I think Trump is talking about running for president just to get publicity. That's really what he's all about: grabbing the spotlight to promote himself and his business. But who knows? Maybe he really is serious about wanting to improve the country. With all his resources, he could even solve the debt problem.

I don't know if I would support Trump for president. But America could do a lot worse, and it has. Do I really need to mention Jimmy Carter again?

Take Your Stand

When I was little, a missionary came to the church and talked about how Christians in some third-world countries were being persecuted and even jailed because of their beliefs.  He said someday that would happen in the United States.  I laughed.  I thought he was nuts.  This is America -- land of the free!  That could never happen here!  Or so I thought....

Fast-forward about 35 years....

A county clerk in Kentucky was sentenced to jail last week because she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.  A judge found Kim Davis in contempt of court because she said she could not and would not issue the licenses to gays based on her biblical beliefs.  That's right, she went to jail because of her faith.

Davis spent six days in jail before the same nutball judge releaased her.   Kim Davis held to her convictions and didn't back down.  She has vowed to keep fighting even if it means  going back to jail.

Many on the left and even some on the right, including several of the Republican candidates for president, said Davis was wrong.  They argued that same-sex "marriage" is the law of the land, and Davis must uphold the law.

That's wrong.  It is not the law.  It is the opinion of five unelected judges on the Supreme Court.

Perhaps this would be a good time to review a basic civics lesson that I learned in Mr. Peet's high school government class: The Supreme Court cannot make laws. It can interpret laws and issue an opimion, but it cannot legislate from the bench.  That's exactlly what the court did with its invalid same-sex "marriage" ruling.

Kim Davis was right to ignore the Supreme Court's opinion, and other clerks should follow her example.

I'm disappointed that some of the candidates didn't support Davis.  I expected that from Hillary but not from Jeb Bush or Trump. This says a lot about their character.  Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee backed Davis and weren't afraid to voice their support.

Kim Davis is a hero of the faith.  She has shown she's willing to stand firm in her faith no matter the cost.  The words of that missionary have never been truer.  He said Christians in the United States would be persecuted and even jailed because of their faith some  day.  That day is here, and it's only going to get worse.  When that time comes, will you take a stand?

Ephesians 6:13:  "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

Goodbye, Summer!

Monday was Labor Day and the unofficial end to summer.  Today, kids are back in school and people are back at work.  I rode by the water park, and they were stacking lounge chairs and taking down the tables to store for the winter months.  It won't  be long before the weather turns colder.

 

Reflecting on the summer, it was a pretty good one compared to past summers.  We had cooler temperatures and more rain in the Texas Panhandle than any other summer in the last 40 years.  It was nearly perfect weather for my morning scooter rides around town.  I took advantage of the cooler weather to get out any chance I got.

 

One of the highlights of my summer would have to be the trek over to Palo Duro Canyon with a few friends from church to see the musical-drama TEXAS.  I had seen it before, but it had been a long time.  I love the Palo Duro Canyon.  It's really an awesome place.  It was good just to get away for a while and spend a fun evening with friends.

The Fourth of July was also a fun time with my church family.  We went to Recreation Park for a picnic and field games.  Then we had a front-row seat to watch the city's fireworks show.  

 

Other memorable moments from the summer were spent with family celebrating my mom's 80th birthday and my sister's 50th birthday.  We gathered both times at The Plaza restaurant.  They were supposed to be a surprise, but neither party actually was.   I'm thankful I have my mom and sister and that we were able to celebrate these milestones and many more to come.

That was my summer.  It seemed to go by quickly, even though I didn't do much.  It was the little things in life that make each day special and a gift from God!

God is Good

You've probably heard or even done this: The pastor will say "God is good!" and the audience will respond "All the time!" Then the pastor says "All the time!" and the people answer "God is good!" But is this just rote repetition or do we really believe it? That's the question Pastor Lynn posed in his Sunday sermon.

He showed us that goodness is not just an attribute of God.... it's who He is. Psalm 119:68 says, "You are good and do good." So God is completely good, and everything He does is good.

The creation story in Genesis 1 demonstrates this. God said 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw that it was good. In everything He created, God saw it was good... very good!

The only thing that wasn't good was when God said it's not good for man to be alone. In His goodness, God created woman. And in His goodness we were created. We were created in His image.

Everything God does is for our good. Romans 8:28 says 'Everything works together for GOOD for those who love the Lord.' It may not seem like it at the time, but over time we can look back and see God was working things out for our good.

There are some things that we may not realize were good until we get to heaven. We must choose goodness. When we choose God, we get His goodness toward us.

If something bad happens in our lives, that's NOT from God. It may be because of our own bad decisions or it may be from the devil, but it's not from God. God is good ALL THE TIME!

Ready or Not

A friend and I recently watched the latest Last Behind movie.  WOW!  The movie shows what it will be like minutes after the Rapture.  In the blink of an eye, millions of people instantly disappear from the face of the earth.  The sad part is millions more will be left behind.

If we're not very careful, any one of us could end up in the left-behind group.  That would be a real tragedy.  We don't have to be left behind.  There's still time, but time is running out.  Today is the day of decision.

Something big is about to happen.  Something REALLY BIG!

There's been a lot of speculation about September 2015 among watchers of biblical prophecy as well as financial experts, politicians and middle-east news junkies.  This month, we will see an alignment of major events relating to biblical prophecies of the end times that will never happen again.

One prophesy expert said it this way: "September 2015 Just Plain Lines Up With Bible Prophecy ... too perfectly!"

One of the signs that everyone's talking about is the four blood moons. The teaching of the blood moon says that, when four consecutive blood moons fall on Jewish feast days, a major event affecting the Jewish people will occur in close proximity to that time.  Three of the four blood moons have already occurred, and the fourth is this month:

April 15, 2014—Passover

October 8, 2014—Feast of Tabernacles

April 4, 2015—Passover

September 28, 2015—Feast of Tabernacles

Some prophecy teachers are declaring boldly that this fall signals that something is getting ready to happen, which will change the world forever.  I don't understand what all this means, but it's exciting! If you want read more about prophesies, google "September 2015 Prophesy."  There's a ton of information!

Are we at a time in history that a big change happens to Israel, the church and the world? You be the judge.  Even if you don't believe something big is on the horizion, why risk being left behind?  Don't take a chance.... Call on God and get your life right with Him today!   Today is the day of decision!

Technology

Technology is great.  I've had a love affair with technology ever since I got my first manual typewriter.  I used to pound out stories about my family on that old Remington typewriter that someone gave me.  It wasn't until I was in high school that I got an electric typewriter, and I'd never even used a computer until I was in college.

The journalism department at WT had one big-screen computer and six or eight smaller Macintosh computers with tiny, tiny screens.  It was hard enough writing news stories on that early version of the widely popular Apple Macintosh computer.  Just imagine trying to lay out the entire newspaper on those dinky screens!  We fought over who got to use the  big-screen computer, which we affectionately referred to as "Big Mama."  I loved Big Mama!

The smaller Macs were named after characters from "Leave It To Beaver."  We had Ward, June, Wally, Eddie, Lumpy and Jerry Mathers as the Beaver.  That's how we kept track of which computer our stories were stored on.  I managed to borrow the computer from my office so I could work on editorials and last-minute stories in my dorm room instead of another all-nighter in the newsroom.  Then, in my senior year, I got my own personal computer: a portable Mac.

That was 1990.  Fast-forward 25 years to today.  Technology has  exploded.  Everyone has at least two or three devices with them at all times so they can make phone calls, check e-mail, post status updates on Facebook and follow others on Twitter.

In my small room at the nursing center, I have a table full of electronics and gadgets, everything from a laptop and iPad to a printer and several radios.  I have a WiFi radio that lets me listen to stations and streaming music from around the world, and I can watch movies on demand with my Roku device.  I'm surprised I haven't blown a fuse with all the gadgets I have plugged in.

Thank God for all the advances in technology that make things more convenint and make life a little easier.  I'm actually typing this post on my iPad while I lay comfortably in my bed (Actually, I'm retyping this post after I accidentally deleted the whole thing!)  I'm thankful for all this modern technology, even though to this day I still don't own a cell phone!

Child of God

With all the trials and hard times we go through, it's good to hear a simple message to remind us that if we've surrendered our lives to the Lord, we are children of God.  That was the point of today's sermon.  It was so simple yet so powerful.

The title really caught my attention: 'You are LOVED and WANTED by the God of all the ages.'  The subtitle was equally attention grabbing:  'You are FORGVEEN and ACCEPTED by the God of the ages.' 
It's based on 1 John 3:1: ' See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!'

That is what we are: we are children of God!  That alone is an amazinng thought, but Pastor Lynn went on to give three points to illustrate this truth.

1.  He created you in his image.  (God would not have created you if he didn't WANT you.)

2.  He redeemed you by his blood.  (Jesus paid the price for your salvation, and God redeemed you.  You are twice owned.)

3.  He perfected you with his grace.  (Made perfect in Jesus.)

If we remember tthese simple truths, it will change the way we thimk about ourselvves.  We are children of God!

This song went along perfectly with his sermon:
https://youtu.be/f8TkUMJtK5k

Election Observations

Today is Aug. 19.  There are 450 days until Election Day 2016.  Thatt's a lifetime in terms of who will make it all the way to Election Day.  Right now, there are 17 Republican candidates in the race.  The field will be whittled down quickly.

Right now, it's basically a popularity contest.  Trump is on top in the polls because he's a famous name.  I can't believe people are taking him seriously.  I think Trump is in the race only to disrupt and create division within the GOP ranks.  Trump is running to promote Trump.  He's not a Republican, and his  star will fade fastt  (although it would be fun to see Trump debate Hillary).

I look for the field of candidates to thin out pretty quickly.  Gilmore, Graham and Pataki will be the firsts to go because no one knows who they are.  Perry and Santorum will follow.  They are holdovers from the 2012 election, but their time has passed.

Jeb Bush would have a better chance if his name wasn't Bush.  Maybe he should change his name to Clinton.

The Gang of Governors (Walker, Jindal, Christie and Kasich) are strong candidates, but there''s not a standout among them.  Kasich lost my respect with his answer  about same-sex marriage.  He said we must love gays and accept same-sex marrige.  Well, he's half right. Love them, yes!  Accept same-sex marriage, NEVER!  It is wrong no matter what five unelected lawyers on the Supreme Court say.

Carson and Fiorina are smart and very popular, but I really think they lack the experience needed to hold the most powerful job in the world.  The same can be said about first-term senators Marco Rubio and Rand Paul.

The exception is  Cruz.  Even though he's a first-termer, he has proved he can take a stand for consvative values. I look for him to go far.   He has a very good chance of making it all the way to the nomination.

Then there's my top choice: Mike Huckabee.  His chances aren't that great, but in the unpredictable world of politics, anything can happen!

Straight Talk Part 2

Now that same-sex marriage is legal and the "law of the land," it's only a matter of time before Christian ministers may be forced to conduct same-sex weddings.  They will obviously need to change some of the wording.  I imagine the ceremony could go something like this....

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, in the face of this company, to witness this complete mockery of the institution of matrimony, which, before the Supreme Court changed the definition of marriage, was an honourable and solemn estate and is a sacred bond between one man and one woman. 

If any one, besides God, can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, you MUST forever hold your peace or you will face charges for hate speech..

Do you take this person of the same sex, despite the clear command in Leviticus 18:22, which says, "Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin?"

Couple: We do because the Supreme Court said that's our right.

Will you pervert love from this day forward, forsaking God's law, keeping only to your own evil desires and shameful passions for as long as you both shall live?

Couple: We sure do, and you better not judge us!

Romans 1:26-27 says, "Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved."

With that in mind, repeat after me: With this ring, I thee fornicate.

Couple:  Yeah, yeah, with this ring, we have a right to live any way we choose.

By the undue pressure put on me by the state and federal government, I now pronounce you Sinners and an Abomination in the eyes of God.

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As absurd as this sounds, it's no more absurd than same-sex marriage itself.  God designed marriage to be between a man and a woman, and no Supreme Court ruling can change that.

Straight Talk

Enough of all this political correctness garbage.  It's time for a little straight talk.  Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and this is mine:

If they can ban the historic Confederate flag because it offends some, how long will it be before they want to ban the American flag because IT offends some people?  I'm offended by that disgusting rainbow-colored "gay pride" flag.  Do you think they'll ever ban that?  Don't hold your breath.  Some people have started a ridiculous petition to combine the American flag and that hideous rainbow flag.  That thought should make us all rise up in protest.

Walmart and others went so far as to remove merchandise that has the Confederate flag on it.   Now TV Land has even pulled the iconic Dukes of Hazzard series reruns from the network.  When will this madness stop?  Next, they'll want to ban Uncle Ben's rice.  Rice is white, so it must be racist.  We definitely have to get rid of Aunt Jemima.

There's been an uproar over the Christian owners of a bakery shop who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple.  The shop owner was sued.  I wonder what would happen if a couple of rednecks went to black-owned bakery and ordered a cake with the Confederate flag decoration.  Somehow, I don't think the reaction would be the same.

With the Supreme Court decision on marriage, things are all mixed up.  Now we have many heterosexual couples who think it's perfectly OK to live together without being married, and we have many gay couples who think they have a right to marry.  They're BOTH wrong in God's eyes!!

I don't know what to say about the "gay marriage" ruling.  Thank God for men like Ted Cruz, Bobby Jindal and Mike Huckabee, who are willing to speak the truth.  I think the Gov. said it best when he said this:

"The Supreme Court created a national right to same-sex marriage that doesn't exist in our Constitution, it hijacked the democratic process, subverting the will of Americans in more than 30 states who voted to protect traditional marriage, and trampling on America's most fundamental right — religious liberty." - Governor Mike Huckabee

Now that's some straight talk you won't hear anywhere else!

Real Hope And Change

Maybe there is hope for America after all.  As the 2016 presidential race begins filling up with all the usual suspects of Clinton and Bush and the other typical politicians, we were given a glimmer of hope.  From his hometown of Hope, Arkansas, Mike Huckabee announced he is running for president.  Now that's what I call real hope and change!

Mike Huckabee isn't a typical politician.  He is genuine.  Unlike Hillary, who is all about grabbing the power for herself, Huckabee really cares about America and believes he can help the country.  I believe he can, too.

He has a unique and diverse background.  He's been a minister, a governor, a news analyst, and a TV host and radio commentator.  And he has something else that the career politicians don't have: common sense.

I just finished reading his book, God, Guns, Grits & Gravy.  It's a great book!  Huckabee tackles the tough issues and presents commonsense solutions.  On the social issues, like abortion and same-sex marriage, he bases his position on a biblical viewpoint.  He actually prays about his decisions.  Imagine that!  How many other candidates would even talk about God and prayer?

Huckabee is a great man and will be a great president.  He has my support!  I hope you'll join me in saying, "Hil No and Huck Yes!"

Chillin' Out

Wondering what to do this weekend? You might consider relieving stress just by finding a peaceful place to sit around and contemplate.  That was a tip from Bill O'Reilly, and it's a good one.  That's something I've done for a long time. When I was still driving, I would load up the scooter and go out to the City Lake at Recreation Park and ride around the mile-and-a-half walking trail.  It was always so calm and peaceful.  There was often geese out on the water.  It is really a great place just to sit and think.  I would  add to O'Reilly's tip that this is also a good way to spend time praying and meditating on God and the Scriptures. Now that I can't drive anymore, I have several spots where I like to go and just "veg out."  I often ride my scooter to one of the nearby parks and sit and enjoy the outdoors.  I look up at the clouds and marvel at the awesome works of God.  I feel closer to God when I'm out there.  Sometimes, I ride over to the shopping center and just sit in the parking lot and watch the people.  It's fun to people-watch.  Everybody seems to be in such a hurry.  Why is everyone in such a rush?  Everyone needs to slow down and enjoy life a little more! Everyone is always friendly and helpful to me.  I can't tell you how many times I've just been sitting in the parking lot and a car will pull up to see if I'm OK or if I need some help,   That happens at least  once a week.  It's nice to know that so many care enough to stop and check on me.  I just thank them and tell them I'm watching the world go by. I've told the story before about the woman who pulled up and asked if I was lost.  I just smiled and said "No. I'm saved!"  Another time, a man stopped and offered me his jacket.  He said I looked so cold.  HA!  You don't have to go anywhere special to enjoy a peaceful moment.  Just go outside for a few minutes and take in the fresh air. Every day is a gift from God, so  slow down from the hectic pace of life and enjoy the day.  You'll be glad you did!

My Take

By now, you've heard all the theories from countless TV talking heads about the death of Freddie Gray.   This is My Take:
******

Poor Freddie!  Those mean ol' cops were just out to get him.  Give me a break!  Did those six officers make some mistakes?  Maybe.  We'll never know for sure what happened inside that van.  But I don't believe for a second that the officers -- three white and three black -- set out to kill Freddie because he was black.

Freddie was far from innocent.  He had a wrap sheet as long as Barack Pinocchio Obama's nose.  Freddie was a known drug dealer.  My guess -- and that's all anyone can do is guess -- is that Freddie was about to get caught was a big stash of heroin so he swallowed a bunch of drugs.  He was probably so jacked up on heroin that he didn't know what he was doing.  He most likely injured himself in the van.

This whole thing is nothing but a political witch hunt.  It's all about making the cops pay for what happened in Ferguson, Missouri and New York City.  The protesters in Baltimore don't care about justice for Freddie Gray.  These streets thugs are only out for revenge.  Some have already said if the six officers aren't convicted in court, there will riots like those of the Rodney King trial.

This isn't about racism.  The only racial elements are from the incompetent mayor of Baltimore and the corrupt prosecutor.  Both are black, and they've practically promised a conviction.  They both need to be removed from office immediately.

The media has done its part to feed this frenzy,  Geraldo looks like an idiot out there picking fights with protesters.  He's as big a thug as the street hoodlums.  Come on, Fox News. You're better than that.  Get Geraldo off there!

What happened to innocent until proven guilty?  It not only applies to drug dealers like Freddie Gray.  It applies to police officers, too!

Roll On

Busted!  I was caught like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar.  The head honcho spotted me cruising down Kentucky Street on my scooter the other day.   He pulled me over and took me back to the nursing home.

"You know you're not supposed to be on this busy street!" he told me.

He thought they had told me to stay off Kentucky because of the traffic on that road.  But they hadn't told me that.  I definitely would have remembered that.  Kentucky Street is the most direct route on my way to church, and I've been riding on it for years.

The traffic on Kentucky isn't really any worse than some other streets in town.  Heck, it's more dangerous in the church parking lot after a Sunday morning service.  You should try to get through a crowd of hungry Pentecostals all racing to beat the Baptists to the restaurants after church!  Talk about road rage!

Now, I  know the head honcho is only concerned for my safety, and I thank him for watching out for me but they can be a little over-concerned sometimes.  I use caution, and I know which streets to avoid.  As I said, I've been doing it for years.

The drivers in Pampa are usually pretty good about sharing the road.  Occasionally, you get a speed-demon granny zooming past you on her way to a hot bingo game, but most drivers are courteous and will move over when they pass me.  A lot of them even wave at me as they go by, and most of the time it's not a middle finger.

I know there's a risk when I get out on the street, but an accident could happen anywhere. You can't live in fear of what could happen.  I would just take this time to remind all of us to be careful out there.  We all have to share the roads, so let's be courteous and watch out for each other.

And just one more thing.... If you see me out, please don't call the nursing home and tell them that I've escaped!

Let's roll!