Good vs. Evil

If you only listen to CNN, you think Donald Trump is evil.  If you only listen to Fox, you think he's a saint.  I figure he's probably somewhere in between... Just like most politicians.

A lot of my liberal friends hate Trump.  They think everything he does is bad.  I understand how they feel.  I felt the same way about Barack Obama when he was president.  Obama wasn't all bad.  I'm sure he did some good things.  I can't think of any right now, but there must be something in the eight years he was in the White House.  There must be.

There are some people who are completely bad people.  Hitler.  Osama bin Laden.  Hillary Clinton.  These are evil people.  They're wicked to the core.  But most people have some good qualities.  That includes Donald Trump. 

I don't like everything Trump does.  Sometimes, he says and does some really dumb things.  His tweets often cross the line of decency.  Sometimes, I think "I can't believe he's the president."  But other times I'm glad he is our president.

I support Trump because he's a patriot.  He loves this country and wants to make it better.  He puts America's interests first.  He wants to protect the country by building the border wall and deporting illegals.  I support him because he supports Israel.  I support him because he's working to protect our religious freedoms.  He's working to protect our Constitution.  He's working to bring our troops back home.  He keeps his campaign promises. 

To all my Democrat friends (if I have any left), I would ask that you give the man a chance.  Good or bad, he's going to be president for five-and-a-half more years.  We survived Obama's two terms, and you'll survive Trump's two.

Another Year

I turned 51 on Saturday.  I'm thankful that I made it another year.  I view each day as a gift from God.

My life isn't perfect.  It's not about being perfect but about being the best I can be every day.  Each day is a new opportunity to become a better person and to grow. It's a chance to make a difference in someone else's life.

I like to say life is like a journey.  It's a long and winding road to reach our destination. There's many things to see along the way, but there's also some bumps in the road.  There may even be a few detours along the way.

I read some good advice from motivational speaker and syndicated columnist Rick Kraft that I wanted to share:

"Wake up each morning and tell yourself you are going to be the best version of you today. You have only a few hours to accomplish this before putting your head back on your pillow and forever closing out your day. Don’t strive to be perfect, but make good individual choices to be better than you were yesterday." 

Kraft also said, "Each day strive to improve and grow. Improve your relationships and learn something new. Use your gift set to help others to leave behind something when you are gone."

That's good advice.  I don't know what the next year will hold, but I want to make the most of each day. I want to be a better friend, a better Christian and a better person this year than I was last year.  The goal is to finish strong, and that's something I think we should all strive for.

Rememberng A Friend

One of the hardest things in life is losing a friend or loved one.  It is part of the cycle of life, but that doesn't make it any easier.  I lost a good friend recently.  While it makes me sad to think she is gone, I remember the good times we had together.

I met Claire through the independent living center when I lived in Amarillo.  We were both a part of a Saturday night activity group for people with disabilities.

Claire had cerebral palsy, so we had a lot in common right from the start.  Although she had physical challenges, she never let them hinder her.  She always had a smile on her face and an infectious laugh.

I like to tell people I picked her up on the side of I-40.   Actually, our Saturday night group was eating at a popular restaurant on I-40.  I had just gotten my pickup.   As we were leaving the restaurant, Claire noticed the shiny new truck and fell in love with it. “Take me for a ride!” she exclaimed.  I drove her home. After that, Claire wanted me to pick her up and take her home whenever our group went out, and, of course, I was glad to do it.

Claire's parents, Pat and Yvonne, were understandably nervous about her riding with me at first. After they were around me more, their fears were put to rest and they let her go with me. They took me in and treated me like one of the family, inviting me into their home for meals and buying me gifts on my birthday and Christmas.

Over time, we became good friends, learning to help and support each other.  We were quite a match.  I am 6-foot-1, and she was about 5-foot-5.  We had a lot in common, though, so we could help each other.  Claire could speak more clearly than I could, so she often ordered for both of us when we went to eat.  I had the truck, so I could drive us places.  I always liked to be on-the-go, and Claire did, too.  I'd pick her up, and we'd take off, going to movies, concerts in the park or just ride around town.  

We kept each other company.  At a time when I didn't have many close friends, I cherished Claire's company.  Claire liked to stay busy and did volunteer work at the library and at the Girl Scout office.  She was athletic, too, participating in Special Olympics bowling leagues and bocce ball tournaments.  She loved taking care of her dogs.

One thing I loved about Claire is she liked to tease and be teased.  She could give it out as well as she could take it.  We kind of lost contact with each other the last few years when I moved back to Pampa, and Claire and her mom later relocated to the Houston area to be near family. 

Claire was such a blessing in my life.  She was a true friend.  I will miss her greatly, but I know she is now fully healed and dancing in heaven.

Debate

Send in the clowns!  The Democratic candidates for president faced off last week for the first round of debates.  YAWN!!  I admit I didn't watch much of it.  I had better things to do with my time... like playing Candy Crush.  I saw enough of the recaps, though, to know it was a real circus.  In case you missed it too, here's a few highlights (or lowlights).

Bernie Sanders looked like he was up past his bedtime.  Elizabeth Warren sounded like she had been smoking something, and it wasn't a peace pipe.  Joe Biden was on his best behavior.  He didn't grope anyone on stage.  Pete Buttigieg was disappointed that Biden didn't grope him.  Bozo O'Rourke was the biggest clown of all.

I could mention the other candidates, but why bother?  They're not going to be around long. 

It will all come down to about six players.  I divide them into two categories: the Old and Senile (Biden, Sanders and Warren) versus the Young and Dumb (O'Rourke, Castro and Buttigieg).  There might be one or two other wild cards like Harris or Gillibrand, but their chances are very slim.

Their messages are all the same.  Open borders.  Universal health care.  Free college.  Sanctuary cities.  Pro-abortion.  (Democrats used to label themselves "pro-choice." Now, they're "pro-abortion" because they have gone all in for abortion.)

I'm going out on a limb and predicting Pete Buttigieg will be the Democratic nominee.  He's young. He's one of the most extreme leftists, one of the most immoral, and he's gay.  When conservatives start attacking him, we'll be called homophobes and haters.

Buttigieg is perfect for the godless Democratic party.  Remember, this is the party that voted to take God out of their party platform in 2012. 

I sure hope I'm wrong, and Buttigieg isn't the nominee.  Biden is still the clear frontrunner, but the race has just begun and it's a long way to the finish line.  Buckle up.  It's going to be a wild ride!

Live for Today

People spend a lot of time planning for the future.  We plan a party.  We plan a vacation.  We plan for retirement.  It's good to plan for tomorrow, but what if tomorrow never comes?

In the last week, I've read at least three newspaper reports where people in this area have died in car crashes.  Without all the details, it's hard to know what caused the crashes, but in one wreck, it appears to be an unavoidable accident.  The driver was on the highway late at night and hit a black bull that was standing in the road.  The driver survived, but a passenger was taken to the hospital and died from injuries in the crash.

You'd never expect to see a bull on the highway in the middle of the night.  You can't plan for something like that.

In another crash, a driver crossed the center lane on a busy Amarillo street and collided head-on with another car.  One driver was 65 years old.  The other was 24.  Both died at the scene.  In the third wreck, a 19-year-old died in a one-car rollover near Stratford.

I'm sure none of those people got into their cars thinking that would be their last trip.  While I know God protects His people, sometimes the unexpected happens.  No one knows what tomorrow will bring.

James 4:13-15 says, "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.' Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

 

Each day is a gift from God. None of us know when we will take our last breath. All we have is the present moment.  

 

My challenge to you is this: Plan for tomorrow but live for today.  Make sure your heart is right with God and that your family and friends know how much you love them.  Make the most of every moment and live each day to the full.

Five Years And Progress

There's an old saying, "Time flies when you're having fun."  It hasn't been all fun, but the time has passed quickly.  It was five years ago this week when I came to live at Pampa Nursing Center.  My life has changed a lot since then -- mostly for the better.

It was 2014, and I had just had surgery for spinal stenosis and had spent three months at a rehab center in Amarillo.  I had stayed at Pampa Nursing Center briefly before the surgery and decided to come back to be closer to my family.  It was tough leaving my own apartment and really tough giving up some of my freedom, but it has worked out.

After the surgery, I couldn't do much.  I had to learn new ways to do things.  I couldn't raise my right arm to lift a glass of water or feed myself.   I couldn't use the keyboard to type.  That was really hard because I depended on the computer so much.  With months of therapy and God's grace, I have slowly regained much of the use of my arm.

Today, I'm thankful to live in a good place where people care about me and help me.

I've met some neat people here and also have been reunited with people from the past.  My eighth-grade history teacher, Mr. Porter, is here recovering from a stroke and learning to walk again.  I learned about the Constitution in Mr. Porter's class, and he had us memorize parts of the Bill of Rights and the Gettysburg Address.  I guess you could thank him (or blame him) for some of my political beliefs! 

The nurses and caregivers here are really good to me and make my life much easier and fulfilling.  When some of the staff found out I use the computer, they started asking me to make fliers for their activities.  I also design and produce the center's monthly newsletter, which I enjoy doing very much. 

I really have the best of both worlds.  I have all the help I need, plus I have the freedom to still get out on my own to take a ride if I want.  I'm so blessed!  It may not be the ideal situation, but I'm thankful I have this place.  It's been a wild ride so far, and I'm anxious to see what the next five years will bring.

Average Joe

If I wanted to vote for a Democrat, which isn't likely, I might consider voting for Joe Biden.  I like crazy Joe.  I don't agree with his political stance on most issues, but he isn't politically correct, and I like that about him.

People often say they have to vote for the lesser of two evils.  In the case of Democratic candidates running for president, Biden is the least crazy of the bunch.  He isn't nearly as radical as the other Democrats in the race.  Compared to Bozo O'Rourke, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, Biden seems almost normal. 

Even though Biden only officially announced his candidacy this week, he's the front-runner in the race for the Democratic nomination.  That has made him the target of criticism by members of his own party.

Biden has been attacked for his treatment of women.  He can't keep his hands off them!  Several women say he made them feel "uncomfortable" when he invaded their personal space to hug them or give them a little kiss.  I understand people need their personal space.  I don't like it when people get in my space.  I don't even like holding hands with people in church. 

I don't think crazy Joe meant any harm by his touchy-feely show of affection.  He's just being himself.

"I shake hands, I hug people, I grab men and women by the shoulders and say, 'you can do this,' " Biden was quoted as saying recently. "And whether they’re women, men, young, old, it’s the way I’ve always been. It’s the way I try to show I care about them and I’m listening."

Biden is the 20th Democrat who has tossed their hat in the race so far.  They're all radical but at least Biden has a little common sense.  He doesn't want to ban cars and airplanes as some of the far-left candidates have proposed.  Joe Biden doesn't scare me nearly as much as O'Rourke, Warren and the rest of the left-wing loons who are running.

For Democrats, Biden is their best shot in beating President Trump, but Biden doesn't have a shot.

Supersizing God

Christians should depend on God's promises as much as they depend on the fast-food drive-thru.  Think about this...

How many times a week do most of us go through the drive-thru?  At least two or three.  Some people go every day to get their morning cup of coffee.  Compare that with how many times the average Christian reads the Bible a week.   For most of us, it's probably not every day.  Why is that?  Just as we crave that daily pick-me-up cup of coffee, we need a helping of God's Word every day.  It will give us the strength we need each day... and it's caffeine-free!

At the drive-thru, we're confident we can have anything on the menu.  You would never hear someone pull up to the window and say, "Is it OK if I get a cheeseburger?"  You're more likely to hear them say, "Give me a Big Mac and fries!"  They know if it's on the menu they can have it by asking. 

With the promises of God, though, a lot of Christians think they're not entitled to them.  They think the promises must be for someone else.  Matthew 7:7 says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."   The Bible is full of great promises, and God wants us to have them.  We have to be confident when we ask, and we will receive them.

At the drive-thru, we're not satisfied with a small fries.  We want to SUPERSIZE them.  We won't settle for small Coke when we can have a 44 oz. drink with free refills.  As Christians, we often settle for a little blessing when God wants to give us so much more.  John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." 

At the drive-thru, we don't sit and wait for them to throw our order through our car window.  We reach out and take our order into our hands.  It's the same with God's promises.  We can't sit around and wait for God to drop them in our lap.  We have to reach out to Him.  He wants us to come to Him and tell Him our needs.

Finally, at the drive-thru, we're very likely to get the wrong order.  How many times have you gotten home to find the order is wrong?  God never gets the order wrong.  He'll always come through and give us what He has promised.

Our God is a BIG God.  We don't have to settle for a happy meal when we could have a steak dinner!  Look into God's Word and you'll find everything you'll ever need.

Life Is Short

Actor Luke Perry died last week following a massive stroke.  He was 52.  That's only two years older than I am now.  It really hits close to home when someone close to your own age dies.  It makes you stop and think.  It makes you realize how short this life is and how suddenly it can come to an end.  I've been thinking about that a lot lately.

One of my cousins turned 57 last month.  That's the same age as her father (my uncle) was when he died.  My cousin posted memories of her dad on Facebook and how his life affected her outlook on life.  I also have many memories of him.  My uncle was a great man who died in the prime of his life.  He was one of the finest Christian men around.  He loved God, his family and his town (even if it was in Oklahoma), and he loved living.  His death shocked us all.  I've often wondered why such a good man had to die so young.

My Granddad Altman died when he was only 62.  He suffered a massive heart attack.  There were no warning signs.  He just went to bed one night and had a heart attack during the night.

I was 8 when he died.  It was the first time in my young life that I had experienced the loss of someone so close to me through death.  I had just seen my granddad the day before and then suddenly he was gone.  I didn't understand it. 

I still don't understand why some people live a long time and others die so young.  If you think about it, even if we live 100 years or more, that's still a short time when compared to eternity.

The Bible says life is like a vapor.   James 4:14 says, "You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away."

We should remember this advice from author Steve Simons:

Life is short.
Too short to waste time.
Too short to hate.
Too short to live with regret.
Too short to give up.
Too short to give in.
Too short to accept defeat.
 
God’s promises are eternal.
God’s blessings last forever.
God’s love has no end.
God’s favor is boundless.
God’s goodness is limitless.

Life is short.  Eternity is long.  Live like it.

Watch Your Steps

Life is about learning from our mistakes so we don't repeat them.  If you're anything like me, though, you may find yourself making the same mistake over and over.  We may even pray “Lord, if you'll get me out of this mess, I'll never do it again.”  Then we do it again.

Motivational speaker and columnist Rick Kraft tries to explain why we make a mistake and then turn around and make the same stupid mistake again.  He uses author Portia Nelson's book "There's a Hole in My Sidewalk!" to show us how to avoid making the same mistakes.

The book is only five short chapters.  Here's a summary:

Chapter One - I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost...I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out. 

Chapter Two - I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I am in the same place, but it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three - I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see that it is there. I still fall in...it’s become a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

Chapter Four - I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.

Chapter Five - I walk down another street.

Kraft then analyzes the book by breaking down each chapter.  In the first two chapters, he says the writer fell into the same hole each time and claims both times that it's not her fault.  In Chapter 1, the writer is surprised she fell in the hole.

In Chapter 2, she pretends the hole isn't there and falls in again.  She made the same mistake twice!  She could have avoided the second fall if she had learned from her mistake the first time.

In Chapter 3, Kraft points out that the writer takes the first step to overcoming her problem by admitting it was her fault that she fell in the hole.  She says her eyes are open, but it has now become a habit. She understands that she is both responsible for falling in the hole and that she has the power to get herself out.

In Chapter 4, she puts herself in danger again by walking down the same street.  She realizes she has a choice.  If she makes the right choice by walking around the hole, she can save herself from falling in again.

Finally, in Chapter 5, Kraft says the writer now understands that she can avoid the hole altogether by walking down a different street.

Kraft's point is to show us we have a choice.  Each day, we have many streets we can walk down.  Some streets have holes.  Some don’t.  It all depends on what street we choose to walk down. 

 

He challenges us to identify the holes that we fall into and learn to avoid them.  His advice: Choose carefully and watch your steps!

Technology

It was 12 degrees when I got up this morning.  That's even too cold for me... and I never get cold!  I was disappointed because I couldn't go to church.  I still enjoyed a live church service this morning because of technology.

More and more churches are streaming their services live on Facebook or YouTube.  With a quick scroll through my Facebook, I found about half-a-dozen live church services.  I clicked on the page for Accelerate Church in Amarillo and watched a great sermon.  It wasn't the same as being there in person, but I was thankful I could watch it right on my laptop.

Technology is great.  I normally go to Briarwood Church on Sunday.  If I can't make it on Sunday, I can watch it later on Facebook.  Sometimes, I like to watch the sermon again in case I missed something.  I also can watch other church services on FB during the week.

It's a great way to reach others, too.  It attracts people who might never step foot in a church.  I've been inviting a friend to Briarwood and she never comes, but I found out that she's been watching it on Facebook.  Only God knows who may be watching!

Thank God for technology.  I use it for so many things.  Besides watching sermons, I read the Bible and devotions all on my computer.  It makes it really easy to research and find commentaries on the Scriptures.

Of course, I use it for other things, too.  I listen to music, read books and the newspaper and spend way too much time on Facebook.  I would be lost without the computer.  On days like this when I can't out, I rely on technology, and it gives me a whole new view of the world.

A Century Old Friend

This month is the 100th anniversary of West Texas A&M's student newspaper, The Prairie.  I got to work on The Prairie during the three years I was at WT, serving as its editor in my senior year.  I have so many memories of my time on the newspaper.  It was one of the most valuable experiences in my quest to become a journalist.

When I enrolled in the journalism program at WT, the instructors were more than a little skeptical on whether I'd be able to make it.  They wondered if someone with a speech problem would be able to communicate well enough to conduct interviews.  Honestly, I didn't know if I could do it either, but I wanted the chance to try.

The Prairie gave me that chance.  I was enrolled in the newswriting class, where I had to find a news story and write an article each week.  I came up with my own method.  I wrote out questions before I went to an interview and gave the person a copy of the questions.  Then, I wouldn't have to keep repeating the questions if the person couldn't understand my speech. 

The newswriting class had close to 30 students, and we were competing for a spot in The Prairie each week.  With limited space in the newspaper, only the best articles from the class made it into publication.   I was so excited the first time I saw one of my articles printed in The Prairie.  It was a dream come true!

I wrote a lot that first year.  It was exhilarating to see my stories in the paper or heartbreaking to open the paper and find my article didn't make the cut that week.  I just kept writing, hoping to make it into print.  

I'd come a long way in that year.  The instructors who once had wondered if I'd be able to make it in the journalism program now recommended me for a staff position on The Prairie, and I was hired as the paper's copy editor for the next year.  It was a paid position.  It was only $150 a month, but it was my first paying job.  I was in heaven. 

I was copy editor for the fall semester and had planned to stay for the spring semester.  But when the editor-in-chief unexpectedly stepped down during the Christmas break, I became the new editor.
 
I was privileged to lead a talented team of writers and editors.  The paper received an All American Award from the Associated Collegiate Press, one of only 12 college newspapers in the country to win the award.  One writer on the staff received national recognition for writing the top college journalism story.  It was the Pulitzer of college awards for the writer. 

I took over during a tumultuous time in the university's history.  University President Ed Roach was indicted for diverting scholarship money to meet other budget deficits and later resigned.

The student newspaper serves several important roles.  It not only prepares students for a career in journalism but also records the university's history.  Knowing that I had a small part in leading the paper through one of the most historic years in the school's history made my time there so rewarding.
 
With the number of city newspapers dwindling, I'm glad to see The Prairie still going strong after 100 years. 

Carry on, old friend.  Carry on!

Back In My Day...

It's official.  I'm old!  I came to that conclusion this past Sunday when I only knew the words to one of the worship songs we sang at church.  I had never even heard the other three songs that the praise team sang.

I like contemporary Christian music, but I guess I'm not keeping up with the times.  I don't know many of the songs we sing during the worship time.  I used to love listening to K-Love.  I even went on a K-Love music cruise in 2005.  I loved all the music on the cruise.  Music has changed a lot since then.  There seems to be more "Christian rock" on popular Christian stations like K-Love and Air 1. 

Now, I listen mostly to older praise music.  I like groups such as Phillips, Craig and Dean, especially their early music. 

With satellite radio and the Internet, you can find just about any genre of music from classic hymns to alternative Christian rap and rock.  I listen to the Adoration channel on Internet radio.  It has a mix of classic praise music and current Christian hits.

Does this make me an old fogey?  I sure hope not.  I turned 50 in October.  I got the senior discount at the movie theater the other day!  My taste in music is changing in my "old age"!  I don't like loud music, but I have to turn it up loud because my hearing is going.

Every generation goes through this change.  We like the music we grew up with, especially church music.  Mom used to say, "Back in my day, we sang hymns from the hymn book!"  She said she didn't know the words to these new choruses.  Now, I say the same thing about the modern church music.

In the end, it doesn't matter what style of worship music we have or even if we like the songs.  It's about praising God out of a sincere heart of worship.  God looks at the heart.  We should focus our praise on Him and not on waiting to hear our favorite song.

Seize The Moment

Do all you can while you can!  That's been my motto as long as I can remember.  I truly believe that you have to make the most of every moment.  You never know when your life is going to take a sudden turn and the things you once took for granted are now things of the past.  I've discovered this firsthand.  I can't do many things today that I did just a few years ago.  Like driving.  I loved to drive.  It opened up a whole new freedom for me.  I was thinking about some of the "adventures" I had when I started driving.

I didn't start driving until I was nearly 24 years old.  It changed my whole world.  After being confined to a few city blocks on my three-wheel bicycle, I was free to discover the open road.  And that's what I did.  I became a weekend road warrior. 

One of my first roadtrips was Palo Duro Canyon.  It was only about 30 miles from my apartment in Amarillo, but the steep, winding roads down into the canyon were quite a challenge for this new driver.  I remember how nervous I was on those hilly roads, but I navigated the sharp turns like a pro.  I loved the breathtaking views in the canyon, and I went back many times.

Over the years, I also made roadtrips into nearby New Mexico to see Santa Rosa, N.M. (The Blue Hole); Santa Fe; Roswell, N.M. (UFO Museum); and Clovis, N.M. (Hillcrest Zoo).  I also made longer trips to Liberal, Kansas (Wizard of Oz museum); Cuchara, Colo; and my favorite trip to the Grand Canyon.  I enjoyed these trips so much and the memories I have of these places.

I haven't been able to drive since my neck surgery about five years ago.  I miss driving more than I miss anything else.  I'll always have those memories, though.  I'm glad I seized the moment and took those trips while I was able to go.

I read this quote that really sums it up: “It will be the things we haven’t done, rather than things we have done, that we will regret more.”

Feb. 14

It's Valentine's Day.  It was on this date two years ago that my mother fell and broke her hip.

She passed out in the kitchen and fell.  When she came to, she found two paramedics standing over her.  She asked how they got in her kitchen.  Thank God her life alert system notified authorities when she fell.
 
Mom had a broken hip and a badly broken shoulder.  She underwent a five-hour surgery the next day to put rods in her leg and completely replace her shoulder.
 
She was in pain.  A lot of pain.  Mom was moved from the hospital to the Pampa Nursing Center, which is where I also live.  Our rooms were across the hall from each other, and Mom began physical therapy.
 
Mom tried to do the exercises, but she was just in so much pain.  The pain medicine made her sleepy and confused.  She did not like going to therapy.  

I could see Mom was tired.  She was 81 years old, and she had spent nearly 50 years of her life devoted to taking care of me.  I remember Mom saying she hoped she'd be here for me as long as I needed her. 

During the four weeks that she was at the nursing home with me, she was able to see how the nurses and aides took care of me and that I was in good hands.  Besides the nursing staff, I had Karen and my aunts and cousins to watch out for me.  I think when she saw for herself that I would be taken care of, she decided it would be all right to go on ahead to heaven.  


In her last few days, Mom had a lot of anxiety, still struggling and worrying about those of us she'd leave behind.  Finally, her heart of gold just gave out.  They called it broken heart syndrome.   It's a real condition and is basically a temporary heart condition that's often brought on by stressful situations or anxiety. She passed away on March 23, 2017.

Mom broke a lot of our hearts when she left because she was so loved by many.  But while her heart condition was fatal, our hearts will recover physically but emotionally we will always miss her.
 
It all happened so fast.  I never expected it to happen this way.  I've just tried to accept it as God's timing.  He has a master plan for each of us.  The Bible says we walk by faith.  Sometimes, it takes a whole lot of faith to accept the unexpected.  But if we'll hold on to Him, God will see us through.

He Knows. . .

Living in a small town like Pampa, Texas, everyone knows your name.  When I'm out riding my scooter, I hear people shout out, "Hi, Chris!"  It's makes you feel important when people know you by name.  Now think about this: GOD knows your name!

That was the title of a sermon I heard Sunday: "God Knows Your Name."  Pastor Lynn used the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10 to show that God knows us by name.

If you remember the Bible story, you know Zacchaeus was a little man (a wee little man was he).  He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road because Jesus was going to pass that way.

Luke 19:5 says, When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and CALLED HIM BY NAME.

How did Jesus know his name?  I had never thought about it before, but as Pastor Lynn pointed out in the sermon, no one had introduced Jesus to Zacchaeus.  No one told Jesus his name.  From all we know from the Bible, Jesus and Zacchaeus had never met.  But Jesus knew his name. 

God knows our names, too.  That should make us say, WOW! The God of the universe knows MY name!  It's amazing.  God not only knows our names, He knows everything about us, and He wants to have a close personal relationship with us.

Jesus said to Zacchaeus,  “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your house today." 

Zacchaeus was a tax collector and known sinner.  Jesus knew this and He still wanted to go to his home.  Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

He knows everything about us, too, and He wants to be our savior.  That's why He came.  He came to know us and save us.

I'm glad He knows my name!

Virginia's Villan

The state of Virginia is in a state of chaos.   The top three Democrats in the state are under fire for things in their pasts, and all three refuse to resign.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam is in trouble because a photo in his college yearbook shows what appears to be him in blackface.   At first, Northam apologized and said it was inappropriate and offensive.  He later backtracked and said it's not even him in the photo.  It has sparked outrage among both Democrats and Republicans, and many have called for Northam to resign.  So far, he has refused.

Forget about the yearbook photo!  Northam has done something much worse.  About a week before the blackface controversy, he made some barbaric comments in a radio interview in support of late-term abortions.  He backed a proposed bill that would allow a woman to get an abortion right up to the birth of the baby.  Northam went even further, saying a woman and her doctor could make the decision to take the baby's life AFTER the child is born. 

Northam actually endorsed infanticide!  THAT's the reason he should resign!  Where was the outrage over these comments?  There was no outage.  Republicans and other Democrats should have demanded his resignation.  Instead, they were silent.  It's like his comments about killing babies were no big deal.

For that reason alone, Ralph Northam should resign!

SOTU Top 10

President Trump gave his State of the Union speech last night, and I actually stayed awake for most of it.  There weren't many surprises.  Trump listed some of his accomplishments, and as usual, the Republicans applauded and cheered and the Democrats sat stone-faced for most of the speech.  Nasty Nancy sat behind him rolling her eyes and looking like she had been sucking on a sour pickle! 

Instead of boring you with the details, I picked out the top 10 most memorable quotes from the speech:

 

ON THE BORDER WALL (2 QUOTES):

"In the past, most of the people in this room voted for a wall. But the proper wall never got built. I will get it built.”

“Simply put, walls work and walls save lives.”

 

ON BORDER SECURITY AS 'A MORAL ISSUE':

"This is a moral issue. The lawless state of our southern border is a threat to the safety, security and financial well-being of all Americans."

 

ON 'RIDICULOUS PARTISAN INVESTIGATIONS':

“If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation. It just doesn’t work that way. We must be united at home in order to defeat our adversaries abroad.”

 

ON TALKS WITH THE TALIBAN:

"The hour has come to at least try for peace. And the other side would like to do the same thing. It’s time."

 

ON THE ECONOMY:

“In just over two years since the election, we have launched an unprecedented economic boom — a boom that has rarely been seen before. There has been nothing like it.”

 

ON THE STATE OF THE UNION:

“Our military is the most powerful on Earth by far — and America is again winning, each and every day. Members of Congress, the State of our Union is strong.”

 

ON HEALTH CARE:

"The next major priority for me and for all of us should be to lower the cost of health care and prescription drugs — and to protect patients with pre-existing conditions.”

 

ON COUNTRY OVER PARTY:

"Victory is not winning for our party. Victory is winning for our country.”

 

ON SOCIALISM IN AMERICA:

"America will never be a socialist country."

God Provides

I was reading a morning devotion about Jesus feeding the 4,000 in Mark 8:1-10.  It's really an amazing event when you look at it and try to apply it to your own life.

It says Jesus had compassion for the multitude.  The people had been following Him for three days.  They hadn't eaten and were hungry.  Jesus saw their need, and He felt compassion for them.  He wanted to meet their need.  Similarly, Jesus knows when we're in need, and because He loves us, He wants to meet our need.

The disciples looked at the problem and saw only their limited resources.  They asked Jesus, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”

We often do the same thing.  We see the huge hurtle in front of us, and we feel so overwhelmed because we're only looking at our own resources.  Jesus knows we can't meet the need on our own.  He tells us it's OK because He is more than enough. 

Jesus asked the disciples how many loaves they had.  They tell Him there's seven loaves and a few fish.  "But how far will that go among so many?" they asked.  Jesus tells them to bring Him what they have.  He takes the little they had, and He uses it to work a miracle.  He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them.  They gave Him all they had, and He made something great out of it.

It will work the same way for us.  It may seem like we don't have much, but if we give Him ALL we have, He can multiply it and make something great.  In the natural, we will never have enough, but His resources are limitless.  The whole earth is His and everything in it.

In the end, Jesus fed the multitude and took up seven large baskets of leftovers.  It was more than enough.  If He did it for them, He'll do it for us.

We'll never come up short when we put our trust in Him!

Suckers

I may be grasping at straws, but I want to go on record as saying I think the proposed ban on plastic straws really sucks (puns intended). 

The ridiculous ban is the latest enviro craze sweeping the nation.  Cities like Santa Barbara have taken it to the extreme, threatening to jail and fine offenders.  The extremist crowd says plastic straws are destroying the environment even though straws make up less than four percent of the plastic waste in landfills.

Do they think we're a bunch of suckers?  Why are they picking on us?

These misguided environmentalists want us to get rid of our straws while, at the same time, they drink their trendy Frappuccino-like coffee in big ol' plastic cups — cups that also have plastic lids!

The enviro elites ignore the fact that the plastic cups they buy and chuck every day have a much bigger plastic load than the little plastic straws that they want to keep out of the ocean. The same goes for all the juices, soft drinks and other beverages in super-sized plastic cups. 

There's also millions of coffee drinkers that use coffee brewing machines that require single-use, disposable coffee pods cluttering the landfills.  Shouldn't they ditch their single-use brewing machines?

So far, 15 U.S. cities have a ban on straws.  I use straws, and I don't plan to stop, even if I have to horde them under my mattress. 

I admit it.  I suck, and I'm proud of it! 

Protect The Unborn

I may not understand everything in the Bible.  There's a lot that's far too great for my little mind to comprehend.  But some things are perfectly clear.  When the Bible says "Thou shall not kill," there's no way anyone can misinterpret that.

That's why I can't understand why anyone could think it's all right to take the life of an unborn baby.  But Democrats seem to be all-in in an effort to remove restrictions on abortion.

The call for the right to abortion-on-demand was loud and clear this week when New York state passed a bill to allow late-term abortions  — in some cases right up to the time of labor and delivery.  Lawmakers actually stood and cheered when the bill was passed.  In Virginia, a similar bill was proposed that would allow abortions to be performed even when the mother is about to give birth.  Thankfully, that bill was defeated — for now.  But is it just a matter of time before Virginia and other states follow New York's example?

The bottom line is the Democratic Party has embraced infanticide.  These Democrat lawmakers want abortions to be an option for women right up to the moment of delivery and, in some cases, even after the birth.

If a baby is born with a deformity or disability, the mother and doctor could decide to end the baby's life.  They call it compassion.  God calls it murder.

I was born with a disability.  Imagine if this law had been around then....

The Democrats' logic makes no sense.  If someone kills a pregnant woman, the suspect can be charged with double homicide.  Two lives were taken.  But the Democrats now want to say it's not a viable life while it's still in the mother's womb.  This is hypocrisy!

Liberals like to say "All Lives Matter."  I guess that doesn't include unborn babies.

I can't believe this could happen in America.  It's barbaric, and God is not going to look the other way.  Instead of saying "God bless America," we should pray "God forgive America."

The Armor of God

I did a little study recently on the armor of God.  I don't know how many times I've read Ephesians 6:10-18, which says to put on the full armor of God so we can stand our ground when we're faced with trials and temptations. 

That's an encouraging verse, but I wondered what that means.  How do I "put on" this armor?

The Bible describes the Christian life as a battle against sin and Satan. We are soldiers of Christ in a spiritual warfare.  God knows we will face attacks, and He's given us weapons to fight with.  It's our duty to learn how to use these weapons.  I wanted to know more about the weapons, so I did a simple Internet search and learned a little more about each of the weapons.

Belt of Truth
There is liberating power in truth, and the one who walks in the truth in all his ways will be set free. A lie, no matter how little, gives the powers of darkness an opening for attack, but the truth chases them far away.

Breastplate of Righteousness
The breastplate of righteousness is entirely the righteousness of Jesus which He gives us freely when we accept Him as our Savior. It is Christ’s righteousness — not our own righteousness — that covers and protects us.

Shoes of the Gospel
As soldiers of Christ, we must put on “gospel shoes” that will allow us to march wherever God leads.  Satan will try to place obstacles in our path, but in Jesus’ strength we can walk forward, following the Lord, obeying Him and advancing the gospel.

Shield of Faith
This faith is God’s gift to us. He gives each of us a measure of faith.  As we walk with Him, our faith grows and develops until it becomes a shield, protecting us and allowing us to live a victorious life in Christ.

Helmet of Salvation
When we have a sure knowledge of our salvation, we will not be moved by Satan’s attacks. When we are certain that we are in Christ with our sins forgiven, we will have a peace that nothing can take away.

Sword of the Spirit
God’s Word is truth. That is why it is so powerful. That is why it is so important that we study the Bible and become familiar with its truths and its power.  The sword of God’s Word both protects us and destroys our enemy — the devil and his temptations.

Prayer
Even when we are clothed with the armor of God, we also have to pray.  Prayer brings us into fellowship with God so that His armor can protect us.

The bottom line is this: All the pieces of the armor are found in a relationship with Jesus. Paul said “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.”  When we come to Jesus and “put on” His righteousness, we are clothed in the whole armor of God.

All In

I'm All In!  Jesus gave His all for us.  He demands our all.

I go to Briarwood Church, where the theme for this year is "All In."  (You nay have noticed the All In yard signs around town.)  Pastor Lynn Hancock began a series at the beginning of the year challenging people to give their all for God in 2019. 

He is teaching from Luke 15 -- The Parable of the Prodigal Son.  Like the prodigal son, we all may go astray and decide to go our own way.  We all may hold back part of our lives.  We don't give Him our all.  God can't bless us unless we give Him our all.  The prodigal son suffered loss when he left his father's house and went off on his own. 

The son strayed, and he lost everything.  The good news is he didn't stay there.  The Bible says he came to himself and returned to his father.

There have been times in my life when I went out on my own.  I didn't give my all in living for God.  I wasn't All In.  Like the prodigal son, I strayed and lost out on ALL God had in store for me.  I've decided that this year I want to be All In for God.  I want to give Him everything. 

When the prodigal son decided to return to his father's house, the father welcomed him home with open arms, and he lavished his love on the son by giving him the best robe and a ring.  He had a feast because his son "was lost and is found."  That's what the heavenly Father does for us when we come to Him and give Him our all.  We become a child of God, and He gives us His best.

I'm All In.  Are you? 

Through It All

It was five years ago today that I had neck surgery to repair and prevent further damage from spinal stenosis.  It was quite an ordeal.  The surgery turned out to be the easy part.  It was the months of recovery and therapy that followed that proved to be the most challenging time for me.

I want to thank God today for bringing me through it.  I can testify that God is good!  In one of the hardest times in my life, God was with me through it all. 

Thinking back on that time, it reminds me how important it is to live life to the full and make the most of the time we have.

"Too many people die at 20 and are buried at 80,” said Robin S. Sharma, the best-selling author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. "We start life with great hopes for our future, but sometimes the pressure of the life causes us to lose our dreams or just settle for less."

John 10:10 says, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”  We all face unexpected challenges as we go through life, but God is here to help us, to lead us and to give us life to the full. 

Life Verses

Do you have a "life verse"?  Do you know what a "life verse" is?  The Dictionary of Christianese website defines a life verse as “A Bible verse that a Christian believes to be specifically representative of his life."

Each morning, I get to sit around the table after breakfast with a group of other residents here at the nursing center while the activities director reads us the headlines from the morning paper.  The paper has a verse of the day each day.  Suzanne reads that to us and then we recite these four verses together:

• "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." -- Philippians 4:13
• "If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31
• "Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only." - James 1:22
• "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice." - Philippians 4:4

All four of these verses are great life verses, and put all together, they are great words to live by.  If you don't have a life verse, think about one of these or go to the Bible and find one that speaks to you personally and carry it with you throughout life.  It will bring you much comfort and strength as you go through life.

I'll end by sharing my own life verse.  It's 1 John 1:9:
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Political Bickering

I like to follow politics, but I just don't get it sometimes.  Politicians can act like such crybabies!  We elect them to represent our interests in Washington, but when they get there, they forget about we, the people, and push their own agendas.

It becomes like a sporting event.  Republicans against Democrats.  Us against them.  Two teams competing against each other where one team has to win and one has to lose.  It shouldn't be that way.  Lawmakers should work together for the good of the whole country.  In the end, it should be about making America better and stronger.

This whole government shutdown is completely unnecessary and could have been avoided if Republicans and Democrats would just try to work together.  Both sides need to be willing to compromise.  There has to be a little give-and-take to come up with a solution.

They're not even trying to cooperate.  President Trump wants a border wall, so Democrats oppose it.  If Democrats wanted a wall, I can promise you the Republicans and Trump would oppose it.  Democrats supported a wall back in 2013.  But when Trump made it a campaign promise, Democrats became determined to make sure he doesn't keep that promise.  The Republicans did the same thing when Obama wanted to pass the health care bill.

It's like spoiled children when they don't get their way.  They kick and scream and hold their breath until they get what they want. 

That's how we ended up in this showdown over the wall.  Neither side is willing to give an inch.  They just want to make sure the other side doesn't win.  It's about their pride.  The real losers are the ones caught in the middle.  The federal workers who have been furloughed without pay are the ones feeling the pinch.  They're the ones who are suffering right now.

I don't know if a wall would stop illegals from crossing the border, but it couldn't hurt to try it.  Why not try the wall?  It might actually help. 

Let's put politics aside for once and all work together.  We might be surprised how much we could get done.  So, come on, politicians, can't we all just get along for the good of the country?

Pooh On Philosophy

We can learn a lot from the great philosophers.  A list of the greatest philosophers includes Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, Albert Schweitzer and C.S. Lewis.  They have revealed some great insights through their deep and intellectual writing.

Can you remember any of their famous sayings?  I can't either.  But I bet you'll remember these sayings:

• “I’m so tired my tired is tired.”
• “The things that make me different are the things that make me.”
• “People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”
• “Doing nothing often leads to the very best something.”
• “I’m not lazy, I’m just on standby.”
• “I must be thinking too hard.”
• “Always look for the rainbow.”

These words of wisdom are from none other than the great thinker Winnie the Pooh!  His outlook on life is simple.

We often make life more difficult than it needs to be.  Pooh and his friends Christopher Robin, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit and Owl remind us not to take ourselves too seriously. The KISS concept of life is “Keep it Simple Stupid.” Pooh kept it simple but was not stupid. He said things like:

• “Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved.”
• “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”
• “Sometimes we need to simply be there...not to fix anything or to do anything in particular, but to just let us feel we are supported.”
• “Don’t think too much. You’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.”
• “Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon.”
• “Birthdays mean cake!”

Pooh always tells it the way it is:

• “I always get to where I’m going by walking away from where I’ve been.”
• “You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
• “It makes a difference to have someone who believes in you.”

Pooh describes friendship this way:

• “As soon as I saw you, I knew a grand adventure was about to happen.”
• “We didn’t realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun.”
• “Good friends will stick with you until you’re unstuck.”

Winnie the Pooh had a simple view of relationships:

• “Anyone can show up when you’re happy, but the ones who stay by your side when your heart falls apart, they are your true friends.”
• “We will be friends forever, just you wait and see.”
• “Sometimes all you really need is someone to hug you tight and refuse to let you go until you feel better.”
• “Any day spent with you is my favorite day. So, today is my favorite day.”

 There's a few quotes that can change our outlook on life:

• “Only look back to see how far you’ve come.”
• “We only regret the chances we didn’t take.”
• “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know.”

 

At the start of a new year, it's the perfect time to read Pooh's sayings and maybe put them into practice this year.  Life doesn’t have to be as complex as we make it.  Take time to enjoy the journey!

Hail to the Chief

The calendar hadn't even turned to 2019 before the political frenzy began over who will challenge Donald Trump in 2020. 

There has been speculation for weeks with names like Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Beto O'Rourke, Michael Bloomberg, Cory Booker and dozens of other left-wing loons considering a run for the Democratic nomination.

One name that has risen to the top of the list is Elizabeth Warren, or as President Trump calls her, 'Pocahontas.'  She claimed she has a Native American ancestry so she could list herself as a minority.  Maybe Trump should call her Pinocchio instead of Pocahontas! 

A DNA test showed about the only Native American heritage she has is when she drives her Jeep Cherokee.

The Indian maiden had a powwow on New Year's Eve to announce she is forming an exploratory committee to run for president.  That means she's all in... unless she turns out to be an Indian giver, too.  Trump says he hopes she does run, and I do too!  In fact, I have a little advice for her.

First, the little squaw will have to raise money -- a lot of money -- so I suggest she get a giant teepee and have a fundraising dinner.  It would cost 1,000 wampum to attend, and she can serve her famous Powwow Chow.  She can write out all her campaign promises on . . . what else . . . a Big Chief tablet!  (Or she could just send smoke signals.)

She can travel around the country holding rallies where she can pass around the peace pipe to try to calm any 'reservations' voters may have about voting for a minority. 

She definitely marches to the beat of a different tom-tom.  I wonder if Tonto is available to be her running mate.

Imagine the debates between Ms. Wigwam and President Trump.  He would scalp her!  Which is exactly what will happen if she runs against Trump in 2020.  Instead of commander-in-chief, a better title for her would be Sitting Bull.

2019

Happy new year!  I like New Year's Day because it gives us a fresh start.  A new beginning.  New hope.  Whatever happened last year, we can put it behind us and look to the future.

This year will be whatever we make it, and it starts with having the right attitude.  I came across these quotes about how we should live our lives.  Let them help you jumpstart your life into the beginning of a new year:

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”  -- Ghandi

 “You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you’re going to live. Now.” -- Joan Baez

 

“Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.” -- John Lennon 

 

“You can’t have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time.” -- Charles Kettering

 

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” -- Oscar Wilde

 

 “We are not here merely to make a living. We are here to enrich the world.” -- Woodrow Wilson 

 

“Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.” -- Will Rogers

 

“The only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything.” -- Theodore Roosevelt

 

"Don't be defined by what life throws at you and that you cannot control.  Accept the hand you are dealt with grace and then go on to play that hand as joyously and as vigorously as you can." -- Charles Krauthammer