Summer Fun....

The company is all gone. The carnival has packed up and moved on. The car show and rally is over. So what am I going to do the rest of the summer?

Last week was busy. My niece and her family were here from Corpus Christi. They came for my nephew's high school graduation, and Michelle and the baby stayed a few days. It was only the second time I'd seen baby Kayden. We sure had fun passing him around to hold him (when we could steal him away from "Marmie")!

I took my turn holding Kayden. I tried to teach him his first words, but I just couldn't get him to say "President Romney." I'll have to work on him some more....

The Pampa High School band carnival was also in town last week. As usual, it brought the rain with it. It was nice and cool in the evenings, and a lot of people turned out. I can hear the carnival from my front porch, so I rode the scooter over to check things out. I like to people-watch. It's especially fun to watch when they get off rides like the Zipper or Kamikaze and look like they're about to throw up. It's great! How can you beat entertainment like that? Not in Pampa!

Of course, I had to have my usual cotton candy and $4 corndog. I didn't pay $4 for it. I actually got it free, so the calories don't count, right?

Finally, Pampa had its annual Burnin' the Bricks car show and rally on Saturday. The city closed off several streets downtown, and the cars took over the old "drag" while people lined the sidewalks to watch the parade of classic cars. It was a fun way to spend a Saturday night.

That's how I kicked off the summer months, so what's next? Well, the rodeo is coming up soon....

Call the (Food) Police

The government is stealing our freedoms!

The mayor of New York City thinks he IS the police.... the food police. NYC's Mayor Bloomberg wants to ban the sale of soft drinks larger than 16 ounces at convenience stores and movie theaters. He says these big sugary drinks are making people fat. Well, DUH! If you drink 12 Big Gulps a day, you will be fat! But what business is that of the government?

This loony mayor has too much time on his hands. He's also banned smoking, including at parks and other outdoor public places. He's passed regulations to ban the use of trans fat in foods at restaurants, and he's tried to outlaw salt at restaurants.

Salt! What's next: Large pizzas? Pizza is one of my main food groups. I can scarf down the better part of a large pizza all by myself. If they ever ban this cheesy, pepperoni-covered goodness, I'd starve to death!

The food police has gone overboard. The government needs to stay out of our lives.

Instead of being a food monitor, why doesn't the government crack down on things that are really dangerous? The government says you can't drink a Big Gulp or eat French fries, but you can buy all the beer and wine you want. Salt is bad for your health, so let's ban salt but pass a law to legalize marijuana in America. This is so insane!

It's time to take back our freedoms. I headed to McDonald's, so pass the salt and super-size my fries!  Then, I'm off to the carnival, which is in town this week, to eat all the fried food-on-a-stick I want.  Who's with me?

Election Day!

I'll be going to vote today. I've done my homework, and I'm ready to cast my ballot. That's after the endless ads on TV, mail from candidates and robo calls! If you haven't made up your mind yet, http://www.freevotersguide.com/ is a web site with a lot of good information about the candidates and their positions. It's worth a look before you head to the polls.

I'm disappointed Texas didn't have more say in the choice for the Republican candidate for president. Mitt Romney has it locked up. It will be Texas that puts Romney over the top in the delegate count. I would have liked to have had another choice.

The biggest race in Texas is for U.S. senator with nine candidates on the ballot. This was a tough one because I didn't know much about any of the candidates. That's where the online voters' guide was helpful. I have it narrowed down to two and probably won't make my final decision until I get there.

Texas also has important races for state Supreme Court and State Board of Education. People often overlook these offices, but they help shape our laws and the policies in education.

If you're in District 15, I really recommend Marty Rowley for Board of Education. I knew him when I lived in Amarillo, and I know he is a Christian conservative with a lot of experience in law and education. He's a great man.

There are five propositions on the ballot, covering issues on public prayer, repealing Obamacare, balanced budgets, redistricting and school choice. Take time to read them and pray before marking your ballot.

This is our chance to speak out and have our voices heard, so let's get out there and vote, vote, vote!

Advice for Graduates (and all of us)

Graduation season is here. I have a nephew and several cousins who are graduating. Here's a bit of advice to all the graduates as they leave school and start the next chapter in their lives. Most of these were sent to me from a friend who is 98 years old. He has been around and seen a lot. He has some good advice here for all of us. Enjoy!


 Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

When in doubt, just take the next small step of faith.

Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.

Pay off your credit cards every month.

You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

Always choose life.

Forgive everyone everything.

However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

Believe in miracles.

God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Put God first.

The best is yet to come!!

How You Live It

I live a pretty dull life... most of the time! We're all busy, but what are we busy doing? Sometimes, it's good to stop and look at how we're living. Are we making the most of every day?

Life can be pretty mundane sometimes. But I've always believed that life is what you make of it. If you sit around and do nothing, that's what you'll end up with: Nothing. I like to get out, go places, do something! Even if it's just getting out and going to the park or taking a ride around the neighborhood, I try to get out a little while every day. I don't always do it, but I feel better when I do.

The good doctor even tells me I should get out and go places. Mom worries about me going places sometimes, but good 'ol Doc keeps telling me: "Go, go, go!" So I keep going.

Life's also about taking chances. Learn to live a little. Order that extra dessert. Splurge sometimes. You're worth it! Have a beer (but make it root beer). And go out there and have some fun. Your easy chair will be there when you get back!

The group Point of Grace has a great song, "How You Live." If you listen to the words, it has a great life message. I love this line: "And Have What You Want / But Want What You Have / And Don't Spend Your Life Looking Back."

The whole song is great, so I posted the video here:



Remember, "it’s not who you knew and it’s not what you did.... it’s how you live!"

'Evolution' of Obama

Barack Obama has "evolved." That's right, he has evolved into a moral midget. First, he lied four years ago when he said he believed that "marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman." He said it only because he knew he couldn't get elected if he openly supported gay "marriage."

Now, when he is desperate to win the support of gay groups and liberals, he is showing his true colors. Because of pressure from the Democratic base and his own vice president, Obama announced that he now supports same-sex marriage.

That's no surprise. Since he took office, Obama has done everything in his power to tear down the sanctity of marriage. He ended the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy for the military, and his administration has stopped enforcing the Defense of Marriage Act.

Obama is kicking America down the road to become like Sodom and Gomorrah. God annihilated them because of their wickedness. The imagination of their hearts was evil, and they set their minds to work to find new, unnatural ways to gratify their lust and abominable passions.

America is "evolving," too. It is headed down that same path of destruction. We must repent. We must take a stand against sin in America.

I don't hate gays. If you know me, you know I don't hate anyone. I'm writing this because I don't want anyone to go to hell, and I don't want to see America headed for destruction.

As the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. This is it, folks. We're there. Evil is all around us. People need to get right with God now. If you disagree with me about homosexuality, I just ask you to read and study it in the Bible, in Leviticus 18 and Romans 1. You can ignore me. You can't ignore the Bible.

God made marriage sacred between one man and one woman. Let's keep it that way. As for Obama, in November, he can "evolve" back into a private citizen.

The Plain Truth

Here's something to think about: "It's not in the Bible because it's true; it's true because it's in the Bible."  I've heard that quote before, but it really makes you think, doesn't it?

The Bible is the absolute truth. There are no flaws in it.

People like to treat the Bible like a big buffet, picking and choosing what appeals to their finicky appetites. If they don't like something, they ignore it. If they disagree with it, they say the Bible is out-dated and flawed. The Bible isn't flawed. It's our thinking that is flawed.

Psalm 119:104 says, "Through Thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way."

When I read the Bible, it helps me see how I should be living. Sometimes, it convicts me. Sometimes, I see that I'm not lining up with God's Word. That hurts! But instead of ignoring part of the Bible, I have to take steps to get back in line with it. I have to change. The Bible never changes, so I have to.

That's why God gave us the Bible — to help us. It's not just a bunch of rules. We will have a better life if we follow the Bible. God knows what's best for us, and He's laid out a plan for us. I like the old saying: "BIBLE stands for 'Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth'." He's given us the plan. All we have to do is follow it.

Satan tries to keep us from reading the Bible or, failing that, to prevent us from applying it. The Parable of the Sower demonstrates that some will read God's Word and apply it, causing them to change and line up with it. Others will read but not apply it — and won't change.

The plain truth is the Bible is the answer to all of life's questions. It has never failed, and it never will!