Political Divide

What's happened to the old adage "agree to disagree"?  America has always been divided by politics.  It's the liberals vs. the conservatives.  I was a senior in college in 1992 when Bill Clinton was running against George H.W. Bush.  Many — if not most — of my classmates were liberal Democrats backing Clinton.  I supported the Republican Bush.  We had many lively debates over politics, but we had respect for  each other's views.  There was a level of civility.

Not so anymore.  Since Donald Trump became president, there has been a growing level of intolerance on both sides.  But there's been a wave of liberal rage since Trump took office.

Most of their targets have been on Trump himself with Madonna saying she had "thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House."  Kathy Griffin posed for photos with a bloody replica of the president’s decapitated head.   

From the first day of his presidency, Trump has been met with resistance on everything he's tried to do.  Democrats have been screaming for impeachment and looking for ways to block his agenda.

The latest uproar has been over President Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court — Brett Kavanaugh.  Even before Trump announced his pick, Democrats vowed to fight the nomination.  It didn't matter who he nominated, the Democrats vowed to do whatever it takes to destroy the nominee.  And they have kept their promise, using every dirty trick in the book to bring Kavanaugh down.

When attempts to disqualify him based on his judicial record failed and it looked like Kavanaugh was going to be confirmed, the Democrats were desperate to find another way to destroy him.  They went after his character.  It got nasty.

A former classmate accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a high school party 36 years ago.  She had no proof, no evidence, no witnesses, and Kavanaugh unequivocally denied her claim.   That didn't matter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, though.  Instead of 'Innocent Until Proven Guilty,' he was declared 'Guilty By Accusation' by the liberals on the committee and most in the media.

In a fiery hearing last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee, the accuser laid out her claims against Kavanaugh.  Her story was sketchy and lacked any collaborating details.  Kavanaugh also testified, adamantly denying the accusations.  Despite the lack of evidence, the Democrats are still demanding an FBI investigation into Kavanaugh's background. 

Delay, obstruct and resist has been their plan all along.  From the very beginning, Democrats have tried anything and everything to tank Kavanaugh's nomination.  If it wasn't Kavanaugh, it would be whoever Trump nominated.  The same would be true if the Democrats were in power.  Republicans would try to tear down their nominee. 

It's one thing to disagree over issues, but it's quite another to make such personal attacks and try to ruin someone's reputation because you don't like his political views.

Why can't we all just get along?  We all want the best for the country — whether there's a conservative in the White House or a liberal.

Time Marches On

Memories.  That's about all that's left of the Amarillo Globe-News building, where I worked for 17 years.  The corner of Ninth Avenue and Harrison Street in downtown Amarillo was home of the Globe-News for 70 years.  That changed last week when the paper moved into office space in the FirstBank Southwest building.

The reason: the newspaper has such few employees left in Amarillo.  GateHouse Media purchased the Globe-News last year and consolidated operations.  The paper is printed in Lubbock with pages designed and sent from the GateHouse Center for News and Design in Austin to the regional printing plant in Lubbock.

I remember when there were more reporters and editors than computers in the newsroom.  Reporters had to share computers.  Copy editors had to wait for one of the Mac computers we used to design pages.  If you got up for something, you often lost your seat.  You took a bathroom break at your own risk!

Only a skeleton crew remains in the Amarillo office.  A "Group Publisher" and "Regional Executive Editor" run both the Amarillo and Lubbock papers. 

 In recent weeks, I've read about the retirements of several longtime Globe-News writers.  Columnist Jon Mark Beilue (37 years at G-N), Sports Editor Lance Lahnert (also 37 years) and Director of Commentary Dave Henry (25+ years) have all called it a career.  The paper's just not the same without them.

I'm sure the new reporters and editors at the Globe-News will work just as hard to bring us the day's top stories.  Let's give them a chance.

Change is inevitable.  We have to change with it or get left behind.  Change is hard, but it can be a good thing, too.  I can now read the online edition of the Globe-News instead of the print edition.  That's a good thing.

I guess my message today would be: Embrace the innovations of the future but never forget the lessons of the past.

Big Announcement!

I have exciting news.  I've been working to convert my book, Through Eyes of Faith, into an online e-Book.  People had asked me in the past if there is an e-version of the book.  I'm happy to say there is now an e-version on Christianity Oasis Online!

The new e-Book version has the original story about my life PLUS five new bonus chapters to bring readers up-to-date on where I am now.

The updated version tells about my struggles living with a disability and my faith in God. It details my life of living with cerebral palsy and tells how God has worked in my life, taking me through college and into a career as a journalist and to where I am today living in a nursing home.

Why an update now?  There's several reasons.

The book was first published in 1998, making this the 20th year anniversary of its publication.  I also turn 50 this year.  God has brought me through so much in the last few years, and I believe there are a few more lessons in faith I can share with readers.

With the popularity of e-Books and the ease of self-publishing on the Internet, the timing seemed right.  It's my sincere hope that my story will encourage others in their walk with Christ.

The best part is you can read my e-Book free through Christianity Oasis.  That's right, it's FREE!!  Here is the direct link: Through Eyes of Faith

If it doesn't come up with the direct link, you can also find it by going to  www.puritypublications.com and scrolling down to Book #5139.   The only drawback is you can't download the e-Book.  You have to read it on the Web site.  (By the way, there are many other good books on the site, and they're all free to read.)

I hope you will take some time to read all or part of my e-Book.  The last five chapters, starting at Fast Forward 20 Years, are new, so I hope you will check them out.

Happy reading!

A Better Life Ahead

I've often wondered how different my life might have been if I hadn't been born with cerebral palsy.  When I was younger, I sometimes felt like I was missing out on some childhood games.  I missed climbing trees.  I missed running and playing baseball.  I missed swimming with my friends.  I just felt like I was missing out on life.

I now realize I'm not missing anything because the best is yet to come!

That's the message behind Randy Alcorn's book, Heaven.  He says our present lives are just a taste of what we'll experience when we get to heaven.  Real life is just beginning when we cross over to the other side.  He tells readers to imagine what it will be like to run beside God, laugh with God, discuss a book with God, sing and climb and swim and play catch with God.

If that's not enough to excite you, pick up a copy of this 550-page book.  It will definitely make you long for heaven while living on earth.

We've all heard the old saying “You only go around once on 'this earth, so grab for whatever you can."  For a lot of people, they think this present life is all there is.  Alcorn's book shows us this life is just a shadow of our eternal life — a life far better and one that will never end.

He believes we will get a second chance to have our dreams fulfilled.  Heaven will offer us opportunities we had wished for but never had.  We will get to do things in heaven that we weren't able to do on earth.

That gives me new hope!  In heaven, when I have a perfect, resurrected body, I will run, I will swim, I will play ball, and I'll get to do all of it WITH Jesus!  That's exciting to me.

I could write a lot more about heaven, but I encourage you to make sure heaven will be your eternal home.

RSVP Required

When you think about heaven, what comes to mind?  Many of us may picture ourselves floating on a white cloud and strumming a harp.  Some may imagine heaven as a long continuous church service.  But what is heaven really like?  We really can't know for sure, but a book titled Heaven by Randy Alcorn uses the Bible to show it's not like it's portrayed in many books and popular movies. 

There are many misconceptions about heaven that could be dangerous if we don't learn the truth.  One of the biggest  misconceptions is the belief that everyone goes to heaven when they die.  That may be a comforting thought when we lose a friend or loved one, but it's really a false hope. 

Matthew 7:13-14 says "For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

The truth is if you don't have a relationship with Jesus and accept the gift of salvation, you'll never get to heaven. That may be a hard concept to understand.  Would our loving God really send someone to hell?

Author Randy Alcorn gives a good illustration, and I'd like to share it.  This is from Alcorn's book Heaven: 

"Ruthanna Metzgar, a professional singer, tells a story that illustrates the importance of having our names written in the book.  
Several years ago, she was asked to sing at the wedding of a very wealthy man. According to the invitation, the reception would be held on the top two floors of Seattle’s Columbia Tower, the Northwest’s tallest skyscraper. She and her husband, Roy, were excited about attending. 

At the reception, waiters in tuxedos offered luscious hors d’oeuvres and exotic beverages. The bride and groom approached a beautiful glass and brass staircase that led to the top floor. Someone ceremoniously cut a satin ribbon draped across the bottom of the stairs. They announced the wedding feast was about to begin. Bride and groom ascended the stairs, followed by their guests.
At the top of the stairs, a maitre d’ with a bound book greeted the guests outside the doors. “May I have your name please?” “I am Ruthanna Metzgar and this is my husband, Roy.” He searched the M’s. “I’m not finding it. Would you spell it please?” Ruthanna spelled her name slowly. After searching the book, the maitre d’ looked up and said, “I’m sorry, but your name isn’t here.”

“There must be some mistake,” Ruthanna replied. “I’m the singer. I sang for this wedding!” The gentleman answered, “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you did. Without your name in the book you cannot attend the banquet.”

He motioned to a waiter and said, “Show these people to the service elevator, please.” The Metzgars followed the waiter past beautifully decorated tables laden with shrimp, whole smoked salmon, and magnificent carved ice sculptures. Adjacent to the banquet area, an orchestra was preparing to perform, the musicians all dressed in dazzling white tuxedos.

The waiter led Ruthanna and Roy to the service elevator, ushered them in, and pushed G for the parking garage. After locating their car and driving several miles in silence, Roy reached over and put his hand on Ruthanna’s arm. “Sweetheart, what happened?” “When the invitation arrived, I was busy,” Ruthanna replied. “I never bothered to RSVP. Besides, I was the singer. Surely I could go to the reception without returning the RSVP!”

Ruthanna started to weep — not only because she had missed the most lavish banquet she’d ever been invited to, but also because she suddenly had a small taste of what it will be like someday for people as they stand before Christ and find their names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life."

That may be a simple illustration, but it should make us all want to be sure our names are in the book.  Even if we've been in church all our lives, we still need to make sure we have a personal relationship with Jesus.  That's the only way to get to heaven.

To Be A Good Democrat

I heard this on the radio this week and wanted to share it.  I e-mailed the station and got a copy of it. The following is a good checklist to help me remember why I am a Republican.

Things you have to believe to be a good Democrat
1). You have to believe that the AIDS virus is spread by a lack of Federal funding.

2). You have to believe that the same teacher who can't teach 4th-graders how to read is somehow qualified to teach those same kids about sex.

3). You have to believe that guns in the hands of law-bidding Americans are more of a threat than U.S. nuclear weapons technology in the hands of Chinese and North Korean communists.

4). You have to believe that there was no art before federal funding.

5). You have to believe that global temperatures are less affected by cyclical documented changes in the earth's climate and more affected by soccer mom driving SUVs.

6) You have to believe that gender roles are artificial but being homosexual is natural.

7). You have to be against capital punishment, but support abortion on demand.

8). You have to believe that businesses create oppression and governments create prosperity.

9). You have to believe that hunters don't care about nature, but activists who have never been outside of San Francisco do.

10).You have to believe that self-esteem is more important than actually doing something to earn it.

11). You have to believe that the military, not corrupt politicians start wars.

12). You have to believe the NRA is bad because it supports certain parts of the Constitution, while the ACLU is good because it supports certain parts of the Constitution.

13). You have to believe that taxes are too low, but ATM fees are too high.

14). You have to believe that Margaret Sanger and Gloria Steinem are more important to American history than Thomas Jefferson, Gen. Robert E. Lee, and Thomas Edison.

15). You have to believe that standardized tests are racist, but racial quotas and set-asides are not.

16). You have to believe that Hillary Clinton is normal and is a very nice person.

17). You have to believe that the only reason socialism hasn't worked anywhere it's been tried is because the right people haven't been in charge.

18). You have to believe conservatives telling the truth belong in jail, but a liar and a sex offender belonged in the White House.

19). You have to believe that homosexual parades displaying drag, transvestites, and bestiality should be constitutionally protected, and manger scenes at Christmas should be illegal.

20). You have to believe that illegal Democratic Party funding by the Chinese government is somehow in the best interest to the United States.

21).You have to believe it is freedom of speech according to the constitution to curse God's name in public but a crime against the constitution to say God's name in honor.

22). You have to believe that this message is a part of a vast, right wing conspiracy.

Dear Pampa: 'I'm Not Cold'

The good part of living in a small town like Pampa is.... everyone knows your name. 
The bad part of living in a small town like Pampa is.... everyone knows your name.  I live at the Pampa Nursing Center, and I ride a mobility scooter around town.  Yes, I'm the guy on the flashy red scooter with an orange safety flag.  I ride to one of the nearby parks or sometimes I just sit in the parking lot near the old Hastings and watch the people passing by.

People often notice me and will stop to make sure I'm all right.  Some think I've "escaped" from the nursing center and call the center to report that I'm out.  Others call or text my sister and tell her I'm out and I'm not even wearing a coat!  Trust me, I'm almost never cold, so I hardly ever wear a jacket.

I appreciate everyone watching out for me, and I want to assure everyone that they don't have to worry.  I'm all right.  I'm really a safe rider.  I never text and ride. I try to keep it under the speed limit.... since the scooter only goes 6 mph.  And I stay off I-40 (especially in Carson County near Groom).

Pampa drivers are also friendly.  A lot of them wave as they pass me.... and most of them use more than the middle finger.  You'll have to forgive me if I don't wave back. I have to keep both hands on the scooter.

Seriously, though, I do thank everyone for their concern.  We have to watch out for each other.  That's what makes Pampa a great place to live.