GIVE ME A BREAK: TV NEWS TALKING WHO IS RUNNING IN 2016? IS CABLE WORTH IT?

This morning, I listened as Chuck Todd led a discussion on who are the most likely candidates for President in 2016.  Chuck, don't jump the gun.  We haven't even finished 2013 and we haven't had the 2014 congressional elections. Please spare us, news junkies and news commentators!  Enough is enough. Here are my wishes for 2014.

1. Cable stop showing the same show back to back on weekends and during the weekdays.  Enough is enough. I like Law and Order: SUV but USA network and TBN and even the local fox station flood tv with these reruns.  USA and TBN, please put some programming on your channels.
2. All cable channels stop the REALITY SHOWS.  Dog the Bounty Hunter, Storage Wars, Storage Wars: Texas, 19 children and counting, Rodeo Girls, Ax men, honey Bo Bo, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, American Hoggers, Duck Dynasty....shall I go on?  The shows on cable television are not worth the money it costs.
3. Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, and all other news stations drive me nuts with all of their news analysis shows.  We hear the same topics day in and day out.  For the last three years, we have heard about Obamacare and how it will fail.  We have seen shows with very little to add to the discussion.  We have commentators and politicians commenting on subjects they have researched or events or interviews they have not read or seen.  Give us the facts not rhetoric.

Many Americans are now turning off cable to save the expense.  Local channels are free.  With the correct indoor antenna, it is possible to listen to all the major networks and PBS.  What more do we need?  

There are other reasons to get rid of cable besides the money saved.  There is the noise factor.  We all need time to think and meditate so having less channels will mean less noise in our lives.  It will also allow us to be less influenced by the Rush Limbaugh, Chris Matthews, Bill O'Rileys on tv.

I do not advocate eliminating tv altogether, but I do advocate watching less tv and do more reading, research, and talking face to face with others.  I plan to make this my new years resolution.  Less TV and internet and more interaction in personal relationships is my slogan for the new year.

Think about it.

GOOD NEWS IN TOUGH TIMES

The Springfield News-Leader, our local newspaper, had these headlines on the front page,

"FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOR, WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD."

 LUKE 2:1-20 21ST CENTURY KING JAMES VERSION

The color of Jesus' skin is not important.  The date of Jesus' birth is not important.  The exact site of Jesus' birth is not important.  The differences in the events described by Matthew and Luke is not important.Whether the events Matthew and Luke are historical facts or a story is not important. Here are the facts I find important in this story:

1. The Parents were not politicians or kings or any type of prominent people in that day.  They were ordinary people.  Joseph was a carpenter.  He probably made farming tools, house parts, furniture, and kitchen utensils.
2. They were not married when Jesus was conceived. Mary was a virgin.  
3. Jesus was born in a stable where animals were kept.
4. The lineage of Jesus included non-Jews.  One was Rahab, a harlot, who hid the spies in Jericho. The other was Ruth, the grandmother of David the King. Non-Jews came to see Jesus after his birth:  the Magi or the Wisemen. 
5. The Priests and the Rulers were not there.  In fact, King Herod sought to kill Jesus when he heard of the birth. The Priests were suppose to be God's representatives.  They were suppose to be pure.  They were the top class in those considered to be clean and pure for marriage.  They could only marry other pure and clean Jews.  Non priests or non Levites who were pure and clean were second class citizens who were free to marry other non Levites and priests.  Illegitimate children of priests, half breed Jews, prostitutes, and other person who were unclean made up the third class of people.  They could not marry Levites and Priests nor could they marry pure and clean nonLevite Jews.  Unbarren parents, eunuchs, homosexuals, hermaphrodites were the fourth class of citizens. They were an abomination because they could not bare children.  Gentiles was last.  They could not marry any clean and pure Jew.  They were heathens and unacceptable.
6. The Shepherds were single men without children who did not inherit land from family.  They were paid wages and often nomadic.  They stayed with the herds both day and night.  Although important to the economy, they were not considered the top of the A-list of the day.

The birth of Jesus shows that God so loved the world that God became human to show us the way to live.  Jesus came so we could receive the Love, the joy, the peace, the gentleness, the kindness, the self-control, and patience to live in a world filled with stress, disappointments, depression, disease, destruction, and disasters.  Jesus came to show us the foundation of life is love for God, others, self, and universe or God's creation.  Jesus came for everyone not just Jews.  Everyone includes persons regardless of gender, age, nationality, ethnicity, economic status, education level, and sexual orientation.   This is the Good News for Tough Times.  

Merry Christmas!  Happy Holidays!  Season's Greetings!

POPE FRANCIS, PHIL ROBERTSON, MEGYN KELLY, THE WAR ON CHRISTMAS, CONSERVATIVES AND LIBERALS

Much has been written about Pope Francis, Phil Robertson, Megyn Kelly, and others who have expressed views that are controversial in a country that calls itself the "city on the hill" shining as the example of democracy and freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to own guns among other freedoms granted by the founding documents of the United States.

Phil Robertson

Phil Robertson is not a country bumpkin.  He is a college educated businessman who has built an empire on the duck calls he created. Phil graduated with a Masters Degree in education from Louisiana Tech. Phil was the quarterback of the Louisiana Tech who was one year ahead of Terry Bradshaw.   Terry stated that Phil was more interested in hunting than football.  Phil had a chance to play professional football for the Washington Redskins, but turned it down..   Phil married his wife in 1966.  They have four children.  Robertson converted to Christianity at the age of 28.  He is an active member of the Church of Christ.

Megyn Kelly is a well educated lawyer who has been a news commentator on Fox Years for several years.  She has been married twice.  She is a mother.  She is Roman Catholic.

Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936.  He was ordained a priest in 1969 and is a member of the Jesuit order.  He was a chemical technician and a bouncer before he entered the priesthood.  On February 28, he was elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Since his election, he has gained praise for his concern for the poor.  He chose to live a simpler life than previous popes.  Some of his views on homosexuality and other practices of the Catholic church have led to his selection as Person of the Year by Time Magazine.   There are those who refer to him as a Marxist for his views on economic inequality.

There are many others who have entered all of our lives this year for their remarks or actions.  We have Sarah Palin, Alec Baldwin, Martin Bashir, Pat Robertson, and even the President of the United States who have made statements that have become fodder for news pundits and sometimes erupted in protests.

In all of this heated discussion and debate, let us not forget that these individuals are people.  They have all made statements that have inflamed us.  We often resort to bully tactics to prove our point.  I have heard commentators who have said the problem some have with Duck Dynasty is because they are folksy, down home, country bumpkins.  Maybe so.  Some point to GLAAD as driving the current outrage at Phil Robertson.  Yet, we all forget that all of these individuals are people.  All people are worth of love.  God is love.  God loves Pope Francis as much as God loves Phil Robertson.  God loves Jews just as much as God loves Christians.  God loves GLBT folks as much as God loves straight people.  God loves Baptists as much as God loves Methodists.  God loves Republicans as much as God loves Democrats.

No one is perfect.  We all say things we wish we hadn't.  Name calling, bullying, and the war on each other must stop though for this is not God's way.  We need to recognize some realities about life and our country.  We are made of all types of people. We have room in this country for gay people as well as straight people. We have room for Republicans as well as Democrats.  Love is the key.  Martin Luther King, Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela have shown the way.  Jesus has called us to love not hate.

Brandon Wallace writes the blog "The Gay Christian" (http://thegaychristian.com/?p=1299&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sibling-rivalry)  Brandon recently wrote about the way we have handled the divide that we feel exists in our country on issues like Gay Rights.  He wrote the following:

"True, I do it for one because I really do believe they are wrong, and there is a lot of hurt and pain and abuse and suicide and murder that takes place because of the things that they teach about homosexuality. But, after some introspection, I also believe sometimes I do it because I still want to feed off of that drive to please the conservatives. I was reminded this morning of a verse Paul wrote: If I am trying to please people, I am no longer a servant of Christ (Gal. 1:10).

",,,if I can remind myself that they are brothers and sisters before God, just like anyone else, then I am more likely to lovingly discuss the topics with them, without it getting out of hand. Then, and only then, is Christ involved in the discussion. Love is the only force powerful enough to break down prejudice and bigotry. Just because we can sometimes scream louder than the other side doesn’t mean anyone is actually listening. The only time listening occurs is when things get quiet, you give your brother a cup of tea, and you ask them to share their story, their views, and you share yours as well."

Thank you Brandon for sharing your insights.  May we all see God's way is not our way!

No Room at the Inn, but plenty of room at the Table

My earliest memory of Christmas is the Christmas pageant at church.  When I was about five or six, I was selected to play Joseph.  I didn't have a speaking part.  My job was to escort Mary down the aisle and then sit on a paint can.  Boy, that took some acting.  Even though I was skinny and small, sitting on that paint bucket was painful.  Today, I look back at that experience and chuckle for the event we celebrate is about a young woman who was engaged but also pregnant.  Religious rules automatically declared that she was a fornicator and should be stoned to death.  Yet, her fiance chose to embrace the child and went with her to register in Bethlehem as required by law.  When they arrived, she went into labor.  Since so many visitors had come to register as decreed by Caesar, there was no rooms available at the inn.  The Son of God was born to a poor couple in a cave used to house animals.  Jesus was one of the 47% that Romney described.  He was one of the 99% who are not rich.  He was one of the 40% of births who are born to unwed parents.

For a nobody with so much against him, his birth made rumbles in the King's palace.  Herod ordered the death of all male babies below the age of two in Bethlehem.  When he was 12, he challenged the doctor's of canonical law at the temple in Jerusalem.  In his ministry, he lived like a homeless person with no job who lived off the welfare of people.  He dare to challenge the rites, the rituals, and the interpretations, and applications of religious practices.  He called the religious leaders hypocrites because they sought to appear righteous and holy in public but used their positions for personal wealth and gain.  He told them that their requirement were so harsh that no one could make it into God's kingdom.  To all,  he declared "whosoever will come."  He hung out with the undesirables of the day:  the woman in adultery, the tax collectors, the man born blind, the poor, the children, and the masses.

The little baby born in a stable brought the good news to all men as declared by the angles.  His message was simple for God so loved the world.  God is love and love is God.  He preached transformation by promoting justice, mercy, and walking humbly before God.  He declared that judgement will be based on how we treat the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the widows, the orphans.  He told us to love God and to love others as we love ourselves.  In his parables, he told us to do good for evil like the Good Samaritan did to the Jewish who was robbed and beaten. Today, that would be a gay man or a black man or a homeless man stopping to help a white man or a wealthy man or a homophobic man.  In the prodigal son, we see God's love and forgiveness is given to us even when disown God.  We also see the jealousy of those who claim to love God in the other son.

Jesus showed us a better way.  In the parable about the Last Supper, the invited guests make excuses for not coming to the feast so the Host told his servants to go invite the woman walking the streets, the homeless man sleeping under the bridge, the child who has been beaten and abused.  The Host made room for all of them at the table.

This month we celebrate the birth of the one who would teach us about the table.  God's table is open to all will come.  The table is for everyone.  No one should be excluded.  No preparation is necessary for we encounter God when we drink the cup and eat the bread as way of remembering what God showed us when God became Jesus at a time when there was no room for him to be born.  In a few months, we will remember why God came by remember God's death, burial, and resurrection.

If there is anything to celebrate next week, it is the celebration of being included not excluded.  It is the celebration of being loved and not rejected due to the color of our skin, how we dress, who we worship, who we love, where we were born, or our economic status.  God loves us...everyone.

Galatians 3:28 (NLT)

 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:11 (NLT)

 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

How are Gay marriage, Keeping Christ in Christmas, and the Duck Dynasty issue the same?

Americans love controversy for we sure seem to thrive on them.  If there isn't one, we seem to create them.  A college professor once asked us why is there chaos in our world?  why are there are differing opinions? Why are there so many different versions of the Bible?  He answered there is order in chaos.  Differing opinions keep order for it implies there is freedom of thought, freedom of speech, and the freedom to choose.  There are so many versions of the Bible to keep the word of God pure.

This year, we have been confronted with gay marriage and the NSA scandal.  We have had political stalemates over the budget and the debt ceiling.  We have a contrived war on Christmas.  Then there is the Duck Dynasty issue over what Phil Robertson said about Gays and African Americans.  Sometimes, I don't like to read the paper or watch tv news for it is all about these controversies.  Then we have the entertainment world that occupies so much of our time.  We are bombarded with who is not wearing makeup or what Kim Kardashian wears.  It would be wonderful if the news reported only the news I want to hear or everyone has the same opinion as me, but alas they don't.

It is these situations and differences that often prompt wars fought with weapons and loss of life and then there are wars fought with thoughts, ideals, and words that lead to laws being passed or actions taken.  Sola Scriptura is a doctrine that states they only authority for truth is Scripture.  This is a Protestant view created to combat the Roman Catholic view that Scripture and Tradition are sources of truth.  The infallibility of the Pope was asserted and finally adopted in 1870 as a defense against sola scriptura and fundamentalism.  Protestants and even non church persons in the US often use the doctrine of Sola Scriptura as the argument for a theocracy.   Views on same sex marriage and same sex orientation are argued based on the authority of their interpretation of the Bible.  Keeping Christ in Christmas battles are fought over whether one says Happy Holidays, Merry Xmas or Merry Christmas.  Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty made statements based on his views and his interpretations of the Bible and Christianity.  All of these controversies are more about religious beliefs than unalienable rights.

This week, a federal judge ruled that the voters of Utah denied the rights of same sex couples to marry by their vote to ban same sex marriage.  Do voters have that right?  What is the basis for the ban?  Again, it boils down to religious views vs unalienable rights.  This is similar to the slavery issue before the Civil War.  Before the Civil War, denominations split over the religious views and understanding of slavery.  The Methodist Church was split into the Southern Methodist Church and the Methodist Church.  The Baptist split into Northern Baptist and Southern Baptist.  We think that is awful today but religion was used as defense and as an offense to slavery.

Texas wants to secede from the US.  Some counties in Northern Colorado held a vote to secede from Colorado and form a new state because they did not agree with the strict gun laws passed by the state legislature and signed by the governor.  We have a divided Congress where the House is controlled by Republicans and the Senate by Democrats.  Many of the people in the US blame the President for this divide.  But what it boils down to is the age old problem in the US.  Conservatism vs. Liberalism.  Social Justice vs. Laissez faire capitalism, states rights vs strong central government.  In reality, all of this boils down to control and power, right and wrong, and religious belief.

The argument over the ACA is greater than "being forced" to buy insurance.  That is the cover for something deeper.  We have a clash of wills in this country.  Many of views are influenced by the views of parents as they were passed on to us.  We do not like to see change.  The older generation always sees the younger generation has being flawed and worries about the future  Yet, all of this points back to the chaos of a country who espouses "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness."  this points back to the view that all are created equal with unalienable rights.

Whose rights are more important?  As a Christian, do I have the right to expect everyone has the same views as me?  Do I have the right to prevent others from "sinning"?  As a Muslim, do I have the right to put someone to death because my religious beliefs gives me the right to destroy infidels?  We live in a pluralistic society so freedom of religion means I have the right to worship God as I believe but it does not give me the right to impose what I believe as the law for all to obey.

The battle will continue long after I am gone and it should for the chaos and the sharp disagreements we have show that our unalienable rights are maintained.  The NSA controversy is scary for it is an extreme abuse of power than can deny our unalienable rights.  Thank God for activist judges who see that unalienable rights are not determined by votes of the people.  Unalienable rights are defined as rights given to us by God or as the founding document says by our Creator.  I do not want anyone to vote on what churches are sanctioned by the state and that I can attend only those churches.  In the same manner, I do not want anyone to have the right to vote who I can marry or what I can say or how I do or do not celebrate Christmas.

Phil Robertson has every right to state his views openly and freely.  A & E has the right to ban him from the show because of what he said.  When we express our thoughts, we assume responsibility for what we say.  There is no need to clarify, apologize, or correct.  Many in our country believe Mr. Robertson and his family represent family values.  I am sure they have many good qualities.  I watched one episode of the show.  This is not the type of show I find entertaining or wholesome.  I do not like reality shows.  That is my choice.  I have decided that on my own.  That is my inalienable right.   I defend Mr. Robertson's right to say what he said and I defend A & E's right to take action as they did.

What I dislike the most is Christians acting like they are the victim.  They are experiencing challenges to their actions and beliefs.  They are not the only religion in our country.  They are not the sole authority.  They are a voice that should be heard but they do not have the right to dictate how others live, act, or believe.  This is the American way.

What I dislike the most is the battle between liberalism and conservatism that has erupted into name calling and finger pointing.  I would love for all us to perfect and ideal but then that would prevent us from practicing our unalienable rights.  As long as there is freedom, there will be differences.  There will be battles fought in words, television news analysis, and actions taken.

All of this makes me proud to be an American as we continue the struggle to learn what it means to be the home of the brave and the land of the free.  Professor, you were right.  Chaos brings order.

Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words never will

May I be importune for a moment without being descant or hebetate or do I have to be blandish for you to see my point? 

Words are tools of communication yet they can barriers especially if the person receiving them has no idea what is being communicated.  Here is another way of stating the message:  May I ask you annoyingly without going into great detail or giving boring illustrations or flowering you with flattery for you to see my point?  Does it make sense now?  Communication occurs when the hearer understands what the speaker is saying. 

You'll never amount to anything!  You are going to hell!

Words can and do hurt even though they don't break bones.  Words can break the spirit or damage the emotions of the receiver.  Words like You will never amount to anything to a child destroys hope that a child has or the feeling of acceptance.  Words used by bosses to demean employees can have a negative effect on employee morale and employee production.  Words spoken in anger or words spoken in disgust cannot be recalled for once they are said, the harm is done.

Politically Correct Words

Words can become taboo or not accepted in by a majority of society.  We call this being "politically correct"  God has now become a genderless word.  There was a time when God was referred to as Father God or He.  Now, God is often called Father/Mother God or he or she.  Some have eliminated he or she and just the word God each time a reference is made to God.  Pregnant is now spoken freely in our society.  Sixty Years ago it would not be used in public.  She is in a family way would be proper to say back then.  

Books have been banned because of words or concepts conveyed in the book. Schools had The Adventures of Tom Sawyer  on recommended reading lists 60 years ago.  Today, it is under fire for the use of the "n" word.  

This week a controversy has arisen over the words used by Phil Robertson of the tv Show Duck Dynasty over the words he spoke against homosexuality in an interview he gave to a magazine.  Now, he is banned from the tv show.  There are those who say this is the right thing to do and there are those who say this is a violation of free speech.  Who is right?  Free Speech gives one the right to say or speak what he believes.  It is not a guarantee that everyone will accept it.

Here is something to think about

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."   Paul  in Philippians 4:8

Rather than being combative and insisting that you are always right, how about taking the time to listen what others are saying.  Although you may not agree with what they say, they have the right to say them.  Yes, we should not accept words that can break the spirit of a person.  We are called to think about what is noble, what is right, what is pure, what is lovely and admirable.  We should use words that build up not tear down society or others.

PRICELESS GIFTS

There are some things in life that are so valuable that no one buy or trade or sell.  I experienced such a gift last night when I attended the Christmas Concert for the 1st grade at my 6 year granddaughter's school.  She was dressed in the most beautiful dress and as she told me when she was going in, "Grandpa, I am wearing panty hose."  She was nervous because she had a speaking park in the program entitle, "The Little Bell that Couldn't Ring."  When she stepped to the microphone to say here part, I knew she was going to well.  She spoke slowly and distinctly.  Honestly, she was the only one in her grade that I understood.  The rest were so nervous that they rattled off the part.  What a priceless gift!

This reminded of the days when her mom was her age and our three children were in different programs.  Sat through concerts as a parent.  Last night, my daughter was the parent.  I admire my children for the way they are so involved in their children's lives.  My daughter and son-in-law worked with my granddaughter to make sure she would do well and it showed.

There was a cloud hanging over all of us though.  My granddaughter reported the surgery center this morning to have cataracts removed from her left eye.  They installed a lens implement.  This was discovered in a recent eye test at school and verified by the eye doctors.  She had 20/100 vision in the eye.  I could tell my daughter and son-in-law were carry a heavy load last night.  I wanted so much to take it for them, but my wife and I went through the same thing 30 years when my daughter had surgery because she had 20/100 vision.  This morning as they came for my granddaughter to go into surgery, my granddaughter started crying.  My aches for both her parents and her.

My granddaughter came through the surgery.  They were able to get both the primary and secondary cataract removed.  Thank you Lord.  Now, here comes the recovery.  Eye drops, eye patch, and being still will be hard but she must for a few days.  I remember what a difference this surgery made in my daughter's life.  I know it will do the same for my granddaughter.  There is no price one can place on the great advances in medicine that made this possible.

Thank God for my family.  I am blessed with three wonderful children and three great in laws and seven of the best grandkids in the world.  I am thankful for my ex-wife and her husband for the parents of my in laws who get along so well and are there to root and support the grandchildren as they grow and learn.  This is priceless.  Thank you God fr allowing me have such a wonderful extended family.

This past weekend, I went out to eat with friends.  Three of us were celebrating birthdays.  We all had such a great time as we consumed steak at Outback and then some great ice cream at Braum's.  Having friends to share a laugh, enjoy a meal, and do things with is priceless.  To all my friends, thank you for allowing me to call your friend.

I would rather have these two gifts than a new tie or a socks or anything would buy and wrap and place under the tree, for I have the most priceless gifts in all the world.  Thank you God!



 .

DOES BINDI IRWIN HAVE A BOYFRIEND?

Several headlines caught my attention as I was digesting the daily news.

1. Does Bindi Irwin Have a Boyfriend?
2. Miley Cyrus Finally Opens Up About Liam Hemsworth Split: "I Was So Scared of Ever Being Alone"
3. Jessica Simpson Goes Makeup-Free For Date Night
4. Amber Rose Stuns In Before And After Pregnancy Photos
5. Kim Kardashian Reveals Her Favorite Thing About Baby North
6. Katie Holmes Rocks Short Skirt, New Haircut At Z100's Jingle Ball In NYC
7. Jamie Lynn Spears Shares Holiday Photo of Shirtless Fiance, Grown Up Daughter Maddie: See the Cute Pic
8. Peyton Manning's Wife Gave Him A Pep Talk When His Injury Wasn't Healing And He Thought He Was Toast
9. Blake Lively's Dream Christmas Present Would 'Bankrupt' Ryan Reynolds
10. Milan Lucic gets into altercation outside bar

What qualifies these stories as worthy news?  I am not interested in Bindi's boyfriend or Miley's split or Jessica going without makeup.  I have no idea who Amber Rose or Blake Lively or Milan Lucic are.  Kim Kardashian has too much publicity.  Katie Holmes can wear what she wants to wear.  I don't care to read about it.  Peyton and his wife should keep their discussions private.  I find such coverage to be a waste of time to read, to print, or to make national news.

Technological innovations are great.  It is nice to see events around the world as they occur or in minutes after they happen.  It isn't necessary to continually cover the story 24/7 though.  When an event like the school shooting in Denver happens, we see it on every news broadcast and for days, we hear reports and more reports when there is nothing new to report.  This happens until the next big event occurs.  

News Agencies should also report the facts.  One of the most frustrating events after Hurricane Katrina was the coverage of New Orleans as though the storm only hit New Orleans.  New Orleans was flooded but Katrina hit Mississippi.  I was there.  I know.  I recently took a cab for an appointment.  The cab driver thought it happened in New Orleans.  We have news sources now that report news from a slanted view point.  It is clear that slant news channels are greatly influencing American opinion. Repetition is the motherhood of learning some say.  Certainly, some news channels have different shows with different hosts but they all seem to have the same theme.  The other name for this is propaganda.   I don't know about you, but when I have eaten the same meal three times in a row, I am sick of it and don't care to have it for awhile.

Christians seem to think there is a war on Christmas (nothing new) and they feel they are being prosecuted, persecuted, and personified as the big bad wolf.  Wake up and smell the coffee.  You say that America is a city set on a hill.  You say this is a Christian nation.  Yet, you see this country as your right to dictate how people live, what people think, and what people do.  Our ancestors took this land away from the natives who lived here way before us.  Christianity called them savages and heathens and forced them to convert with a gun in their face.  We made promises we did not keep and we gave them diseases that killed them.  

Christianity took Winter Solstice and turned it into Christmas.  Yule, Christmas trees, gift giving, Christmas Carols, and big meals originated in pagan festivals but today are considered Christian symbols of Christmas.  Read a story recently circulated about a man waiting in line behind a woman at a cash register.  She was speaking in a foreign language.  When she finished talking on the phone, the man told her that this is the United States and we speak English here.  If she wanted to speak Spanish, she should go back to Mexico where she came from.  The woman replied I was speaking Navajo.  If you want to speak English, you should go back to England where you came from.  

A letter to the editor in our local paper printed a letter from a Christian who suggested if we didn't like Christmas, we shouldn't celebrate it.  We should get a day of our own.  The writer suggested April 1.  The Celtic and the ancient Huns and the Vikings may say the same to us, get another day.  We had this time as our Winter Solstice celebration long before you turned it into Christmas.

I am a Christian and I don't feel like I am being persecuted or that there is war or Christmas nor do I feel I must be an "fundamentalist" or an "evangelical" to be a Christian.  I don't have to be a liberal.  I am a follower of Christ.  There are far greater problems in our country other than Bindi's boyfriend or what Katie wore or why Miley broke up with her boyfriend.  There are far greater issues than a war on Christmas.  We need to face the tasks of being the home of the brave and the land of freedom and equality.  

I would like to think we are all smarter than Rush Limbaugh or Bill ORiley or Rachel Maddow.  I would hope that we can see through the propaganda and see that we have a responsibility to clean up our lives as individuals and as a nation before we can ever expect to be the leader of the free world.  Spying like what has been revealed this year does not promote us as a nation who is worthy to be called the greatest nation on earth.  Calling each other liberals, right-wingers, marxists, or any other name does not qualify us as leaders.  It seems to me, that is more  childish than being responsible and accountable for our actions.

If there is anything we should do this time of year is change our ways of thinking, our ways of doing, and our ways of faith.  Remember the greatest of all is love. 

Think about it.

Roy

Say what?......I don't understand.

I taught a remedial math class at a community college for students who could not understand basic math concepts that most of us don't understand.  There was a lady in class who did not know how to divide.  She could not grasp the concept.  I tried everything I could think about.  She became so frustrated that she started to walk out of class and not come back.  Her comment to me was always "Say What?" when she did not understand so when she arose and started putting her books together to leave, I asked her the same question, "Say what?".  She looked me with fire in her eyes.  I stated, "You heard me.  I asked you say what?  You have said that to me so many times in this class when you did not understand.  Now, I don't understand.  You want to give up on conquering something that has controlled your life and keeps you from fulfilling your potential. I don't understand why you want to give up now for we have come so far."  I took an orange and cut it in eight pieces and asked her what I just did.  From there, we moved on to division and we spend time very basic and simple division.  Suddenly, the light flickered and it was clear to her.  She became so excited that she worked division problems for the rest of the night.

There are so many times we come against something that seems to be so high we cannot climb it, so wide that we cannot hug it, and so deep that we cannot comprehend it.  I once told my accounting class if they wanted a good sleeping pill to crawl in bed and take your accounting textbook and hold it above your head and attempt to read.  Soon, it will drop and knock you out and you can sleep.  That is how life comes at times.  We come up against the impossible. Yet, we read about those people who faced impossible situations yet they pushed on and found ways to make it happen.

This is where faith comes into play.  Hope is a wish or a desire or an expectation.  Faith takes the desire, the wish, and the expectation and puts legs on hope for there are times when action is required even though we don't know where the next step will lead.  Yet, we know that this is the right thing to do so we step forward even though it might be painful.  Sad to say, we don't seem to have many people today who live by a faith that is so strong  they stand for what is good even if it means pain or loss of life.

Often, we are willing to settle for the immediate, the gratification, the acceptance, the award, the opinion poll than live by faith knowing although it is unpopular it is the right thing to do.  I cannot imagine what I would do if I had been imprisoned for 27 years like Mandela.  When released, he forgave those who imprisoned him falsely and sought to work with them.  He was not bitter nor did he seek revenge.  I cannot imagine what I would do if I were Gandhi.  I don't know if I could go on a hunger strike or lead a nonviolent movement to win freedom.  There are men like Harvey Milk and Mel White.  We cannot forget Mother Teresa.  None of these people were perfect.  They had flaws, yet they dared to do what was good and what was right.

Jesus calls us to treat others as we want to be treated.  That is not always easy, yet it is the right and the good thing to do.  Jesus commands us to love God and love others as we love ourselves.  Jesus challenges us to to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit those in prison.  Jesus showed us that a true friend is willing to lay down his life for his friend.  Jesus showed us that humility, showing mercy, and standing for justice makes one happy and blessed.  Jesus told us that what comes out of our mouths reveals what we are really like.

May the God who is love, who is just, and who is merciful show us the right thing and the good thing so we may be people who walk by faith.

THINKING OUT LOUD....OPEN MOUTH INSERT FOOT....OOPS!

Thinking out loud can sure get one in trouble.  I know from first hand experience.  I have done that on this blog and many who read it stopped because they thought I had lost it or I didn't fit into their scheme of life.  Sad to say, we are all guilty of prejudice, discrimination, and withdrawing from those who may differ with us or from us.  It would be wonderful if we could learn to accept each other for who we are, our actions motivated by our unconditional love, and our attitudes bathed in being color blind to race, respect for all religions, our desire for equality for persons of different genders and sexual orientation, and demand for justice and mercy.  It would be ideal to live in a world where everyone had a job with a livable wage, no one was homeless, and everyone had food to eat.

We don't live in a perfect world.  We are all imperfect.  For Christians, this life is about going on to perfection or as John Wesley understood it being perfect in our love for God is love.  This life is about learning to live in the kingdom of God here on earth now not later.  This calls for transformation.  The writer of Hebrews calls for us to let go of the weights that tie us down and keep us from continuing to be transformed.  We all grow up with these weights.  Some of them include our images of the past and our understanding of the ways should be.   Here are some examples of weights that public figures and ordinary people deal with but do not realize it.

This is not about "politically correct" (a term used to defend the weights we carry" or being liberal or right wing (Other terms used to defend the weights we carry).  This is about recognizing what we thought is true isn't really true.  We need to change or be transformed.

1.  Megyn Kelly, a Fox News On Air Anchor, recently stated that Santa Claus and Jesus are white.  Megyn makes a common assumption that is verified by the United States Government classification of persons from the Middle East as white so Jesus is white. Does this make it correct?  Not really but is it really important.  NO!  However, there is a point here.  To declare Jesus as White could indicate an attitude that being white is superior.  I would shudder to think that is what Megyn meant.  Megyn's assumption is only that:  an assumption.  This is how she sees Jesus.  Does this mean Megyn is racist? Let's hope not. Is this something I should get upset about?  NO!  The real point is learning to accept others views also.  
2. The War on Christmas  gets uglier each year as we chided for saying anything other than Merry Christmas by some.  Merry Xmas is not wrong.  X is the symbol used for Christ in the early days of Christianity.  Happy Holidays refers to the root meaning Happy Holy Days.  Is there a war on Christmas?  Some choose not to celebrate the holy day.  Some say that is a pagan holiday.  True, the early Church adopted the pagan holiday to draw believers away from the practice of the pagan holiday.  Some berate the celebration as being too commercialized.  Yes, it is one of the biggest money makers for retailers.  If there is, it has been going on longer than I have been alive.  Is it something I should get upset about.  NO!   Again, the real point is learning to accept others who are not like us in our views and actions.
3. People on welfare are lazy drug addicts who stay on welfare forever and get rich.  They have babies to get more welfare.  Most of them are illegal aliens.  Only 4.1% of Americans are on welfare according to the U S Government survey completed in September 2013.  Welfare recipients are required to get a job within two years or lose their benefits.  Some states have declared that having more children will not increase benefits.  States testing for drug use among welfare recipients is about the same as the general public.  39.8% of welfare users are black and 38.8% are white.  Illegal aliens are not eligible for welfare assistance only emergency medicaid assistance.  Fraud exists no doubt.  Yet, our government only spends $131.9 billion each year on public welfare assistance.  That is about 13% of the national budget.  39 states pay more per hour in welfare assistance than the minimum wage.  Most people on welfare do not want to be on welfare.  Many work minimum wage jobs like McDonalds and Walmart.  There are no easy solutions here, yet this is something we should care about.  How can we help as a nation, as a state, as a community, as a person?  If every person who complains about this would assist their local charity groups with both money and volunteer efforts, we could help lower the government assistance needed.
4. The Message of the Christ of Christmas (those who are concerned about the war on Christmas listen) is as follows:  (Matthew 25:31-43)

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me."    JESUS

WAKING UP BEFORE THE ROOSTER CROWS

My mother use to wake me up around 4:30 a.m. and ask this question, "Are ya up yet?"  "Of course not", I would reply, "what sane person wakes up this early in the a.m.".   There was a lull and Mom would say "Me".  Well, mom, I owe you an apology.  I am now at the age you were when you started making those phone calls so now I understand what waking up before the rooster crows means.

Growing up on a farm, we were use to the rooster crowing every morning.  The hounds would respond.  Then the chickens and the geese began to stir.  The Pigs were grunting and the cows started moving.  It was time to begin the new day.  We went to bed with the hens and got up before the rooster crows in those days so we could be ready to work in the fields before the heat of the day.  Jimmy Stewart had nothing on us.  "It was a wonderful life".  Well, I didn't think so.  Was so glad when television came along and we moved to the city and we could sleep later than the rooster crowing.  In fact, we didn't have any roosters around to crow just an old fashioned alarm clock to go off at the most inopportune time.

The years passed and mom grew older.  The phone calls started.  It was around seven at first.  Then it keep getting earlier.  I couldn't believe it when I would hear the ring ring at 4:30 a.m.  My eyes could not open.  My ears were clogged.  I wanted to ignore, but I knew it would continue so I answered as gleefully as I could.  Now that I am the same age as my mom when the calls started, I have learned what it means to arise before the rooster crows.  I don't call my children nor any friend at this hour, but I do enjoy the time.

It is a time to enjoy the quiet.  There is something about the early morning before the world stirs, the traffic rushes, the television blares, the radio waves roll that calms the soul.  The Psalmist calls us "to be still and know that I am God".  There is no better way to begin the day that the quiet time of the early morning when the physical, the mind, the spirit, and the soul can be still and enjoy the presence of the one is greater than any of us....God, our creator, our redeemer, and our sustainer.

Instead of seeing God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

 I find comfort in understanding God as creator for God is the one who formed the universe and started the detailed relationships of God, humans, animals, plants, and non living things in a universe that exists in delicate relationships that depend on proper balance of the relationships.

  I find comfort in God the redeemer for I feel the unconditional love of the eternal God who is love as God becomes one of us so that we may truly see what it means to be redeemed from the tangles of politics, religion, and economics that builds cultures and civilizations that are foreign to the unconditional love of God.

 I find comfort in God the sustainer for God is here.  God is still creating through us and in us.  God is still redeeming us and in us and through us.  God sustains through the love of others who add something to our lives by being there for us in times of joy, sorrow, and in times of forgiveness for tresspasses that we have committed.

That is why mom always called me early.  Sometimes, she read Scripture and found something she wanted to share the joy of God's presence.  Sometimes, she was lonely and wanted to hear my voice to give her comfort in those early hours.  Sometimes, she wanted to talk about something that bothered her and she wanted to confess and make right what she had wronged.  Mom taught me a lot about God in those early hours that I did not see then nor did I want to hear, but thank you Mom for those calls.  I know enjoy the time before the rooster calls.  I sense the presence of God for as Kirk Talley so aptly sings, "He is Here".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMvf4Pk-wao&list=TLKB-QOYMOMiymEQ0c8ioxdqIwTp7EQ-3f

MY 3 YEAR OLD GRANDSON SKUNKED ME IN UNO MOO

When I taught accounting, I told my students at the beginning of the semester that if they wanted to bribe the teacher, the best way is to bake me a German Chocolate Cake with the rich creamy coconut icing.  By the end of the term and before finals, I received seven cakes.  It became a joke every term, but one term ended near my birthday so the students gave me a party and guess what they made for the birthday cake?  The most luscious, tempting cake set in the middle of the table.  You will never guess what type?  It looked like this one....boy was it ever so good.  It was a great birthday party filled with many cards and of course the Happy Birthday Song.  What a wonderful birthday!

BIRTHDAY PARTY IN 2011:  GALLOP CAFE in DENVER

Cake Maker, Best Friend and Co Owner Glen

My friends David and Glen, owners of the Gallop Cafe in Denver, Co (Best place to eat ever) hosted the largest birthday party I have ever had at the Gallop in 2011.  About 40 friends came.  We ate, we laughed, we talked, and we had birthday cake baked by good friend Glen.  It was absolutely the largest German Chocolate Cake I have ever seen but oh was it ever so good.  Glen told me he used 3 dozen eggs just to make it.  It tasted so good because it was made by a dear friend and shared with all of my friends.

BIRTHDAY PARTY 2012:  CELEBRATED WITH FAMILY

 

My Daughter Regina

For the first time in many years, I lived close enough to family  

Me, Elise, Nick, my daughter Kylene, and Trevor

to go out with them on my birthday.  We went to Cheddars.  It was cold (as usual) this time of year.  Some of the family was home sick with the flu.  We enjoyed the family time.  I loved celebrating with my family.

BIRTHDAY 2013:  FRIED CHICKEN AND UNO MOO

As a natural born citizen of the South, I was born with a craving for fried chicken (actually anything fried).  We raised chickens on the farm but there were seven in the family so when we had fried chicken, I was the last one to get a piece.  Somehow, I always wound up with the back.  I did not know the taste of white meat or dark meat or the pully bone until all of siblings left home.  I love fried chicken, mustard potato salad, and German Chocolate cake.  

But food can never replace the joy of having friends and family.  This year so many of my friends sent me greetings on facebook and in emails.  My family who lives far away also sent me greetings.  I didn't want any presents.  I did have the best birthday ever though for there was no big party or no going out to eat.  The ground is covered in snow and the temperatures are below freezing.  This year, my daughter Regina hosted a family celebration.  Guess what we had?  I will give you a hint.

You guessed it.  We had Popeye's Mild Fried Chicken.  Boy, was it delicious.  Jason, Regina, Elise, Jonah and I gobbled it down like we had not had any in a month (it is a family tradition we have a monthly meal of fried chicken).  After we were so full, we waddled away from the table.  We watched some Charlie Brown Christmas shorts.  It was game time so we dug out Uno Moo.  It was a new game to me but I quickly learned that you don't want the one who plays before you to skunk you for you lose your turn and have to draw two more farm residents.  

The game went quickly.  Regina was the first to get rid of all the critters in her barnyard, then Elise.  It was down to Jonah (my 3 grandson who was assisted by his Dad, Jason) and me.  Jonah skunked me three times and beat me.  Each time, he played the skunk, he would just smile with that killer smile.  When he won, he jumped up and down with joy.  

Now, I know how grandma felt when she was run over by the reindeer or how the village felt when the Grinch stole Christmas.  Jonah did it on his own without help from anyone.  He beat me!  I felt like the kid in Christmas story who stuck his tongue on the icy pole.  I wouldn't trade this for all the tea in China or all the rubies of India.  Seeing Jonah jump for joy made my day.  Having Jonah and Elise (who is 6) choose my cake and having Regina and Jason there made this birthday so very special.  Getting the hugs only children can give is worth more than a thousand German Chocolate Cakes or boxes of fried chicken.

This is the best birthday ever!  Thanks to all for your love, support, and many greetings.  Now, I am ready to celebrate Christmas!  No, I haven't decorated.  No, I haven't done a lot of shopping.  I am ready to give and receive the greatest gift of all.....unconditional love.  Unconditional love is a daily gift to be shared with others and to be received from others.  May you all have the joy of receiving and giving the greatest gift of all.

DECEMBER 10.......CELEBRATING THE ANNIVERSARY OF MY FIRST BREATH

Roy on the left and his sister Hilda on the right.

Sixty four years ago day, my mother gave birth to an 11 lb boy at home with a midwife in attendance.  I was born on a farm in rural Mississippi.   This is the front yard of our house.   Yep, we didn't have grass.  We pulled it up because we couldn't afford a lawn mower.  Yes, we were poor but so was everyone else in our neighborhood.

I have seen a lot of changes in my lifetime.  As you can tell I was once skinny and I had strawberry hair like my son and my grandson.

This is me around five years old holding a chicken.  I liked chickens and cows but didn't like pigs and mules.  Geese chased me and ducks annoyed me.  Did I enjoy living on the farm?  Not really.  It was hard work even though I was the baby of five.  My siblings told me I knew nothing about hard work since I was nine when Dad sold the farm and we moved.

I loved school.  I feel I received a great education even though I learned later that I lived in the poorest state in the union with the worst educational system.  Due to moving quite often, I went to several schools so I had a taste of what different schools were like.  I excelled in my studies and graduate with honors from High School.  I felt prepared for college.

Roy's High School Senior Picture

Notice I had hair in my senior picture. ( It didn't last though.  I lost most of it by 30.)   I have experienced many changes some good and some bad.  I was glad to see the end of desegregation.  Although my school was not integrated before I graduated, this step among others brought major changes that still are being made in our country as we learn to accept each other for who we are and not based on our gender, race, nationality, ethnicity,  religion, education level, economic standing, or sexual orientation.

I watched the Kennedy Nixon Debates on television and saw Kennedy's inauguration.  Since then, I have seen politicians come and go.  I have always voted.  I lived through Watergate.  I was shocked into reality that has brought us to the cynicism that we see in our nation today.  I was never a flower child nor did I try weed or acid.  I didn't inhale.  I  lusted like Carter.  It was sad to see our nation held hostage by Iran but good to see  the Berlin Wall come down.

I embraced computers and the coming of technology.  We bought a microwave that was so large and so heavy that it took two to handle.  That thing sure made great popcorn.  Have owned a pc, a desktop, a laptop, a tablet, a notebook, and a smartphone.  I have learned the jargon of texting and the joy of facebook and twitter,

I have owned Chevy's, Fords, Dodge's, and some Toyota's.  My first new car was a 1972 Chevy Chevelle Forest Green.  Loved that car.  I have owned pickups, sedans, compacts, and SUV's.  I remember riding in the 57 Chevy, the 52 Chevy, the 65 Impala, the Monte Carlo, the Ford Fairlane (55 and 62), and one that my children will also remember.  We called her Gertrude.  A Ford Fairmount that loved to backfire at the strangest times and places and often died and wouldn't start again.

I have sermons as long as 3 hours long (God help us).  I have seen preachers foam at the mouth, yell when they preach, and run up and down the aisles.  No, I never saw anyone handle snakes thank God!  I have seen church fights and church splits.  Was present when a man threatened to kill father on the  church steps.  I have seen the church being the church like those who came to Mississippi to help us after Katrina.

I have watched the years fly by like a puff of wind.  Yesterday, it was 1955 and today it is 2013.  I never thought I get through High School.  I never thought about being 64.  I dreamed of turning 21 and then 30.  I treasure the first time I went to an eye doctor who told me I will see when you turn 40, then 45, then 50, then 55 and then I will see you every year.  I was excited to turn fifty so I could have my AARP card.  Now, I look forward to enrolling in Medicare this time next year.

Of all that I have seen and done, the greatest joy I have had has been the relationships I have had over the years.  I lost my best friend at 8 when he was shot by a family member.  Yet, I have had so many friends over the years that have been there.  A person can never have too many friends. Today, I enjoy friendships with people all over the world.  Some I have met and some I haven't.  Some I may never meet in person, but I know them through facebook, Skype, and email.

The greatest relationships I have had is family.  My, what a mixed up family I had.  Yet, I will always treasure the memories of the porch sitting there shelling peas, listening to the old folks talk about the past.  I felt the love of my mother.  Much of the baggage passed to me I passed down to my children.  I have watched my children deal with it and how they have halted and cast off the worst and sought to keep the best.  Today, I have six children (counting my in laws) and seven grandchildren.   I love my family very much.

The hardest relationship for me has been my relationship with myself.  Enough said.

The greatest gift I have ever received is unconditional love!  John, the Apostle of Christ, asks in his writing, "How can you love God if you don't love others?".  Jesus told us we are to love others as we love ourselves.  Yet, of faith, hope, and love, love is the greatest!

I am glad that I am 64.  I wouldn't trade this day for any in the past for I am living in the future as I draw each breath!

REMEMBERING.....

Today is Pearl Harbor Day.  This is the day the United States was attacked by the Japanese.  It drew the United States into World War II.  This day is called Remember Pearl Harbor.  Those who fought and died there are quickly fading into the pages of history.  There are few still alive who were there.  Today is not the only day we remember.  We have been called to Remember the Alamo, Remember the Maine, Remember the Lusitania, Remember 9/11/01, Remember Benghazi, Remember Fort Sumter.  All of these days and events remind us of the tragedy of war.

As a child, I remember hearing stories of World War I (my dad was a veteran of World War I), the Civil War (my great grandfather was a veteran), and World War II.  Growing up in the 1950's, we lived in the days of the "Cold War".  We had civil defense sites to go in case of an attack from the Soviet Union and Communism.  We felt as though we had to defend the world from the spread of communism so we went to war in  Korea and Vietnam.  Vietnam was a  bloody war that ended in our troops coming home to a disgruntled nation that spat on the soldiers and blamed the soldiers for the war.  I remember those days well for many friends and school mates lost their lives or came home maimed both physically and mentally. Now we are at war with "terrorists" and I put that in quotations for it is hard to define who our enemies really are.

War is ugly and destructive.  The South was destroyed by the Civil War.  Germany desolated by World War and World II had to rebuild not only infrastructure but government as well.  War starts with an act of aggression like the sinking of a boat or an attack on a major military installation or the assassination of a political leader.  War goes deeper than the act of aggression though.  It begins with clashes of social, economic, religious, and political ideas within a nation or between nations.  Wars fought for land, resources, ideals are about power.

Power indicates control or the ability to dictate what happens.  Power struggles happen even though we would rather have peace for there are some many different ways we view peace or what liberty means.  Equality sounds good on paper but hard to practice.  Equality for some is based on economics and religion that translates into political power.  Political power brings laws into existence that seek to extract certain behavior from the citizens or residents of a nation, state, or community.

There are those who value individual liberty above what is good for the country.  Some favor a confederation where the national government is about defense more than about carrying for the welfare of the citizens.  There are those who seek to have government as the solution to defense and general welfare. This is the state of America at the present time.  We are at war not with terrorism although we like to think we are.  We are fighting about marriage, abortion, prayer in schools, food stamps, health care, wages, fraud, waste, and  many other issues.  The budget of our country is held hostage over these issues.  Each side resorts to the blame game by blaming the other sides for the current war.  As in any war, the casualties are high.  While our politicians fight over who is right and who is wrong and who has the power to determine the course of action, our citizens pay the price.

The holiday season calls us to a better time and a better place where we see hope.  Our expectations give us faith so we long for that time when there will be peace on earth and goodwill to all persons as the angels proclaimed long ago.  Let us remember the words of Emmanuel who born as a lowly child long ago, challenged us to seek truth for in so doing we would be truly be free!

May our eyes, ears, hands, feet, and our hearts be open to remembering the call to give love, exhibit joy, live in peace, show humility, gentleness, kindness, and practice self control.



 

AND JUSTICE FOR ALL............

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

We are not perfect.  In fact, we are mess!  We are a melting pot with seasonings from all parts of the earth, all religions, all political views, and all economic standings.  We are men and women from all nations who have different sexual orientations and passions, yet we all pledge to stand for liberty and justice for all.  

In those times where there is a clash of rights and fights over justice, there are those people in our world who show us the way to live and how to bring change through peaceful means.  Sometimes this has lead to the assassination of those who dare to stand to stand for peace and justice.  This year as we celebrate the coming of God into our world, let us remember those who followed what Jesus taught us to do.

JESUS CHRIST

John 8:7 “And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.’”

John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that they world might be saved though him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Matthew 5:11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”

Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Ballots are the rightful and peaceful successors to bullets.

He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help. 

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts. 

I care not much for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it. 

Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built. 

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. 

No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent. 

Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right. 

Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. 

To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men. 

We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it. 

What kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself. 

With Malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds.

MAHATMA GANDHI

REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

HARVEY MILK

MEL WHITE

“The Bible becomes a dead idol when we call the words between its covers inerrant, infallible, to be taken literally. This is not a dead book. It is alive. Open it carefully because the new truth that might come leaping out at you could change your life forever.”


“Fundamentalist Christians are my sisters and brothers, my family and friends, my oldest colleagues and coworkers. But I fear their love for the nation has become an obsession to reshape it in their own image.”


“Doing justice, loving mercy, seeking truth…these are the issues [the Bible] is clear on.”


“I am convinced that Christian fundamentalism is a far greater threat to this country than Muslim terrorists could ever be.”