Category: Individual pieces

So I guess the word “soap box” is appropriate here

I am apprehensive looking ahead to the next presidential election here in the USA.
The worthy candidates that the media will shine a light on seem to be nil. The predicament is because of the state of our society. We (nation/society) have lost our way. Sure there are some “good” people out there but we have allowed the political infrastructure to require people of a different type. Until we address some deep root level cancer in our society we will continue to degenerate.

That said, we are also missing genuine completely sold out to the Lord Jesus Christ Christian leaders and Christians. Ladies and gentlemen we are in a mess. We have allowed the depravity of sin to eat away at the church and by the church is do not mean Rome. Rome (Vatican City actually) is a whole different but closely associated matter. No, what I mean is the church of people such as DL Moody, RA Torrey, WA Criswell, Gipsy Smith, Francis Schaeffer, Billy Sunday, J Frank Norris, Talmedge, etc. That state of the church is essence – gone. Its power certainly is. So is its witness. We – Christians – Jesus said were to be salt and what will one do when the salt has lost its savor? Look around for the answer. Lights, no longer so the darkness permeates just about every nick and corner of living and that includes into the local churches. All that to say, we – Christians – are responsible for the sad state of our society. I think about this just about every day and I can’t think what to do but to “say” something. I know that I am nobody special or a person to look up to etc. but I know what is going on and why and I just have to say something. I am guilty of being part of the problem and I know it and have confessed it and ask God to forgive me for my part. That is all I can do, well that and “say” something to my very small circle/sphere of possible influence and living. If you are a Christian please seek God’s forgiveness and then His strength and wisdom as to what you can do to hopefully be part of the change that is desperately needed.

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Reclaiming the purpose of the holiday in my life

This year I have found myself more stressed and anxious about the shopping of the gifts for people and that they appreciate the gift and the value of such item. I have added to my chronic insomnia on the angst of the holiday and its apparent mandatory requirements of socializing whether with friends, peers or family.

The purpose of the holiday of Christmas was the celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through time and (lets be frank here) the wickedness of the human heart, it has been mutated into a holiday of gift giving (and receiving – can’t forget that part). Its been turned into reasons for eating too much, drinking too much and cajoling around by many. The periods of such activities and socializing taking up for some many hours. The dollars spent varying but often the spending really becoming the accumulation of further debt.

Again, the purpose of the holiday of Christmas was the celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I know, their is the spiritual aspect of the holiday and the secular aspect. Truth is (at least for me) the pressures and preparations for the fulfilling of all expectations of others for the secular aspect has overwhelmed my psychological, physical and sad to say spiritual health as to fully appreciate and endeavor into the spiritual aspect of the holiday. Does that make sense? Let me put it another way, I am drained, exhausted and have increased my angst.

Again (to self), the purpose of the holiday of Christmas was the celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I got to make my appreciation and recognition of the importance and value of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ my top priority. I need to push away the secular tentacles and mass of space and reestablish healthy and correct boundaries of my mind, heart, spirit and life. He has to be the priority. I have to undo 49 years of wrong-programming and actions. I honestly have to ask God for forgiveness for 48 years of wrong practices and priorities. I have to reclaim the purpose of the holiday in my life.

“My heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Your only begotten Son – the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, I am sorry for getting swept up in self and secularization of the holiday of Christmas. I am sorry for having and practicing the wrong priorities year after year surrounding this holiday which is supposed to be the celebration of the birth of Your only begotten Son so that He would live the life of a man, a human being and that He would obey and fulfill all the prophecies of His existence and purpose so that He could and would make the atonement for my sins and all those sins of people who believe and trust in Him, His name and His finished work on the cross made complete through His resurrection. God thank You for sending Your only begotten Son to Earth so that I could be saved from an eternity in the Lake of Fire. Thank You for allowing me to be forgiven of my sins. Thank You for all that I receive in the fact of my salvation. Thank You for caring that much for me and the all the human race. Thank You Father. Now please help me to make the Lord Jesus Christ first in my life not only in the holiday season but everyday of my existence. Help me to be a light of Your love in this world and my world. Amen”

 

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Roger Waters and his dad

I can’t imagine growing up without my father or mother. I especially can’t imagine not being able to really remember one’s parent. Undoubtedly this daily experience which includes the unanswered questions weighs on one’s psyche. As the years roll by it is a tool in shaping one’s self which includes one’s perceptions, aspirations and personality.

I also think when one thinks of “celebrities” per se we don’t consider them as “Everyday Joe’s” – which they really are. It is just that they also have different talents, circumstances and/or fortunateness in their mix. With some celebrities it is a little easier to see the colors that make up the individual, especially those of the skill and trade of artists, authors and musicians.

A deeper than surface level fan of Pink Floyd and especially of Roger Waters (undoubtedly Mr. Pink himself) knows that Waters has had the unfortunate experiences of having his dad taken from him when he was a mere five months old. I don’t know what kind of relationship he had with his mother or his father’s parents but I am sure he had questions about his dad.

I learned yesterday that Roger was recently contacted with information about what happened to his dad many years ago during WW2. The story is here. I look forward to new music from him as he processes the details and comes to grips with the history of the experiences.

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Run!

“Run!”

He could hear the exclamation inside his mind.

“Don’t look back!”

He ran and fought off the curiosity to look behind him at his foe. He figured he must have many lengths between him and her but each moment he was just about to let up…

“Run!” And it was like the flip of a turbo switch, at least in his mind.

The sweat ran down his face, his breathing becoming forced and shallower. He tired, he could feel it engulf him.

He could hear laughing. Why? What was so funny? He wanted to look back.

“Don’t…”

That is when the arms of his foe grasped him, his body shut down, fully overcome by the tiredness while his cape broke from free from his neck.

“Honey, you are so funny.”

“Mom,” he said, “I’m a superhero, not funny;” the thought of milk and cookies became the new focus of his mind as his mother hugged him.

Rufus, the sheep dog, got up off from the superhero’s cape.

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Exceptionalism was identified as too costly

A well written column by Noonan titled Privacy Isn’t All We’re Losing.

It brought to mind the concept of American Exceptionalism and how that has been attacked and ALMOST wiped out. Bear with me here – it will hopefully make sense.

A practice in the business world is bench marking. I believe the original purpose/intent of the practice was to see what other companies/organizations/leaders were doing that you weren’t and then adjust your practices/processes/principles so that you to could achieve more/grow/develop/improve. That purpose was short lived because it actually became the resource/justification for cutting costs. An example, I worked in a global giant of a company. Its history and reputation up to 80s was that of leadership, pride, ingenuity and putting people first. In fact it is one of the earliest,if not the first company, to create the mechanism of employees owning stock in the Company as well as profit-sharing. Results for the Company were typically very good including profit and it attracted some of the greatest minds in science, engineering, marketing and design. Unfortunately what transpired in the late 60s and is in practice current day is the use of bench marking as a cost saver. The employee benefits and programs have been whittled down year after year, decade after decade to be aligned to the companies it identifies itself with in their bench marking. The Company decided to forego exceptionalism and instead drive lower costs, hoping thereby to increase profits. The result? The Company’s culture is stagnant, demoralized, under performing, lacks innovation and struggles to attract the sharp minds. It has went from THE leader to “in the pack”. Sure its name is one of the globe’s most recognized names but that is because of the efforts and achievements of the years prior to the late 60s/early 70s. Exceptionalism was identified as too costly.

Here in the USA, the nation has been attacked since its inception by those who favored a more global (trying to be PC) approach. The lofty goals of doing things right and for the right reasons has been replaced by doing what is right according to the majority at that given moment of time. Despite the fact it is unpopular the truth remains that this nation was adopted and built on principles that embraced Christianity or at the very least Deism. Entwined in the founding principles of the USA was the idea of freedom, liberty and capitalism. In my opinion the wickedness of some’s hearts we watched the idea of capitalism be replaced by oligarchies, monopolies and what is now termed “too big to fail”. What replaced freedom and liberty was fear of the haves to not gain more and thereby the need to restrict the have-nots. Slowed erosion of personal freedom and liberty has provided platforms where each generation loses more but the current generation of the time is clueless to the actual loss and its cost. Our so called leaders have sought to benchmark with the countries of the world and instead of American exceptionalism we see American apathy. For example see NASA, Congress, abortions, education scores/rankings, actual innovation that IMPROVES life, etc.

Wrapping it up: In my country we are a patient that is very sick and it is a direct result to the diet that it has existed on. The diet, as diets do, has affected its abilities to think, feel and reason. This country is serious, grave shape. The thing is it is not fully aware of how bad the prognosis is because its looking around at the other nations in the world instead of its own history of greatness – exceptionalism.

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Republicans and Independents ARE to blame

Yes that is what it says. Put another way the Conservatives are to blame for the mess we have in our nation, capital and the vacuum of leadership in the White House.

Why?

Because they have not been able to produce at least one individual that is intelligent, collaborative, charismatic, engaging and strategic. They and we have not produced a person that has the potential to be a great leader for our country. Why is that? Are we to believe what the left says which is the bottom-line of quality conservative leadership is an oxymoron and an impossibility?

Is it because the so-called blue bloods are the only place that the powers that be (TPTB) look toward and they are all tainted? So another problem is the ridiculously limited scope of where they are looking for future leaders.

Is it because the money game has eliminated the best candidates since they are not tied to the money?

Is it because the practices of the media and left are so devastating to a person and their family that potential candidates have decided it is not worth it?

In my opinion all of these reasons still are tied to the poor leadership in the Conservative party. The problem is systemic in nature and requires swift surgical treatment so as to remove the tumors and cancer in the body of the Conservative body. So yes, they are to blame and sadly it seems the saying is true “physician heal thyself”.

Until they do people like our current president will be the people’s choice.

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