Ahem

Dear ProFlowers,

Please remove my name and all information regarding me from your data base; this should include your affiliates also, Cherry Moon Farms, Red Envelope, Shari’s Berries, and Personal Creations.

Also, please remove names and information regarding all persons I have made purchases for.

I find it kind of absurd that Rush Limbaugh has probably been the best advertisement you have ever had. I was prompted to make purchases through you, by Rush’s recommendation. I have been very happy with the products purchased from you. But, as you have intimated, there is a time when affiliations must come to an end.

I truly hope that the people who have been most vocal for you to censure Rush, have also been instrumental in purchasing goods from you.

Thank you.

Random ramblin

A friend of mine laments “It sucks to be you”. I guess that is so! I work to get out of debt, and my income tax increases.

Methinks it is informative that we have a movement in this country, to change us into a socialist, communist lifestyle. Compare with me: Work hard, earn a living, purchase what you want, and enjoy the fruits of your labor; or, Do no work, wait on someone else to give you what you need, have nothing to show for your time on earth. To my military mind, this is a no-brainer!

So, we continue to hear the lament: Those who will not learn from history are doomed to relive it.

As I have indicated before, I well remember news stories showing life in Russia. Where people waited on the government for sustenance. I remember seeing pictures of people standing in lines for hours at a time, to purchase a loaf of bread, only to find out there is no bread. At a time when we in this country were having milk delivered to our homes on a daily basis. I have read stories from Russian citizens telling of life in a world where neighbors would call authorities to report neighbors for any infraction, real or perceived. And today, I read stories telling of people calling the law because they can smell cigarette smoke coming from their neighbor.

I have also heard some talk about turning weapons into plowshares. A definite reference to Biblical narrative. But they fail to also add that turning weapons into plowshares only comes after someone is defeated. It is a sad statement that peace only comes when others are vanquished. However, we do live in a fallen world where evil has pre-eminence; upon vanquishing an enemy, a new enemy pops up, generally an entity that we have supported.

Our current administration rode in on a wave of promising hope and change. But the only real hope mankind can really count on is the hope dwelling in God, and the promises He has made that are recorded in Scripture. There is no real hope in trusting man...man is not able to change anything in this world. God, created this world, and all that is in it. God sustains this world, and all that is in it. Why is this so difficult to comprehend?

Vanity of vanities

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,
“Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”
What advantage does man have in all his work
Which he does under the sun? . . .
All things are wearisome;
Man is not able to tell it. . . .
There is no remembrance of earlier things;
And also of the later things which will occur,
There will be for them no remembrance
Among those who will come later still.

Vanity ~~ We really do not use this word, very much, any more. Seems we more prefer “vain” as in Joni Mitchell’s song “You’re so vain, I bet you think this song is about you, don’t you, don’t you!”

I am of the age that I remember a piece of furniture found in some homes that was called a “vanity”. I suppose antique hunters and owners are familiar with it. What was interesting about the vanity, was that it was a relatively small desk, with a number of small drawers. The center part of the desk, was considerably lower than the sides, which allowed for a good sized mirror, so, the person sitting in front of it could have a good look at themself. But if you remember, then you also remember there was a smaller mirror on each side of the larger mirror. These were on hinges, to allow them to be moved to give a more advantageous look at the person sitting there. I can imagine the desk got the name from people thinking that sitting in front of the three mirrors was vanity (being vain).

So, in the wee hours of this morning, my mind was cogitating on vanity. Imagine that! Only a different kind of vanity, but vanity none the less. Think about this... a person goes into a casino, sits down in front of a machine, plays the machine for four hours, spending one thousand dollars. Then, they hit a jackpot for say, one thousand six hundred dollars, and they are ecstatic! They beat the system...they won! Ah, but think about this...the thousand dollars they spent, had already been taxed as income, so, now, they have a thousand six, and that is going to be taxed also.

Is it not vain to think it is all right to pay high taxes, to a central governing body, so the body can then send back a portion? How often I have heard people brag about how much government money our state has been able to receive. Want to know what people want in an elected federal representative??? That’s right...how much money can you give us?

At the expense of being redundantly redundant, our founding relatives chose to risk months of sea travel, to leave behind countries that had rulers demanding onerous taxes, and demanding people belong to a certain church. Guess that might have been a part of Hitler’s amenability to be leader of Germany, and Germany’s state church. The Preacher has said,

“There is no remembrance of earlier things;
And also of the later things which will occur,
There will be for them no remembrance
Among those who will come later still.”

Methinks we do not suffer from excess vanity, but instead enjoy every bit of it!

On a Roll

How have we progressed to the point where men are considered to be perverts, and rapists, without proof? How is it, a woman is able to make a claim against a man, and it is believed even though there is no supporting evidence? What an interesting time to be alive.

Been thinking some about feminism and Sharia law. Feminism has brought us to this point of men being sexual predators, and women being helpless victims. Every where we look today, we see that “feminism” does not speak out against Sharia law, and to some extent seems to hope for it to be incorporated into our culture. What a juxtaposition!

Only in America, the United States of America, does a woman have the ability to wield any power over society, or men, or whatever. In China, girl babies are being aborted, in the Middle East, girls are subjected to honor killings for bringing dishonor on the family. Feminists rail about the mentality of “barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen”; yet, nothing is said about the middle east keeping women hidden in burkas and hajibs.

Remember that song, about forty or fifty years ago, where a woman sang, “Johnny get angry, Johnny get mad, give me the biggest lecture I’ve ever had; I want a brave man, I want a cave man, Johnny show me that you care, really care for me.” Hmmmmmmm! That kinda turns the whole feminist thing up on its head, don’t it! So, where does that leave us?

There are always unintended consequences for every fanatical endeavor. As feminists rail, are they really hoping for men to stand up, and tell them to shut up, and get back where they belong? Is there security, for a woman, in knowing that a man is going to take care of her, protect her, and provide for her and her children?

Thinking, n not getten paid for it

Have politicians always been liars and thieves?

What a refreshing thought to reflect that George Washington was begged to be President, and he turned down the offer. He, the one, who is remembered for stating, “ I cannot tell a lie, I did it.” Was he being prescient in refusing the position? Perhaps there is some merit in the person who is well qualified for a position, but does not want the position.

The Marine Corps taught me that integrity is embedded in real leaders. You know, real leaders lead from the front. Thusly, it is real leaders that get shot down first. How do you get to be a real leader? You start by being a real follower. A follower that is intent on learning the ins and outs of leadership. We look at the kung fu movies, and find a lot of entertainment in them, but we seem to fail to see the overwhelming evidence that the one who excels at doing the mundane in their training, eventually becomes the stronger.

So, I am to understand, the President of the United States is considered to be the “Leader of the Free World”. The penultimate leader of this country, did not even want the job. Every aspect of human life is rife with temptation to do wrong. Integrity has a lot to do with what you do when no one is watching. Sadly, integrity is full of honesty. And honesty is another trait of a real leader.

So, to answer my question; yes, it seems politicians have always been liars and thieves. A real leader is concerned with the well being of the followers. Politicians only care about themselves and what they can get away with. I imagine there is a special level in hell reserved for politicians.

November 23, 1966. Dyenna Rae was born, and without a doubt the most beautiful little girl God ever allowed to grace this old world. This year would have been her forty-fifth birthday.

July 14, 1967, she received massive head injuries in a head-on collision that also involved a third vehicle. She mercifully passed away two days later.

Forty-five years, some might say that time heals all wounds; or as someone once said, wounds all heels. Such a double-edged sword! I well remember when my dad died, my Grandmother, his mother, said it was not right, that a parent is supposed to die before their children die. The story of Cain and Abel, gives us insight into the parental side of the loss of a child. Perhaps that is the first recorded incident of a child dying before the parents.

I was a young Marine at that time. I didn’t understand a lot of what had happened. The Marine Corps was instrumental in teaching me about “after action reports”. Based on all the information available, you try to figure out what went wrong, what “might” have been done to bring about a different outcome, and what needed to be done to prevent similar future events. Suffice it to say, that I chose not to consider what needed to be done, nor did I make any effort to change.

Anyway, forty-five years later, I do miss her not being a part of this, or my, world. I once heard love described as: your heart has the ability to expand to allow someone in, and when you allow your heart to thus expand you have loved someone. In the case of a child, there is a special place in your heart where they are placed. When they are gone, there is a hole left...a hole that never heals, nor ever scabs over.

I truly miss my little girl. I know she is in a far better place. I have no doubt that the God who sent her here to bless and enlighten my life, also warmly welcomed her back and healed all her wounds, and dried all her tears.

When peace like a river attendeth my soul, or when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.

Ramble, on...

Well, school has started again...yup!, that means school buses are back on the roads again. So, my second week of driving, and yah, you guessed it!
A “Direct TV” van came racing up beside me, and quickly cut in in front of me, and hit his brakes to keep from hitting the vehicle in front, and...to let his traveling buddy pull his van in front of him. I am deliriously happy to know that so many people are so excited to get to their jobs, that they will race all the way, and take chances. Huh! Is there justice in the world? So, yesterday afternoon, in a different part of town, I noticed a rear end bumper thumper involving, yes, that’s right, a “Direct TV” van. Was it the same one? I have no way of knowing, but I would not be surprised at all.
So, a new school year has started, and the city has just about every major route torn up for some kind of construction or repaving. Talk about a zoo.
Oh, yeah! I have a court date next month, a citizen is pleading his case before a judge for running my red lights and stop arm. Never know how that will turn out. But it is always interesting.
My mind has been wandering around a little lately, and has turned out a switcheroo on an old song...”Oh we ain’t got a barrel of monkeys, and we may not be really funky, but we’ll travel our road, sharing our load, side by side.” Psychiatry tells us, that a true indication of mental instability is if you cannot laugh at yourself. I guess that is true, cuz, I do believe that God wants us to have fun while we are passing through this world. Just think how demoralizing life would be if you could not find something pleasing or fun in your day?