Thursday, May 15, 2008

A pause for the cause

I would like to introduce you to a great patriot.

To many, today, his name is unknown, and that is a shame!

Martin Niemoller, was a German citizen, who distinguished himself in World War I, as a U-boat pilot.

He died March 23, 1941

Martin was a preacher during the time Adolph Hitler was coming into his prime. In fact, as one of his biographers stated:

"Slowly and gradually these two achieved fame and leadership, each with a positive program for life betterment: one the Gospel and the other Hitlerism, Nazism, dubbed National Socialism.

"Both grew from seedlings into trees that shaded all of Germany's life - one in the sphere of Evangelical faith and the other in the socio-civil order.

"It was inevitable that the two should meet and in the end clash, for they were diametrically opposed one to the other

"At first Martin Niemoller looked favorably upon Hitler's economic panacea. He was faithful to Hitler's program from 1924 until his assumption of power in 1933." (Martin Niemoller, Basil Miller, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1942, page 77)

After Hitler came into power, a concerted effort was pursued to erase the Christian church, and replace it with a German Christian church, which effectively removed Jesus Christ, and replaced him with the Fuehrer, as the Supreme being.

Martin Niemoller fought against the socialist nature of the Fuehrer, and because he was a German war hero, Hitler found it tough going to get Martin to heel.

Eventually, Hitler did arrest Martin Niemoller and incarcerated him in a concentration camp. Later he was moved to Dachau, where he died.

I find it interesting, and informative that Hitlerism, Nazism was also called National Socialism.

Why? you ask?

Well, think about our presidential election campaign that is currently being waged.

There is a lot of noise being bandied about of establishing "socialized" medicine.

There is talk of taking away corporate profits to strengthen "social" programs.

We already have the largest part of the gummint budget going to "social" programs.

And there are way too many people that wake up each morning and face to the east and pray that gummint will do something for them.

Add to this the unquestionable immorality in the Democrat party, and their unashamed use of the Christian church as a political tool, and we can easily see the slippery slope we have placed ourself on as a country.

I anticipate it will not be long before we will see pastors in this country being arrested for preaching Christ.

It is already common knowledge that teaching children about Jesus Christ is tantamount to felonious child abuse.

Well, as one sage intimated, once, the person who will not learn from history is doomed to relive it.

Martin Niemoller was a German hero, and a Christian hero.

Long may his memory survive.

Perhaps the sign of the times?

I have mentioned many times that I am tired of this presidential campaign that has been ongoing for so damn long.

I have also mentioned that I am tireder of hearing about the candidates everywhere I look!

Now, this morning's paper http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage has a poll asking the question: "Are you going to see a presidential candidate this week?"

At this point, 161 votes have been recorded (including mine) and 5.6% said "Yes", while 94.4% said "No".

Sounds like I am not the only one who has gotten tired of the 24/7/365 coverage and platitudnous cacophony involved with this presidential campaign.

Seems to my military mind, that sometimes the squeaky wheel does not get the grease, but instead gets the boot!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Thanx to Associated Press

Well, now, ain't this purrty?

"Federal prosecutors have filed a new indictment against Barry Bonds, charging the home run king with 14 counts of lying to a grand jury and one count of obstruction when he denied knowingly using performance enhancing drugs."

"...U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ordered proisecutors on Feb. 29 to rework the indictment so that each charge alleged only one lie rather tahn lumpping several alledged falsehoods into single counts."

Are we to understand that this is what the federal gummint has come to?

Ummmmmm, is it only professional athletes that will be looked at by the federal gummint for lying, or can we be assured that even politicians will be federally indicted for lying; especially during campaign season?

Has a grand jury been called to look into Al Gore and his assertions of global warmen?

Has a grand jury been called to look into Hillary's stories of being sniped at?

Then again, I suppose the indictments are only for show; you see, we have already seen what happens with federal indictments in the case of William Jefferson Blythe Clinton. Or, perhaps, Sandy Burglar?

Well, I guess this should be filed under getting tireder and tireder...

The federal gummint in play is a direct reflection of the hearts of the people.

I guess enuff of us want to see those people with R's after their name, and professional athletes being put in their place, while the evil ones with D's after their name, and lawyers, do what they damn well please with no repercussion.

Welcome to the brave new world...

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Mea Culpa!

Just want to set the record straight...

I love good food...I love new recipes...I live alone, so, when I cook up something from a recipe that sounds, and looks good, I have a tendency to eat the whole thing!

Katherine at http://smokymountaincafe.blogspot.com/ has been postin some ummmmmmm ummmmm gooooooood scrumpdillicious looken recipes.

But I haven't taken the liberty of cooken any, cause, I don't know if I can eat the whole thing.

But be assured, first chance I get to try em out, you will be the first to know how it goes.

I got a feelin heaven is gonna be a place with lotsa good food; and I am pretty sure God is a fan of cajun recipes.

Tireder of ignorance

Lo, and behold, below the fold on http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage, is a poll that asks the question:

"Should there be a limit on the size of a landowner’s political signs?" And currently there is a 72% to 28% opinion that there should be a limit.

Let me see if I have this right.

Landowner, means the land belongs to that person; or am I missing something here?

Personal property is a mainstay of the great American dream. It is also a key ingredient in capitalism.

Newspapers and pundits love to claim the first ammendment as a way to say what they want to; whether truthful or not.

Last time, I looked, the first ammendment was all about freedom of speech.

Those who disdain this great country, and the economy we have been blessed to be a part of, would deny us the right to make known our opinions.

You know, to my military mind, the use of "eminent domain" is, in itself, a denial of one of the mainstays of freedom: the right to own property.

And telling a property (landowner) owner what they can and cannot do on their property goes against everything that is right.

LORD help us!

Taxingly tireder

This morning's paper (Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, SD) at http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage is sporting an article that proclaims "The City Council sided with opponents of raising the second-penny sales tax who called it a hardship for the poor and middle class."

I find it applaudable that the city council would deny the city gummint a chance to raise taxes.

I do, however, think the reason for the denial was misplaced.

The reason given, is indubitably a statement in favor of class envy. Anytime we are doing something that would harm a sector of society, we are employing class envy.

How is it, we have not employed class envy tactics when we speak of oil and alternative sources of energy?

We still have elitests that pooh-pooh drilling for our own oil, and natural gas, which would definitely assist the poor and middle class.

Instead, we drive hell bent for leather into using grain for alternative fuels.

How stoopid!

Now, to my military mind, the poor and middle class have taken a direct hit; because the price of milk, bread, cereal, meat, and the items needed on a daily basis have increased, and are anticipated to increase even more, because we are paying farmers to put their grain into alternative fuels.

Somebody, somewhere, is demonstrating that they have not got the brains God gave a bent screwdriver.

Why do we not deny new taxes, or tax increases, simply because it is morally wrong?

Taxation, is still, a legal form of stealing; and stealing is WRONG!

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Mother: God's love with skin on

In her book, Stick a Geranium in your hat and be happy, Barbara Johnson, uses the line: "If it was going to be easy to raise kids, it never would have started with something called labor." She agrees that motherhood is a labor of love.

Then she reminisces about a story she came across.

"It seems an angel slipped out of heaven and spent the day roaming around the earth.

"As the sun was setting, he decided to take along some mementos of his visit.

"He noticed some lovely roses in a flower garden, plucked the rarest and most beautiful, and made a bouquet to take back to heaven.

"Looking on a bit farther, he saw a beautiful little baby smiling into its mother's face. The baby's smile was even prettier than the bouquet of roses, so he took that, too.

"He was about to leave when he saw the mother's love pouring out like a gushing river toward the little baby in the cradle, and he said to himself, 'Oh, that mother's love is the prettiest thing I have seen on earth; I will carry that, too.'

"He winged his way back to heaven, but just outside the pearly gates he decided to examine his mementos to see how well they had made the trip.

"The flowers had withered, the baby's smile had faded, but the mother's love was still there in all its warmth and beauty.

"He discarded the withered flowers and the faded smile, gathered all the hosts of heaven around him, and said, 'Here;s the only thing I found on earth that would keep its beauty all the way to heaven - it is a mother's love.'"

Which caused me to see a mother as, God's love with skin on.

In Psalm 131, verse 2, the psalmist speaks , of his trust in the LORD. The best example David could find, to demonstrate what he felt when he trusted in God, was the idea of a weaned child at its mother's breast.

Anyone who has been around a small child that has not been weaned and is being nursed, knows that when you hold a baby with its head near your chest, the baby will push against you, and may get agitated if it isn't able to receive nourishment.

A weaned child, on the other hand, can rest in its mother's arms, with its head on her chest, and not have to search for nourishment. Nothing is as peaceful as being held by a mother.

Psychology tells us that a person who is deeply disturbed, or troubled, may rock back and forth, to overcome the distress. This is attributed to an innate memory of a mother rocking a small child, especially in times of trouble.

In Deuteronomy chapter 33, verse 26, Moses tells the Israelites: "the Eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms."

What better place could there be to live, than in a pair of arms?

Isn't it exciting that God put our arms in such a place that whenever we hold something precious, it is held close to our heart? Moses has given us a perfect impression of the love of God, "the everlasting arms." What child is not at peace when mom is holding it?

In verse 28, Moses goes on to say: "So Israel dwells in security." Do you remember how secure you felt during a storm, or when something was going on that you did not understand, to crawl into bed beside mom and have her wrap her arms around you?

In the First Book of the Kings, chapter 3, verses 16 through 26, we are treated to a picture of the heart of God that is implanted in mothers.

Two mothers are fighting over a child, and each claims the child is hers. Of course, without a birth certificate, it would have been pretty difficult to identify who the child really belonged to.

The writer of this story, is quick to tell us that both women were prostitutes, which tells us that neither woman had a living relationship with God.

We are led to believe, today, that prostitutes do not want to have any children. Back in those days, prostitutes were outcasts from society, and had no chance of ever having a solid family life, or anything they could call their own. A son would at least give them something to put their hope in.

King Solomon's way of uncovering the mystery of who the child really belonged to, was to offer to divide the child in half, then each woman would have half of a dead child. Neither one would have a child to hang any hopes on.

The real mother refused to allow the child to be cut in half. In spite of her sinful life, the real mother refused to allow the child to be killed. How like God, who does not want anyone to be taken from Him, or killed to satisfy some right.

The gospel of John chapter 3, verse 16 informs us: "God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

It is God's love for us, that caused Him to do something to save our lives: our spiritual lives.

The writers of the gospels of Matthew and Luke both quote Jesus as having said: "How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings."

When children have a bad day, when their world seems to be coming down around their heads, mom's sheltering arms, are the sure fix, for whatever is wrong.

Whenever a child gets hurt, the greatest medicine they can receive is mom, holding them, and speaking softly to them; maybe even kissing the booboo.

So often, mom is our first line of defense. When someone is after us, it is always great to have mom on our side.

Dad generally, has the responsibility of making sure that the family has food; but it is mom who insures that everyone is fed, and fed properly.

One last illustration should help to see mother as God's love with skin on.

Scripture tells us that Jesus has sat down at the right hand of God. And that He ever lives to make intercession for us.

It has been a topic of conversation for may years, especially among people who have been spiritual giants, that their mother had prayed fervently for them.

Many have said: "had it not been for a godly mother faithfully praying for me, I would have been lost for eternity."

Finally, an article dated 1946, may be helpful.

"MY last night at home was a sad one. Mother wetted my face with her tears all night, with the one message, 'Our last night, you are going to a land called the grave of the white man. This is your funeral.'

"She went down into the valley that night, came up with the vision, bade farewell with a glorified face, the only person that did not weep.

"Her only girl had been held loosely until the test came. Mother won out.

"Three years later I was on my deathbed. That terrible water fever was claiming me. Only a few hours to live was the announcement.

"Fever over 105. Won't go down. Hemorraghes of the kidneys persistent. Vitality gone. Had one occupation, praying for mother.

"Suddenly fell asleep, glad to go to be with Jesus. But woke up, free from the awful pain and burning fever, normal.

"Nurse flew into a panic. Drop to normal too sudden. Coma! Soon lapsed into sleep again, supposed to be the last one. But woke up normal and stayed normal, and was up at my work again within a two week period. Clearly a miracle!

"Two months later a letter came from home, but this was not from my mother. they had carried her out. She died in an agony of prayer for her only girl the same hour in Chicago, in which the girl, 10,000 miles away, had come back to life again.

"Letters took two months from Chicago to our station. There was no means of cabling in that day. But the heavenly wireless was even then in fullest operation.

"The burden fell upon her. She fought the fight for my life, not knowing why. She had reckoned with the eternal and so I live today. -- Alma E. Doering."

On the last page of Barbara Johnson's book is a poem.

"Don't despair so of your children,
God will bring them to the fold -
Because He died to save them,
They're special to the Lord.
He knows how much you love them,
He loves them even more.
As long as you hold on in prayer,
He'll not close the door.
Even now He sees your tears,
And He whispers tenderly,
Of love that conquered all -
That all men might be free.
So lay them at His altar,
Let go and lever them there -
God will be faithful to your trust,
He won't withhold His care.
His hand will ever nurture,
No matter where they roam -
And He won't be satisfied
'Til He sees them safely home!"
--Joyce Henning

You see, mother, is God's love with skin on, because mother lives close to God, depends totally on God, and is obedient to God, and God's Word.

And mother will not be satisfied until all her children are safely home!