♫ 2014 Theme: LOVE ♫

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2014, Happy New Year, Live Love, love, Love is, My New Year's Prayer

2013 is just about finished. It’s been a year of defining priorities, on a national, as well as a personal level. I found for myself, that the more I thought and wrote about the downward spiral our nation and our American society is on, the more distracted and depressed I became … and that is unacceptable!

So I’m returning to what I KNOW!

What’s important to me? LOVE! Not so much the mushy, sentimental kind of stuff that’s built on emotion, or the lusty “can’t get enough sex,” but the gutsy, enduring stuff that fights through the junk of life. Love is much more than an emotion or our sex drive. It is sometimes emotional. Love and lust are two completely different things.

Love is a decision. It’s an act of our will to commit our energy to the support, the encouragement, the best interest of the one(s) we love.

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13 NKJV

Have you noticed that many times we attach little things to our love … little things like EXPECTATIONS, CONDITIONS, or PREREQUISITES? Maybe you don’t, but I’ve found myself doing that, even to those I love the most!

My New Year’s Prayer is that I would remove the strings and simply, LOVE … my children, my neighbors, and those who share my community and nation, and find ways to Live that Love. Maybe, just maybe if people start to see LOVE, they will stop seeking destructive behaviors and attitudes.

Care to join me?

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The 2013 Darwin Awards Are Out!

This is … well, I think INCREDIBLE about covers what this is!!!

My Underwood Typewriter

The Darwins Are Out!!!!

2013

Yes, it’s that magical time of year again when the Darwin Awards are bestowed, honoring the least evolved among us.

Here Is The Glorious Winner:

1. When his .38 caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.

And Now, The Honorable Mentions:

2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting machine and after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef’s claim was approved.

3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to…

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Why Phil Robertson is the Most Dangerous Man in America

DeaconCast

The headline reads: “A&E declares war on ‘Duck Dynasty’s’ Christian values.”  It seems the patriarch of the Robertson family made some “offensive” comments in an interview with GQ Magazine.  Before we go any further, mull that over for a moment.  A camo-wearing, bearded, red-kneck duck hunter being interviewed in a magazine called “Gentlemen’s Quarterly”?  Is the world as we know it coming to an end.  I’d say it is, but I digress.

For the uninitiated, Duck Dynasty is the saga of the Robertson family of West Monroe, LA.  The patriarch of the family, Phil, invented a duck call that sounds very much like a real duck.  (Several ducks actually.)  This duck call has made the family and their company, Duck Commander, very successful.  Phil’s son Willy has parlayed the success of Duck Commander and the unique lifestyle of the family into quite an empire, including the hugely…

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The HEART of the Matter

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celebrations, Christmas, dingy manger, Expectations, family, Hanukkuh, heart, LONELINESS, meaning, The HEART of the matter

Have you been to the mall? Are your decorations up? Is your baking done? Did you get your Christmas or Hanukkah cards in the mail? How about all the Christmas music on the radio, tired of it yet?

Last weekend, I had to pick up some chocolate chips for my daughter. She wanted to make some fudge. I stopped at the local grocery store and went directly to the baking aisle. It was overwhelming!(I am NOT one who enjoys the art of shopping, so I am typically in and out within 15 minutes!) I headed down the baking aisle in search of a deal on what I needed, spotted the rascals on the left side of the aisle, and stopped momentarily to compare prices. A young woman with long black hair, glasses, and a scowl was behind me where I stopped. She looked up at me (and I’m only 5’5″) and with a sardonic smile said, “Yes, every time you stop, the whole line has to stop!”

Well, I only had stopped ONCE! I kind of looked at her in disbelief, and looked back at the shelf. When she didn’t make a move to circumvent me, I looked back at her and she told me to, “get f*’d!” I smiled politely and said, “same to you!”

As I finished my shopping, though, my heart broke for her and the thousands like her who have been totally engulfed by our secular, anti-goodness society. It’s not a new thing entirely, but godlessness has become a national past time in OUR time. Only recently, has it become socially acceptable to be selfish, self-centered, and unkind. It is everywhere now. (Watch drivers, if you have any doubt.) People think only of themselves, their agenda, their needs and are completely unaware? or unconcerned? with others. “Screw you, lady! You’re in MY way!”

The HEART of the matter is GOD! Many people, whether alone or surrounded by others, are lonely these days. GOD, whomever we understand Him to be, is relegated to a distant dark corner of our pseudo-sophisticated society only to be recognized as the source of some fringe lunatic. Darkness increases while those holding the Light remain well shielded by the protective bushel of their/our choosing, and we wonder why society is breaking down.

The attitude of this one young woman shocked my heart, my reality. She was not suffering from some obvious disease, but her heart is sick. Mine, too, struggles under the burden of perfection portrayed by TV and movies … the perfect Christmas or Hanukkah celebrations always show scores of happy family members laughing and embracing one another with tables loaded with boundless delicacies and truckloads of gifts for everyone. I don’t live there, do you?

• But the dingy manger? THAT I can relate to! Our best laid plans sometimes fail.
• The hardship of that journey to Bethlehem with Mary at 9 months pregnant? THAT I can relate to … discomfort is a big part of life!
• Alone in a strange town, crowds of people milling around yet, no place just for them. THAT I can relate to! Surprises! Unexpected journeys!
• Supplies insufficient to the task at hand? THAT I can relate to! Making due with what’s on hand is daily life, and it requires faith in something or Someone bigger than me!

At this point in time, the media (TV, movies, magazines, etc) sets our expectations for more than any of us realize. Today’s movies always show the various holidays … PERFECT! There may be a bit of a struggle to get there, but perfection always arrives. LIFE is not perfect! It is not orderly or predictable. It is our daily challenge to make order out of chaos.

The moral of this story? When the Christmas lights are unplugged, when the Hanukkah gifts are given, when the parties are over and the cookies are eaten, what is left? GOD is there in my emptiness and unfulfilled expectations, and He’s there in yours, too! He didn’t stay in that dingy manger, and the oil has still never run dry! He is not necessarily where we expect Him to be, that’s all. Though we have tried for centuries to package Him and present Him all neat and tidy, He reminds us constantly that HE is GOD, and we are not!

Look for HIM as you celebrate … or as you endure whatever hardships and discomfort is your life. He is THERE!

GOOD GUY WITH A GUN: Armed school officer stopped Arapahoe High School shooting

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2nd Amendment, Arapahoe High School shooting, Bill of Rights, disarming the American People, Gun Control, gun violence, gun-free zones, kids with guns, Progressive agenda, protection, safety, school shootings, US Constitution

Posted by Bob Owens on December 15, 2013 at 8:34 am

Authorities are dramatically revising the response time of law enforcement officers to the Arapahoe High School shooting on Friday.

Originally, it was claimed by multiple outlets that responding law enforcement agencies took 14 minutes to arrive at the school, and that the shooter was not located until 30 minutes into the event. As we noted based on this information, this proves that schools need armed staffers and/or faculty on campus because it takes far too long for outside law enforcement agencies to respond to stop an active shooter.

It now appears that our original thesis was confirmed because there was an armed officer on campus who was the reason the shooter was stopped after only shooting one student.

They are now stating that the entire incident was over in just 80 seconds because there was an armed sheriff’s deputy on staff who was alerted over the school’s radio system, who cornered the shooter in the library. It now appears that once the shooter heard the deputy identify himself as a law enforcement agent, he committed suicide.

The rampage might have resulted in many more casualties had it not been for the quick response of a deputy sheriff who was working as a school resource officer at the school, Robinson said.

Once he learned of the threat, he ran — accompanied by an unarmed school security officer and two administrators — from the cafeteria to the library, Robinson said. “It’s a fairly long hallway, but the deputy sheriff got there very quickly.”
The deputy was yelling for people to get down and identified himself as a county deputy sheriff, Robinson said. “We know for a fact that the shooter knew that the deputy was in the immediate area and, while the deputy was containing the shooter, the shooter took his own life.”

READ MORE HERE!!!

El Melekh Ne’eman – GOD is a Faithful King!

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Christmas, Christmas blues, El Melekh Ne'eman, God, GOD is a Faithful King, GOD is Faithful, hardships, holiday struggles, life struggles, loss, pain

How FAITHFUL is God? From cover to cover, the various scribes throughout history record event after event, miracle after miracle of GOD’s faithfulness.

Does that mean no one suffered? Not even close! It means that even suffering has a redemptive purpose. Childbirth hurts, as any mother can attest, but the joy of that new life is more than worth the pain. Our suffering “births” (or brings about increase) of God’s purpose in our life.

So then we always feel secure or safe? Ha! One would think, but no. We are flesh and blood. We are weak! Even when we cognitively understand the enormity of GOD, we manage to suppose our situation, our disease, our family issue is somehow beyond His interest, right?

How then should be face the challenges that confront us in this life? Can you imagine as a young teenage girl (or her fiance) learning you’d been chosen by God to bring His Son into this world? Say What??? Yet, unbelievably, Mary’s response echoes through the ages … “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1)

Christmas seems to spotlight “sore spots” in our hearts and lives. At least in my world, it does. Year after year, I struggle, but this year is different. Or perhaps I should say the struggle is different. I have a dear friend who recently lost his wife. My heart breaks for him as he faces his first Christmas without her together with his girls. I know the GOD of comfort will be with them. I have another friend whose husband just learned he has a brain tumor, yet God’s grace is buoying them through the surgery and treatment. I have still another friend whose work hours were drastically cut suddenly last month. She has barely enough to pay bills, and certainly nothing left for gifts for her family. There are thousands of men and women, many of whom served our nation in uniform, living on our streets with no roof over their heads. There is much suffering. There is unimaginable pain. BUT there is GOD …

Each of us have “sore spots!” Life is not perfect. There are obstacles and traps along the way. Then, there is that one thing, that one huge “sore spot” we can’t seem to shake. We need to foster Mary’s deep understanding of GOD. Instead of struggling against that thing, that “sore spot,” embrace it as a tool for growth. Whew … easier said than done, right?

“Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”

I am not a woman of great financial resources, but I have faith for these and other unmentioned needs. Do you? Prayer is not a last resort, it is a FIRST resort! It is our declaration to GOD that we know He can handle what we cannot. It is acknowledging His greatness and His faithfulness to us, His children. Christmas is the manifestation of His faithfulness in the person of Jesus Christ, who came to take away the sin of the world.

Our pain and suffering may not end, but His faithfulness is more than enough to turn our pain and suffering into beauty. Let’s turn our minds and hearts outward and look for ways to lift the burden others may feel at this time … and everyday!

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
Charles Dickens

You are Faithful & True

You are Faithful & True You are Faithful and True,
You are Faithful & True to your people.
You are Faithful & True You are Faithful and True,
You are Faithful and True to me.

There is no emptiness in You.
No failure or loss, no turning away,
You are the God of all purpose,
You are Hope, You are Life, You’re the end to my strife.

You are Faithful & True You are Faithful and True
You are Faithful & True to your people.
You are Faithful & True You are Faithful and True
You are Faithful and True to me.

All Rights Reserved © 2002 BJB Music 9/96

ReDirect: A Reason for Giving

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action, caring, common sense, COURTESY, Good Samaritan, help, humanity, neighbors, thoughtfulness

It does no real good at this point, to dwell on the enormity of negative aspects of the Obama Administration. The extent of his disrespect for America and for the American people, whether they/we acknowledge that disrespect or not, is inexcusable. Nevertheless, it appears, at least for the present, that our hands are tied. So, beating the dead horse of his outrageous crimes, lies, and deceptions seems more of a distraction from all that is GOOD, all that is holy, and all that is AMERICAN … for me.

I will continue to write about whatever is on my heart, but I expect it to be more God-centered. Of course, it will still flavor my love for this nation and her people, but I choose to look for the GOOD. It may be harder to find than the bad, but I will find some and share it here in the hope that we will all be inspired toward improvement, toward a higher calling, toward genuine service.

On that note …

[WATCH] Why Has This Man’s Viral Video Restored a Little Faith in Humanity?

Go and do likewise!

72 years ago today was the attack on Pearl Harbor

GOD, GIVE US MEN!

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boldness, courage, fathers, Forefathers' Monument, freedom, Give us Men, ideals, Josiah Gilbert Holland, men

My Christmas Prayer …

Give Us Men!

Give us Men!
Men-from every rank,
Fresh and free and frank;
Men of thought and reading,
Men of light and leading,
Men of loyal breeding,
The nation’s welfare speeding;
Men of faith and not of fiction,
Men of lofty aim in action;
Give us Men-I say again,
Give us Men!

Give us Men!
Strong and stalwart ones;
Men whom highest hope inspires,
Men whom purest honor fires,
Men who trample self beneath them,
Men who make their country wreath them
As her noble sons,
Worthy of their sires;
Men who never shame their mothers,
Men who never fail their brothers,
True, however false are others:
Give us Men-I say again,
Give us Men!

Give us Men!
Men who, when the tempest gathers,
Grasp the standard of their fathers
In the thickest fight;
Men who strike for home and altar,
(Let the coward cringe and falter),
God defend the right!
True as truth the lorn and lonely,
Tender, as the brave are only,
Men who tread where saints have trod,
Men for Country, Home- and God:
Give us Men! I say again- again-
Give us Men!

-Josiah Gilbert Holland

Congressional Hearing – Obama’s ‘Ignoring Laws’ Could Lead to Overthrow of Government

BUNKERVILLE | God, Guns and Guts Comrades!

Did I ever think I would hear someone speak at a congressional hearing about the possibility of an overthrow of the United States government? How long will Americans sit back and allow all of these unconstitutional acts be permitted? Our court system apparently will sit back and do nothing. We learned this when John Roberts sold us down the river for what? What did the government have on him? What do they have on many of our politicos? So it is Katie bar the door, one heck of a ride coming. What we have is nothing less than anarchy.

On Tuesday, Michael Cannon, Cato Institute’s Director of Health Policy Studies, testified before a congressional committee about the dangers of the president’s legal behavior.

“There is one last thing to which the people can resort if the government does not respect the restrains that the constitution places on the government,” Cannon…

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