Memories

The middle years have passed and I have started the rapid plunge toward that final destiny that awaits all of us. Even so, after nearly 58 years, I am amazed at what I can remember of it. To me, it does not seem all that long ago, but you know what? In human terms and for many people, it was a lifetime.

I am told that I should not be able to remember these things since I was two years old at the time, but I swear that I do. My earliest memory is a tonsillectomy at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. I do not remember the actual surgical procedure, but I do remember the check in. Back in those days, the nuns at the hospital still wore the penguin outfits and they were, to my recollection, quite mean. I was only two, but it took three of them to strip me, put me in hospital wear and get me ready for surgery. I vaguely recollect kicking one of them while I still had a shoe on. I think that earned me a smack. I also remember the administration of the ether which is what passed for anesthetic in those ancient times. Beyond that, I remember waking up in the middle of the night unable to talk and not knowing where my mommy and daddy were. I was in a ward with other children and I recall a little girl in the next bed getting up to get me a drink of water. A kindness by a stranger to another stranger. Odd how those things stick in the mind.

I also remember committing a B&E at the age of three with my close friend and or arch nemesis (depending on what time of day it was), Kelly Dean Jones. Kelly was my age and one day it occurred to us to break into the Disciples of Christ church that was up the street. Bondurant is where we lived at the time. It was a very laid back and quiet community outside of Des Moines.

Anyhow, this is not normally something that three year olds would consider on their own. As it happens, David Sprague, last in a long line of juvenile delinquent brothers, was there to encourage us in our efforts. David was eight. Kelly and I were convinced that since he was eight, he must know everything and so we hung on his every word. Earlier, Kelly and I had been zooming up and down the sidewalk on our tricycles gathering walnuts and then throwing them in his yard...sometimes at each other. On one of our nut gathering rides, we pulled up in front of the church. We were throwing walnuts at each other and one of them hit the glass door of the church. David Sprague had been watching us. He walked up and told us there was a room full of toys in there to play with. All we had to do was go in. We tried to open the door but it was locked and so David suggested that we utilize our walnut collection to break the glass door window and climb in. After repeated assaults with the walnuts, the glass was proving impenetrable to our three year old throwing arms and there were no rocks to do the job that we could find. So...ever the good friend, David kicked in the lower pane of glass on the door and we went in. Strangely, David disappeared shortly after.

At some point, Kelly and I were found inside the church. We had taken off our coats and were playing in one of the children's Sunday school rooms. I think we had coloring books and crayons when our mothers showed up accompanied by the church pastor. I do not recall the punishment. I think it is probably blanked out of my mind with the other traumas of my youth. I do know that when my mother would tell the story years later, my grandfather responded that, "it was just a Disciples church." Laughter would ensue.

Not long after, we moved to Des Moines. I only saw Kelly Dean once after that briefly. We were not so impressed with each other. Life had moved on and we were older.      

Today, since I've been on vacation, I drove passed the house we moved to in Des Moines. I barely recognized it because the two maple trees in front had been cut. The garage that Dad built was still in back though and seemed to be in much better shape than the house. The whole neighborhood has fallen into disrepair though. The only consistent, unchanged thing was the street. It is still made out of paving bricks. This is both cool and sad to me. Only the street itself withstood the test of time.

The house where Terry Stump and her sisters lived was still there. The place where Othal and Susie Snyder lived next door was also there with many changes. Mrs Holton's house and the Brewer house are still standing too, but all had changed with lack of care or too much repair.

The Snyders were quite elderly in 1962. They had never had children of their own and so I proved quite a challenge to live next door to. Othal kept a perfect yard, a perfect garden and a perfect car. He drove a 1949 blue De Soto that was always spotless. When they went somewhere, Susie always rode in the back seat. The thing that always fascinated me about that car was the curb feelers. It had these little chrome springy things on the edge of the front and rear fenders that would make a noise when they scraped the curb. I think this was to prevent the curb from scraping the frame. 

Susie became my very good friend. She taught me how to play checkers and took me out to Othal's garden to pick flowers for Mom. She also gave me apple butter from their orchard in Adel.

Othal hated me. He sprayed me with the garden hose on several occasions for violating his lawn perimeters with my bicycle tires. To him, I was a trespasser. Even so, I had the last word. I went to Othal's funeral.

The memories just poured in as I drove through the old neighborhood today. I saw the place where I beat up Roger Ghee for making fun of me. I saw the corner where I slugged Mark Burdock for plotting against me at the cub scout meeting. I drove past the house of Cindy Veach and Tim Terrell and Mark Jackson. Mark's step brother used to expose himself to the girl's at recess. I'm sure that would land him in counseling and maybe a care facility today, but back then, all you got was a spanking. Simpler times, but more effective methods.

I also had some very strange experiences in that house we lived in, but I think I will save that for another time. Just let me say, they were of a paranormal nature. It did not help that I was a sleep walker.   

The Magna Carta - 800 Years Old Today

In the history of western freedom from the tyranny of the State, the Magna Carta of England - The Great Charter - stands alone as the beginning of what loosely could be called self government. The tyrant, King John, was forced by his Barons to bend the knee to the rights of his subjects. Today, exactly 800 years later, the world celebrates this first movement toward freedom and away from tyranny.

The idea that a people can govern themselves should strike fear in the heart of every king, president, dictator, parliament or congress throughout the world. Do not trifle with our rights. They do not emanate from the behest of government officials or royal families. We are persons in our own right; the children of the ONE True God and it is He that gave us choice over our destiny. You are merely His servants  Therefore, tread lightly as you rule or face His judgement.

 

Unhuggable

All right...I have a problem. It's not so much a problem. Actually I feel fine. Maybe it's my definition of "fine" that needs work. Whatever.

I really don't like to be touched. Not sure I need to go into the "why" of it, but I just don't like it. You would think people would respect that, especially non family members, but alas no, this is not to be. There is someone at church that does not seem to get the subliminal messages that I send out. Most can see the flashing neon sign above my head. It says "Warning: Absolutely No Hugging". Most everyone senses it except him...or maybe he sees my invisible barrier and chooses to ignore it.

I do not need to be hugged...OK?   There is a no hugging zone around me. Please don't violate it. We will both be fine without it. Your physical expressions are fine for others. I'm sure they enjoy it. You and I do not need that. We will do well without it. 

I feel better now...and no, I do not need a hug.

Rich Mullins - All The Way My Savior Leads Me

Thync

 This just in from Andrew Griffin at The Independent :

"A newly-released headset hopes to wake people up or calm them down by manipulating the electricity in their brain.

Thync costs $299 and has just been released to the public. It provides “calm or energy on demand”, the company says, by using “neurosignalling” to activate nerves and change people’s state of mind.
The Thync looks like a small, white plastic triangle that is placed on the forehead. Its then fed with “Vibes” — specially-formulated zaps that either wake people up or calm them down.
The whole thing is controlled by phones. The zapping lasts an hour but the effects can go on for long after that, the company claims.
A number of different reviewers have tried the zapping, claiming that it really does wake up or put to sleep its users."

I think I will make everyone at work get one of these and have it set to the app on my cell phone. Then everyone will get along and work smarter, not harder. If this is transhumanism, I think I will like it. I might install one on Dad too and maybe the dog.

Does this make me a control freak?

All I want is a little peace....maybe I should get one for just myself and then all the crap swirling around me will stop...at least in my mind. I wonder if they have one that will fit my enormous head. More study will be required.

They are only 299.00. Better than a I-watch.

WrongSkin

I am wondering if this will be the next frontier in human migration beyond our genetic and hormonal capacities. That's right. I am talking about the oppression of the WrongSkinned. I do not see how this can be allowed to continue. Someone has to do something. We need laws to protect these people from the bigots that would persecute them. I mean, if a man or a women born with white skin feels in their hearts and minds that they are really Black or Latino or Chinese, who are we to say otherwise? If it feels right, it must be right. We cannot deny them their mental racial heritage can we, simply because of the way their body is? That would be cisracial. We can have none of that in our egalitarian society. And look at it this way. At least we will not have to change the signs on the restrooms again. This should be a no brainer. Race is just a social construct anyway right?

Geez. I wonder what this will do to affirmative action? It should open doors for a lot more people. This will be a good thing.

Not Sure What It is, but...

Why is it that if I listen to the news or check it out on the internet, I lose track of everything I wanted to write about? What passes for news in our age is a bit of a joke anyway. You can tell me that the media is independent and not controlled by nefarious powers if you like, but it seems strange to me that all the news media outlets in the world are owned (and arguably controlled) by the same 5 multinational corporations. They tell us all what the controllers want us to know. Doesn't matter if it's true or moral or right; it's what they want us to know. The information we all get has purpose. It is intended to manipulate - for political purposes, for cultural purposes, for control. It's part and parcel of a government that is not supposed to exist - The Great Technocracy.

One might ask, "what are you babbling about now Ghog?"

Back in the early 1930's, a form of government was purposed that was supposed to bring paradise and ease to everyone on our planet. Utopia. They called it technocracy. Essentially technocracy is rule by the best and the brightest in the sciences, in technology, in philosophy; a scientific dictatorship of those best equipped to rule in terms of human intelligence.

Let me suggest that this is still the plan. It just got interrupted by World War II. Since the end of that war, technocracy has been slowly building worldwide and most especially here in the United States. More and more, it's the bureaucrats that write our laws and the rules and regulations of government. To be sure, Congress and the President still rubber stamp these rules and regulations, but they no longer understand them or write them and most especially NOT in full view of the people.

This is because the social scientists and hard science folks that run the various departments in our federal, state and local governments are really the ones that are in control of our elected leadership. It's the reason that no one could read the Affordable Health Care Act prior to a congressional vote. It's the reason that no one can read Obamatrade prior to a congressional vote. There are groups of people inside and outside of government that know what is best for us and they know that we are waaaaay too stupid to be making decisions or influencing policy about world trade or our own health.

The media is in charge of manipulating this ballet of bureaucracy so that it is acceptable and even palatable to us out here in the cheap seats. They bombard us with distractions like Katelyn Jenner so that we do not realize that we are being sold into permanent slavery by our own government.

The media helps to stack the deck of political candidates too, so that the ones that rise to the top are controlled by those that own everything, including the media. This is how we end up with the most corrupt leadership possible at every election.

There is no free press anymore.

The internet was giving hope for awhile that things would change, but as governments worldwide place more and more controls on the internet and as companies like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft manipulate search parameters, internet freedom is being destroyed. Mark my words. The day will come when you will only be able to find approved versions of whatever you are looking for in an internet search. They want us all spouting the same approved line together with no dissenting voices.

The future is not bright and this...this is why I should avoid looking at the news in the morning. 

Christian Baptism - The Water and the Spirit

I grew up in the churches of the Campbell-Stone movement. Since the 19th century, this movement has split at least three ways with various smaller splinter groups rising to the surface from time to time. Older, more staid denominations like to refer to us as a cult, but we have become more mainline, particularly in the 20th and 21st century. We are The Churches of Christ and Independent Christian churches (my group), The Churches of Christ (A Capella), and the Disciples of Christ. The most conservative among us is the middle group, they hold fast to non-instrumental worship music during the song service. The most liberal are the Disciples of Christ. Depending on where you go, you might get a very conservative pastor or you might get one that does not even believe in God. They are an interesting mix. Then you have my group which is the first in my list above. We are conservative, we have set doctrine, we believe in the inspiration of the scriptures, the virgin birth of Christ - the whole faith scheme of most modern evangelical protestant churches in the world. There is one exception to this however.

Unlike most protestant, evangelical churches, we believe that baptism in water is for the remission of sin; something we hold in common with the Catholics. Our baptism however is complete immersion in water as opposed to sprinkling that is practiced by the Catholics. We advise people when they want to become Christians that baptism is part and parcel of the conversion process. If there is true faith and repentance, then baptism must follow to complete the conversion.

Jesus said we had to be born of the water and the Spirit. Christian baptism is the place where we believe this happens. When the repentant believer is baptized in water several things happen at the same time. We are buried with Christ in His death. We die to our sins, we are forgiven of our sins and our propensity toward sin. We receive the Holy Spirit. We are baptized by that Spirit. The Holy Spirit then regenerates our spirits. We become enabled to resist sin to a greater degree than ever before. We are then justified by our faith and our sanctification commences. Baptism is our one stop shop. It all happens in the water. Paul, in is letter to Titus explains the entire process.

Titus 3:3-7
 ³ At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

So I ask you....is there something magic in the water? Is the water merely symbolic of burial while the Spirit does His all important work of regeneration? Is the water really necessary to ensure salvation? Or is it possible that Spirit baptism can take place without complete immersion in water?

There is much evidence on all sides of this discussion that has gone on for centuries. I will say this. If you look at the New Testament, you will see the following facts.

1) Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in water. It fulfilled all righteousness, it pleased His Father and it brought the Holy Spirit into the act.

2) Jesus commanded His apostles to baptize.

3) Water baptism follows most all of the conversions recorded in the book of Acts.

So, you could say that water baptism is more than just a good idea. It was practiced at Christ's command by the earliest adherents to the faith.

But does this mean that water baptism is absolutely necessary for complete conversion to the faith? Does it bring salvation? (I Peter 3:21)

My answer is this. I will always recommend it and give my reasons why I believe it is important and necessary to the salvation process. What I will not do is exclude people from fellowship on the basis of water baptism. I think there is room for discussion about the meaning of Christian baptism. I will leave it to God to sort out what really matters.

I will also add this for discussion sake. If water baptism (full immersion) is absolutely necessary for complete conversion to the faith and for salvation according to the New Testament, then does this mean that any believers who have not done this are going to Hell; going to Hell in spite of strong faith and accompanying good works and apparent spiritual growth? If so, does this not relegate water baptism to a work in itself? From whence then is God's grace?

You see what I am saying? There is room for argument. Understanding of these things is diverse in the Christian world. God will be the arbiter of what obedience really is in this regard. The fact is that none of it would happen without faith.

Paul said, " ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

He also said,  "¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." (Philippians 2:12, 13)

My advice is this. If you call yourself Christian and you have not been baptized in water - do it. Jesus did it. He commanded it. The apostles practiced it. New Testament believers did it. Let your reasons for doing it be your own. Let God interpret those reasons. Your faith, intention and personal sincerity will be His guide. 

Just get yourself baptized if you have not done so. It's a good thing.

True Detective (Season One): A Review

It's been a long time since I've watched a television series completely through for one entire season. I don't know if it's because I have a short attention span or I just get bored easily, but I know that what passes for television in this age is pretty boring. I enjoy the occasional movie, but TV has trouble capturing my interest. It might be because of all the advertising. I will say I have enjoyed episodes of the Big Bang Theory, mostly because early on it was very funny and the characters were very well written. I have known some brilliant science types in the past, and they were very much like the characters on Big Bang in many respects. To my mid-wit mind perspective, this is how I imagine the brilliant minds of our universities living, but I digress.

I've been on vacation this week and I got bored with pulling weeds in the garden. I do not do well in the heat in my advanced years and I wilted as quickly as the weeds I was pulling. I have come a long way from the days when I would run 10 miles in the 90 degree summer Iowa days, but again I digress.

Anyhow, in my boredom, I pulled up up Amazon Instant Videos on my tablet and perused the most recent offerings and found season one of True Detective. The synopsis looked good. The plot had possibilities. I was not excited about the cast, but it turns out they were good choices too. I was pulled in very tightly by the first episode and ended up renting all eight shows.

True Detective is a HBO offering of very high quality. The writing is excellent. The characters are well done and the plot is deeply mysterious and evil in that it speaks of a family cabal that combines the pursuit of political and religious power with the practice of the occult, human sacrifice and outright murder. The pace of the show seldom drags and managed to maintain my interest despite my easily distracted nature.

It's about two detectives with the Louisiana State Police that begin working together on a murder that has all the hallmarks of a cult killing and it proceeds from there. The story is told from the perspective of interviews involving the two detectives years after with the same State Police department. The way the story develops is fascinating. The police officers involved are very interesting characters that at first do not seem to belong together and one of them seems always to be on the border of lunacy himself.

Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey play the State Police detectives that work these related crimes in the Louisiana Byou and McConaughey is the loose shingle of the two. Harrelson is the more traditional career type cop which tends to create a personality clash that ultimately works to the advantage of the series and the ultimate resolution to the crimes. 

The show is not for the faint of heart. If you do not like salty language, gruesome crime scenes or occasional expressions of sexuality, this show may not be for you. If however, you enjoy realistic, well written, "it could really happen like this" television, then by all means, I would urge you to rent it. You will find yourself pulled in by the first episode and you will not be able to stop watching.   

There has been criticism of the show concerning alleged female stereotypes - "whores and put upon cop wives", but I think if you want reality, you have to cast aside feminist political correctness and see the under world and the life that homicide cops live in their true light.

True Detective does this. It will be interesting to see if season two lives up to season one. I understand that the cast is completely different and so is the director. There is hope though, since the writer remains the same.

I don't go around repeating gossip, so you better get it right the first time!

What do you do with someone that accepts gossip as truth and proceeds to defame you personally on the basis of rumor from unreliable sources? What if later, the defamer discovers just how unreliable the source was and changes their behavior toward you based on the new information?

Does that person owe you an apology? Maybe a public apology?

Sometimes, in the process of getting to know people, there is a learning curve. What seems to be the truth about someone on the surface does not always stand up under closer scrutiny. Instead of lapsing into immediate judgement because of a dramatic story you have heard, an investigation might be required. Perhaps even something direct and one on one. You want to learn the truth of a situation? Ask for it. Bring the situation to a head. Generally one of the parties will break and all the facts will become known.  Manipulation should never be a part of that investigation and neither should lying to someone to learn the truth be part of that process. 

The best process is to allow things to work out over time if you have time. It's my experience that the truth always comes out. Never allow yourself to be mislead by someone that does not know the party in question - especially if you do not know either one very well to begin with.

It might also be a time to broker a peace treaty between the individuals, especially if the injured party knows about the gossip. Or maybe there is bad blood on both sides of the issue. Perhaps they do not like each other - a personality clash if you will. A workable peace might be possible, but only if someone is willing not to side with either party until the truth is discovered.

I am sorry to say - and I do apologize for this - that I have been on all sides of these situations.

I have repeated gossip as truth. I have been angry when some one did the same to me. I have retaliated. I have accepted gossip as truth and taken sides without proper investigation. And I have judged on the basis of appearance, voice and mannerisms.

I am here to say that none of that was right. I hate the use of circumstantial evidence in the legal system and I should also detest it in personal relationships.

The bottom line is that we should not make judgements about others when we have no solid evidence that an accusation is true. If we follow Jesus' instruction to treat others as we would like to be treated, this should remedy that situation.

I'm done now. Dismounting the high horse. Thanks for listening.

Keith Green - Rushing Wind

I have have been a Keith Green fan for a while now, but this song really explains why. Keith sings what I want most out of my faith; some very lofty, but spiritual goals. Listen to the words and enjoy the music. It brings me to tears every time I hear it. He and Rich Mullins were the best of the best. I miss them both.

A Prayer

Lord, I sense your presence today. I know you are always here, but for some reason, I am noticing it today. I was thinking about the immensity of the universe You created yesterday during outdoor worship. The size of it is incredible and even with all the "outer space", there is still no place I could hide from You, not that I would like to.

There is no god like You.

I also find myself wondering why you care about us. We are insignificant dots of DNA and spirit spread across a small blue ball that orbits a minor yellow star in an outer spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy in a universe full of galaxies. And yet you see to our needs here and tend to all those other places at the same time. Who are You that You should be mindful of me?

One might think that I would know You much better now than I did all those years ago when I came to be, but I still feel we are just getting started with each other. You also have the upper hand (as always). You knew me before I was born. You know how I will end here and what my eternal life will be like. I know You from scripture. I "feel" I know You from my personal spiritual experiences, but there is still something missing. It's probably what Your servant, Paul meant by seeing dimly and then knowing face to face. That will be the Day huh Lord?!? Then I will know You as never before.

Your purpose intrigues me mostly because it is beyond me. Even so, I am glad to be in this relationship.

Thanks so much for the love and the grace. Thanks for providing a way to You that makes the trip easier. Thank You Jesus for doing the work to make that possible. I'm sensing the time is close. We will be meeting each other before long and it will be glorious for me to know you both face to face. Please just allow me to finish my sojourn here completely. There are still things for me to do I think. I have to get Dad home to You and that will require that I stay awhile. If You have other plans, then so be it, but please find another to help Dad home if that is to be the case. His mind is afflicted with a terrible disease. I cannot bear that he should have to endure it alone.

Please reach out your hand to my friend Nina this week. Guide her medical care. Bring her healing from her cancer and raise her up to finish her work here with Phil, her children and her grandchildren. Help her to sense your presence Lord and to know You are there, that You are God.

Lord please also bless my church,Your Church at Rising Sun, Iowa. I believe we also have work remaining. You have preserved us for over 150 years. I cannot help but think You have some purpose in that beyond just another light in our community. Please place Your hand on our leadership and staff and show them where you want to take us. Bend our will if necessary. Fan our faith to fire. Invigorate the saints with your Spirit and show us your power. Teach us to use that power as you intended.

As always, please watch over my Dad today. I do not always have a bead on his activities. Please keep him upright. Please heal his knee. And thanks for helping me with him. He is turning my gray hair white. I guess he is returning the favor.

I am not at work Lord, but please watch over them in my absence. Keep the peace for me if you will. They can yell at me when I get back. I probably need to retire.

Lord, I love you. Please show us all the way home.

In Jesus' name...    

The Debris of A Cluttered Mind

I am groggy this morning.

My friend Ninasusan wondered in an email if I had forgotten how to blog. In answer, I would say thanks for the nudge, but there are many that wonder if I ever knew how in the first place. Nevertheless, I will try to crank something out here here.

Nina, I suppose you are on the way IMH. I will be sending up a few prayers again today as I have everyday since your diagnosis. I have a very strong and positive sense that this is going to go well for you. I am predicting that you are going to be very uncomfortable after your procedure, but I am also predicting you will be well . The Lord is not done with you here yet. You have things to do. If I figure out where you are, I will try to visit. Ghog loves you! He disagrees with you  much of the time, but then he disagrees with most everyone. Its his nature.

Odd. I stepped out of my persona there for a minute.

Yesterday was interesting. We had church outside....as in outdoors. It was a bit breezy and humid, but it was a good experience. They pulled up a flatbed trailer on the north lawn by the edge of the west parking lot. The worship team set up on the flat bed and they led us all in praise. We sang one of my favorite oldies - "I'll Fly Away". The membership was in lawn chairs on the lawn and in the parking lot. There were sun shelters set up for those of us that cannot bare the sun on our preternatural, vampire like flesh. Despite my ground hog persona, I am the whitest white man you will probably ever meet. A true Celt. I burn easily. Melanin is a stranger to me.

Worshiping outside can be a distraction. There is stuff going on in nature that you find yourself staring at. There was a kestrel hawk that took a field mouse in the cornfield to the north. There was also a red tail hawk under attack by several small birds for hunting in their nesting areas. The cooperation of the different species of small birds (sparrows, grackles and red wing black birds) was amazing. The red tail evaded the attack, but only barely, by maneuvering close to the tree tops. For a large predator, he was very good at evasion, but I think he went away hungry. I immediately thought of the Church and Satan. Satan was having a very bad day. The church stepped out from it's walls and showed itself yesterday. Whether we constituted a threat remains to be seen, but we shall see. I think we need to recapture that sense of being dangerous to our chief predator. We need to send him back to where he came from and claim this territory for our Creator. We need to draw a line in the sand. Yesterday could have been a very good start.

I am sure all of Rising Sun and parts of Pleasant Hill could hear us. I am told we had to buy a noise permit. I was trying to imagine the early church worshiping outside. I am sure they did so from time to time. I bet they never had to get a noise permit. It was a good time though.

I am giving the sermon a B+. Steve, you told some good and very relevant stories from your personal spiritual experiences as well as examples from scripture, but the fire is still sputtering to take hold I think. It may require an accelerant. I do not usually advise throwing gas on the fire. You do not want to put out the glowing embers already present and you do not want an explosion either. Still, I think something else will be required. We have time. You have only been with us a year. We have time. Do not give up. Steve is pictured below. He is a bit bear like in appearance, but he is more like a lone wolf on the hunt - kind of scary to a ground hog :^)))

The cat in the picture is also noted for stealthy predation and a healthy, "do it my way" mentality. I am wondering what they all had for lunch. Hope it wasn't a ground hog.

Speaking of Steve, we will be taking a day soon to go fishing. Going fishing with a preacher can be an eye opener. The last preacher I fished with became a much needed friend. though he's gone and I miss him, he is still my friend and probably reading this. Hey man...how ya doing?

After the services yesterday, the church had a cookout and spent the afternoon together outside. I did not stay for the festivities. I had responsibilities elsewhere. Dad wanted to go home and I had to fix his lunch. I guess I could have gone back, but I got lazy and took a nap. The washing machine had to be fixed too. Not sure what I did, but it works now.

Dad has been weird. I've been having trouble getting him to church. It's odd since this was the man that used to tell me, "if you live in this house, you go to church." His right knee as been bothering him too, so I think we are going to see about an x-ray and maybe a cortisone shot. There is a lot of walking at church and that may be part of the problem. I believe a cane could help him, but he is too proud to use one. I have seen him use an umbrella like a cane, but it requires the excuse of rain which was absent yesterday.

Well, I have to do something even if it isn't right. Don't let the bears, wolves and kitty cats take you down. (oh, that was funny)  Try to have a decent day.
    

God

Orthodox Christian theology tells us that God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. That is to say, He is all powerful, all knowing and everywhere all the time. Nothing is beyond Him as David points out in Psalm 139. There are in fact many scriptures that point to the all knowing, all powerful nature and character of the Lord God. I mean, what kind of God would He be if He were not these things? A lesser God maybe?

But if He is all these things, and I do believe He is, can He also choose not to know something or not to be somewhere or not to do something simply because He is God? Or maybe because it suits His long term purposes? I am thinking He does sometimes stand aloof and does not act even though He knows for reasons that we will never comprehend in this life, but I also believe there are other issues at work here.

We Christians like to believe God is in control here on our planet and throughout the universe all the time. Given what I just said above, I am going to suggest that He is in fact not in total control here and that it is by His choice and more directly the choices of the human race that history plays itself out. If you stop and think about it, when He gave us choice way back in the day of creation, He surrendered a certain amount of control to us. In the end, that choice cost Him and it ultimately plays itself out on Calvary, but He did give us power over our destiny. We, in turn, gave it to the evil spiritual powers and we have been following that lead ever since. 

God Does have a plan. Giving up His control over our environment is part of that plan. What the end game is will be interesting. We know from Revelation that God's people win and we know that it is only through God's foreknowledge that this will happen. We just have to wait out the game.

Someone who I read frequently compares God to a game designer and I believe that to be an apt description. God set it up. It's His software. He will be able to update it when it's time. We just have to do what He already knows we will do.

Busy

I am now working 3/4 of the time instead of 2/3. I will be back. Vacationing most of next we and the week after.

Clover! It's what's for breakfast. Then back to the work burrow for some quality time with the air freight business. Later!

Always Question Alleged Government Experts

Carolanne Wright writing for "Wake Up World" tells the story of a boy diagnosed at the age of two as autistic. He was never supposed to even be able to tie his shoes according to the state authorities, but his mother knew they were wrong. Brilliance comes in strange packages sometime and so at the age of 11, this young man is in college studying condensed matter physics at Purdue.

"In yet another example of how an out-of-control Goliath state system can cause more harm than good, a teenage boy who was diagnosed with autism at a young age has risen to stellar heights after quitting the special ed system with the help of his concerned mother.

State therapy specialists claimed Jacob Barnett would never tie his shoes, read or function normally in society. But the boy’s mother realized when Jacob was not in therapy, he was doing “spectacular things” completely on his own.

She decided to trust her instinct and disregard the advice of the professionals. Instead of following a standardized special needs educational protocol, she surrounded Jacob with all the things that inspired passion for him – and was astonished at the transformation that took place.

Don’t fix what’s not broken

Following a diagnosis of autism at age two, Jacob was subjected to a cookie cutter special education system that focused on correcting what he couldn’t do compared to normal children. For years, teachers attempted to convince Kristine Barnett that her son would only be able to learn the most basic of life skills.

When exposed to the state system of educational therapy, Kristine noticed Jacob would withdraw deeply and refuse to speak with anyone. Even though she found it “terrifying to fly against the advice of the professionals,” she knew in her heart “that if Jake stayed in special ed, he would slip away,” Kristine relates in her memoir, The Spark: A Mother’s Story of Nurturing Genius.

So began a journey for Jacob that would lead to such unexpected achievement that the whole premise of standardized therapy for this ‘special needs’ child would be blown to bits.

By the time Jacob reached the age of 11, he entered college and is currently studying condensed tter physics at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

Jacob also has an IQ of 170 — higher than that of Einstein. He is history’s youngest astrophysics researcher, has spoken at a New York TED (Technology, Entertainment & Design) conference, and appeared on a variety of news interviews, including 60 Minutes and the Time magazine website.

Not bad for someone who was classified by state experts as so severely disabled that he would never tie his own shoes or learn to read. If Jacob had stayed within the system, the prediction may very well have come true."

Left in the hands of the state, this child would have been institutionalized, helmet in place, with no where to express his genius. The idiots that are employed by the state as mental health and development experts are the ones that need the helmets. 

Never, ever trust the government with your children! If you can afford it, take them out of the public schools. They are not teaching your kids much of value these days anyway.

ISIS

So, what do you know about ISIS or ISIL or whatever they are calling themselves? Are they a threat to us in the US? What is their goal?

You might think that ISIS grew out of a desire by Muslims to reestablish the Muslim caliphate in the middle east. You might think that they have banded together to throw out the western dalliance in the political and petroleum policies of the region. You might think it was all designed to threaten the existence of Israel.

If you thought any of those things, you would be wrong.

Do you remember when western governments and regional governments in the middle east were all trying to bring down the Syrian regime in Damascus over the alleged gassing of their own people? I think that was back in September of 2013. The UN, NATO, Turkey, Saudi Arabia (and even Israel) were supporting an all out invasion. Everything was in place to make that happen and bring down Bashir Assad.

All that saber rattling failed. Vladimir Putin took the lead, put his foot down, and it never happened. Thanks Vlad for saving countless American lives from sure death in another oil war...because that is what it would have been.

Since the failure of that plan in 2013 however, the US, NATO, the Turks and the Saudis have gone with Plan B. The intelligence and military agencies of these countries have pooled their economic resources and military equipment and built The Islamic State (ISIS). They tell people they want to establish the Islamic caliphate, but their real purpose is to continue to pressure the Syrian government to the point of collapse and remove Bashir Assad from the area. They seem to be succeeding. Assad is very close to folding up his tent and going home. Partition of Syria is very close.

So why all this animus in the Arab world against Assad? Well, for one thing he is Shia Muslim and his opponents in the middle east are Sunni. The Sunni variety of Islam would like to maintain control of the middle east. They despise the Shias and the feeling is mutual. Beyond that, their Saudi cousins along with the Turks, would like to put a natural gas pipeline through Syria and run it north to Turkey and beyond to Europe. This would change the entire economy of the Mediterranean and Europe itself.

Currently, Europe and the Mediterranean are dependent on Russia for all their natural gas and petroleum products. With the advent of a Saudi pipeline, this would all begin to change. It would threaten the economy of the Russian Federation and maybe even bring collapse.

This is why the west is scrambling to bring down Assad with ISIS and why the Russians are scrambling to shore up their relationship with other Asian countries (China) and certain South American countries like Brazil and Venezuela. It also explains the recent outreach of the US to Cuba, a longtime Russian ally, and the mess in Ukraine.

One has to wonder....is it Syria that is the target here or is it really Russia?

Whatever the case, it is still not clear who is winning this imaginary war. What is also not clear is what will happen when Assad falls. Will ISIS continue to be a factor in the middle east or will they disappear back into the desert? Will Turkey then bring about the Sunni caliphate? Will they go to war with the Shia Muslims and Israel? Will they be used to threaten North Americans and will we hear new calls to ratchet up internal security and suspend more rights? We live in interesting times my friends and that can be a problem.

Please go here to read recent  (and here) US government documents exposing the West's support for ISIS. It is a tangled web. It seems that the World is balanced continually on the edge of a very sharp knife. The nations rage.        

Think About The Future...

According to The Telegraph:

"Wealthy humans are likely become cyborgs within 200 years as they gradually merge with technology like computers and smart phones, a historian has claimed.

Yuval Noah Harari, a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said the amalgamation of man and machine will be the ‘biggest evolution in biology’ since the emergence of life four billion years ago.

Prof Harari, who has written a landmark book charting the history of humanity, said mankind would evolve to become like gods with the power over death, and be as different from humans of today as we are from chimpanzees.

He argued that humans as a race were driven by dissatisfaction and that we would not be able to resist the temptation to ‘upgrade’ ourselves, whether by genetic engineering or technology.

“We are programmed to be dissatisfied, “ said Prof Harari. “Even when humans gain pleasure and achievements it is not enough. They want more and more.

“I think it is likely in the next 200 years or so homo sapiens will upgrade themselves into some idea of a divine being, either through biological manipulation or genetic engineering of by the creation of cyborgs, part organic part non-organic.
“It will be the greatest evolution in biology since the appearance of life. Nothing really has changed in four billion years biologically speaking. But we will be as different from today’s humans as chimps are now from us."

The article goes on to say:

Prof Harari said humans had become such a dominant species because of our ability to invent ‘fictions’ which held society together, such as religion, money and the idea of fundamental human rights, which have no basis in nature.
“God is extremely important because without religious myth you can’t create society . Religion is the most important invention of humans. As long as humans believed they relied more and more on these gods they were controllable.
“But what we see in the last few centuries is humans becoming more powerful and they no longer need the crutches of the Gods. Now we are saying we do not need God just technology.
“The most interesting place in the world from a religious perspective is not the Middle East, it’s Silicon Valley where they are developing a techno-religion. They believe even death is just a technological problem to be solved."
---------------------------
Well....could that indeed be the plan and not just something that will be possible? Imagine if you will an entire class of wealthy, educated citizens from various countries in the world opting for various cyber improvements to their human bodies that make them actual super men and women. These people would, no doubt, slowly separate themselves from the rest of us rabble and most likely create a break away civilization. They would either leave us here and move out into space or worse - decide to stay and genocide the rest of us out of existence. They could then run the world with servile robots and enjoy it free of the common folk that currently clutter the streets of the planet. It has been the dream of the wealthier classes of people for centuries. To have the earth without us and to themselves would be heaven and it would be eternal as long as replacement parts did not run out. And let's face it, only these people would consider giving up the very things that make them human to achieve this final purpose. They already think they are gods. This could just seal the deal for them.

I don't think it will work, but I'm all for letting them try. Anything that is computerized can be hacked and reprogrammed. Perhaps in the ensuing years of struggle before they reach their goal, we could program them all to give away everything they own and then self destruct. I am liking it already.

Imagine a world with no Rothchilds, no Gates, no Koch brothers, no Windsors, no Bushs, and no Clintons. It's easy if you try. Now that I think about it, why hasn't some terror group already started the eradication of this problematic myasmatic cabal? It's a question worth asking. If you really think you can change the world with such methods as terror, why not use it on the source of the problem and quit taking out innocent folks in Syria, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Baltimore?

Just thinking out loud here with no real intention to do harm, but really...

Where does the blame for the world's injustice and economic disparity really lie? You tell me. But if Prof  Harai is right, we may be able to come up with a way to literally shut those folks off as they transition to their godlike machine status. Now is the time to start thinking about how. I suddenly feel so optimistic about the future. An "off" switch. What an excellent idea.

A Ground Hog's Dilemma

Pro Life and Pro Death Penalty...Do you see the Inconsistency Christian???

Once again I am driven to my the crayon box to scrawl my objections to yet another inconsistency I see in the Christian worldview. As a Christian myself, I know it depends on where you go to church much of the time, but the people I come from and that I love rise from a conservative mentality. There are few shades of gray and for the most part, I will agree with that, but it all has to be sorted out and thought through because the potential for error is high.

Let me say first, the death penalty for certain crimes against God and your neighbor is in the Bible. It is generally declared for things like murder, blasphemy, adultery and other unnatural sex acts according to the law given to Moses by God Himself. It was never given as a punishment though, unless there were at least two eyewitnesses to the crime. The death penalty was also carried out publicly and in the most gruesome ways. Stoning, beheading, crucifixion and hanging were all practiced in ancient times and more often than not, the public was required to attend. The purpose in all this was to prevent, to discourage, to deter others from behaving as the executed criminal behaved. Even children attended these public executions. The intent was to strike fear in the heart of the people.

Today in the West we reserve the death penalty for the most grievous crime of murder and in some places, kidnapping and rape can also bring the death penalty and maybe treason and sedition. Otherwise it is prohibited and in some states, it is prohibited completely and is not seen as a deterrent to the criminal behavior in question. The worst part of the continuing practice of capital punishment in the West that the accused can be sent to their death on circumstantial evidence. Production of actual eyewitnesses is not required. Further to the point, it always seems that the severity of the sentence can be greatly effected by the lawyer that you can afford. If you are stuck with a public defender, there is a good chance you will be convicted and executed for the crime of which you are accused. But if you have the money....if you can afford Johnny Cochran for instance, you will never see the sparky side of the electric chair or the three allegedly humane needles used in today's execution chambers.

I find this state of affairs appalling. No one should be executed on circumstantial evidence. No one should be stuck with a bad lawyer simply because they cannot afford a good one. It is not right. It is unjust and it must stop.

Beyond all that, there is the example of Jesus. Please read John 8 when you get an opportunity. A woman is allegedly caught in the act of adultery - a capital crime in Judea at the time. The Pharisees take her to Jesus. They want to stone her. They asked Jesus what should be done with her. He said something to the effect of, "who among you is without sin, let him cast the first stone." This indictment was enough to make them all walk away. When they had gone, Jesus counseled the woman, "there is no one here to condemn you. Neither do I. Go your way and sin no more."

Grace and mercy...a second chance...that's my Jesus!

Jesus also said on the occasion in the garden when Simon Peter sliced off the ear of Malchus, the High Priest's servant, "those who live by the sword shall die by the sword." This was an observation that we should never be quick to make judgements that may bring irreversible consequences.

I will grant you that neither of these instances rules out the use of capital punishment for high crimes against people or the government of the state. It's just that death is so permanent and everyone, in my mind, should be allowed every last chance possible to repent. It's true that, if they are guilty, they have sinned a grave sin by taking the life of another, but we need to be sure. We cannot take a life based on the circumstantial and possibly arranged evidence. Police departments and district attorneys sometimes have more of an interest in keeping conviction rates up for political reasons and they do not care who has to pay for it. Justice is a secondary issue to those driven by such things. Perhaps we should make political corruption punishable by death. If the death penalty is a deterrent, that should work right?  

So here is what I suggest. Enforce the death penalty only on crimes where there are at least two eyewitnesses. Make sure, in capital crime, that the accused always has a good lawyer. Never execute a child, a mentally disabled person or a mentally ill person. Let mercy reign.

So what about the Boston bombers of this world? What do we do with them? Give them life in prison without hope of parole. Why kill them and make them martyrs? In the case of this one, serve him pork chops for the rest of his life. That should teach him.

My point here is that the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ is for everyone. It is for the innocent unborn and it is for sinners - adulterers, fornicators, liars, thieves and the chronically grouchy. We all need one last chance.

Do you still want the death penalty? OK, here is the deal. The jury that convicts also executes. Simple really. If you were on a jury, I think you would want to be sure. Also...how about public executions? Sound awful? Good. That would be the idea. If you really believe it's justice, it should not bother you to witness it...right?

How does taking the life of a murderer bring back the murdered party? How is that justice? It's fair, but is it justice. Does it actually make anyone feel better about the situation? If it does, I would say you need to see a doctor. Vengeance is for God alone, just as it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay".

As for me, I will always err on the side of grace.             

Human Being...It's What's For Dinner....apparently

This just in from Lagos, Nigeria as reported by the Daily Mail,

A Nigerian restaurant has reportedly been shut down for cooking human flesh and serving it to customers.

The police were tipped off by locals who suspected something horrific was taking place inside the kitchen.

They raided the hotel restaurant to discover human heads which were still dripping with blood in plastic bags.

 

A local priest who ate at the restaurant - in the south-eastern province of Anambra - was alarmed at the price of meals there, let alone where the meat came from,BBC Swahili reported.

He was presented with a bill of 700 Naira - around £2.20 - when the daily wage for tens of millions of Nigerians is approximately 60p. 

The priest said: 'The attendant noticed my reaction and told me it was the small piece of meat I had eaten that made the bill scale that high.

'I did not know I had been served with human meat, and that it was that expensive.'

There was also apparently a large cache of arms found by police in the same establishment. The only time you regularly see severed human heads and guns together is at a ISIS meeting. I suppose you have to do something with the heads, so why not eat the evidence. Sort of gives new meaning to head cheese.

I feel so jaded. I am NOT hungry though.

Some Things to Think About....

What if I told you that the majority of daily events that you see or hear about in the news every day are not real. By 'not real', I mean they were created and directed as if they were for entertainment purposes, intended to generate an underlying emotion like fear or envy or sexual desire or hunger or complacency or something else.

I am serious here. Think about events like the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, the London subway bombings (was that 7/07?). Or how about on a smaller scale like Sandy Hook or the drought in California or the earthquakes in Fukishima and Katmandu?

These were all real events in that people died and much property was destroyed, but could they have been deliberately caused to generate fear, political backlash and control where it did not exist before?

Governments, corporations and multi-national banks have considerable power in our world. To maintain that power they must attempt to control the will of the populace. That is best done by creating environments of need - for security or for relief or for financial help. The primary motivators for humans rise from our emotional state. Fear of death is a primary motivator. It also helps if we are ignorant and uniformed or more importantly disinformed. This makes us easily manipulated.

Example: How do we prevent another 9/11? Pass laws eliminating our civil rights so we will be able to after the bad guys. (Patriot Act)

Example: How do we prevent another Sandy Hook? Ban all guns.

Example: How do we eliminate financial insecurity? Eliminate cash. Charge people for their deposits.

I could go on. The fact is that we are being manipulated daily by the news media monopoly, politicians and bad advertising. I also believe we are also being manipulated by planned disasters and tragedies. And yes, I think that everything I mentioned above were planned events - false flags if you will - designed to manipulate us all.

Someone might ask how you can plan an earthquake. It can be done. On a small scale, simple fracking for oil can cause minor earthquakes. Larger, more deadly quakes can be created with the use of ultra low frequency radio waves bounced off the ionosphere. These have been used already in undeclared wars that have been going on for decades. They have also been used to punish governments that do not tow the line for the Empire. Properly placed atomic weapons can also induce major quakes. Used under water or deep under ground the actual explosions would seem to be part of the tectonic shift and would go unnoticed for the most part along with the radiation.

I also have come to the conclusion that we are being sprayed from the air. I don't know what it is, but attempts to analyze it show high counts of barium, nano aluminum-coated fiberglass [known as CHAFF], radioactive thorium, cadmium, chromium, nickel, desiccated blood, mold spores, yellow fungal mycotoxins, ethylene dibromide, and polymer fiber. This may merely be attempts to control and manipulate the weather, but you have to wonder, whatever the purpose is, what is it doing to us? Have you noticed the great quantities of contrails in the air? How they some times criss-cross the sky like checker boards? And the hang time of these contrails is incredible. When I was a kid I would see contrails in the sky and they would quickly dissipate. Today they hang in the air and turn the whole sky a milky white...usually followed by storms of some sort the next day. How long has it been since you've seen a truly blue sky? I remember them fondly, but I have not seen one in awhile...maybe January.  

Every time I ask "WHY", the only answer that I come up with is control. It's also what Common Core is about and I have not even touched that yet. Google it if you want to get really frustrated. And there is vaccines (that don't work or kill) and GMO's and and and...you get my drift.

I know by now 90% of you are thinking I need a dose of lithium and one of those white jackets with the weird sleeves. I understand. Ya'll can go back to sleep and let the new world order sweep over you. The dreams should be good and better than the reality.

I am not going to have to live in this new world, at least not for long, but the rest of you better buckle your seat belt. I'm thinking they are only getting started. Trouble is afoot on a grand scale. They are practicing for the final lock down now. The US population is the only real variable. There are still some among us that think like the freedmen or our ancestor's day. How will the Empire deal with a local uprising in their own back yard? Check out Jade Helm 15 for at least a partial answer to that.

Freedom is not free people and soon it will be unavailable to everyone, but don't you worry. You will still be able to get you big mac, you recreational pot and your abortion. If you want to die, no one will stand in your way.

But if you want to live...well, that might be a problem. Back to work slave...that is what you are you know. You are either a wage slave or you are living off of a wage slave. Ever think about that?

Ya, even if you're retired...you probably collect social security right? See what I mean. And I suspect there will come a day where we will all be expected as an act of good citizenship to expire by the time we are 75 years old. That could even be accomplished without you knowing it with aerosols sprayed from a high altitude, with nanites in your flu shot or with an implant in your new knee that the government (us) paid for.

Well, I'm going to bed now. It would be interesting if, when I woke up, I was 23 again and all of this last 34 years had been a dream. It would be like taking the blue pill. I'm beginning to wish I had. Sleep tight America. Your time is about up.       

More Very Talented Evian Babies

If I had known babies could do stuff like this, I might have made one. Who knew?

Evian Commercial

I've obviously not been watching enough TV. These Evian commercials are hilarious. Someone from my Sunday school class sent me this one. Babies are funny, but these babies just make you happy.

Kefir and Almond Milk

I am not what you would call health food nut.  I am not vegan or vegetarian (and I am told there is a difference). I do not spend my spare time sprouting seeds and worrying about whether a food source is organic, though it may eventually come to that. Having said that, when they make it easy for me to eat healthy, I do participate. I just like it when healthy food is as convenient as a Egg McMuffin if you know what I mean...and I do like me some that kind of stuff.  

There are many healthy choices on today's grocery store shelves if you just look. Many organic items and many stores with strictly healthy food sections. Hy Vee here in Iowa is an example of this. Hy Vee is wonderful, though kind of expensive. In Altoona Iowa, the Hy Vee has a sushi bar....yes, a sushi bar. Those farmers line up for their sushi. I think maybe it's an excuse to buy a bottle of sa'ke to wash down the raw fish, but I digress. I do not yet eat sushi, but I do not rule it out either.

What I wanted to talk about were two healthy items that are also convenient. The first one is Kefir. Kefir is an interesting item - a dairy product that is also good for you. It's basically fermented cows milk. If that puts you off, I am sorry. I know you are probably thinking of sour milk, but really, it's more like a liquid yogurt that you can drink and it comes in flavors or can be used to make fruit smoothies which are delicious. I personally am a yogurt lover so I transitioned quickly to Kefir. I like the red raspberry flavor produced by Lifeway. It is delicious.

 

The nutritional thing about Kefir is that it is packed with probiotic bacteria and calcium and protein, but it has no more than 10% of the lactose of regular whole milk products and it's low in fat. I think it's delicious and it's full of stuff that us senior citizens may be lacking in our diets. Pick up jug today and try it. Be sure to give the bottle a good shake each and every time before opening.

The other item I wanted to discuss is almond milk. This product fascinates me. I bought a half gallon jug of it at Hy Vee (it's in the regular dairy case). It was the chocolate almond milk and I could not tell that it was not a dairy product. It tasted just like the chocolate milk I am accustomed to, but here is the healthy kicker. Almond milk contains no fat, no cholesterol and no lactose. And while it does not have as much calcium as cows milk, it is still loaded with vital vitamins and minerals. The only drawback that I see is that it contains Carrageenan which is a controversial food additive that is illegal in some countries. I will let you make the determination about that. I can tell you that it's most likely in your diet anyway.

Couldn't hurt to try some.



A third thing that I would like to give honorable mention to is something that I just love - unroasted nuts and dried fruit. This can be an expensive habit, but it is also very good for you. I buy unroasted, unsalted cashews, almonds, and shelled pistachios and mix them with dried cherries and cranberries. The mix is delicious. They make for a great snack that is high in protein and EFA's (essential fatty acids) that are undisturbed by the roasting process. Very heart healthy, anti inflamatory and I find, memory enhancing.  

What Do Atrazine, Soy Beans, BPA, Pthalates, Beer and Birth Control Pills All Have in Common???

Do you know the answer? They are all endocrine disruptors. All of these items can interfere in some way with the natural flow of hormones in a human body that are produced by the glands in the endocrine system.

The endocrine system of the human body consists of a number of different glands situated in different places in your body that produce different kinds of hormones. All of these hormone's are released into the body at different times of life directing and prompting the other systems of the body to do things or perform specific functions. The major glands of the endocrine system are these

1 Pineal gland 2 Pituitary gland 3 Thyroid gland 4 Thymus 5 Adrenal gland 6 Pancreas 7 Ovary (female)
8 Testis (male)

 

Please note the androgynous nature of the illustration above because that is what I want to talk about. The endocrine disruptors that I mentioned earlier, in addition to many other I have not mentioned are proving to be responsible for the feminization of men worldwide and also the masculinization of women. When these products or derivatives of these products are used or consumed by women of child bearing age, the effect on any children born to them can be devastating.

It is being theorized that when endocrine disruptors are allowed to enter the systems of unborn fetuses via the mother's womb, they can have a feminizing effect on unborn baby boys and a masculinizing effect on unborn baby girls. The result is short penises with poorly formed urethras, small testes and low sperm count in boys and early onset of menses and breast development in girls.

But wait. That's not all....do I sound like Ron Popeel?

There is a possibility that these endocrine disruptors with their feminizing and masculinizing effects are actually creating more gay, lesbian and transgendered people because of their effect in the womb on the unborn. It is a logical assumption and one that cannot be ignored. It also leads one to consider that this may be more than just a coincidence. It could have been the plan on along. The powers that be have been more than concerned for a number of years about population growth throughout the world. We are coming up on 7 billion people on the planet. And even though, by the UN's own projections, world population is supposed to level off by 2050, it has always been desired by the One Worlders not to have more than 2 billion people on the planet. One way to do that is to load consumer products with hormone disruptors that will derail normal human development and normal family development worldwide.

There is a great interview on Radio3Fourteen with Dr Curtis Duncan about all of this.

Consider Atrazine. It is the second most popular pesticide in the world. It is effective and it has been found in 84% of the world's water supply. It has also been shown to alter the sex of both fish and frogs, making them androgynous or even same sex attracted and virtually sterile. This is actually happening now in the fresh waterways of North America. If it's happening to fish and frogs, can it be happening to us? Why not?

Consider Bisphenol A (BPA). It is used to line plastic bottles and cans that are used in food production. According to endalldisease.com,

"This class of chemical known as a Xenoestrogen is feminizing the world’s population by mimmicing estrogen in the human body. The chemical companies produce around 700 billion pounds of this poison each year and it leeches from cans, bottles and packaging into the food and water supplies.
Statistics taken from urine samples indicate over 93% of American’s currently have BPA in their bodies.  Dr. Hugh S. Taylor, M.D. of Yale University revealed at a press briefing that male mice exposed to BPA showed reduced sperm production and increased prostate size."

Infertility and prostate enlargement. You expect that at 60, but it's showing up more now in 30 something men. Not good.

What about pthalates? From the same article:
 
"While BPA mimics estrogen, phthalates block testosterone action. So not only do we have abundant chemicals in our food supply that act in the same manner as estrogen, but now we have a chemical that inhibits the bodys use of what little testosterone we have left.
Studies in male animals exposed to pthalates have found reduced sperm production, undescended testes, hypospadias, and decreased testosterone production.
Sources of Pthalates to avoid:
Shampoos, Colognes/Perfume, Deodorant, Hair Spray, Body Lotion, Makeup, Glade Plug-ins and other Air Fresheners."

Beer...well guys...it's loaded with estrogen. It comes from the hops. It will give you manboobs. Seriously. And then there's soy bean products; also loaded with testosterone stopping estrogen.

And ladies...I cannot find the study right now, but there is one that shows females on birth control pills tend to gravitate toward more feminine men. And while that's great for all the gamma type guys out there, it spells disaster for well adjusted families.

So while Al Gore is out there yelling about climate change and Rush Limbaugh types are screaming about gay marriage, the real problem might just be what we are consuming.

I would urge you to check it out. It does not take much of a search to uncover and research this issue on the internet. It is a serious problem that is more threatening to the human race than any other. The PTB are messing with the very essence of what it means to be human men and women. I am not sure how to stop it or if it can be stopped, but it is a problem that will not be going away any time soon. Turns out that Bruce Jenner may be a product of his/her environment. Who would have thunk it? Which reminds me - I best be getting a PSA soon. My prostate is not getting any smaller (:^)))

23%

23% of anything is very substantial wouldn't you say? If you lost 23% of your right leg, that could be a problem. If you lost 23% of your nest egg, unless you are Bill Gates or Warren Buffet, that would be a problem.

So what if a nation has 23% of it's population that believes in nothing? They have no faith. They identify with no religion. They are either atheist or agnostic or they just never thought about it?

That is exactly what a recent study by the Pew Research Center released today has revealed about America. According to World Net Daily :

"Christianity is still the dominant religion in America, with seven in 10 claiming affiliation with the belief, but those touting no particular religion – the “nones” – are rapidly taking over the country.
The number of “nones” has grown to 56 million, a Pew Research Center study released Tuesday found.
 Pew conducted two surveys between 2007 and 2014 on religion in America and discovered the number of Americans who claim atheism, agnosticism, or no particular faith grew from 16 percent to 23 percent. During that time frame, the number of Americans laying claim to Christianity fell from 78 percent to 71 percent."

Brethren, we are losing ground. I would imagine that this is not going to get better anytime soon. One has to wonder where the numbers will be by 2050.

We also need to ask ourselves why this is happening, especially given that the church is growing exponentially in countries where it is illegal to be a Christian or heavily discouraged by the state. Perhaps this is what needs to happen here?

My thought is that faith begins to grow when there is trouble. Perhaps some repression or outright persecution would be in order...or maybe...

There are two things going on here at least...I think. For one thing, the American church lives in the lap of luxury. We are mostly middle class. We are mostly employed. We are mostly insulated from the real problems of the world. We whine about abortion and gay marriage and we push Republicans to do something, though they do nothing and never have, but mostly, we all live well. We have not missed many meals, we have roofs over our heads and money to spend on mission trips and Christian conventions. We are comfortable with who we are in Christ's church.

And that is problem number one. Don't you think so? We are comfortable. Should this be so? Is it right for a Christian to be comfortable when 23% of his or her nation believes nothing?

Problem number two is...when we do become active in the world, and I have already mentioned this, it is to complain about the behavior of the people that most need the help of Jesus Christ and His church. You know what I'm talking about! We are so busy trying to recreate the Christian culture of our long dead past by pushing politicians and judges to manipulate law, that we forget to offer salvation to the very people that can help bring that about. We have the cart before the horse. Why don't we offer them Jesus and the gospel first? We can let Jesus change them. Or is that too New Testament?

You ask, "but Ghog, what if they do not accept Jesus and the Gospel?"

You won't like my answer.

Then let them be. Let them live in their disbelief. Your job, Christian, is to plant seeds. When they take root, then praise the Lord. But if they do not germinate, shake the dust from your feet and move on.

"But what about our Christian culture Ghog? How will we get that back?"

Again, you will not like my answer.

You never had a Christian culture you silly rabbit. Look at the history of your country. It's strewn with slavery, lynchings, Native American genocide, war, and political and financial corruption.

"But Ghog", you moo, "it says In God We Trust on our money."

Ya right. It ain't money. Those are Federal Reserve Notes issued by a private corporation that represent nothing but debt. They are backed by nothing and the "God" on those notes is not your God you silly cow. The "God" on the paper in your pocket and on the pot metal coinage in your piggy bank is the "God" of a secret society - The Masons. They call him the Great Architect of the Universe and he has more in common with the serpent of Genesis 3 than He does with Yahweh.

My advice Brother is to give up your current plan. It ain't working. There will never again be (as if there ever was) a Christian culture in this nation. Let's get a new plan. Take them one by one. We may end up in a minority before it's over. We may be persecuted for our belief. We may actually have to suffer for our faith, but we have to do something different. Church per the usual ain't workin...just sayin. Let's move forward in faith.

Paul knew what it was like to live as a Christian in a world that was not.  

II Corinthians 12:23b-29

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. ²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

When you have lived like that Christian, you might have reason to whine about the world you live in, but my advice is "don't". Just keep pushing forward, planting your seeds and tending to those that take root. Let Jesus sort it all out.

America may well self destruct. You will not be able to prevent that and you know what? It does not matter. You may well love your country as I do, but let me tell you this...Your first citizenship lies in another kingdom, one not made with hands. It is your first duty to support that eternal kingdom because you will spend eternity there. America is not heaven. You will not go there when you die and neither will your kids. Prepare yourself and them for the spiritual war that is upon us and move forward in faith. Quit your whining. Jesus died on a cross for us and He rose from the dead so that one day we could be with Him in Paradise and America ain't it. So uncouple your faith from this nation that you love and take hold of your Citizenship in the Kingdom that matters. Prepare ye the way of the Lord.

Growing Young - Rich Mullins

My favorite Rich Mullins song. It's about Fathers and sons. The video is not great, but listen to the words of the song. It has been truth for so many of us.


Luke 15:11-32

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”