Life is Too Short

I think the following story tugged at my heart for a few reasons. 

I feel like I am spending too much time away from my family.  I feel like I need to be home more often and stories like the one posted below score the importance of that belief.  I also thought of my son Josh when I read this story because of the similarities between Josh and Austin Hatch.  Josh is athletic and will have an opportunity to run track at the next level and I am certainly proud of his accomplishments.  And I can't imagine Josh losing his entire family and then going on after such tragedies.  I feel for this young man, Austin Hatch, and hope that you will hold him in your prayers as he fights for his life.

DETROIT (AP) -- A standout Indiana high school basketball player with the promise of playing at the University of Michigan is fighting for his life after surviving the second plane crash of his young life.
  
Austin Hatch, 16, of Fort Wayne, Ind., was in critical condition Saturday in a northern Michigan hospital after the Friday evening crash that killed his father, Dr. Stephen Hatch, and his stepmother, Kim. Austin and his pilot father had survived a 2003 crash that killed Austin's mother and two siblings.
  
The teen was "the apple of his dad's eye," and Stephen Hatch took great delight and pride in his son's athletic accomplishments, Dr. G. David Bojrab, a colleague and close friend of the father's, told The Associated Press.
  
Austin, a junior at Canterbury School in Fort Wayne, Ind., committed earlier this month to play basketball at Michigan, where his father and mother went to school.
  
He told the Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne for a story published last week that he talked to Michigan coach John Beilein by phone and accepted a full-ride scholarship. It was the first day that NCAA coaches could call recruits for the 2013 class, the newspaper said.
  
"It was a very special moment for me," Hatch told the newspaper. "There was no reason to wait. There's nothing I don't like about their program, and I couldn't turn it down."
  
Canterbury coach Dan Kline, who spoke with Michigan coaches before the offer, told the newspaper it was Austin's "dream" to play for Michigan.

Bojrab said the Hatches were flying to their summer home on Walloon Lake in Michigan's northwestern Lower Peninsula, where Stephen Hatch and his brothers all owned property, when his single-engine plane flew into a garage near the Charlevoix Municipal Airport. It was the same home Stephen Hatch and the family were returning from nearly eight years ago when they crashed in Indiana.
A 2005 federal report on the September 2003 crash found inaccurate preflight planning resulted in the plane not having enough fuel. The National Transportation Safety Board determined a utility pole the airplane hit during its forced landing, a low ceiling and dark night also contributed to the crash.
  
Bojrab said his friend disputed the report's findings, believing equipment failure caused the crash.
  
"When he crashed, it was an inferno, which makes you wonder how he could have been out of gas," Bojrab said.
  
Hatch saved Austin, but his other children -- Lindsay, 11, and Ian, 5 -- died along with his wife, Julie, 38.
  
"His wife and two children were in flames and he was never able to reach them," Bojrab said. "Steve reached over to his son who was sitting in front with him and tossed him out the window to save his life."

Beilein said in a statement that the university was saddened to hear about the tragedy affecting the Hatches. "Austin needs as much support right now as possible and I know he will be in the thoughts and prayers of the Michigan family during this difficult time," he said.
  
Canterbury School said in a statement it released Saturday to "keep Austin and his family in your thoughts and prayers." 

Hey Hollywood...I'm a Guy,but I'm not Gay (or Stupid)

The movie, Cars 2, is out and doing well at the box office.  I have heard only good things about the movie and I am pleased.  I know I sound like my dad or granddad, but shows and movies nowadays just aren't the same as they used to be.  And as a male, I am getting really tired of being portrayed as being stupid, a wimp, or gay.

During the “Golden Age” of television, family shows were just that, and they portrayed the family as a stable honorable institution. While not discounting the revered position of mothers, TV dads were usually strong, gentle, wise, and good; they were the leaders in the home, providing for the family’s well-being, and teaching their kids how to be responsible.  As a child I used to watch  Andy Griffith, Happy Days, The Waltons, and Little House on the Prairie.  All were examples of shows with strong families and strong dads. They may have been unreachable standards of perfection, but they gave men something to aspire to.

Now, think of contemporary TV dads, and the first names on the list have to be Homer Simpson and Peter Griffin. Shows like Married With Children, Two & a ½ Men, and most of the other junk passed off as “family viewing” does not even qualify to be shown at what used to be called “family time.” All the dads you see these days are bumbling idiots with no clue how to relate to the people living in their houses. Even Tim Allen, who at least brought some machismo back to the tube, was as clueless as the rest of the dads on TV.

TV also denigrates the role of women, although not in the same way. Many of the moms are hardworking; veritable saints who tolerate the endless foolishness of their husbands, the drudgery of childrearing, and the challenges of their careers, all while staving off wrinkles. There is a subtle message at work: that a woman is wasted on a family, or at least on a husband. Children are seen as either a drag on a woman’s career, or simply another challenge added to the pursuit of the career. Raising kids is seldom seen as an admirable goal in its own right; stay-at-home moms tend to be either pitied (Marge Simpson) or viewed as oddities (Kate Gosselin).

Family shows have fallen out of favor with the networks, in lieu of trashy “reality shows”, and comedies about well-to-do urban singles. These men are presented as slim, stylish metrosexuals, usually in their 30’s, whose paychecks fund their slick wardrobes, hair-care products, favorite coffee houses, and their endless pursuit of the "next" ex-girlfriend.

We know Hollywood can do better. The movie industry has finally started to learn its lesson after years of shoveling R-rated movies into the theatres and losing money. They have finally figured out that family films still sell well.  Dreamworks, Disney, and Pixar have made fortunes by making films that parents can show their children, and raise the honor of the family.

It just goes to show that following good old-fashioned family values can bring success and may not be as out-of-date as Hollywood would have you believe.

What is America Asking Of Us Today?

“In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility – I welcome it.” – John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, 1961

In sales, it is imperative to ask the right questions.  Without asking the right questions, you may never find the answer. America is at a tremendous cross roads and I wonder if we are even asking the right questions. In 1961, John F. Kennedy spoke words that now seem etched in the hallows of time and presidential glory: “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country…” But much more of what he spoke that day bears remembering as well.  Doing so will illuminate the kind of questions that need to be answered by all of us today.

“…the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forbears fought are still at issue around the globe – the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.”

In that one sentence, Kennedy captures a profound truth of American exceptionalism that many of us have forgotten. The state does not exist to provide for us. It was established to protect what God has granted each human being – life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Are we seeking to be served by America?

“We dare not forget that today we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans…proud of our ancient heritage…” What have we, in this day, done with this torch of freedom for which so costly a price has been paid? Is it being passed on, or snuffed out?

“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardships, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty…”  Where has the warrior heart of America gone to honor this legacy of leadership and strength?  Are we standing for freedom or appeasing evil?

“I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it – and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.”  Where has that energy, faith and fire gone? Have we allowed it to be replaced by self loathing, guilt and revisionist history?

“With a good conscience, our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth, God’s work must truly be our own.”

Have we lost our love for America? Have we allowed the cynics and the “blame America crowd” to drown out the ringing bells of liberty, justice and faith? What is America asking of us today? Are we hearing her cries from within? Have we forgotten the dreams of our founding fathers who pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor?

Let us ponder these stirring questions with a humble heart and an eager spirit. We must then go forward with courage and answer these questions with bold conviction. America’s destiny and the freedom of millions lies in our hands and in our hearts.

2012 Democratic Strategy

I have followed politics long enough now to know that whatever the Democrats say is exactly the opposite of what they are doing or what they mean. It is a strategy called "projection".  You have to look no further than last weeks press confererence with Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin to see this strategy in place.   Schumer and Durbin put on their little "sad" faces and accused the Republicans of purposefully sabotaging the economy for election purposes next year.  The two said they were shocked and "greatly saddened" that everyone from George Bush to John Boehner to Paul Ryan were intent on destroying the housing market and making sure there is not one job for any American until election night of 2012.

I happen to think this is hilarious.  The last time I checked the Democrats have been in control of everything since 2007 except for the House last Fall and the lame-duck Presidency under Bush.  They have controlled the agenda, they have controlled the passing of laws, in essence, they have controlled everything.  The Republicans have not been able to do anything until last Fall when they could finally block some things in the House.  So armed with a little knowledge, how could one possibly say the Republicans have sabotaged the economy, how could one possibly think that the Republicans have affected unemployment, and how could Republicans destroy the housing market?

"Blame it on the Republicans" will be the battle cry of the Democrats.  But don't be fooled.  The failures of the housing market, the employment rates, the bailouts, the economy, gas prices, food prices, etc. are on the Democrats. 

However, one of the biggest failures is not a Rebublican or Democratic failure.  It is the failure of the American people to let their freedom continue to be taken away bit by bit, day by day and to believe the lies that are being fed to them constantly.  And the biggest failure of the American people would be to elect Obama for a second term.

Southern Sundays

 There is still something old-fashioned and calming about a Southern Sunday morning.  Most of the stores are closed, liquor is not sold, and things seem to slow down a little.  I ran across a poem (I don't know who wrote it) but it portrays a good picture of typical Southern Sunday mornings.


There is a sweet softness to a Southern Sunday morn.

A softness which fills the senses, and brings a peace to hearts forlorn.

And then there is the smell of home fried chicken…

with radio sermons which drift aimlessly in the air.

Even the dogs and cats up and down the street

nap lazily this day without an iota of care.

It is a day when one can see young children all bright and clean....

Standing on the street corner, dressed in their Sunday best,

waiting patiently and uncomplainingly as children can be,

for the church bus to take them to the Lords house to be blessed.

Yes, it’s a summers Sunday morning in the Bible belt, deep down south.

It is a place where the “blue laws” still exist on the books

And all the businesses around town are silent

As the hustle of the bygone week is for this one day forsook.

Oh yes, there is a special softness to a Southern Sunday morn,

It is a softness that fills the suffering soul and renews the spirits torn.

It is a taste of life as sweet as the peach pie mama cooked last night…

Oh sweet Southern Sunday Morn.

Chicago vs. Peshtigo

My family and I are going to Chicago for the Fourth of July weekend.  I love Chicago.  I personally think it is the best large city in America.  It's clean, there are so many different sights to see, the museums are great, Lake Michigan is fantastic, the festivals are unique, and the layout makes the city easy to get around.  Now if we could just get it out of Democratic control before it is ruined.  But that is a blog for a different time.

Amongst the history of gangsters, and parades, and the culture is the story of the Great Chicago Fire.  You've probably heard the story.  The fires supposedly started with Mrs. O'Leary's cow tipping over a lantern.  The fire raged throughout the entire city for nearly three days, killing 250 people, destroying 18,000 buildings, and leaving 100,000 people homeless.  Damage was estimated at $200,000 million.  A unimaginable amount for 1871.

But it wasn't the deadliest fire in U.S. history.

The Great Peshtigo Fire was the deadliest in U.S. history.  The fire killed nearly 1000 people in and around the town.  A devastating number of people considering that the town was a small little lumber town in northern Wisconsin. This howling fire jumped from tree to tree so quickly that it was impossible to run away from, and it completely incinerated the entire town and other nearby towns that were in it's path.

So, why haven't you ever heard of the Great Peshtigo Fire of northern Wisconsin?  Well, it took place 250 miles north of the Great Chicago Fire on October 8, 1871.... the same very night of the Chicago fire.

Took the Day Off from the blog

To my blog faithful (all 325+),

I left Kentucky early this week to go to a doctor's visit with my wife.  She got a clean bill of health so we are thrilled.  So, I decided to take the night off and just relax and enjoy some "downtime" together.  I hope you understand.

I am reading several books right now, and have researched a few things that I think will be interesting for future blogs.  So stay tuned.  I am also in the middle of writing a book about the life of my grandfather and I will post of few entries from it soon.

Thanks for the feedback.  Keep it coming.  I just would ask that you try to keep it clean.

Back tomorrow!

Take Notes Obama!!

I have a policy with my staff that they are not allowed to complain unless they also have a solution in mind or a plan of action to address their concern.  It has been brought to my attention lately that I have been doing a lot of complaining about the current administration and I have been asked what I would do if I were in Obama's shoes.  I'm glad you asked!

My proposals on the campaign trail would be as follows:

1. I would eliminate progressive income tax and replace it with a flat income tax in which all of the citizens (or residents) of the country would be required to pay the tax so that they have skin in the game.   I would also eliminate all corporate income tax.  Corporate income tax is nothing more than double taxation and penalizes wealth and job creation.  (Here's a short economics lesson.  You want as many billionaires in the US as possible.  Billionaires create millionaires.  Millionaires create "Hundred-thousandaires".  "Hundred-thousandaires" create "Thousandaires".  Thousandaires sometimes give to charity.  Poor people create nothing and take charity)
2. Secure the borders and end multiculturalism and diversity in all public institutions which only encourages poverty, animosity, and ethnic division.  Promote English as the official national language.  Promote citizenship.  Promote allegiance to American culture.
3. Eliminate tenure for schoolteachers and college professors.  Make them accountable for the quality of education and instruction they provide for students.  This would reap benefits exponentially both short and long term.
4. Limit federal spending to less than 20% of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
5. Contain, limit, and reform all entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare.  These programs are going bankrupt and are $50 TRILLION in debt, which will have to be paid by my children and their children.  Obamacare will add to that staggering number.
6. Ensure all foreign policy decisions are made for the purpose of preserving and improving American society.
7. DEMAND that all public servants, elected or appointed, at all times uphold the Constitution and JUSTIFY their public acts under the Constitution.
8. Limit the Supreme Court's judicial review power by establishing a legislative veto over Court decisions by a two-thirds supermajority vote of both houses of Congress and eliminate lifetime tenure for federal judges.
9. Eliminate Unions for federal government employees.  The purpose of federal unions is to empower themselves and promote statism.
10. Reduce the civilian federal workforce by a minimum of 20%. 

The late, great President Ronald Reagan said, " Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.  We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream.  It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."

Amen Ronnie!  It's time to get busy!

Whole Foods Stores, Starving Africans, and Grade A Organic Eggs

Today I received an e-mail from my wife and I was surprised.  A colleague of hers had sent her an e-mail today that read, " If you eat organic stuff then you dont care about water usage or that people are starving....besides, look at the Organic German Bean Sprouts that caused all the ecoli outbreaks...no pesticides and used cow poop, didn't get washed off and people died". 

I replied in sarcastic but light-hearted, joking manner stating, "Yep, we don't have enough water.  Only 90% of the earth's suface is water.  And, with that kind of reasoning, I think we should all go smoke some big "stogies" while getting plastered and then drive down to the local whore house and have unprotected sex.  It doesn't seem to matter since we are all going to die whether it is from organic foods with cow poop on it or from a cocktail of chemicals sprayed on my veggies.  Might as well have some fun!"

More e-mails were exchanged but the main point is that this person doesn't believe organic food is morally correct because with organic there are lower crop yields and more water is consumed to create the plants/fruits.  And yes, I get it.  I understand that if the entire world was to use organic food, there would be no way to sustain the earth's population and yes, more water would be used. 

But let me be clear, I do not eat organic food nor do I purchase organic food at Whole Foods because I believe the world should do the same.  Nor do I expect the world to do the same.  Nor do I think that the world should do the same.

Did your parents ever say to you, "You have to eat all the food on your plate, there are starving kids in Africa"?  Mine did, and quite frankly, I still don't get the connection.  If I eat all the food on my plate, will that help the African's belly to feel better that night?  No, of course not.  That's absurd.  And the argument about organic food being morally wrong is equally absurd.  I buy organic food because it seems fresher to me.  I purchase product at Whole Foods because I can buy product that is locally produced.  And I like supporting local entreprenuers.  I like keeping my money in the community.  But most of my good blog friends are drinking the Kool-Aid of the leftist, statist agenda.  As for me, the government has cried wolf too many times and I don't fall for their  "scares" any longer.

Remember the bird flu, the swine flu, doixins, E. coli, listeria, the Ebola virus, formaldehyde, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, salmonella attached to tomatoes/jalepeno peppers, CFC's, DDT?  All were blown out of proportion.  All were made into huge panics, far beyond the actual scope of any health threat.  All were lies formulated by government agencies.

So here is my solution: 

1. Come up with a strategy that improves the productivity, equity, and efficiency of water use.  It can be done. Stop ridiculous, wasteful government spending and use part of that money to solve the planet's water concerns. 
2. Have the government adopt a faith-based initiative to monetarily support churches to teach people to "fish" instead of giving them a "fish".  Our government gives billions of dollars to corrupt governments to aid in food supply, but unfortunately oftentimes that money is used for other purposes other than what we intended it for. 
3. Make major investments in agricultural infrastructure in developing countries—irrigation above all, because water control is crucial. More roads, communications and transport and storage facilities will also be required, because farmers will never benefit from higher prices if they cannot bring their produce to market.
4. Reduce barriers to trade with third world poor countries, expecially in regards to food import/exports.

These are four common sense ideas that could be implemented to effect real change.  In my opinion, if we would implement these ideas, we could make a much bigger dent in the global food/water concern than me not buying an organic apple at Whole Foods.

Stop drinking the leftist, statist misinterpretative and fear-mongering "Kool-Aid" my friend. False crisis events will continue to occur and the FDA and CDC, and EPA will continue to take away our liberties unless we start to insist on real ideas and action plans like the four I have mentioned above.

By the way, I am making a trip to Whole Foods tomorrow.  Does anyone need some organic, range-free, grain-fed large grade A brown eggs while I am there?  

The Connecticut Quiz

Take a quick quiz with me.  What is most dangerous to a 15-year old girl?

1. A single aspirin
2. Thirty minutes in a tanning bed
3. An abortion

Let me give you a hint: It is not the abortion, at least not in the eyes of Connecticut lawmakers.

I read an article that other day that I found ironic, tainted, lopsided, and sad.  The article talked about how lawmakers in Connecticut have decided that protecting teen girls from tanning beds and aspirin is more important than protecting them from abortions.

Sen. Michael McLachlan, a Republican from Danbury, noticed a glaring irony in a bill requiring teen girls to receive permission from their parents to use tanning beds. He pointed to the fact that there is no state law requiring young teenagers to get permission from their parents for an abortion.  Chris Powell of the Journal Intelligencer newspaper reported on what happened next:  Democratic lawmakers discarded the entire tanning bed bill rather than allow McLachlan to add an amendment including abortions.  Irony at it's best.

But it gets better.  In August of 2007, the Connecticut Planned Parenthood abortion clinic came under fire.  The police department found that a 15 year-old girl had been kidnapped and then sexually abused.  Authorities say the unnamed girl ran away from home to live with 41 year-old Adam Gault, who plead guilty to all charges.  After getting her pregnant, Gault reportedly took the girl to a Planned Parenthood in West Hartford where she had an abortion.

Powell commented on the case as a reason for parental notification.  I agree 100%!

The greater irony of this story is that Connecticut lawmakers are allowing a teen pregnancy to be terminated through a barbaric procedure at a moment when the minor is at a terrible risk to their physical and mental health.  They are basically giving guardianship to the minor's surgeons, the people being paid to perform the abortion.  And no one knows that the pregnancy to be terminated may be the result of statutory rape or worse, even though the failure to notify parents, guardians, or law enforcement may conceal the most abusive felonies and facilitate still more abuse.  And abortion supporters will argue to the death that abortions are necessary to protect women.  Bull!

According to July 2008 figures from the Alan Guttmacher Institute (formed by Planned Parenthood) Connecticut abortions rose from 12,110 in 2005 to 14,112 in 2006. In 2007, the number rose again to 14,534, an increase of 422 more abortions.  Michael C. Culhane, executive director of the Connecticut Catholic Conference, has said a lack of parental consent is one reason why the figure is so high.  “There’s no parental notification requirement for abortion in Connecticut,” Culhane said. “If your daughter needs an aspirin in school, she has to have parental permission. But she can go out and have an abortion.

Makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?”

Being Open-Minded

My son would like me to be more open-minded, especially when it comes to music.  Perhaps he is right. For example, today we were riding in the car, and he started playing "indy" music. And I liked it.  The Fleet Foxes and Mumford and Sons has a fun, late 60's. early 70's type sound with a some folksy tones thrown in and some harmonizing throughout.  It made me feel good and had me reminiscing. 

Being open-minded is really tough for me most times though. I was brought up with a set of beliefs and values and have surrounded myself with others that share those same values and beliefs.  I'd like to think I'm a fairly open-minded person, but, like most people, I do have some pretty strong views about specific topics and find it hard to sway from those opinions -- no matter how others might try to persuade me. For example, I know I am set on my beliefs about abortion, politics, and God.  I truly believe that having strong beliefs can be a wonderful thing and I believe we should all stay true to what we believe in, but having strong beliefs doesn't have to mean having a closed mind. 

Although it can be rough sometimes, I have always found that when I open my mind to such things as music, and literature, and food, and culture, I usually reap a ton of benefits and learn a lot.

But on the other hand, the claim to be open-minded is frequently used by people who want to sound virtuous, and intellectual, and simultaneously make their opponent sound intolerant, while defending or promoting their ideas and beliefs.  Just because I don't agree with you doesn't mean that I am not open-minded.

Happy Father's Day Dad!

I believe we celebrate Father's Day because we celebrate Mother's Day.  My belief that Father's Day exists to show "fairness" can be summed up in one statistical fact.  There are more calls made on Mother's Day than Father's Day but there are more collect phone calls made on Father's Day than any other day of the year.  It's a "Catch 22" the dad always endures.

However, my sarcastic opinion should not overlook the fact that a day should be set aside for honoring fathers. True fathers, real men, are becoming extinct these days.  It is great fun creating a son,  it oftentimes is not so fun creating a man. And my father has not blinked for a second, even with a blended family, and even when it was difficult to stay the course and provide the essentials for his family.

I remember several times when my dad would come home from a day's work and lay on the floor with a migraine headache from the pressure he was under.  I oftentimes thought to myself, "Why doesn't he just quit?  Just find another job?  Maybe he could find a job in Colorado and we would all be happy".  But, as I have gotten older and understand things a little better, I understand that my father was doing what he needed to do to support his family and to provide stability for a household that had undergone enough turmoil in previous years.  Thank you Dad.

I also have great memories of my childhood with my dad.  We had great vacations, rode dirt bikes all the time together, played frisbee and catch in the side yard every chance we got, and he was always my #1 fan at football games and track meets.  Again, something that I now realize are hard things to make time for and something I will cherish for a lifetime.  Thank you Dad.

My dad and I haven't always seen eye-to-eye and I don't want to paint a "rosy" perfect picture.  We have certainly had our disagreements and arguments.  We have had periods of silence in our lives that I would like to take back and have a "do-over" with.  We have had times that have caused me to pledge that I would never do it that way, and then did.  But when the smoke cleared and the "seasons" changed, we somehow have found a way back to each other.  As I have gotten older, I have more of an understanding of why my father did what he did and an appreciation of the time that he made for me and for my siblings.

Thank you Dad.  You are a real man.  You didn't disappear in hard times, you provided stability to a family that needed stability, and you showed us all that, no matter what, you would be there and love us all.

Happy Father's Day Dad!  I love you.

I am Third? Not Really

The weather in Tennessee today is stormy and dark.  And that suits me well.  It fits my mood.  It fits my life right now.  Quite honestly, I don't like where I am at this stage of my life.   A few things lately have caused me to think about my life and question where I am. 

The first was a conversation that I had with my brother this week.  He asked me what the meaning is of "I am third".  I have this typed under my profile.  The second was a question that my CEO asked me at a private little cookout the other night.  We had a few moments when it was just he and I alone and he asked me how I was doing.  Nice mottos and common answers are usually given in these instances but are usually not the truth.  Let me explain.

"I am third" is a motto that was started by Gale Sayers of the Chicago Bears.  He prioritized his life by saying I am third behind God and family.  It is an ideal.  And when I wrote it under my profile, I was lying.  I am a hypocrite.  In reality, I am second.  My life right now is prioritized more so in the following order:

1. Family.  Everything I do is for my family.  I work in Kentucky, live in a camper, and provide almost every penny I have so that my children have a college education and get to pursue their passions.  And oftentimes it is very humbling.  I drive the worst car at work, I buy clothes from Sam's, I can't afford a vacation.  Hopefully, this is a long-term investment that pays dividends in the future.  I am not sure at this point in my life if it will
2. I am second.  Nothing really needs clarification here except that nothing other than my family takes priority over me.  Just an honest assessment.  If you want a fluffy little explanation, you are reading the wrong blog today.
3. Country - I spend more time on politics and the power struggle going on in our country right now than on any other thing except my family and myself.
4. God - This past Christmas and Easter are the first times in my life that I have not attended church on those days.  I have spent more time lately reading the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution than I have the Bible.  It's not right but it is the truth.

So there is the HONEST assessment of my life.  God is fourth, my family is first, and the good old US of A is third. And I am second.

I wish I could be the "holy man" and say God is first in my life.  But that would not be the truth.  God is an underlying factor in most decisions and actions in my life, but not the highest priority.  This admission should not be a surprise.  In reality, I have known only 3-4 people in my lifetime where God is really their first priority. 

My family has been spoiled and I really do wish I could pull a magic string and move into the future.  I really would like to be done with this stage of my life.  I think I am ready to be an "empty-nester". 

The United States of America once held ideals that I would die for to preserve.  I really have second thoughts about that nowadays.  Definitely, my family would come before my country and my own self-preservation would come second so that I could help my family.

And I am second.  Sounds selfish but I have learned that nobody will look out for me if I don't.  I no longer believe in the goodness and kindness of man, and I have learned that no one will stand up and fight for you regardless of whether or not they call you friend.

When I was young, I thought that there were countless reasons for joy and happiness and as I have gotten older, I think those reasons were stories that were made up by the adults that surrounded my life.

Taking some time to enjoy Life

Tonight was a very enjoyable night.  I spent some time with our CEO and CFO.  I was invited to Dave's house to eat dinner.  And it was just what I needed.

We had great conversation, great food and beverages, and learned a little bit more about each other and treated each other as people instead of work partners.  I learned that these guys like to talk about their families, they like to talk about great experiences, they like to talk about travel, and the daily "stuff" that happens in life.

And in the conversation of the night, and the laughs, and the great food, I realized that I forgotten for a few hours about the things that I so often blog about.  For awhile, I forgot about the current administration, I forgot about the people that irritate me, I forgot about work, and the daily stresses that can bog me down.

And it was good.  When I have an experience like I had tonight, I am confident that we are relational beings and that we were made to interact and share with each other. 

I need to make it a point of stopping once in a while and making a point of sharing life with others.

Thanks for a great night Dave and Jenny.

The U.S. Economy and the Stuck Boat

Last autumn, almost everyone at the lake made preparations for the winter.  Most people move their boats from the small inlets and personal dock areas into the main marina, or they take the boats out of the lake and store them out of water for the winter.  Most people make these preparations, not all of them. 

Two of my neighbors purchased a sweet little boat last fall.  It was beautiful, and shiny, and new.  I believe they took it out of their dock two or three times for a joy ride.  And then the weather turned and it got colder and the rain stopped.  And the water level dropped substantially, probably close to eight feet.  And the neighbors boat got stuck in the mud.  And when a boat gets stuck in the mud, there is not much you can do but wait until the water level comes back up and hope that the boat doesn't get damaged too much.

But not my neighbors.  They decided to fix the problem.  They decided to buy two hoses and run the hoses from the water spicket to the lake near the front of the boat.  Their intent was to fill the lake up with a hose, therefore lifting their boat, and solving the problem.  My neighbors ran the water 24/7 for over one month, and guess what?  The 300-acre lake didn't rise;  not one inch let alone the eight feet needed to get the boat out.  It is painfully obvious to me that you can't fill a 300-acre lake with a hose from a water spicket.  But the real kicker is that the water from the spicket came from the lake! They were taking water from one place in the lake and putting in another place in the lake, hoping to get the water to rise.

If you think about it, this is the same thing that is happening right now with our economy.  The difference is that it is with trillions of dollars that are yours and mine.  Still, you can't take money from one area of society, put it in another area, and claim economic growth.  You can't take money from the middle class and give it to others and claim that you are growing the economy.  You can't take money from "producers" and give it to "takers" and claim that you are helping society.

So when Obama joked this week about "shovel-ready" jobs not being as ready as he thought they were, it wasn't funny, it was tragic.  In truth, the trillions of dollars that were taken from us were not for 'shovel-ready" jobs, those dollars were intended for the state and local union employees all along.

And really, if you think about it, Obama's policies seem just about as logical as my neighbors who tried to fill a 300-acre lake from a water hose with water supplied from the lake.

Pacifism

Recently, I have had a few conversations with individuals that are pacifists.  They are all Christians.  For some reason, most Christians that I talk to think that we are to "turn the other cheek" and let things happen "the way the are just supposed to happen".  I think that is crap.  I believe I could make a case that six million Jews were killed in Nazi Germany due to pacifism.  But the pacifist doesn't see it that way.

Most pacifists that I talk to believe that America has become an "evil" place and that God's will is to destroy it, along with the rest of the world, as punishment. They feel that "the military is sucking the U.S. dry, and capitalism only funnels money to the rich." They also believes that those who attend Tea Parties "are being played for suckers by corporations who feed upon the common people," and the only thing we need to be doing right now is praying.

I believe that praying is not the "only" thing God wants us to do. The God of ultimate action does not command us to sit back, close our eyes to the truth and pray while His people are being slaughtered (both physically and mentally) in any given situation, whether it be Hitler ordering the death of six million Jews, Saddam Hussein murdering over half a million Kurds and his own citizens, politicians lying to the public while stealing taxpayer money, a husband beating his wife, a man robbing a convenience store  and on and on and on.

America's history is not perfect. We have wronged the American Indian. We have wronged the African American. We have wronged women.  We wronged the Irish . . . and the list could go on and on concerning all those who have experienced less than equal treatment. The difficult truth is that ALL people — black, white, red, yellow, brown — have had to endure some kind of injustice or another, because America is filled with people, and people are imperfect.

However, as imperfect as we are, we are still "the beacon shining brightly on a hill".  We feed the hungry. We take care of the sick. We die for the sake of the freedom of others, along with our own. Today, many call this action — this longing to see all mankind live in safety, good health and freedom — "empire building." Such a statement is a prime example of a lie masquerading as the truth. Our actions and our beliefs have served to save millions of people, over the course of our short history. Many of those we have saved include the very people who now wish to destroy us, because we believe in freedom for every man, woman and child, no matter what they believe.

I believe that the latest enemy of American freedom lives in the White House. Our president is ripe with hatred under his calm demeanor. He despises the very American principles for which our men and women have died. He is Marxist and a puppet who is taking cues from known and unknown directors of evil. He's not the first emperor with no clothing in America, but he is, by far, the one we should fear the most, because for some unworldly reason, his lies are believed to be divine truths. The press will not question him; too many Americans will not oppose him, even if they do so in their own minds. Americans have become pacifists as they ignore the cold, hard facts concerning the swift actions now being taken by the current administration and all the appointed czars therein to undo what true defenders of the Republic hold dear: The Constitution of the United States.

Too many Americans are under the same evil spell, and we must stand up to them. They believe in concepts that are objectively false, completely opposite to our founding principles, and serve selfish purposes:

• The Muslim, who cannot live in a world with those who do not believe in his god.
• The right-wing, white supremacist, who does not want to live in a world with those who are not of his color.
• The progressivist, who is bent on destroying American freedom in the name of a false equality.
• The socialist, who believes it is fair to take from those who do to give to those who don't.
• The hater of personal responsibility and individual effort, who feels the world owes him a living and he owes the world nothing.
• The corporate executive, who worships greed.
• The thief, the rapist, the murderer.
• The pacifist, who will say and do nothing.

By denouncing pacifism, we are trying to save millions from a fate that is worse than death: Life without freedom.  The enemy is out in the open and the enemy is hidden. He is ready to implement a "New World Order" and we are letting it happen.
To all  pacifists: When someone breaks into your home and threatens to kill your family, and you have a choice between doing nothing or doing something that might save your children, I pray that you will do something. Likewise,  Americans send their own children into battle to save humanity from the tyrants of the world.

God has commanded us to love our enemies, but He does not expect us to stand beside them while we say and do nothing, because that kind of action will only help evil destroy America and the world, even if God allows that destruction to begin. All through the Bible, God's people were forced to face their enemies, and with His help, they did.

There is no Utopia on this earth. No amount of pacifism will create one, or cause it to come into being. I hope I will have the strength to fight evil, even in the face of death, for the sake of the freedom He gave us and wants us to enjoy!

We are at the most crucial time in the history of the world.

The Lefty Libs and their Electric Cars

This blog is copied in it's entirety from a  British website called "The Lid".  Keep in mind this is not a right-wing, conservative, Tea Party, church-going, abortion-hating website.  It is from London, whom one could argue tilts quite far to the left from where our country is.

I hope you enjoy this information half as much as I do. 

Global Warming Moonbats believe that electric cars are one of the major solutions to the problem of man-made global warming which is causing the snow caps to melt, animals to die and your public library to run out of the book you have been waiting to read. According to a new study, electric cars could produce higher emissions over their lifetimes than gas equivalents. 

According to the study, an electric car owner would have to drive at least 80,000 miles before producing a net saving in CO2. Many electric cars will not travel that far in their lifetime because they typically have a range of less than 90 miles on a single charge and are unsuitable for long trips. Even those driven 100,000 would save only about a tonne of CO2 over their lifetimes.

Much of the CO2 produced by electric cars is produced in the process of manufacturing the batteries.

The study was commissioned by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, which is jointly funded by the British government and the car industry. It found that a mid-size electric car would produce 23.1 tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime, compared with 24 tonnes for a similar petrol car. Emissions from manufacturing electric cars are at least 50 per cent higher because batteries are made from materials such as lithium, copper and refined silicon, which require much energy to be processed.

Many electric cars are expected to need a replacement battery after a few years. Once the emissions from producing the second battery are added in, the total CO2 from producing an electric car rises to 12.6 tonnes, compared with 5.6 tonnes for a petrol car. Disposal also produces double the emissions because of the energy consumed in recovering and recycling metals in the battery. The study also took into account carbon emitted to generate the grid electricity consumed.

Greg Archer, director of Low CVP, said the industry should state the full lifecycle emissions of cars rather than just tailpipe emissions, to avoid misleading consumers. He said that drivers wanting to minimise emissions could be better off buying a small, efficient petrol or diesel car. “People have to match the technology to their particular needs,” he said.

 This study make you wonder why the United States is creating a market for a product where the is no demand and no ecological advantage.

Much of the electric and hybrid car business is in the US are subsidized by the US Govt. In 2010, one fourth of GM and Ford’s hybrids were purchased by the federal government.  Nissan got a $1.4 billion dollar loan from the feds to develop their electric car, the Leaf.  Several thousands of dollars in tax credits per car have to be shelled out to make these models attractive for sale.

Just another example of the federal government taking your tax dollars and throwing them down the toilet.

Well done Brits!  It's amazing to me that you figured out so quickly that the "genius" in the White House is really the "Emperor that had no clothes".

Be Grateful that we killed all the Buffalo

Have you heard of the this proposed tax?  It was brought up when Obama took office and has seemed to resurface lately.  It's a Cow tax.  Well, really a cow flatulence tax. The United States Government, more specifically, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,  is again proposing to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

According to Dairy Today‘s Jim Dickerell, Title V of the act requires any entity that could potentially emit more than 100 tons of greenhouse gas to get a permit (I could make several jokes here but will dutifully restrain myself). Methane emissions.  You know, cow flatulence and other waste emissions. The USDA estimates any farm with more than 25 dairy cows, 50 beef cattle or 200 hogs would fall into that category. 

The EPA’s minimum rate is $43.75 per ton of emitted gases, a figure the American Farm Bureau Federation uses to translate the impact: So here's the projections.  $175 for a dairy cow; $87.50 for a beef cow; and $20 for a hog.  On a serious note, do you have any idea what this would do to food costs?

Following this train of thought, I am so glad that the dinosaurs died.  Can you imagine what bad shape we would be in with those behemoths still around? By this logic, it was a good thing we killed all those buffalo in the 1800’s!
 

Obama and his leftist goons should remember what Churchill said about taxes and prosperity: "Taxing yourself into prosperity is like standing in a bucket and trying to lift yourself with the handle".

I have an alternate plan.  Let's call it Title VI.  I would propose taxing all of the hot air that comes out of Washington. There's more of it and the results it produces smells much worse.

The Lord's Prayer

There is no special reason for posting this blog today.  For some reason, it just seemed appropriate to me.

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,the power, and the glory,for ever and ever.

Amen.

The Lord's Prayer is one of the best loved and most spoken prayers on the planet. On Easter Sundays, it is thought that over 2 billion people worldwide recite this prayer. It is used in church services, schools, in small groups and in many individual private times with God.

There are numerous different versions of the prayer. The traditional Lords Prayer is based on the Authorized Version of the scriptures in 1611. Other versions in common use are from the New English Version (adopted by the Church of England in 1977), and the Catholic version (in Latin ). The Lord's prayer differs in length - the Catholic Church omits the doxology at the end ("For thine is the kingdom, the power, etc). All these popular versions are based the text on Mathew 6:9-11, rather than as it appears in Luke 11:2-4.

Ricky Gere dazzles with his Wisdom

Click on the video first and then proceed to the blog.

Hopefully, you were able to make it to the bathroom before you vomited.  Sorry to do that to you but I wanted you to know how the left libs feel about the President and why they feel that way.  The profundity and wisdom from the lips of Richard Gere and others like him alarms me.  Basically, this is what Gere said:

1. Obama bows to the Chinese and holds State Dinners for the communists even though they abuse their people terribly.  But he is "finding his way".  I know how he personally feels so it's OK.  He will come around and figure it out.  Just give him some time".
2. Obama is finding that he has to be very "frontal, very clear, unconfused, and he must be very strong".  So Ricky, does this mean that he isn't all of those things right now?  Maybe he should review the tapes from his dressing down from BB Netanyahu.
3. "Overall, he has done an extraordinary job.  I think he is going to go down as one of our great presidents".  Excuse me, I have to take another trip to the bathroom.
   So, what specifics Ricky can you give for your praise for Obama? " Well look at all of the things that he has had to juggle. Natural disasters, international issues, domestic. He has found a way to change and flow. To learn from every situation." Seriously, I am laughing hysterically as I listen to this and write it. You have to be kidding me. He has dealt with natural disasters, international issues and domestic issues? He has learned to change and flow? He has learned from every situation? Give me a break. Every U.S. President in recent history has had to do deal with these issues and more. This is the lame kind of answer that you will get from every leftist, progressive lib that you talk to. Ricky, please talk to me about the unemployment rate, the high gas prices, record foreclosures, high food prices, high oil prices, the devaluation of the dollar, inflation. Tell me how successful Obama has been with the Middle East crisis, the Afghan war, not being able to oust Qaddafi from Libya, Iran, the problems facing medicaid and medicare, poor childhood education. How is Obama doing on securing the borders? No Ricky, you can not give me concrete answers on concrete issues, only warm gushy feelings about how he is learning, and trying hard, and changing and flowing.
4. "He is a good listener.  He personally engages on almost every level every day".  I honestly thought I was listening to Ricky Gere talk about my boys' report card status from first and second grade.
5. Ok. One last quote because my stomach is killing me.  I am laughing so hard I am crying and, at the same time, my stomach feels upset and nauseated.  "I think his engagement with the Chinese is starting to flower. And I think the strength within him is starting to emerge".  Newsflash to Ricky.  This is not some kind of "dress rehearsal" for goodness sake.  We are talking about serious issues and I guarantee you that when George Bush was dealing with 911 on the fly, Richard Gere gave him zero kudos for starting to "flower" and his strength starting to emerge.  As a matter of fact, I remember Gere getting booed off of a stage in New York for telling the NYFD that we should love the people that bombed the World Trade Center and not be so hateful towards them.

The reason I posted this video is because it is typical of the Left.  They very rarely can provide you with facts or data regarding their support of Obama.  They often will try to divert the conversation and blame everything on Bush.  But that story is old and it is time to stand up to the Lefties and use knowledge, facts, and data to refute their opinions and feelings.

Keynesian Bubble Burst

I have lived through the real estate bubble, the dot.com technology bubble, and the stock market bubble.  I am now convinced that the Keynesian Economic Theory bubble is about to burst.  The Keynesian Economic theory says that active government intervention in the marketplace and monetary policy is the best method of ensuring economic growth and stability.  A supporter of Keynesian economics believes it is the government's job to smooth out the bumps in business cycles. Intervention would come in the form of government spending and tax breaks in order to stimulate the economy, and government spending cuts and tax hikes in good times, in order to curb inflation. 

Recently I wrote a blog about the individual.  Ironically, our poor economy can be traced back to the individual and a credit card crisis.  I will try to explain how this simple little plastic card has had global implications and may prove to be the downfall of the U.S. economy until we totally crash and rebuild from the ashes.

By 2010, consumer credit card debt reached new levels into the trillions of dollars.  Today, a staggering number of people don't have jobs.  Families are desperate.  So what do they do?  They turn to the credit card to help them make ends meet on a temporary basis.  But now, due to Obama's failed policies, our economy has not rebounded and many people can't even make minimum payments on their credit cards.  This has lead, in part, to a record number of personal bankruptcies.  These bankruptcies affect the entire economy. 

Here's why.

One reason the damage from the housing bubble was so widespread was that mortgage debt was securitized (transformed into a tradable asset) and sold to investors. As homeowners defaulted on their mortgages, lenders took huge losses, as did the global investors -- including some of the largest investment banks -- who had purchased these mortgage-backed securities.  The same ripple effect  is starting to occur as millions of Americans default on their credit card payments. Credit card debt has also been massively securitized. Securities backed by consumer credit card debt represent a $365 billion market [source: Huffington]. When those securities crash, expect the rest of the market to follow.

To make matters worse, some economists fear that the Fed is printing too much money to finance its generous stimulus packages and corporate bailouts. When and if that money begins to circulate through the economy, there will be a glut of dollars that will increase prices. You know this as inflation.

What does this mean to bond investors? When bonds mature, not only will their yields be close to zero, but they will be cashed in for dollars that are worth a fraction of their original value. In other words: loss, loss, and more loss.

Of course, this is an over-simplified answer to a staggering and complicated problem.  But hopefully, even the libs will start to understand that active government intervention in the marketplace and monetary policy is not the best method of ensuring economic growth and stability, but that a return to individual liberties and freedoms is.  Just as the individual can negatively affect an entire global economy through credit card abuse, so can the individual positively affect the economy with relief from the burden of excessive taxes and a return to putting individual liberties first.

A Deal with the Devil himself

Today, I read a very interesting, yet disturbing article.  I was amazed at first and then I got a very clear picture of what was going on.  You would have to live under a rock to not be aware of the bailout to America's car industry last year.  Ford was the only American car company to not accept any government bail out money to "save" the company.

Back to the article.  It was published in the Detroit News this morning and read as follows:

General Motors Co. CEO Dan Akerson wants the federal gas tax boosted as much as $1 a gallon to nudge consumers toward more fuel-efficient cars, and he’s confident the government will soon shed its remaining 26 percent stake in the once-bankrupt automaker.

And while he is eager to say goodbye to the government as a part owner of GM, Akerson would like to see it step up to the challenge of setting a higher gas tax, as part of a comprehensive energy policy.
A government-imposed tax hike, Akerson believes, will prompt more people to buy small cars and do more good for the environment than forcing automakers to comply with higher gas-mileage standards.

Honestly, does that make any common sense at all?  An auto executive wants the government to raise the gas tax by as much as $1 per gallon to nudge customers toward more fuel-efficient cars?  Surely Akerson knows that the vast majority of consumers will not be able to afford a new car if the gas tax is boosted by as much as $1.  Take a look around now.  There is a glut of new cars on the car lots, and used cars are commanding top price because they cost less than the new cars.  Surely he understands that his stock bonuses are linked to car sales.  Surely, he understands that this type of gas tax could result in his company teetering on the edge of bankruptcy again.

So why would Akerson say such a stupid thing?  My contention is that he made a deal with the devil.  Behind the closed doors of the GM boardrooms, I believe that a little deal was made last year with Obama himself and it went something like this.

Obama: "You know, we can't just give you billions of dollars with no return on investment, correct?
Akerson: "Yes sir. With your help, we will pull out of this terrible situation and pay you (the government) back within two years with interest".
Obama: "Yeah, that's great Akerson, but I need something more".
Akerson: "Yes sir.  What do you want from GM?"
Obama:  "I want you to come out next year and tell the public that we need a $1 per gallon tax raise to help the environment.  I need you to tell them we need "green" small cars to save the planet."
Akerson: "Yes sir.  I will do and say anything you want.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of this money from the taxpayers of America Thank you great one.  You are our messiah".



The Individual

“It matters not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”  - Patrick Henry

I will admit it.  I am more than a little pessimistic right now about our nation's future.  High unemployment rates, the value of the dollar being so low, high gas and food prices, liberties being taken every day, radical judges making activist type votes.  It all seems so unreal and, at times, can be depressing.

So what are we to do?  What can a single person do?  After all, we are just the average Joe that is experiencing the daily grind while the elitists rule over us.  I believe Patrick Henry understood something about life that few of us will ever grasp, and it is one of the most important lessons one will ever learn.  Beneath the surface of his famous words is a truth that the forces of darkness and the ones who seek your servitude never want you to grasp.  What is this great truth?  It is the individual who changes the world, not the masses.  Patrick Henry did not fall into the “we” trap, but recognized that it has always been and will always be individuals who change the world.

And I don't think that is just a lofty ideology.  If you think back over history, life-changing, history-changing, events always are started and/or finished by an individual.  In the bible, think about the stories tied to individuals like Moses, David, Joseph, Peter, Paul, Jesus, and the like.  They didn’t wait for the “we” to come along, but rather recognized that when giants showed up in the valleys of life; God was more than capable of killing them through courageous individuals who were willing to go where others trembled.

And if the bible isnt your thing, look at history and note people like Martin Luther King, Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Patrick Henry, Paul Revere, Ronald Reagan, and others.  Those men are men who helped shape this nation and give us the liberties we presently enjoy.  Those men didn’t wait for someone else to take the reins of life, but rather they stood up in a time where men of courage have to stand or die.  Some did die for the cause they deemed worthy of their lives, but in so doing, they inspired their generation into believing there are things in life bigger than self-preservation.

I think Patrick Henry’s words still have relevance today.  The only thing remaining at this point is what the individuals of our nation will do.  An individual is a lot like a match.  By itself, the match does very little.  But if the match allows itself to burn, the match (individual) can build into a small kindling fire, that lights the bigger branches on fire, that eventually can turn a forest into a roaring mass of energy that can be almost impossible to quench. 

Will you be that match? Do you believe in the power of the individual?

My reflections from Sunday

At 8:05 pm on Saturday night, in 91 degree heat, with sweat dripping from their foreheads, 10 warriors stepped onto a "battlefield" to test themselves against one another, against a clock, and against themselves.  They all knew they would hurt terribly, they all  knew they would finish their "war" in a different place, mentally and physically, than when they started.  In the end, they laid on the ground, exhausted and totally spent, gasping for air and fatigued, but each victorious in some personal way. Each warrior had accepted the challenge, each warrior had fought the battle without hesitation, and each warrior would ultimately be better for accepting this challenge.

Warrior:  the very name invokes a sense of awe.  Warriors come from all classes of life and they conquer all sorts of foes, just like the track warriors I mentioned above.  Athletics can inspire us and challenge us and help us to prepare for "real" life.  In the real world, warriors care little for their own lives, always putting themselves on the line to enact the liberties of another.  They don’t share common ancestries, but they share a common heart, one that will never be satisfied with the sidelines of life.  The game inspires them, and they would rather be bloodied on the fields of battle than to have no scars in eternity.

It is my conviction that God created each of us with the heart of a warrior.  You might not have realized it yet, but it is there nonetheless.  Life is a battlefield, and battlefields are not ordained for the weak of heart, and yet you have been Divinely placed in the midst of the battle.  That’s no mistake.

I have heard people say that God needs warriors, something I take issue with.  Let’s get real.  How big is God?  Do you think He is intimidated or frustrated by the demons, devils, and human enemies who rage against His throne?  Do you think He could not in a millisecond speak each and every one of them out of existence?  Sure He could.

If that be the case, then why does He call us into the battle and place us on the battlefield?  It’s because He knows we need to be warriors.  He knows it’s a terrible thing to live without a story and to die without scars.  He knows it is better to die for something than to live for nothing.  He knows how He designed us, and He knows that each of us have the capacity to take the battle to the enemy, and He knows that with His Divine aid, each of us will experience victory.

Victor:  How would you like to be at the roll call of faith with medals on your chest and tassels on your shoulder?  How would you like to be rewarded above for your ventures below?  I don’t know about you, but there’s something about me that wants to go up and hug the men and women of life with a chest full of medals.  Why should eternity be different?

We are called of God to be warriors, strengthened and equipped by God for the call, and ordained by God to accomplish the calling.  We need to get in the fight.  Politically, I can't remember the last true victory by the Right.   If you ask me the same of the Left, I believe I could express hundreds of things.  Is that how we want to be remembered, as a people who were forced into the sea?

I for one want to have the guts and stamina and courage to stand.  I no longer want to accept a defensive posture as the posture of a warrior.  I want to pick up sword, shield, bow, and whatever else heaven places at my disposal, and I, like David, want to run onto the battlefield to kill the bellowing giants who would dare defy the armies of the living God. 

I pray I have enough warrior in me to run to the battlefield and I hope you will join me in the fight.

More than a Job

My granddad worked various jobs early in his career.  He oftentimes worked two jobs at a time to make ends meet.  Then he got his big break.  He was hired in the maintenance department at LeTorneau's.  The company later become known as Wabco and was a competitor of Caterpillar. 

It's founder, one of the great creators of the last century, was a man named R.G. LeTorneau.  He invented and created many of the mammoth earthmoving machines that build our roads, raise our buildings and mine the depths of the earth. LeTorneau who died on June 1, 1969, worked tirelessly over his life to dominate an industry and inspire thousands to greater engineering feats.

LeTorneau did not separate his faith from his work, seeing the creation of earthmoving mechanics as an extension of the play he enjoyed with the world God made. He flew endlessly to the corners of the world to inspire people of faith to work with their minds and hands to better the world, and even bought an old hospital in Longview, Texas to start a university, now called LeTorneau University, one of the most esteemed engineering schools in the country.

Toward the end of his life, LeTorneau used his knowledge to start colonization and land development to assist the poorest of the poor in Liberia and Peru.

LeTorneau taught us more than how to move the earth, but that if we plunge fully into the field that fascinates us, we can change the world through the free and passionate pursuit of our interests, and reminds us that the glory of God is man fully alive.

R.G. LeTorneau personally affected my family.  For the first time in his life, my granddad was able to get ahead when he was hired on by LeTorneau's.  He got healthcare, insurance, and vacation.  Granddad promised Grandma that when he accumulated his first week of vacation, that they were going to travel.  And travel they did.  And he passed that love of travel, especially out West, to my father, who passed that love on to me.

Second Phase Complete....On to Phase 3!

I have committed to myself to publish photos of myself as an "accountability" thing to keep me going in my weight loss project.  I am safe as I never plan to run for the Senate or House. 

I am tracking my progress in 40 day increments.  My first 40 day project was pretty decent.  I lost 45 pounds in 40 days.  My second phase was, predictably, less intense and showed slower results.  I also know myself and I have to go after a project until it is complete and then get some downtime.  I continued to eat healthy, but sometimes with bigger portions, and due to my schedule and drive, I did back off on the exercise regime a bit.  This second 40 days I only lost 7 pounds. 

In this third phase that I am beginning today, I am determined to drop another 25-30 lbs.  I have figured out how to prepare healthy foods at the camper and the burst training that I have used is very doable there also. So, I am on record now for my goals and we will see if it is achievable for me in Phase 3.

Feel free to join me on my fitness blog at www.fitnessin40.blogspot.com

 The Start

After Phase 1

After Phase 2

Things I Look Forward To

I have recently written blogs on things I like, things I miss, and this one is about things I look forward to.  This blog is about regular every day things I look forward to and some things that happen as "special" one-time-a year things.  

So here's my list:

1. Reading a great book.  Great books transport you to a different place, help you learn, and require you to slow down and spend time away from the daily hustle and bustle of life.
2. Halloween.  I love seeing little children come to the door in their costumes and "trick or treat".  I remember how magical that time was as a youngster and I love being a part of that night for little ones.
3. A hot cup of Earl Grey tea with honey.  It's relaxing, soothing, and tastes so good. 
4. An afternoon nap.  There is nothing better than getting away for a half hour and getting rejuvenated for the remainder of the day.  I feel like I can conquer the world after a nap.
5. Preparing breakfast with my wife and sitting down to eat it with nothing scheduled afterwards.  Enough said.
6. Getting my back scratched.  Grandma spoiled me and I still love to have my back rubbed and scratched.
7. Making a fire and sitting around it.  Outdoors.  On a cool Fall evening.
8. Sleep.
9. Waiting for the stars to shine in the night sky
10. Sex with my wife (one of those "special", one-time-a-year things I mentioned)

I Wanna Go Home

I have made a decision that I need to make a change.  I have decided three plus years is enough.  I need to change my workplace and work schedule.  And I need to make the change because I am afraid to continue to tempt fate.  I am afraid to let things crash.  I am afraid to continue to let my wife and boys fill in the gap while I am 230 miles away.

While I was driving to Kentucky at 4:30 a.m. this week, I turned on the radio and heard a man talking about marriage.  He made the point that marriages have "seasons", some "seasons" are good, some are bad.  And things can go from good to bad very quickly, even when couples are in love, when one of the spouses feels like he/she is giving and giving and giving with no response or help from their mate.  And the message hit me between the eyes. 

My marriage is great.  We are in a good "season".  I love spending time with my wife and planning for a future together with her.  But the reality is that my wife has been giving and giving for three plus years.  I work in Kentucky and during the week I build fires, and grill out, and exercise, and read, and write.  My wife holds down the fort while I am gone.  She works full-time, gets the groceries, pays the bills, takes care of the dogs, makes the meals, does the laundry, cleans the house, takes care of the cars, fixes the meals for her and the boys, attends track meets and concerts, exercises, and drops into bed exhausted most nights.  You would have to be fairly dense to understand that my marriage is lop-sided.  Obviously, she makes things happen.  And I am blessed.

But, I am not going to tempt fate.  I am not going to wait until things fall apart.  I am not going to wait until my wife runs to the arms of another man to help her deal with everything she does.  It is time to go home.  It is time to come along side of her and to even out the marriage responsibilities.  It is time to help with the chores throughout the week and fall asleep next to her on a Tuesday night, and a Wednesday night, and a Thursday night.

Thank you baby for all that you have done.  Thank you for being strong.  Thank you for making things work.  I owe you more than I can repay.  And I am willing, ready, and able to help you side-by-side.

Hey, does anyone know of a Director, National Accounts, General Manager, or Sales position in Tennessee?



Forgive???

Oftentimes, I don't like what the Bible has to say.  Stuff like turn the other cheek, forgive seventy times seven, love your enemies, love people, and FORGIVE.  I don't like those things because I am not good at them.  It goes against my DNA.  I have been wronged enough times, taken advantage of, been lied to, had millions of dollars stolen from me, and seen my family suffer because of others.  My gut instinct is to take a stand and not let it happen to me or my family any more. 

And I hold grudges.  I don't take it from the bullies.  If someone is causing me or my family pain, I am ready at the drop of a hat to fight (verbally).  I have not met anyone that I am afraid of.  To be honest, I like to verbally spar and win an argument or heated debate. And I am sick of the callousness and disrespect from others, and I find it very, very difficult to forgive.  I get so tired of all of the junk people are willing to put on you that I find it hard to control my uncontrollable emotions.

I know that people say it's wrong to hold a grudge and the Bible says to forgive, but to me it doesn't feel right.  I feel like a wimp if I get "beaten" down and taken advantage of.  If I let "whatever" go, it makes me feel like the other person wins.  And I truly believe most people honestly don't care if they have done something to hurt you and/or your family.  So because they don't care, I want to inflict a wound that is deep and that will scar them for life.  And to teach them a lesson that others are afraid to teach them.

So, honestly, I am at a crossroads with several people in my life.  I understand that forgiving someone gets you out of the mess and dark junk that hurts so deeply.  I understand that forgiveness lets you be "free" of "whatever".  Honestly, I just don't think I can get there yet.

At some point I may have to trust that love trumps all and that to forgive others is the only way to really get there.  I hope it is a lesson that I can learn someday.  I hope it is a lesson that is not too late to try and teach my family.

And the irony is that I hope my family can forgive me for not being able to be an example in regards to forgiveness.

"Good Time" Obama

A few years ago, my family and I vacationed in Washington D.C. over the Memorial Day holiday.  Washington D.C. was fabulous.  It was clean, the people were friendly, and the sights and historical aspectmade me proud to be an American.  But the highlight was the Memorial Day service at the Capital.  I can't even describe the emotion attached to such a ceremony.  I will remember it to the day I die.

So I was confused when I heard today that Obama laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (as required) and then went to play another 18 holes of golf on Memorial Day.  You may think this is insignificant and just another rant against Obama due to my strong distaste and dislike of the man and his policies.  I feel like his action is a view into this "country club" President's very soul.  Let me explain.

This president has played 70 rounds of golf so far in his presidency.  He has increased the limos in the White House administration by 73%.  He has had more State dinners in his initial two years than any president in modern times.  He plays basketball continuously.  He has taken several vacations.  The "unofficial" statistician Knoller, says that by the end of August, 2010, Obama will have taken nine vacation trips (48 days). Among the locations were Chicago (twice) and Asheville, N.C., for long weekends; Hawaii, a week and Martha's Vineyard for over two weeks.
In addition, by Knoller's count; the Obamas have enjoyed, at tax payer's expense, 33 gala night events away from the White House. Some are quasi-business related, but also include date nights with the first lady at the best restaurants in Washington, New York and Paris, and theater outings like the one in June they took to see Thurgood at the Kennedy Center. The Obamas have also stayed at Camp David for 14 visits to the presidential retreat for 32 days. Add up just these days and it totals 113 days. Then add in the 7 day trip to get the Nobel prize and the 39 days golfing which equals a total of 159 days out of the short 20 months (608 days) or over 26% of the time he has occupied the White House. This does not count the holidays and weekends that are family "non-working" days.

During the those same 20 months since Obama began his regime, the average American family has taken less that 21 days of vacation, IF they are employed.

Which brings me to my point.  Obama's vacations occurred during the BP oil spill, they took place during the horrific tornadoes in Alabama and Joplin, they took place while the unemployment rate is close to 10%, they took place while the American family is experiencing more foreclosures than any other time in recent history, he took vacations while gas prices and food prices have soared, he has taken all of these vacations while the economy is suffering terribly.

Yes, Obama deserves some down time.  Yes, Obama is on call no matter where he is.  However, he has played his cards and shown his soul by demonstrating his "messianic", royalty persona while the American citizen is hurting. Even more despicable was his action on Memorial Day when he disrespected the American soldier by serving himself with a game of golf.