When God Closes a Door...

All my life I've heard comments to the effect that "when God closes a door He opens another" (or a window, etc.). It's one of those axioms that seems to just be accepted among those of faith. But recently, when I heard one such statement made I had a thought, (whether divinely inspired or not I cannot claim), but perhaps an epiphany none the less...
When I heard the statement I had the mental image of a hallway with a door closing on a person. But that door,  like most doors, had a doorknob, and I thought, "Just because the door closes doesn't mean it can't be re-opened". Doors are meant to be closed and opened. Sometimes it just takes a little effort on our part. Sometimes it just takes an act of faith to reach out and turn that doorknob, to reopen the door, and to go through. Perhaps the door closed to test our faith, to see if we will be proactive and make an effort, or do we just sit back and say, "Lord, give me another path. Open another door."
I think that the Lord does indeed give us direction, but He also expects us to be proactive. When Peter was in chains, in prison, the Angel of the Lord freed him of his chains. Peter didn't just sit back and say, "Woe is me!", and sit there. He got up and left. (Acts 12) When Paul and Silas were imprisoned they didn't just sit there; they used their situation to their advantage to free themselves (Acts 16). There are many recorded instances of doors seemingly closed, then reopen by proactive actions. All too often I think we as Christians today sit back and expect God to act miraculously on our behalf, but we aren't willing to act. I do believe God expects us to be proactive, not passive. God is a proactive God, not a passive one- He's a God of action. He expects us to be people of action too. I've also heard that "God helps those who help themselves".
Food for thought...

Life After Life After Death...

I was raised within the culture of the Religious Western Ideology, and there were certain subjects that were really not deeply investigated or discussed. They were more like tangents to the faith, their existence to be acknowledged but not debated, for they didn't strongly impact the mission of the church. What is Heaven, what happens when we die, what is our future after death, what happens to earth, our bodies, the existence of hell, were all pushed into a category of issues that don't impact the church today and its mission today... The cursory teaching was that if we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, if he's our Lord and Savior, then when we die we will go to Heaven and be with Him. If we don't, then we go to Hell, a place reserved for sinners who reject Jesus. Accept it and move on. But is that teaching accurate?

Our focus, as a Christians, should centrally be on these very issues, for what happens eternally should directly impact how we live temporally. We should live today to impact eternity. But first we need to understand what the Scriptures teach about our hereafter... As a Christian I believe in the sanctity of the Bible, but I have learned caution in accepting the accuracy of every translation or transliteration of the Scriptures. Sometimes it is important to go all the way back to the original writings, and dissect them within their context to learn what is really being taught. With that said, I have learned that my early lessons of Heaven, and Death, et al, is far from scripturally accurate... (It is also noteworthy to add that, unlike other religions, Christianity has an end game, a known destination, rather than endless reincarnations or repetitions of the same fate, as taught by many Eastern religions)...

As Christians, when we die I do believe we go to be with Jesus, but this is a temporal state, while we wait for the Judgment of mankind, both Christian and not. This temporal state is indeed life after death. But it is the life after life after death that should create excitement within Christians! For that is where life really begins! After the judgment we will be given new bodies; physical, glorious, and imperishable, modeled after the resurrected body of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we will be uniquely us, recognizable yet perfected, a truly physical body, not just a "spiritual" one as some teach. (It is interesting that even today, in our "perishable" bodies science says we completely change every atom and molecule in our bodies approximately every seven years- so even if you love who you are right now you'll be a completely different person in a few years! I guess people can change!). Knowing that what we do today, in these scant seventy to eighty years we're given here on this earth, will impact our lives in eternity, should give us purpose and direction today to better impact our tomorrow. But where will we live?

For years I disputed the teachings of the Latter Day Saints, who claimed that only a select few (144,000) would go to heaven and the remainder would live on earth. I was taught all Christians go to Heaven. It turns out that isn't scripturally accurate. It turns out that God isn't going to abandon this earth, His creation, any more than He will abandon me, His creation. Instead, He is going to "make-over" this earth, making a new earth, a perfected creation, just as we are given new and perfected bodies. It is here, on this new earth that we will make our homes, live our eternal lives, lives with purpose and direction, to the glory of God, our Father. (Turns out, though there is much in the teaching of the LDS church I disagree with, as to earth they were dead on). I don't claim to know all that the future holds, nor do I know the "accessibility" of Heaven for us, but I do believe we will have access to the home of the Father. But our lives will be here, on a new and perfected earth. As such, it makes me more acutely aware of my planet today, and how we care or don't care for it. It is important to not just leave it better for our children, but also to care for it as my future home. Though I believe God will "create" a new earth, I don't believe He will destroy His old creation; rather, as previously stated, He will "makeover" this current one. (I was tempted to include the many scripture references to support my comments for this blog topic, but decided against it for the sake of brevity, but you can investigate on your own in Paul's two letters to the Corinthians, his letter to Colossus, the writings of I John, and Revelations, to name a few).

As for those who choose to reject God, will they spend eternity in Hell? Is there a Hell, as some dispute? Well, that's an issue for another blog. I will simply comment this- I believe that separation from God must be a living hell, for without Him there is no hope, no future...

Food for thought...

OBAMACARE: The Figures the White House Doesn't want you to know...

Let's face it, the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, has been far less than advertised. Although, to be fair, it was advertised by Nancy Pelosi as, "You want to know what's in it, then vote for it". The American people were basically handed a "pig-in-a-poke" by the Democrats, or more accurately, the far leaning left. After it was rammed through Congress on a straight partisan vote, using questionable procedural tactics we did indeed find out what was in it. And buried deep within the dozens of new taxes, the new layers of government hierarchy, the massive expansion of government, are some good ideas. I've commented on those in the past. But of more interest today are the resulting numbers this act has caused, numbers the administration would prefer you didn't know.
The concern was for the "millions of uninsured" who couldn't afford insurance under the old system. The concern was for "more affordable" health insurance, with greater choice of hospitals, doctors, and plans. We were told we have to help those without insurance, or those with pre-existing conditions, etc., to make healthcare fair and affordable. Or so these were the concerns we were told. Well, I'm not going to quote the bushels of statistics that show Obamacare has done exactly the opposite of what they claimed they wanted. I'll just look at the overall numbers, those Obama prefers not to share.
First, Obamacare was supposed to help those without insurance get insurance. What did the Act actually do? Some six million Americans lost their insurance plans because they didn't meet Obamacare standards. Some 4.8 million have signed up for Obamacare, and let's assume they were all "uninsured", so the actual result is a minimum of 1.2 million more people are now added to the numbers of people without insurance. But the reality is worse than that, for many of those who signed up already had insurance; they just shifted from private plans to the government exchange to take advantage of subsidies or lower rates. So while we don't know exactly how many just shifted their insurance we do know the number is substantial, and the real number of "newly uninsured" is conservatively closer to 3 to 3.5 million people.
Second, as of February 1st, roughly half of those 4.8 million people who signed up have failed to make their premium payments, which, in effect, means the insurers are not honoring their policies, which means they are being counted as "insured" by the administration but should really be added to those "newly uninsured" numbers. Adding those numbers to the others we now find that the reality of Obamacare is we now have somewhere between 5.5 and 6 million people without insurance thanks to Obamacare. We also have more and more doctors retiring, quoting all the restrictions of the new law as the reason, thus lowering our "choice", and making the promise, "If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor" nothing more than another lie. We have insurers restricting networks, and hospitals, thus restricting our "choice" further, thus making the promise of "more choice" another lie.
We could go on examining all the promises versus the resulting reality of the Affordable Care Act but it is clear to any rational human being that, at this point, the whole of Obamacare was not an effort to make healthcare affordable to those who didn't have it. Rather it's design was to take over the healthcare industry, approximately one-sixth of our private economy, changing it from a privatized system to one that is government controlled, thus increasing the size and scope of government, and ultimately increasing the number of people dependent on that government. Otherwise, we can only conclude, if creating affordable healthcare was its goal, that this administration is the most bumbling, inept, and totally clueless administration ever, for they doubled the number of uninsured, cut back many hundreds of thousands of workers jobs from full-time to part-time, increased the cost of healthcare while narrowing its offerings, and made many more Americans dependent on government.
No, Obamacare was a socio-political act to increase the scope and power of the left, a power grab of historic proportions. For the more people the government controls the more votes its politicians control. America was built from the ground up, from the people, by the people, for the people. Big government is nothing short of ultimate Socialism, built from the top down, to control the people. You may not mind the government dictating to you what insurance you buy, or even if you have the right to own or carry a gun, but one day you may regret allowing them to grow so strong when they're dictating to you how many kids you can have, whether you can own property, how many cars you can buy, and so on. The day is coming, my friends, unless we wake up and put a stop to it. Beware when your government offers "protection" at the cost of your freedom, for the sacrifice of freedom ultimately places you in danger from the very people who promise to protect...
Food for thought...

The TEA PARTY- The next step?

A few years ago, when the Tea Party broke into the political arena, I found what they were fighting against quite interesting. As a fiscally conservative Independent I could appreciate their stand against big (and growing) government, against free-spending liberalism, against the growing control of government over our lives, and against our growing and out-of-control debt. They captured the attention, and more importantly the heart of many Americans, and the result was a number of Senators and Congressmen elected to try and curb these issues. But, while starting out strong, the Tea Party has begun to lose some steam. They have gotten heat, not only from their liberal Democratic opponents, but also from their "fellow" Republicans, the party from which they've sprung. So what should they do next?
I would suggest two courses of action, which can be accomplished simultaneously. First, the time is right to distance themselves from their Republican roots. Instead of all the party "in-fighting", as Democrats like to point out and chuckle, they should step out and form their own party. I've met both Democrats and Republicans who claim to be fiscally conservative; this would allow them the opportunity to put up or shut up. A third political party, especially one such as the Tea Party, would break the stalemate and gridlock we've come to grudgingly accept out of Washington. If the Tea Party can capture a significant number of seats in the upcoming election then breaking off as the party of conservative Americans everywhere it would force both Democrats and Republicans alike to work together. Many Republicans serving today are labeled RHINOs - Republicans in name only. Politicians would be forced to form new alliances, even across the aisles, to achieve their goals.
The second thing the Tea Party needs to do- and it's survival is dependent on it- is to stop telling America only what it's against and develop a comprehensive platform of what it is for. Limited government, and how they plan to shrink it. Reducing the debt, and what steps they will use. A balanced budget. Returning to governing by our Constitution- the one written in 1787 and has guided our great nation for several centuries, not this "living", changing Constitution which isn't our Constitution at all, rather an alternative to that threatens to destroy the very fabric of our country. It's time to spell out not just what we're against, but what we're for, and give Americans a real choice at the polls.
Clearly Americans want change. Fifty seven percent don't want Obamacare, but a hundred percent want to know what would replace it. The debt is the biggest problem to a majority of Americans, but we all want to know how to fix it. Government is growing and spending out of control and the majority of Americans don't like it, but we all want to know how to stop it. Americans want answers, and if the Tea Party can step up and give them they can become a political force strong enough to reclaim our country, to give it back to the people, as it was originally intended. Our forefathers would never recognize this mess we currently call our country, and if they were here today they would, in all probability, do something drastic to change it. They sure didn't spill their life blood to free our nation from the shackles of oppression just to watch our own government re-shackle its citizens. They would take action to take their country back. Can you say "revolution" anyone?
Food for thought...

Is it time to redefine "Main Stream"?...

It was a very interesting weekend at the movie box offices this weekend. Liam Neeson's new action film "Non-Stop" placed first at about $30 million. Second place went to producer Mark Burnett's "Son of God" movie, projected to do about 17 million but actually raked in $26.5 million. Holy cow. This is the movie that tells the story of Jesus, from his birth thru his crucifixion and resurrection. Definitely a "religious" movie, and panned by critics with a 22% approval rating. So how did the public react? A whopping 83% of fans liked it. So who's out of touch?

Clearly the media did what it could to dissuade people from seeing the movie. The liberal, left-leaning "main stream" media gave it poor reviews, the liberal, left-leaning Hollywood shunned it. For the most part this movie is loaded with unknown actors. And the public loved it. they turned out in near record numbers, posting over 50% higher turnouts than projected. This is main stream- not Hollywood, nor the Media. This is the people speaking.

It would behoove Hollywood, and our media, and especially Washington to get their heads out of the sand and start listening to the people, for the silent majority is waking up. They've shown it over the last several elections by electing Tea Party candidates that embrace the grassroots concepts of fiscally conservative government, of smaller government, of responsible government. Instead of waking up and changing to the will of the people, of their constituents, politicians of both parties have rebuffed efforts of Tea Party candidates, who are doing the will of those who elected them. The media has crucified the Tea Party, despite the fact that they represent a majority in their districts. By extrapolation the "main stream" media demagogues the very main stream majority they claim to represent. It will be interesting to see if the Tea Party presence grows after the next election. If it does I would caution both Democrats and Republicans alike to wake up and pay attention or they will soon be out of a job.

We the People are tired of "politics as usual" in Washington, We the People are tired of our representatives spending money we don't have, of fiscal irresponsibility, of ignoring their constituents' wishes at the behest  of private interest groups or lobbies. Media needs to learn that "main stream" means the view of the majority, not the radical left minority views they continually try to shove down our throats. We are not stupid, Main Stream Media, and it would behoove you to wake up and realize it. There's a reason that Fox News, shunned by your industry as biased and "out of touch" is the leading news network among the people, and that reason is they (for the most part) report the news in an unbiased straight forward manor. We want news, not your biased opinion. Wake up and smell the coffee. You are not main stream in any sense of the word.

Main stream is where the majority of people are, in ideology, in thought, in views. Main stream is not where you want us to be, it is not a reflection of your far-left ideology, it is where the majority resides. Politics or Media, despite their claims of being "main-stream" have not reflected the values and ideology of main stream America for a long time.
Food for thought...

AMERICA's MISSING INGREDIENT...

I came to a realization this past weekend, and then this morning I extrapolated my epiphany to encompass the sad majority of our tired country. My epiphany was this: I lack the will power, the driving spirit that our country was built upon. I say this because I need to lose weight, and have for quite some time. I realized it again this past weekend as I was kicked back in my oversized recliner, popping Milk Duds and sipping diet Coke. I'm moving to Florida in my near future and a fear I have is accidental drowning. Not because I'm not a good swimmer, for I swim like a fish, but that I fall asleep on the beach and unknowing children don't recognize me for who I am and try to drag me back in the water to save me... But I stray from my topic...
All too often we know what is good or bad for ourselves but we don't have the willpower to make the right choice, often the difficult choice. I realized it was far easier to lay back and pop candy than to choose to snack on good food choices. It is easier to sit and watch a movie or ball game than to exercise myself. Bad choice, good choice. But choosing candy was not solving my problem- rather it was directly adding to it. So why do I do it?
The answer is simple: Living in America, the land of plenty, has conditioned me to accept the easy way, the convenient way, rather than the way I ought to do things, the way that might prosper me. And sadly, the majority of our population lives this way. Our politicians, our government, have done all they can do to create a state of dependency, for the more people who are dependent on them the more people they can control. We still see that drive, that willpower around us, but all too often it's being displayed by immigrants, or those new to our society, our culture, who know how rough it is in other places. They work hard, long hours, and get ahead. They display that spirit that our forefathers showed when they opened up new frontiers in this great country of ours, for this is their frontier, and they are pioneers in their own right. We need to regain that spirit, that drive, that willpower, and reclaim our birthright, our country, and our dignity. We need to take back our government from those who have abused it for far too long, and return to our country the pride we've stripped it of. But it starts with an individual choice. It starts with you. It starts with me.
I realized that just as I can make bad choices I have the power to make good choices too. I just need to step up. So I dragged myself out of my recliner, put the Milk Duds away, and got out some blackberries and baby carrots to munch on. Healthier, yes. And surprisingly good. And I felt full and content, better than all candied up. And this morning I was rewarded by being two pounds lighter than yesterday...
I thought, "I hope I can continue this", then realized that it doesn't have to be a "hope", rather it is a choice to continue, it is a choice I have the power to make. I just need to exercise self-control, or more basically, willpower. I can choose to do it, rather than hope it will happen. I can choose to change and change will occur. It has to. It has no other option. And I will be better for it. One man, one choice, one day at a time. Perhaps tomorrow it will be two people who decide to exercise their choice, then four, then eight, and on and on... What will Washington do if it finds itself with no one depending on them? They might just get tossed out on their ear. Lookout then, for we might just end up with a government by the people, for the people... Now why does that sound familiar?...
Food for thought...

I had a Drug Problem as a Child...

Just a thank you to my parents, Becky and Dale, for caring enough about me to see that I was drugged appropriately, as a child... Enjoy below, and if you were drugged be sure and thank the responsible party... Food for thought...

 

OBAMA: It's Time to Face Reality...

I'm not writing today as a Republican, or a Democrat, or an Independent (politically I'm a fiscally conservative Independent). I'm just writing as a concerned citizen of a fast-shrinking middle class.

Remember back 5 plus years ago when we had such a divisive election for president? On one hand we had the "wealthy" candidate, Mitch Romney, running on the "conservative" ticket, and on the other our "liberal" candidate, who represented himself as the champion of the middle class. Well, he was elected, and promised to spread the wealth, bring more equality to the disparity between the wealthy and the rest of us. He promised change, he promised transparency, and he promised to bridge the gap between the parties. So what is the reality, now some 5 years later?
First, we have more divided government than ever. it seems the only lower favorability ratings than the president belongs to Congress. The president repeatedly denigrates and demonizes his political opponents, referring to "them" and "us" as if there's two different war camps (which in essence there now are). What happened to "we" need to do this? "We" need to work together? After all, it is one government...
Second, we were promised transparency. Today there is a far greater lack of transparency than ever. Recently Obama was interviewed (on Superbowl Sunday) and he stated emphatically that "there is no corruption in the IRS. Not even a smidgen". Perhaps he needs to talk to the man he appointed to run the IRS on an interim basis,( because the last head resigned amid controversy over their gestapo tactics in investigating the tea party), who testified on Capitol Hill that he was doing his best to clean up the agency from the top down. How can it be both ways? And this is only one example. We could rehash the Benghazi catastrophe and subsequent cover-up and reach the same conclusion that there is no transparency. Or the millions spent on "green" research and hand picked companies, that took our tax-payer money (millions!) and folded... Or any number of other scandals plaguing this administration.
And what about bringing equality to the classes? Great campaign promise, hooked many people, especially those who are lower or middle class. But what's the reality? The reality is the middle class is shrinking, and has each year under this president. Today the wealthiest take home far more of America's wealth than ever before. ConvergEx market strategist Nick Colas recently told CBS news that inflation, especially food inflation is far greater than the government is representing. As a result the middle class is quietly suffering under the policies of this administration. So why is this?
Let me remind everyone of something. Obama is not "middle class". He never has been, never will be. Obama is part of that "richest of the rich". And he and his wife live like it, even in the White House. While we all struggle in a depressed economy he takes a vacation, at tax-payer expense, to South Africa. Cost to tax-payers? $100 million dollars. That's right- ONE HUNDRED MILLION. Think of all the good we could do with a hundred million dollars. Previous First Ladies have had personal attendants to help with their schedule. Up until D.D. Eisenhower that cost came out of the president's pocket. The most attendants prior to Michelle Obama was three- Michelle has a staff of 22 full-time employees to do her beck and call. At a cost of over a million tax-payer dollars a year. These are just two examples of the many, many examples we could list here. The Obamas are spending out of control- not just government spending, which is bad enough, but personal spending of tax-payer money at the tax-payers' expense. What happened to leading by example? What happened to showing some self-sacrifice to the nation? I don't  care how many people Michelle Obama wants on her "personal staff", but let her pay for them after the first three... I'd wager her staff would shrink in a major hurry!
I just think, with another election around the corner, with candidates beginning to run their ads, their attacks, their mud-slinging, their campaigns, as a country we need to delve deeper, to investigate these people, to look at past performance (for their is no greater indicator of future performance than past performance), and see who keeps their word, who honors their campaign promises, who is worthy of our vote. For our future lies in our hands. We listened to promises, with no past performance to back them up, and we've paid a heavy price. It is time to return our Government to We the People, to those who can deliver fiscal conservation, who are willing to be part of "we", not "them or us". It is time to elect people willing to work together to bring our country back to solvency, back to respectability, back to a place of honor and respect in the eyes of the world. It is time for true change, not lip service...
Food for thought.

THE REALITY OF OBAMACARE

I'm not going to go all political about the good or ills of Obamacare from a personal perspective, even though it's worth noting that, after paying for medical insurance all my adult life and being in fairly good healthy shape, my health insurance was canceled by the new law and I was not "qualified" for comparable or cheaper insurance on either Illinois or the government website. I am now uninsured, one of those 500,000 plus people the government said, "Oops- fell through the cracks! Sorry!" Instead, I'd like to look at the reality of the Affordable Care Act and what it will translate to, to us the consumers...

We were promised choice with Obamacare, a group of plans that we can select from to meet our specific needs. The reality is that the government website offers exactly one plan, and from that one plan you can pick your deductible, co-pay, etc. But the essence of the "plans" are all the same. Rates only vary by how much you are willing to pay in co-pays and deductibles. From a medical side, the government is dictating to hospitals and doctors what is acceptable rates and charges, and those that don't go along are excluded from participation, and, in many cases, severely reducing choice. Doctors are choosing to retire early rather than have the government dictate to them what their services are worth. the reality: Less choice for consumers.

We were told that to be viable, to offer "affordable" rates, some 7 million people have to sign up by March 1st (now March 31st). Of those 7 million half or better need to be young people who are healthy, for they bring the cost of the entire pool down. If this doesn't happen, if we don't get the young people signed up, then the only recourse is to raise premiums on everyone in the pool. That is a fact, a given that the government is not touting, for it will result in exactly the opposite promised. The end result is less choice for more money.

There is another element that affects the viability also, and was revealed in a government report this past Tuesday. I'm flabbergasted that we haven't heard more about it from our media, as this impacts potential premiums so adversely... The report stated that, overall across the nation, about 3 million people had signed up for Obamacare so far, and that as of December 31st roughly half of those signed up have not paid their premiums to keep their policies in force. The report further broke down state by state the number of unpaid policies for each. So what is the reality of this news? Those people who didn't have insurance rushed out and signed up for insurance- and got it- but their reality set in,and for whatever reason, be it economic or what, they chose to not be able to afford it. So what does this mean? To be "viable" we needed about 4 million people to sign up in six weeks- or 133% more than have signed up since the rollout. Now, with this news, we need 5.5 million to sign up and stay on their plans in the next six weeks- or almost 4 times the number of people currently taking advantage of Obamacare- and the bulk need to be healthy young people, who have so far chosen to distain it...

The bottom line is that this plan cannot sustain itself. There is no way that it will do what it was promised to do. I suggest that we take those elements that are good about- and there are some- and draft a regulation for the insurance industry to include them. Allow kids in school to stay on their parents' plan until age 26. Make pre-existing conditions a non-factor in getting insurance. Remove limits to coverage. But put the onus on the private sector to solve it, for that is where it belongs. The government can help the insurance field standardize rates, so insurance can be sold by anyone to anyone- that creates competition, which in turn usually lowers rates, but government has no business trying to "socialize" healthcare. If there was ever a model of why government should stay out of the private sector Obamacare is it!
Food for thought...

(PS. Obamacare was never really about affordable healthcare- it was about growing the size of government, making more people dependent on it, then ultimately stepping in when it fails so critically and dramatically and creating a welfare state out of our healthcare. But I won't climb that soapbox now!)

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: Hey Washington! A Lay-person'a view...

Hey Washington, are you interested in an opinion from Middle-America? I've discussed this with my contemporaries and we all seem to agree to one extent or another, to varying degrees, to the following:

Illegal immigration is an issue that plagues our nation and needs to be addressed. We've listened to talk of amnesty, of deportation, of securing our borders, and all the "compromises" being floated in and out of Washington. We've heard that criminal checks should be run and those with criminal pasts deported, while those without offered some sort of amnesty. We've seen nothing getting done. Here's a viewpoint from the heartland...

First of all, I sympathize with those here illegally who were brought here as children, and who are now adults, and have really only known this country as their home. They should be allowed a path toward citizenship, for they were not offered a choice to come here, legally or not. But those who entered our country illegally as an adult, who made that choice, that is a different story. I say run your background checks for illegal activity. You will find every single illegal alien has criminal activity in their background, for the very act of illegally entering our country is a crime- that's why they're called illegals! And they should be treated as criminals. After all, as citizens, if we break the law we are arrested and prosecuted, then serve time for our crimes. We pay a penalty, we bear the stigma and social repercussions from being a lawbreaker. What happens to these illegals though, is almost incomprehensible to good, law-abiding citizens.
We take our illegals and offer them free or reduced housing, free medical, schooling for their children, hot lunch programs, food stamps- all kinds of government handouts. We have citizens homeless and starving that our government ignores while handing out billions in aid to illegals. Meanwhile, the illegals are allowed to set up businesses, pay no taxes, send money "home" to their families in other countries, all at tax-payer expense. Here's a solution: Seize the property and assets of illegal aliens, deport those who entered our country willfully as adults, and offer them a window of opportunity (a specific time frame) to apply to enter our country legally and apply for any seized assets and property. But before any property and assets are returned the "now legal" alien should have to pay their fair taxes and penalties, just like a citizen would.
Also, our government should immediately stop all the subsidies, the handouts, the freebies to illegals. We keep hearing all this talk of needing to raise the debt ceiling because we can't afford our "obligations" . It is not our obligation to house and feed  and medically care for people who willfully and specifically choose to break the law, and, under the law, should not even be here. Nor should our obligation be to offer foreign aid to other countries if we can't meet the obligations we have at home. Washington need to get their priorities right, get our own house in order. We need politicians with enough backbone to balance a budget, to trim the pork, to set our course straight again. The answer isn't to throw more money at our problems, it's to be good stewards of what has been entrusted to you. From the White House to the Congress, you all are failing America.
Food for thought...

New Math and the Debt Ceiling...

I read an article this morning that quoted Treasury Secretary Jack Lew as saying unless the debt ceiling is raised the government will run out of money to borrow sometime in late February or early March. Now, I've posted the numbers before- monthly our government takes in $250 billion dollars, but spends $315 billion a month. that's a $65 billion dollar shortfall every month! Our public interest obligations are about $23 billion dollars each month so we have approximately $227 billion to spend. Now as a business owner I know that if I spend more- significantly more- than I take in each month in revenues I won't last long at all. So why do we allow our government to operate this way? I posed this question to my accountant, an elderly man, and his response was quick and harsh- "Because the people haven't revolted yet! Do you have an AK-47 and plenty of ammo? The day is coming and it's coming soon!"
I had an interesting idea this morning. Try this on- if we quit over spending by $65 billion every month and instead took that money and gave one million dollars to an elderly person on social security, or a homeless person, or someone who needed help, then taxed that million at 28% this would be the result:
Every month we would create 65,000 new millionaires.
*At the end of one year we would have created 780,000 new millionaires.
*At the end of one year we would have created $218.4 billion dollars in new revenue.
*If we continued this program for one decade we would have helped 7.8 million people and created $2.184 trillion dollars in revenue.
*This does not include any new revenues that might be created by the investment of these funds, or new jobs, businesses, or other private sector actions. What a stimulus for our economy- and it would be a tremendous example of government supporting the private sector!
I am certain that I could find far more than $65 billion in fat in our government budget- bringing our spending into balance with our revenues- and take the excess and invest it in our people who truly need help. We know there is billions spent in fraudulent welfare, social security disability, Medicare- virtually every government-run handout program is not well monitored and is rife with fraud. (If it was well monitored we wouldn't have the fraud!).
Perhaps it should be mandatory that before running for political office one should have to take a basic course in accounting and one in business. We have many, many lawyers in politics- what we need are sound businessmen and accountants who realize how to balance a budget...
Food for thought...

Reverence...

I was up early this morning, and out plowing snow, as we're getting blasted with 6-9" of the white stuff. When I came in I flipped on the TV and poured a cup of coffee, then set down to relax. There was a Catholic service on, and they were doing Communion. I often watch or try to experience different services, and try to keep an open mind towards other religions that differ from my personal beliefs... 
The thought that went through my mind as I watched was how regimented and formal their service is- even their prayers were written out and read- there didn't seem to be any of the intimacy, the personal relationship that I enjoy with my Lord. I found myself feeling sad, for what I thought they were lacking. Yet, at the same time I recognized the reverence and awe they displayed that is sometimes lacking in more "intimate" services I've experienced...
I'm glad I have an intimate, personal relationship with my Lord, but this morning I was reminded that He still demands reverence, awe, when I come to Him... I have heard it preached that we should be intimate, for as our example Jesus Christ prayed, "Abba, Father", which translates "daddy"... Yet, upon deeper research, it really doesn't translate "daddy" at all, Rather the translation is "Father". Three times this term is used in the New Testament, this Aramaic word in the Greek text, and in all three cases it is immediately followed by the Greek term for "Father"... While "Abba" may be more intimate in Judaism it is still a respectful term of "Father"...  
Father, please remind me, as I come to you intimately, to give you the proper reverence you demand and deserve...

Food for thought...

Pope Francis, Really?

Up until now I had kind of liked this new Pope, Pope Francis, but after reading (parts) of his latest missive, (some 50,000 words) I'm surprised at his attack on free enterprise. He seems especially aggressive against the US, wealthy people, and trickle-down economics. He points out that:

"Some people continue to defend trickle-down theories, which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world.
This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power . . . Meanwhile, the excluded are still waiting."

I guess the Pope isn't aware of our country's more than two hundred years of prosperity under a free-enterprise system. Further, we are the envy of other nations for our prosperity- where even those living at a "poverty level" in the US would be considered "wealthy" in many nations across our globe. To Pope Francis I say it seems the facts do confirm the opinion.
Further, it needs to be observed, that during the past term and a half under Obama, as he claims to try to "even the wealth out" (another word for Socialism) the wealthy have rebounded and the middle class and poor still struggle. We saw the same disparity in socialistic and communistic societies throughout history and the world. Only in an unfettered free enterprise system do we see opportunity for everyone to get ahead, to succeed... Socialism demands big government and big government creates dependence on it from its people. Dependence on government strips the individual of the incentive, the right to succeed in a free market. Dependence creates social entropy, inefficiency.

Pope Francis also attached the "sin" stigma to wealth. He claimed that free-enterprise was "unjust at its root", leaving the poorest with no means of support, which "is a grave sin". He wrote:

 "Just as the commandment 'Thou shalt not kill' sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life, today we also have to say 'thou shalt not' to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills."
I caution you Pope Francis, to be careful defining sin, for though you lead the Catholic church you are still but a man, and it is God who defines sin, not us. I remind you Sir, as you attack the "idolatry of money" as you call it, that scripture does not say money, or having money is wrong. It says, "The love of money is the root of all evil". Money itself is a tool to aid us in our lives. To say that we need to redistribute the wealth is, in essence, to take from the wealthy that which they earned to give to others who may not have applied themselves as vigorously in their attempts to earn money. Coveting and stealing are sin, (as God defined in the Ten Commandments), and taking from the "rich" to give to the poor is nothing more than Government sanctioned stealing because you covet what they have. Far better to ask those who have to help those who have not- in allowing individuals and the church to help those in need is far more efficient that having the Government do it, where we've already seen their inability and inefficiency to monitor and get help to those who really need it. With the government in control we see vast and repeated abuses of the system. History confirms this as fact, not opinion. History stands as judge of how free enterprise and small government create wealth for all classes- and it's called trickle down economics Sir. Our past prosperity speaks for itself.
Food for thought...

Tranquility, and other random thoughts...

It's a hectic and ever-changing, fast-paced world out there, and sometimes we need to pull back and find some tranquility, some peace to re-center ourselves. Duc de La Rochefoucauld (or the Duke of Rochefoucauld, a French line of dukes dating back to the 10th century, so I'm not sure which to credit) once said, "When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere." It really doesn't matter whether it was said last week or last century, it is a truth that transcends the ages. Peace comes first from within. Peace, tranquility, is found in solitude, but today people are more and more afraid to slow down and discover the benefits of solitude. Personally, I think they are all too often afraid that who they discover when alone is not the person they desire to be... Solitude has a way of stripping away all the false veneers society coats us with and revealing the stark essence of who we are. And that can be a scary thing...

On another topic, we often find ourselves stealing time from those who love us because we are trying to please those who care about us the least. Why is it that we tend to treat those closest to us so poorly sometimes? Is it because we are secure in their love and ultimate forgiveness? I see people trying to please strangers, while ignoring those who love them and crave their attentions. One of the greatest blessings I've found is spending time with my parents. As they grow older (now in their mid 70's) I realize that our time is limited, and each visit is a chance to make a memory. Conversely, they constantly express how much they enjoy my dropping in once or twice week, and encourage me to do so even more. Isn't that time better spent than trying to please someone who really doesn't care about me? That's some food for thought...

Another axiom it pays us all to remember is that it takes years to build up trust, but only seconds to destroy it. Trust is one of those things in our lives that we need to protect, like our hearts, as precious and irreplaceable. When we destroy trust, especially in an intimate relationship, it can be rebuilt, but it will never be as strong as it was prior to destroying it.  Rebuilt trust is a fragile thing...

Here's a thought- if you find yourself on the edge of a cliff, the best way to move forward is to back up. Sometimes we are so stubborn about reversing ourselves that we remain in peril, we tightrope along the edge of a cliff, rather than backing up and re-evaluating the situation and trying to find a better course of action...

Lastly, keep a sense of humor, especially about ourselves. Taking ourselves too seriously is killer, while a good sense of humor is money in the bank. A good attitude can often control a situation that you have no hope of controlling. I have a note on my bulletin board in my office to remind me of just that. It says, "I cannot control other people or circumstances, I can only control my reaction to it."
Food for thought...

You know the honeymoon is over when...

Obama has had a long and glorious honeymoon with the mainstream (left-wing) media for some five years now, but you know the honeymoon is over when the late-night talk show hosts and political cartoonists turn on you. Many of the Hollywood community are extreme left (especially Letterman) and embraced Obama as some kind of mix of God and guru. But the screw seems to have turned... Below are some recent dandies that made me chuckle. I hope you enjoy as much as I did:

Q: What's the difference between
Obama's cabinet and a penitentiary?
A: One is filled with tax evaders, blackmailers,
and threats to society. The other is for housing 
prisoners. 
--David Letterman

Q: If Nancy Pelosi and Obama were 
on a boat in the middle of the ocean and it 
started to sink, who would be saved?
A: America ! 
--Jimmy Fallon

The liberals are asking us to give Obama time.
We agree...and think 25 to life would be 
appropriate. 
--Jay Leno

 

Q: Have you heard about McDonald's'
new Obama Value Meal?
A: Order anything you like and the guy behind you 
has to pay for it. 
--Conan O'Brien

Q: What's the difference between
Obama and his dog, Bo?
A: Bo has papers. 
--Jimmy Kimmel

 

Q: What was the most positive result 
of the "Cash for Clunkers" program?
A: It took 95% of the Obama bumper 
stickers off the road. 
--David Letterman

 

Good laughs- and Food for Thought!

Slapdown for the ACLU...

Finally an appeals court with some kahunas. The US Court of Appeals in Chicago reversed a lower court decision this week and effectively banned the contraceptive mandate in the new healthcare law, stating it did violate owners' and corporations' religious rights by forcing them to cover contraceptive costs when they are pro-life. The response by the ACLU was precious:

“This decision is a disappointment,” Louise Melling, deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said in an e-mailed statement. The organization said it filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case. “Your boss shouldn’t be able to discriminate against you because of what he or she believes, plain and simple. People are entitled to their own religious beliefs, but they don’t have the right to impose those views on others.”

Louise, I agree with you that each individual is entitled to their own religious beliefs, plain and simple. To that end I say that if your beliefs conflict with those of your employer you have every right to find employment elsewhere. There's nothing that says you have to stay and work in an environment that has contradictory views to your own. As a small business owner I say this to you Louise; How dare you, or the government, or employees, or anyone try and impose your beliefs on me, plain and simple. How dare you tell me what I can or can't believe in my own company! I am creating the jobs, paying the employees, paying taxes, positively adding to the economy, and I have every right to run my business as I see fit within the confines of the law. Who are you, or your organization to tell me what I can or can't project as a business? If an employee doesn't like our work environment they're welcome to leave. By the same token, if they accept my money, and if they like their job and desire to stay, then they are tacitly accepting my/the company position. That's life in the private sector.
And, to remind you Louise, we were established One Nation Under God by our founding fathers. Did you get that, you and your ACLU cronies? Under God- not despite God. You were allowed to live and flourish in America, despite your contrary beliefs, because we accepted all. Now you consistently and constantly try to remove God from our world. I believe in separation of church and state, but that's far different from "elimination of church from state". It would pay for you and yours to learn that distinction too.
Food for thought...

Potpouri...

Today I feel like sharing some of those quotes, sayings, quips that I've heard or collected that touched my heart or my funny bone... I hope you enjoy...

"It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them, and every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are." -Anonymous

"When someone you love becomes a memory the memory becomes a treasure."

NO SOLICITING

We are too broke to buy anything.

We already know who we're voting for.

WE HAVE FOUND JESUS.

Seriously. unless you are selling thin mints

PLEASE GO AWAY!

 

 

"Wine is better with age. I am better with wine."

"If I turn up missing I want my picture put on wine bottles instead of milk cartons. That way my friends will know to look for me."

 

"25 years ago we had Ronald Reagan, Johnny Cash, and Bob Hope. Now we have Obama, no cash and no hope."

 

And to my siblings:" We are different flowers from the same garden." And, "I smile because you are my sister. I laugh because you can do nothing about it!"

 

"I'm so busy I don't know if I found a rope or lost my horse!"

 

"Marriage is like a deck of cards. In the beginning you need two hearts and a diamond. By the end you wish you had a club and a spade."

 

And finally, my two favorites:

"Sweat is fat crying."And,

"Sometimes I laugh so hard tears run down my leg!"

 

Don't be afraid to laugh today. Laughter can be such a stress reliever!

Food for thought...



Jigsaw Puzzles...

It's been a stressful week- and sometimes I don't handle stress all that well. I forget that there's a higher power that is in control, that I can rely on Him to deal with my stressful situations. Instead, I tend to carry it all myself and internalize until I find it affecting my life habits, my sleep...

This morning, driving into work, I had a genuine moment of lucidity, where I was able to actually see the big picture. I'm much more of a big picture person than a minute detail type but my job often requires me to be very detailed. Hence, I tend to get caught up in the details and forget what the big picture is all about. Life is not just about the details- they are secondary to the big picture, yet they are also an integral part of getting the big picture right, for if we get the details wrong it can skew the big picture...

Our lives are like a big jigsaw puzzle and the details are the pieces. As we try to get the pieces [details] together right we begin to get an idea of the overall picture. But sometimes we get stuck in an area, and we work and stress and flounder trying to complete it when it is far more beneficial to just pull back and examine the big picture. Does it look right so far? Is there another area that would benefit from our attentions? If so, leave the stressful area and work on another area of your picture [life]. Sooner or later something will break and you'll find the piece you've been missing. (It's called "All in God's time") and your troubled area will be alleviated... And in the end you'll have a picture all your own- a picture that is your life, in all  it's troubled, ragged beauty...
Food for thought...