Finding Treasure

A couple of weeks ago while doing some yard work I was scattering grass seed around the base of a large tree. While in the process of scooping handfuls of seed and dropping it on the bare spots I caught a glint, a reflection from something in the dirt.

It was a tea spoon from our silverware service that apparently one of my grandchildren had been digging with. My first inclination was to take a deep breath and remember that little children don’t see a piece of silverware as being valuable; only that it can be used to dig in the dirt. No telling how long this tea spoon had been lying there and, it’s something of a miracle that it hadn’t been destroyed by my mowing.

It pricked a memory from when I was a young boy digging in the dirt behind my friend’s house. At the time we lived on Long Island, New York where they were blessed with rich dark soil that was used for truck farms. As the area grew more populated, many of these old farms became what we now call Suburbia.

My folks bought a nice three bedroom house after my father returned from serving in the Navy during WWII. I think he paid $12,000 for that house under the G.I. Bill. That house was valued at $450,00.00 when my wife and I visited back in 2005.

As I mentioned, they had beautiful dark top soil and most of my neighbors had planted shrubs, trees and flowers along the back fences; a perfect place for kids to dig. We could hide in the shadows and day dream about most anything; hiding from Indians, the Red Coats or looking for hidden pirate’s treasure.

I found a piece of pirate’s treasure; at least that’s what my mind decided it must be. It was a knife, more precisely, a dinner knife that had been buried there for a hundred years. That it matched the same silverware service belonging to my friend’s mother was something of a coincidence. That didn’t discourage us from looking for more pirate treasure.

My mother understood the importance of little boys digging in the dirt and how imagination opens the door to a much larger world. She suggested we continue digging for more pirate treasure in our backyard while letting my friend’s mother keep the booty we’d stumbled upon. She was careful to hand us stainless steel spoons rather than her good silverware. Interesting how spreading grass seed sparked a simple memory.

Spinning the years forward to last October’s General Conference and a talk given by President Russell M. Nelson, Spiritual Treasures, he pointed out some important items relating to our search for spiritual treasures, those associated with the power of the priesthood.

“Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances, has direct access to the power of God. Those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God’s priesthood power by virtue of their covenant, along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power.” (emphasis added)

That priesthood power isn’t reserved only for the Brethren; but extends to our Sisters when they are doing the Lord’s work.

“Now, you might be saying to yourself, “This sounds wonderful, but how do I do it? How do I draw the Savior’s power into my life?”

President Nelson was quick to point out, “You won’t find this process spelled out in any manual.”

In case you’re wondering about this glorious priesthood power, President M. Russell Ballard, in the April 2013 General Conference taught:

“Not only is the priesthood the power by which the heavens and the earth were created, but it is also the power the Savior used in His mortal ministry to perform miracles, to bless and heal the sick, to bring the dead to life, and, as our Father’s Only Begotten Son, to endure the unbearable pain of Gethsemane and Calvary—thus fulfilling the laws of justice with mercy and providing an infinite Atonement and overcoming physical death through the Resurrection”.

President Ballard further explained:

“In our Heavenly Father’s great priesthood-endowed plan, men have the unique responsibility to administer the priesthood, but they are not the priesthood. Men and women have different but equally valued roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so a man cannot fully exercise the power of the priesthood to establish an eternal family without a woman. In other words, in the eternal perspective, both the procreative power and the priesthood power are shared by husband and wife”. (emphasis added)

Returning to President Nelson’s invitation for Sisters to tap into the priesthood powers available to both men and women he added,

“Part of this endeavor will require you to put aside many things of this world. Sometimes we speak almost casually about walking away from the world with its contention, pervasive temptations, and false philosophies. But truly doing so requires you to examine your life meticulously and regularly. As you do so, the Holy Ghost will prompt you about what is no longer needful, what is no longer worthy of your time and energy.”

While it wasn’t specifically mentioned, how many times have we been taught to do the simplest tasks in order to have the Spirit in our lives? Daily habits that when followed, invite the Holy Ghost to participate in our lives like; daily scripture study, individual and family prayer, Family Home Evening, making use of the Come Follow Me home study manual, family history and genealogy work to find our kindred dead, temple attendance and ministering to those around us. Are we doing what is required to invite the Spirit?

When we are doing things the way the Lord would have us do them we are inviting the Spirit to guide our thoughts and actions. And, while in this attitude of following the admonitions of the Spirit is when we’ll find the Spiritual Treasures that have been set aside for us, tender mercies and blessings that enrich our eternal bank accounts if you will.

“As you shift your focus away from worldly distractions, some things that seem important to you now will recede in priority. You will need to say no to some things, even though they may seem harmless. As you embark upon and continue this lifelong process of consecrating your life to the Lord, the changes in your perspective, feelings, and spiritual strength will amaze you!”

President Nelson added some words of caution.

“Most certainly, the adversary does not want you to understand the covenant you made at baptism or the profound endowment of knowledge and power you have received or will receive in the temple—the house of the Lord. And Satan certainly does not want you to understand that every time you worthily serve and worship in the temple, you leave armed with God’s power and with His angels having “charge over” you.” (emphasis added)

Later in President Nelson’s talk he spent considerable time talking about the blessings found by attending the temple. Sisters working as Ordinance Workers perform these ordinances by using priesthood power, the same priesthood power that created this earth, the same priesthood power the Brethren use. Each time you present yourself as a patron or worker at the temple you become “armed with God’s power and His angels having “charge over” you.” These are the Spiritual Treasures we should be seeking as we find the joy in becoming more like the Savior.

Isn’t that always going to be the case? Satan wants you to be miserable like unto himself. The more you seek to follow the Lord, the more tricks and ploys Satan will use to act as stumbling blocks, hedging up the way before you.

“Satan and his minions will constantly contrive roadblocks to prevent you from understanding the spiritual gifts with which you have been and can be blessed. Unfortunately, some roadblocks may be the result of another’s misbehavior. It grieves me to think that any of you have felt marginalized or have not been believed by a priesthood leader or have been abused or betrayed by a husband, father, or a supposed friend. I feel deep sorrow that any of you have felt sidelined, disrespected, or misjudged. Such offenses have no place in the kingdom of God.”

President Nelson expects us to do our part while seeking these Spiritual Treasures as found while exercising the power of the priesthood.

“I entreat you to study prayerfully all the truths you can find about priesthood power. You might begin with Doctrine and Covenants sections 84 and 107. Those sections will lead you to other passages. The scriptures and teachings by modern prophets, seers, and revelators are filled with these truths. As your understanding increases and as you exercise faith in the Lord and His priesthood power, your ability to draw upon this spiritual treasure that the Lord has made available will increase. As you do so, you will find yourselves better able to help create eternal families that are united, sealed in the temple of the Lord, and full of love for our Heavenly Father and for Jesus Christ.”

While President Nelson’s remarks were mostly directed to the Sisters, he was quick to include:

“I hasten to add that I do not absolve men in any way from God’s requirement for them also to distinguish between right and wrong. But my dear sisters, your ability to discern truth from error, to be society’s guardians of morality, is crucial in these latter days. And we depend upon you to teach others to do likewise. Let me be very clear about this: if the world loses the moral rectitude of its women, the world will never recover.” (emphasis added)

It would seem our work is cut out for us. Satan and his minions will always be trying to ensnare us as we strive, diligently at times or barely striving when feeling lazy. The fact remains that Spiritual Treasures have been prepared for each of us as we follow the promptings of the Spirit during our probation here in mortality.

The gems you find, while they may not be as tangible as the silver knife found when I was just a boy, will be recognized as priceless gifts from the Lord. It is my prayer that we take President Nelson’s words into our hearts as we labor in His vineyard.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

This article has been cross posted to The Self Educated American, a publication whose banner reads, “Standing Fast By the Judeo-Christian Heritage, Limited Government and the U.S. Constitution”.

Springtime is here March 7, 2020

One of the joys in life is watching nature, simple and glorious at the same time.  Take for example the promise of springtime that follows winter as trees, bushes and grasses remind us to be grateful for the beauty supplied by our Creator.



We have a tree that just began flowering; becoming more spectacular each passing day.  It last for about a week as the white petals are then replaced with lush green leaves.  This happens before our pecan trees give any sign that winter is over.  Today that tree is nearly covered with white blooms and the evening sun gave it the impression of being on fire.



I thought of the Sermon on the Mount as found in Matthew 6, where the Lord teaches his disciples to seek after the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  More specifically, He’s teaching all of us to appreciate and be grateful for life itself; not worry about things too much since He’s in charge.

“And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

Addressing Contrary Strangers

We’re supposed to be kind and loving to everyone; but…

There are some folks who enjoy being insulted, going out of their way to extend or prolong a conversation that should have ended before it ever started. These folks are often found on social media forums such as Facebook or Twitter. I’d have included conversations on elevators; but that in and of itself violates a Cardinal Rule of remaining silent while the doors are closed.

The problem, at least as it has presented itself, arises when you read something which runs contrary to your opinion, an opinion based on a lifetime of experiences, feelings, prejudices with an occasional fact thrown in just for fun. These type of contrary comments beg for a snide reply and, (pausing to inhale) they most often are found in comment threads belonging to someone listed as one of your ‘Friends’.

Of course, (I read somewhere that you’re not supposed to start a sentence with Of course; but I like to live dangerously), where was I… there are others who’ve specialized, even made careers out of insulting others. “ Don Rickles earned the nicknames “The Merchant of Venom” and “Mr. Warmth” for his poking fun at people of all ethnicities and all walks of life.”

But what about the common everyday Smart-Alec who doesn’t make a living insulting their friends, strangers or people who didn’t check with their mothers prior to commenting in an open social media forum? What’s the average Joe/Jane supposed to do when he/she enters a conversation only to find the other individual is never going to ‘get it’, what then?

This is a modern day challenge. In the past you’d simply shake your head and leave; but in our day of omnipresent communication abilities, there really isn’t a way to exit without appearing cowardly or uninformed. All those years of schooling, indoctrination and prejudice can’t be ignored or wasted; no, you have to get your Two Cents in.

Of all the folks I know and consider associations, some reaching close enough to be classified as Friend, I try to weed out those who ‘will never get it’. This saves time and energy; but it limits the number of times I’ll have to apologize to the Lord for yet another human frailty, another sinful act on my part…remembering that we’re supposed to be kind and loving to everyone.

I really do try to be open-minded, giving others the opportunity to admit that they are mistaken and could use a healthy dose of my insight. Those who are unable to benefit from my exhaustive library of information; well, it’s their loss and good riddance to bad baggage. Some people have never learned to enjoy sarcasm, considering everything to be on the level.

The Onion and BabalonBee take great pride in killing off these weaklings, often leaving their entrails scattered across the internet as a warning to others. Their message, have fun laughing at the ridiculous because most of the time it can’t compare or compete with what’s really happening.

All of what I’ve written to this point, this nonsense, is a set-up, a way to introduce my latest slam-dunk reply to someone who just won’t let a comment thread die. I have no idea who the individual is; and don’t figure on inviting them over for lunch to find out other areas of life on which we don’t see eye to eye.

After a prolonged exchange, (that’s when you never actually exchange ideas or convince anyone of anything), their final ‘insult’ to my intelligence was, “You watch Fox news too much”. I’m sure that must be important to some folks; but is it really an insult?

I sent the following, “I get my most important information from a Ouija Board; but since most of this data comes from dead people I must assume they are Democrats.”

Do you think this individual will request being my Friend any time soon?

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The Quid Pro Quo Flea Circus

What is all the fuss about whether or not the President of the United States did or didn’t use Quid pro quo via his position to obtain answers from the Ukraine?  Wouldn’t it be important to understand what the previous administration did, especially after Joe Biden was captured on video bragging about holding the Ukraine hostage?

The history of our nation is based on the timely use of Quid Pro Quo.  A little arm twisting here and there along with the promise of a mutually beneficial gift of taxpayer’s money goes a long way in greasing the skids.  If you turn a blind eye to this reality then you don’t understand how government works.

“Quid pro quo is a Latin phrase used in English to mean an exchange of goods or services, in which one transfer is contingent upon the other;...” (en.wikipedia.org)

Every time you turn around you hear folks wondering if President Trump committed the unpardonable sin of Quid pro quo, as if all of the sudden using the power of the Oval Office to obtain leverage on the world stage is something to be frowned upon. 

If you were serious about defining how things work, and too many folks have no clue; but if they were serious, then it would be easier to separate philanthropic actions as compared to those in which something was expected in return.  You see, a philanthropist has everything he/she needs already and so giving to those in need requires nothing in return.  Oh, perhaps the philanthropist might expect the recipient to say, “Thank you”; but even Christ healed the Ten Lepers and only one of them actually thanked him.

Let’s make a list of some items that were obtained via Quid pro quo…

Military Bases around the globe in countries that are strategically important to the United States fall on this list.

“The destroyers-for-bases deal was an agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom on September 2, 1940, according to which 50 Caldwell, Wickes, and Clemson class US Navy destroyers were transferred to the Royal Navy from the United States Navy in exchange for land rights on British possessions.”

“[President] Roosevelt used an executive agreement that did not require Congressional approval, but he came under heavy attack from antiwar political elements. The agreement violated the Neutrality Acts.”  You won’t find a record of any impeachment hearings against Roosevelt for taking credit for this action.

Oil and pipelines that deliver that oil are high on the list.  All you have to do is look at the world wide use of oil and these pipelines that travel from one country to another to understand the complex trade agreements that were made at the highest levels of government.

Any and all Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with other nations are based on agreed upon deals, some give and take from both sides. 

“The US and China have reached a 10-point trade deal that opens the Chinese market to US credit rating agencies and credit card companies.”  Is that a good deal for us? Only time will tell; but consider some of the shady deals made by folks in that haven’t been made public, at least not officially.

“Bizpacreview.com reports: Schweizer detailed how Hunter’s firm made a $1 billion private equity deal after the father and son were on a trip to China in 2013 when the vice president met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.  Other business deals with Chinese entities were also struck, benefiting the younger Biden’s company while affecting U.S. national security.”

How is this not important to the American public?  If you fell off the turnip truck, yesterday, and had no idea what Quid pro quo meant this would look rather suspicious, wouldn’t it?  Then there’s Biden and his son involved in yet another Quid pro quo issue.

“In his own words, with video cameras rolling, [Vice President] Biden described how he threatened Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in March 2016 that the Obama administration would pull $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees, sending the former Soviet republic toward insolvency, if it didn’t immediately fire Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin.”

That’s enough, you get the picture; …or do you?  There’s been a mass hysteria promoted by the Democrat Party and major news media outlets turning the country upside down as it claims President Donald Trump violated his constitutional authority and used a Quid pro quo to leverage the Ukraine into investigating possible crimes committed by a contender for the Democrat Party’s presidential candidate. 

Quite frankly, had Trump not inquired about the possibility that then Vice President Joe Biden committed a felony which sent lots and lots of money to his family via his son’s monetary windfall, then we’d have to wonder if Trump was the one who fell off the turnip truck. 

Lastly; the President has the authority to check on such illegal behavior; whether or not he exerts official leverage via a Quid pro quo deal is irrelevant.  This has all been nothing but a Flea Circus put on to entertain and distract the public.


This article has been cross posted to The Self Educated American, a publication whose banner reads, “Standing Fast By the Judeo-Christian Heritage, Limited Government and the U.S. Constitution”.

Baseball Hall of Fame and Sour Grapes

With winter comes the inevitable doldrums while awaiting Spring Training.  In only three short weeks pitchers and catchers from every team will report to get things going as the 2018 season promises to bring a smile back on our faces.  We can only watch so many repeats of The Natural, For Love of the Game, Major League, The Rookie and of course The Pride of the Yankees; couldn’t leave that one out, before we go stark raving mad.

(Image courtesy of MLB via Wikipedia)

I noticed on one of the social media forums an interest in who should or shouldn’t be considered as candidates for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Everyone has a favorite ball player and reasons why each deserves that highest of honors; but then again there are just as many who would argue, some vehemently, that because of ‘this, that or the other’ certain players should never be considered (Sour Grapes?).

A few names come to mind on the ‘this, that or the other’ list of players; those who’ve done something unforgivable, an unpardonable sin against the game which banishes them into outer darkness; well, maybe not quite that far; but certainly keeps them out of Cooperstown.

Start with everyone’s favorite bad guy, Pete Rose, who committed the unpardonable sin of betting on baseball games.  Never mind that he might well be one of the best players to ever put on a uniform…that’s not to be considered; he violated a rule so that’s it, he’s out  (Sour Grapes?).

A couple of others stick out; Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds.  Their names are sullied due to the ‘alleged’ use of banned substances that may or may not have lifted their natural abilities to such an extent as to make their careers stand out.  In the case of Bonds there was also his use of a specially designed arm hinge which ‘may’ have assisted his ability to lift the ball at just the right trajectory to get it over the wall and out of almost any stadium.  So if you mix that with physical enhancement steroids you can become a home run junkie (Sour Grapes?).

Then there’s Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire; both could knock the cover off of a baseball; but was it their own strength or was it due to steroid use?  Sosa also got caught with a corked bat when it snapped in half during a game (Sour Grapes?).

I’m sure the list could be extended with lots of names; ball players who for one reason or another ‘fell from grace’ with a portion of the public.  These individuals will never get the 75% of votes required as they appear on the ballot form.

Here’s my solution; a way of honoring the dishonored if you will.

Create a special room at Cooperstown, call it the Asterisk Room (that’s a joke, I say, that’s a joke… in honor of the 61* attached to Roger Maris by those who couldn’t stand his hitting one more Home Run than Babe Ruth; …but of course he did have more games to do it in).

In this Asterisk Room (Sour Grapes Room) we could identify the great players who totally screwed themselves from being in with all the other truly great players.  Custodians responsible for cleaning and maintenance are going to love the new annex as they clean spit off the glass more often; some folks never forgive or forget.  That said; these players deserve a place in Cooperstown.

I got through the entire article and never once mentioned the hair brained idea of speeding up the game to keep fans interested…oh please; don’t get me started.

This article has been cross posted to The Self Educated American, a publication whose banner reads, “Standing Fast By the Judeo-Christian Heritage, Limited Government and the U.S. Constitution”.

 

Who is looking after our best interests?

This past weekend it was reported that a small news team attempted to “sneak a fake explosive device”  through a TSA checkpoint at Newark’s airport.  After reading several accounts of what may or may not have happened I came away wondering if the individuals arrested actually posed a threat to society or were they performing a service by testing security measures that are currently in place?

“The TSA said members of the group “attempted to intentionally carry through the security checkpoint an item in a carry-on bag that had all of the makings of an improvised explosive device.  At the same time, others in the group covertly filmed the encounter.”’

It got their attention, that much is sure; but what threat to security was there?  The information shared gives every indication that a small group of journalists were testing to see if the folks at TSA were doing a good job.  If that’s the case then wouldn’t TSA thank them for having provided some form of proof, a means of extended job security for the Jack Booted Thugs who routinely violate everyone’s Fourth Amendment right to be secure from unwarranted searches?

According to an  article by Jeff Goldman , this was all a big misunderstanding, “Left Hook Media and Endemol Shine North America issued the explanation and an apology for the disturbance it caused at the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint after nine people associated with the show were arrested Thursday.”

TSA begged to differ, “It said the item inside the roller bag included a motor, wires and PVC pipes, “which are all indicators of an improvised explosive device such as a pipe bomb.”’

The law these individuals violated,  U.S. Code Title 18 Part I Chapter 40 section 844 , states that merely going through the TSA checkpoint with a suspicious item that “…will be used to kill, injure, or intimidate any individual…” (emphasis added) is all that’s needed to file charges, which is exactly what happened.

If these folks had worn napkins on their heads and pretended to be insulted, implied that racism against Islam was involved in the arrest process, claimed it was only a Clock; perhaps they’d have been invited to visit with former president Obama…but, hey, that’s another day, another time…

Now, let’s try this same law enforcement principle on Hillary Clinton as pertain to her handling of official government email while she was Secretary of Defense.  Did I say ‘enforcement’; I meant to say lack of enforcement, my bad.

You might recall something about a handful of email, perhaps a small basket; okay it involved a few large dump truck’s worth of official government email that were sent via Hillary Clinton over an unsecured server .  This was done in direct conflict with procedures put in place to protect national security.  But; on top of that, her handling of email, some of which were clearly labeled Classified or Top Secret…her ‘sloppy or careless handling’ of them also constituted a violation of law.

“FBI director James Comey has stuck by his claim that declining to bring charges against Hillary Clinton for mishandling classified information was the right call because proof of intent was lacking.”

So, if you’re willing to accept that lame explanation, Hillary wasn’t charged with the crime she committed because the FBI claims they can’t prove intent.  Well, maybe they need to read the law which was violated, the one which doesn’t mention anything about needing to prove intent.

Here’s what Andrew MCCarthey wrote for National Review back in May of 2017:

“…this claim is specious on multiple levels. Subsection (f) of the pertinent statute (the Espionage Act, codified at Section 793 of Title 18, U.S. Code) makes it a felony to mishandle classified information “through gross negligence” — i.e., proving Clinton was sloppy or careless (or “extremely careless,” to use Comey’s own description) could have been sufficient.”

It’s okay to arrest and charge journalists for showing how TSA does it job by filming them as they identify a fake explosive device that was incapable of harming anyone but when a real threat to national security has been identified, a member of the untouchable elites who operates an extensive Shadow Government, that individual is above the law.   If I’m mistaken I apologize…but I’m not mistaken, am I…

This article has been cross posted to The Self Educated American, a publication whose banner reads, “Standing Fast By the Judeo-Christian Heritage, Limited Government and the U.S. Constitution”.

 

Restoring Something Beautiful

We’re in the process of going through items left after my parents died.  They had an old Steeple Clock on their mantle over a fireplace that at one time had been in my grandparent’s apartment.  It didn’t work; but was too beautiful to toss in the trash and so it remained on their mantle over a fireplace that also wasn’t used.

It sat in our U-haul storage unit until this past November when we cleaned everything out to avoid having to pay anymore rent.  The clock didn’t work; but just looking at it took me on a time traveler’s trip back to when I was a young boy visiting my grandparents.

I’d spend the night on a small sofa listening and observing from my vantage point.  They’d leave the window of their small apartment open as they had no air conditioning and a gentle breeze keep the apartment moderately comfortable.

On the half hour their clock would let go a single chimed note while on the hour that same note would repeat until the indicated hour was matched.  It wasn’t a fancy chime; yet eloquent in its somber trembling.  My memory was doing its best to recall the tone that had been silenced when the inner workings had become worn.

I took the clock in for repairs and asked what it would cost to have it brought back to life.  The repairman carefully examined the old clock, admiring the craftsmanship while at the same time pointing out parts which needed replacement.

“Leave it with me any you can have it back in a few weeks.”  He went on to explain how this particular clock might be worth something to a collector.   I agreed to have it repaired in spite of realizing how much the bill would be.

Yesterday we picked the clock up and drove back to our house in the country where it was placed on the hutch, the very same hutch that had once been in my grandparent’s apartment.  Some things are worth repairing; this clock was one of them.

But that’s not why I’m writing today, at least not the main reason.

I look around and see what has happened to my country.  The thought occurred to me that it’s much like that old Steeple Clock that seemed to have outlived its usefulness.  At one time it was a beautiful instrument admired and adored; but over time and through neglect had stopped providing what it was designed to do.

This past week someone left a comment on a public forum, a comment which bothered me then; and still does.  It indicated a cancer has metastasized within our society to the point of destroying the very foundations.  Quoted as written:

“There is no such thing as “god-given” rights. Rights are those aspects of mutual respect and cooperation that the collective agrees to confer on each other, as codified in the Constitution. As for “socialist sh**holes”, socialism is the natural end result of the ongoing evolutionary imperative for humans to thrive collectively rather than attempting to do so individually. It’s just how people work.”

The magnificent workings of our nation no longer shine as brightly as they once did: worn to the point of becoming inoperable, at least that’s what some would say.  Our constitutional republic isn’t ticking strongly, if at all.  There are far too many who would be satisfied to toss it away in favor of one more to their liking, one that didn’t require as much upkeep.

The upkeep I refer to can be identified as self discipline, obedience to eternal laws and principle which shaped our nation from its infancy and at the top of that list, faith in God.  Our founders were aware of the need to be ever mindful of our Creator, the Hand of the Lord or, as often was recorded, Divine Providence as they expressed gratitude for what was given.

You aren’t foolish enough to think this nation just happened out of the blue are you? Well, apparently many of my fellow citizens haven’t got a clue.

Let’s remember, let us all remember… this land we call America was held in reserve for those who would serve Him and individual rights come from God.  The alternative is that rights are no different than entitlements dispensed from government.  If the latter is true then rights can be taken away as easily as they were given depending on who is in power.

Our constitutional republic is the prize sought after by the entire world.  For some it’s a goal worthy of anything to become part of or to emulate; for others it’s an obstacle to be destroyed, dealt with in order to bring about a totalitarian socialist Utopian collective which would remove individual liberty.

It would be difficult, even foolhardy to ignore the similarities between what the scriptures have to say…

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”—Jesus, from the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:14-16.

… and a quote by Ronald Reagan.

“America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere.”

America, the nation our founders helped bring about, that America will take quite a bit of effort to restore.  We’ve let it become run down, nearly silenced over the past several years.  But something that beautiful is worth restoring.

This article has been cross posted to The Self Educated American, a publication whose banner reads, “Standing Fast By the Judeo-Christian Heritage, Limited Government and the U.S. Constitution”.

 

51st State - New California Secession Possible

Folks who understand that self governance requires self discipline, those who’ve found themselves living on the ‘left coast’ while not being able to have a voice in that government have figured out a way to separate themselves from the fruits and nuts currently destroying the state of California. Secession; not from the United States, but the same way West Virginia distanced itself from Virginia, become a state unto itself.

(Image of proposed state boundaries courtesy of MSN’s linked article)

According to an article that showed up on msn.com, “The state of  New California  would incorporate most of the state’s rural counties, leaving the urban coastal counties to the current state of California.”

Interestingly, the folks who wish to secede and start out on their own have identified perhaps the single most important distinction that divides them from the progressives who currently are destroying that state.

“‘Yes. We have to demonstrate that we can govern ourselves before we are allowed to govern,” said founder Tom Reed.”

You see, progressives, socialists or communists; call them what you will, live on the premise that somebody else is always responsible to pay for the errors made while at the same time taking credit for any apparent advances created with other people’s money.

They refuse to consider that forcing others to go along with Social Justice schemes, redistribution of wealth or flat out corruption and tyranny have anything to do with the failures of the Utopian dream turned nightmare there in California.

I’m still waiting for Governor Brown to figure out a way to get the rest of the United States to bail California out of eminent bankruptcy.  It’s the rest of the country’s responsibility to make recompense for those who act irresponsibly; isn’t that how spoiled children view the world?

I read on one of the internet social forums where the United States might solve the on going craziness going on with the self proclaimed Sanctuary State that can’t pay for all the social programs intended to make everyone equally poor.  We could sell California to Mexico for a large sum of money, the figure was around twenty trillion dollars; but that number would be negotiable if the size of that sale were for a smaller piece of property.

Mother Nature might eventually have the deciding vote on any secession issue; but that wasn’t brought up in the discussions, at least not that anyone reported.  The San Andreas Fault runs pretty much along the lines drawn up and could deepen the divide, pun intended, between progressives and right wing conservatives struggling to achieve their goals.

The next highlighted article on the Explorer news page was about the tragic collapse of a bridge under construction down in Columbia that killed at least 10 workers.  Being a warped individual I put the two article together and considered how much easier it would be for a major earthquake to solve the problem, create a huge rift that clearly defined the borders of California and New California…it could happen.

This article has been cross posted to The Self Educated American, a publication whose banner reads, “Standing Fast By the Judeo-Christian Heritage, Limited Government and the U.S. Constitution”.

 

Tagging/Tracking Phone App ?

Some of the new cell phone Apps have me blown away; my being from an older generation where we put coins into a payphone to let our parents know we were on the way home and might be a few minutes late.  Take for instance the camera functions that let you take a snapshot of someone.  When you look at the image in your gallery the GPS program has automatically identified and marked the image as per the location where that photograph was taken via a GPS satellite synchronized with Google Maps.

No, I’m not making this up; it’s already a part of our everyday lives.  Now take that another step forward, maybe three or four days from now…

You take a picture and your fancy cell phone not only captures the image but latches onto the digital signature of the other person’s cell phone and combines this information so that the next time you view the photograph it gives you an update on where the holder of that cell phone is located in real time.  Sounds a little far fetched, doesn’t it?

I love the creativity presented by J.K. Rowling and the talented folks who’ve transformed her books into Harry Potter movies; the earlier ones being my favorites compared to the dark and ominous later movies.  Take for instance The Prisoner of Azkaban with the Marauder’s Footstep Map showing the real time location of anyone at Hogwarts Castle; Roaming the halls at night with only his magic wand and this magical map exposed lots of secrets, some of which are quite interesting if you’re a true Potterfan.

How interesting would it be if your cell phone camera could mimic the Marauder’s Map, showing the location of anyone you’d taken a picture of?

“Hey, ya’ll, Fred’s at the Texas Burger down in Madisonville.  Let’s drive on over and surprise him”.   Or perhaps, “I didn’t see John at church today.  Never mind”, pointing to a thumbnail image of him on Goggle Maps up in Dallas, “…he’s visiting his sister this weekend”.  The opportunities would be endless.

Could such an App be used as a tool for police to catch criminals, “Suspect is westbound on Main, just went behind the drug store and appears to be hiding in the alley”.  Then again… would it be another violation of privacy the NSA uses to compile information on citizens in their supposed quest to keep track of terrorist activity?  All they’d need is a snapshot taken with this new fangled technology…

My trip to the near future was a bit unsettling; maybe we should go back to using old fashioned film cameras…lucky for me I still have my old Kodak Brownie, somewhere.

This article has been cross posted to The Self Educated American, a publication whose banner reads, “Standing Fast By the Judeo-Christian Heritage, Limited Government and the U.S. Constitution”.

 

Respecting the rank without regard for the individual

In the movie, No Time For Sergeants, Private Stockdale, played by Andy Griffith, gives every indication he’d fallen off the proverbial turnip truck as a female officer approached. He’d never seen a female officer as his jaw dropped to indicate the stupor of thought.   The lecture by the Captain for not saluting an officer, regardless of gender, is taken to heart as Stockdale gathers himself, still holding the salute long after the Captain has walked off.

A very short while later he’s at the mess hall prior to having an eye exam, part of the processing tests to determine the next level of training and assignment.  When a rather nice looking female Captain walks in, one that has most everyone turning to admire her form, his sergeant asks him if he sees the attractive female Captain.

Squinting his eyes as he studies the situation over, “I don’t see no woman, I only sees a Captain”.  His sergeant rolls his eyes up in his head considering the necessity of having each and every new enlistee being processed out; his own job is threatened.  There’s no way this idiot’s going to pass any eye exam, there’s no way he’s going to process out.

Now apply this comical example of obligatory respect to the office of President of the United States.  At one time we had people who were referred to as the Loyal Opposition, folks who didn’t’ want Donald Trump, folks who thought Hillary Clinton should have won or folks who believe any and all the negative propaganda being shared on public forums or the large news media outlets; apply the same basic obligatory respect, not because you now have to respect Donald Trump; but because he is in fact the President.  It really is that simple.

Repeat in your mind, even if you don’t quite understand the principle just explained, “I don’t see Donald Trump, a man I can’t stand and who has no business being President.  I only see a President.”

Now act in a civil manner and wait for the next election; but stop the never ending whining and belittling of our President.  The rest of the world is watching and this childish behavior is embarrassing.

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This article has been cross posted to The Self Educated American, a publication whose banner reads, “Standing Fast By the Judeo-Christian Heritage, Limited Government and the U.S. Constitution”.