Come Follow Me

In the movie, Always, there’s a scene where a mechanic is working on a service vehicle used at a small private air strip.  Somehow while the motor is running it jumps into gear and takes off without a driver.  On the back of the service vehicle is a sign, Follow Me, intended to guide pilots of small aircraft to the proper location. 

(Image, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo – Adoration of the Magi – Google Art Project courtesy of Wikipedia)

As often happens in movies intended to entertain, a borderline qualified pilot happens to be landing at this precise moment as he observes and follows the unmanned service vehicle down the taxi way, across a private road, all the while everyone around is yelling for him to stop.  Eventually the truck crashes into a house at the edge of the landing strip.

I suppose it really is important to identify and validate prior to following just anyone, or in this case, anything.

Such was and is the case with the Great War in Heaven.  Satan put forth his plan whereby every soul would be guaranteed to return to Father; but man would not have his Agency, the ability to choose.  That plan was not accepted by Father and a third of the host of Heaven who wanted to follow that plan were cast out with Satan.

In the other plan… the plan we all agreed to follow, mortality would be our proving ground, a probationary period to test our resolve in obeying God’s laws.  Knowing our shortcomings Father would provide a Savior, even His Only Begotten Son.  And so the War in Heaven began…and continues to this very day.

For our safe return to Father we must decide on a daily basis if we really do want to return to Father or is it worth the effort.  Nobody is going to force you back to Heaven; but there are plenty of opportunities to stray from the path.

We’ve been given lots of help; parents who love and guide us, the scriptures and living prophets all with the purpose of showing us the way home to Father.  Still, we must decide.

Being a convert to the Church I missed out on attending Primary in my youth; however, the Lord didn’t want me to miss out entirely so along the way I’ve been privileged to serve as an instructor while getting to learn all about Sharing Time, Children’s Hymns and how to deal with a wide variety of challenges.

I remember being impressed as Sharing Time began with a roomful of high energy children bouncing off the walls.  The Chorister didn’t seem phased at all as she stood in front of them, having nodded at the sister playing the piano; asked if one of the more energetic children would assist in singing, Do As I’m Doing.

Do as I’m doing;

Follow, follow me!

Do as I’m doing;

Follow, follow me!

If I do it high or low,

If I do it fast or slow,

Do as I’m doing;

Follow, follow me!

Do as I’m doing;

Follow, follow me…

Apparently the children love this tune as they also have a chance to get the ‘wiggle worms’ out of their system.  After a couple of imaginative operations are offered, a different child helping to carry out the exercise, the children are asked to fold their arms for an opening prayer and the children have achieved a much more teachable attitude.  Someone from the Primary Presidency would then present the spiritual lesson with far fewer interruptions.

Isn’t it much the same with adults?  Take for instance the setting for the birth of our Savior.  Wise Men followed the star, traveling far until it rested over the stable where He’d been sleeping in a crib of hay.  Shepherds watching their flocks by night were greeted by angels advising them of the fulfillment of ancient scripture.

Each of us is prepared according to the Lord’s time, His knowing when our hearts have been properly prepared to receive the message of the Gospel.  For some they are born into families where the Gospel is already a daily part of their lives.  Others, myself included, wait a little longer as experiences and testing work to soften our hearts and open our minds.

The tune in my head has been bouncing around all week, Do as I’m doing, Follow, Follow Me…Do as I’m doing, Follow, Follow Me.  Funny how things like that work to our advantage if we but listen to the Spirit as it guides us to the path leading to what’s best for us.

Lucy and I had been married about 7 years when we decided it was time to toss our world upside down and have children.  I knew at that moment that I needed to know more about spiritual life, much more than I’d gathered over the years.

I hadn’t been much on attending the Presbyterian church, at least not after I’d asked some important questions to the Youth Minister and was told, “You really don’t need to know that”.   Well, I did need to know which was why I’d asked so I came to the conclusion that the reason my request was turned away was simple…this Youth Minister didn’t know the answers and it was his way of telling me to get lost.

I was about 14 at the time and had no use for formal religion until we decided to start our family.

It was time to read the Bible, only this time with the intent of actually finding out what was in it.  The New Testament was my starting point.  I had a partner who attended the Lutheran Church at the time.  He thought it was great that I’d decided to read the Bible, offering me a copy, can’t remember exactly; but it sure wasn’t the King James Version.

I got to the part where God made a Deal with Abraham…yea, it came off like a popular television show… Monty Hall pointing to Curtain Number 3… “…and for you God has a Brand New Pontiac Grand Prix with Air Conditioning, Electric Windows and Italian Leather Bucket Seats.”

I thanked him for his genuine concern and shelved that version of the Bible in favor of the King James Version.  It took a little more effort to read the archaic use of language; but somehow the intent of those words made it into my soul as I continued searching for the pathway back to our Father in Heaven.

I actually took inventory, so to speak, an inventory of those I worked with on a daily basis.  Who seemed to be happier; not because they had more money or a better car as we all were police officers making about the same pay.  No, what I was looking for I’ve learned to call, Countenance, the subtle glow which presents itself when an individual is living his/her life in accordance with Gospel principles.

It’s as if that person had a sign on them saying, Follow Me, I know the way home.

Interestingly, those individuals I’d identified as ‘persons of interest’, they all happened to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

If I were prone to assigning things as coincidence, random alignment of details to fit a theory then perhaps it wouldn’t have made such an impression on me; but I don’t believe there is such a thing as coincidence…no, everything happens for a reason including the folks we meet in passing.  It’s up to us to take notice and act on what we have been given.

In short, I knew my insurance agent was a member of the Church so I asked him to send ‘those boys on bicycles’ over so they could tell me more.  The rest is history and we joined the Church.

The Lord sent his servants to assist us in finding the path, the Plan of Salvation.  Another Hymn has been rattling around in my thoughts, one you are familiar with, Come Follow Me.

“Come, follow me,” the Savior said.

Then let us in his footsteps tread,

For thus alone can we be one

With God’s own loved, begotten Son…

I’m grateful for the many opportunities the Lord has seen fit to bless me with all these years; an angel for a wife who puts up with my short comings and loves me in spite of them, the Gospel in my life which has permitted me to follow the Iron Rod which leads us back to our Father in Heaven.  The Temple Blessings which provide the necessary ordinances for eternal marriage and families, ordinances which include all those who have gone before us and tie them together with those who have yet to arrive.

Glad I followed the right path, could just have easily tore through that house on the edge of the run way had I not been paying attention.  In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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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”.

NBC Core Values

Moments after the dismissal of Matt Lauer for “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace” NBC issued the following statement:

 

“Dear colleagues, on Monday night we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer,” Lack wrote. “It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company’s standards. As a result, we’ve decided to terminate his employment.”

Lauer, 59, had been with the “Today” show since 1994. He became the co-anchor in 1998.

“While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he’s been at NBC News,” Lack continued, “we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident. Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences. No matter who the offender, we are deeply saddened by this turn of events but we will face it together as a news organization — and do it in as transparent a manner as we can.”

I find it interesting NBC would bring up the issue of Core Values; quite frankly it might appear to be the first time NBC was aware that Core Values exist.  I took my puppy to the veterinarian yesterday and one of the first things they did was conduct a core sample to see if she had worms.  Maybe that’s the kind of core values NBC claims to have.  How’s that for imagery? 

For a company that is supposed to report the news, NBC would seem to be in the business of hiding the news in order to keep their own from being exposed.  Their coverage, or lack thereof, during the past presidential campaign and election would be one of many as can be summed up in an article by Wayne Allyne Root written back on August 10, 2016.

“It’s so bad that NBC News now stands for NO BAD CLINTON NEWS.”

Root went on to destroy the credibility of NBC as they failed to report anything on Hillary Clinton other than pure fluff rather than inform the public of the criminal nature of their pre-ordained President.  

When a real news item happened like, the bombing in Barcelona by radical Islam terrorists that killed and maimed innocent folks, “NBC gave the Barcelona terrorist attack four minutes and 32 seconds of total airtime while they gave Trump related stories seven minutes and 34 seconds. Time totals don’t include teasers or commercials.” 

This list could go on for quite a bit.  Some of you might not be old enough to remember back in 1993 when NBC rigged a GM pickup truck’s gas tanks with incendiary explosives so it would ‘prove’ how dangerous those trucks were.

“In an extraordinary public apology, NBC said Tuesday night that it erred in staging a fiery test crash of a General Motors pickup truck for its “Dateline NBC” news program and agreed to settle a defamation suit filed by the auto maker.”

About the only Core Values NBC have come with a fake applause sign as a means of improving viewer ratings…and even those ratings are in question. 
  
I’ll close with my original thought; does NBC have any Core Values, something other than a lust for money and power?

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”.

Are we celebrating Thanksgiving or Black Friday?

What are we celebrating this Thursday?  Are we taking a day off to be with family and friends to express gratitude to our Father in Heaven for the many blessings and tender mercies provided us; our ‘cornucopia’ of clothing to wear, a roof over our heads, food enough to survive and even share or have we altered our focus toward something else?  

(Image courtesy of Wikipedia/ By Peter Paul Rubens - 6QEwQbRo8rzs5A at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21897457)

 

You got it; Black Friday and huge sales events that are begging people to forget being thankful for what they have and move onward to what they might obtain if they time it just right; taking folks away from the dinner table to their computers or out to the shopping malls.

Watching television commercials, supposedly geared to Thanksgiving Day, timed messages that instead have little if anything to do with our intent to honor God for having shed His many blessings down upon us throughout the year.  No, the trend is to eat a quick meal, making sure to be done by two o’clock in the afternoon so you can race down to the local department store where millions of others will be taking advantage of spectacular pricing on items you can’t live without.  You don’t even have to leave the house as most Internet sales promise to match and includes free shipping.

How much money was spent on Black Friday in 2016?

“Shoppers spent $1.9 billion online on Thanksgiving Day and another $3.3 billion on Friday, according to Adobe.”

An article by Kimberly Amadeo explains part of the challenge to retail businesses.  It boils down to survival in today’s market place.

“Black Friday is November 24, 2017, the day after Thanksgiving. It’s traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year because it kicks off the holiday season. This season is crucial for the economy because around 30 percent of annual retail sales occur between Black Friday and Christmas. For some retailers, such as jewelers, it’s even higher -- nearly 40 percent.”

It’s been this way for many years; but can you imagine the pressure put on retailers as they recognize that this one month, calculated from the day before Thanksgiving, determines whether or not they will be in business the next year? 

   

Far too many have become members of the ‘Church of Black Friday’, having bowed down to their god of prosperity and once in a life time deals, their golden calf if you will.

 

Wouldn’t it be better to give thanks to God and take the day off with family as a way to open the door for other blessings; blessings which often include prosperity and timely help from above as each day’s challenges are somehow met successfully?

“… Choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

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”.

Behold

I’d taken this photograph a week ago and posted it on Facebook to share with my friends accompanied by a short but thoughtful text.

“I noticed that fall decided to make an appearance here in Buffalo, Texas. This tree is on our property and should be glorious to behold as the rest of it chimes in.”

Interestingly, the lesson presented by Brother Young in the Priesthood hour this past Sunday focused on the meaning of the word ‘behold’ and immediately I remembered having used that word to express my appreciation for an event that had yet come to fruition.

During the lesson my mind drifted to the scriptural account of Jesus on the cross and the words, “Behold thy mother”.  Had I missed the intended meaning of this simple command?

I went back and read a talk given by Thomas S. Monson in General Conference of 1998,  Behold Thy Mother , where he explained an important link between God, the Creator of all, and mothers who fill a similar role.

“As we truly listen to that gentle command and with gladness obey its intent, gone forever will be the vast legions of “mothers forgotten.” Everywhere present will be “mothers remembered,” “mothers blessed,” and “mothers loved”; and, as in the beginning, God will once again survey the workmanship of His own hand and be led to say, “It is very good.”

May each of us treasure this truth: One cannot forget mother and remember God. One cannot remember mother and forget God. Why?  Because these two sacred persons, God and mother, partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, in service, are as one.”

Behold…  Do we see the beauty all around us and consider it as a gift… really?  When we contemplate the efforts and sacrifice of others who make our lives a little better can we appreciate, really appreciate all that is done, all that will yet be done for our benefit?  That and so much more is included in that simple word, behold.

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”.

 

Retired Locksmiths Don’t Need a License

I’m now retired; figured I’d better make it official seeing as how my Texas Locksmith License is up for renewal in September.  I wonder; will the State send me an official notice telling me my license is suspended when I don’t purchase locksmith insurance and send them a copy showing I jumped through that particular hoop.

I was a locksmith long before the State of Texas decided to revoke part of my inalienable rights.  Then one day the State forced locksmiths to obtain a license for that which was an otherwise lawful endeavor.  Over the years I’ve mentioned this to the Department of Public Safety, those letters were mostly ignored. 

What a shame; it would have been nice to have full citizenship, to be able to work without asking the State's permission, without paying a fee for the privilege of earning a living.

Maybe the State of Texas will present me with a gold watch in honor of my forty years serving the public.  Add that to other improbable events; like Hillary Clinton being held accountable for any number of alleged criminal acts committed over her career as a public servant.   

No, the State of Texas will automatically mail me a form letter advising me to cease any and all locksmith business as they classify me as officially Suspended.  I won’t call them letting them know I’ve retired.  They might send a uniformed trooper to my door; a chance for him to meet my grandchildren since I spend most of my time at my place in the country.  I’ve come to the conclusion that the only thing the Department of Public Safety does when they open an envelope is look for a check, deposit that check and mark the appropriate applicant’s folder “Paid”.

It will be up to someone else to carry on the fight for the right to work without a license.  I knew that one day retirement would come; well how about that, I’m retired.

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”.

But it’s just a statue…

This past week in our nation we’ve seen lawless individuals and groups of thugs attacking anyone who disagrees with their extreme views of a new America, destroying statues they considered offensive, predominantly statues of Civil War heroes.  Some have claimed these statues are nothing more than reminders of White Privilege and domination over Blacks, that they have no place in our day. 

After the carnage in Charlottesville other cities have shown their cowardice in the face of anti-American dissidents (criminals).

“In a stealth purging of history, the city of Baltimore removed four Confederate statues from city property under cover of night early Tuesday morning.”

Then what about those who vandalized the Lincoln Memorial, spray painting vile profanities in protestation of … of what?

It has been written about the Lincoln Memorial:

“The Memorial is replete with symbolic elements. The 36 columns represent the states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death; the 48 stone festoons above the columns represent the 48 states in 1922. Inside, each inscription is surmounted by a 60-by-12-foot (18.3 by 3.7 m) mural by Jules Guerin portraying principles seen as evident in Lincoln's life: Freedom, Liberty, Immortality, Justice, and the Law on the south wall; Unity, Fraternity, and Charity on the north. Cypress trees, representing Eternity, are in the murals' backgrounds. The murals' paint incorporated kerosene and wax to protect the exposed artwork from fluctuations in temperature and moisture.”  

Perhaps the lawless thugs are protesting Freedom, Liberty, Immortality, Justice and the Law.  That may well be true as they go about attacking just about everything sacred to law abiding Americans.

While glancing over a variety of Facebook entries one in particular caught my eye.  No credit was offered as to who first made the entry, not that it needed an author. 

“How is erasing history or tearing down statues any different than burning books?”

Leading up to WWII the Third Reich went on a campaign to destroy any and all records life prior to their totalitarian rule.  Book burnings became a patriotic symbol of moving forward toward the new Germany.  Is history repeating itself here in our day, in our nation?

Where does the censorship of American history end, what or who is immune from these attacks?  In yet a different article out of Chicago a demand was made to remove a statue of George Washington.

‘“Bishop James Dukes sent a letter to Mayor Emanuel and the Chicago Park District on Monday asking the City of Chicago to rename Washington and Jackson Parks which commemorate former presidents George Washington and Andrew Jackson, key historical figures and known slave owners,” reports WGN TV.”

Folks entering the United States via New York harbor have enjoyed the inspiring view of the Statue of Liberty.  Words associated with this symbol of individual freedom read,  “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”

Nowhere does it imply destruction of another individual’s rights or liberty; only an invitation to find your own place within our established society.

Someone on Facebook cautiously wrote across an image of Miss Liberty, “Am I next?”, the obvious implication as to her being removed along with everything else we hold dear.

If you connect the dots, a process which can be applied to multiple situations while attempting to determine a purpose greater than any incident by itself; if you connect the dots… then this is a calculated attack at the foundations of our constitutional republic, nothing short of a declaration of war by those who detest individual liberty and prefer chaos and ruin.

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”.

How We Spent Spring Break

My wife and I went to Florida this past week.  We found that travel and lodging during Spring Break involves cashing in a couple of CDs since prices qualify for gouging; but that’s a whole other story.

The purpose of our trip was to scatter my father’s ashes, a gesture of respect which gave us closure, much as having a formal funeral puts a period at the end of a sentence.

The funeral home supplied a TSA approved urn made of nicely polished wood containing dad’s cremated ashes along with an official letter issued by the State of Texas for permission to transport human remains. 

We showed up earlier than normal to avoid complications should the urn not pass TSA check point guidelines as advised.  We were told that his urn would be considered ‘carry on luggage’; dwell on that for a moment.  We’d placed the urn in a blue plastic bag from Sketchers shoe store so as not to alarm folks at the airport.

Thinking of dad as ‘carry on luggage’ made me smile, a morbid sense of humor that a retired night shift cop would find amusing.  At least we didn’t have to purchase a ticket and put a seat belt around the urn.

The folks at the TSA check point ran the urn through their X-ray machine twice and then took several swabs with chemically treated patches to make sure it didn’t contain bomb making substances.  Dad passed (actually he ‘passed’ back in October) and we placed him in the overhead luggage compartment without incident.

Dad’s Pastor volunteered the use of his boat as he ferried my sister and her husband along with my wife and me to the same location where mom’s ashes had been scattered last August.  We had an informal burial service and for all practical purposes we’d accomplished our mission.

But that’s not why I’m writing…

TSA flagged my wife’s carry on luggage; something raised suspicion as it went through the X-ray machine.  We were herded over to a steel table where they went though every inch of it.  A coin purse had too many quarters which prevented them from figuring out what it was. 

They went through the toiletries and told us we had a tube of liquid material that exceeded the Three and One Half Ounce Rule, a brand new unopened tube of doTerra Deep Blue Rub, essential oils used to ease pain and assist the body in a number of ways.  There are strict rules from the FDA which forbid essential oil retailers from saying essential oils ‘cure’ anything or they come after us for making an unsubstantiated product claim.

Let’s just say some folks find essential oils help and leave it at that.  I use essential oils rather than drugs ‘Big Pharma’ and pill pushing doctors want me to use. 

The TSA threw my perfectly good Thirty Dollar tube of Deep Blue Rub in the trash…  It was half an ounce over their arbitrarily determined limit for liquids making it suspect for bomb making material used by terrorists to blow up an airplane.

Neither my wife nor I fit the profile of Islamic Terrorists; but common sense got thrown in the trash can along with profiling individuals.  99 % of terrorism is carried out by followers of Islam; but that other 1%... just might be us. 

It’s part of being Politically Correct so as not to antagonize Muslims who’ve already declared war on Western Civilization, promising to either enslave or murder us at their discretion.  

I suggested that one solution would be for me to squeeze out half of the tube in the trash thereby saving me fifteen dollars worth of Deep Blue Rub; it would, after all be well under the three and one half ounce arbitrarily arrived at limit.

“We’re not permitted to do that.  You’ll have to throw it all in the trash”.  My wife reminded me that boarding the airplane was a better idea than going to prison so I permitted the veins in my neck to remain swollen until we’d passed by the TSA folks.

Has anyone considered the absurdity of what I’ve pointed out? 

The 4th Amendment reads:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

The 4^th Amendment was written specifically to prevent government officials from conducting searches without probable cause or search warrants.  I felt violated because my right to be secure from an unreasonable search and seizure was ignored…; but it was for my own good and the security of our nation, Spit!

The courts have interpreted the language of our Founders to mean anything they damn well want it to mean as individual rights and the constitution have been thrown into the trash can of obscurity where it lies crumpled and bruised. 

I’ve heard Deep Blue Rub is good for bruises…

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”.

Allo and the 4th Amendment

There’s a new program available from Google for Messaging, it’s called Allo and the download is free according to their promotion.  

“Google will use that data to improve parts of the app, such as its smart replies feature. That will allow the app to read through conversations and try and work out how people talk – it can then use that data to suggest what they might want to say to their friends.”

Wonderful, now your smart phone can figure out what you might say before you’ve come up with the words on your own…But that’s not nearly as important as Google storing everything you’ve said so they can plan a marketing strategy based on your interests.

Unlike other messaging programs, Google will save everything you say… Forever.

“… By keeping track of all messages, Allo conversations will be accessible by law enforcement with warrants…”

The courts have ignored the intent of our Founders when they wrote down the Bill of Rights to be added to our Constitution.  These black robed jurists somehow think that electronic conversations aren’t covered the same way as other forms of communication.  After all, Thomas Jefferson didn’t have a Smart Phone so those aren’t the same as letters mailed or hand delivered during correspondence.

4th Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Government agencies have been ignoring the 4^th Amendment for so long now as to make it obsolete. 

Go to any airport and watch as passengers awaiting boarding are randomly pulled out of line for invasive body searches.  There is no probable cause for searches, no warrant from a judge…but it’s for the safety of everyone... so we ‘voluntarily’ abandon the 4^th Amendment because it might stop an Islamic Terrorist from taking out the Empire State Building while murdering hundreds of innocent citizens.

Under the same pretense of protecting us from Islamic Terrorists, substitute 'other dangers' if that term makes you uncomfortable, the NSA listens in on just about every conversation that hits the air.  Supposedly they only listen in on folks considered terrorists;  but… that opens the door to listening in on just about anyone for just about any reason.

According to Edward Snowden, famous for leaking more information than was thought possible, government agencies listen in, with or without warrants and keep everything they come across, doesn’t matter what it is, it gets filed away.  Someday they might use that information to embarrass or humiliate someone running for high office… Nah, that would never happen.

Then there’s the idea that the 4^th Amendment isn’t in play if you are within a hundred miles of the border or point of entry into the country.  That must have been part of the digital recording that Thomas Jefferson had deleted when he and the other Founders were formulating the best ways to protect individual God given inalienable rights.

As a police officer it was part of my job to inform you that anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law, it’s part of the Miranda Warning given to suspects upon their arrest.

In our day you had better understand that anything you say can and will be used…for what ever Google, its advertisers or the government wants to do with it.  You have no rights in a totalitarian state.

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”.

Fractured Gospel Tales

It should be noted that the first airing of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, at the time called, Rocky and Friends, happened back in 1959. I was only nine at the time while enjoying the characters and stories, looking forward with eagerness for each new show. The light hearted style had humor which could be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

One of my favorite parts was the Fractured Fairy Tale portion in which short morality plays were offered; a little twisted perhaps, but entertaining none the less.  These skits were narrated by Edward Everett Horton, a master of elocution with just the right amount of sarcasm in his presentation to make me appreciate the English language.

Perhaps my upbringing under such influences has something to do with last week’s Primary lesson to the seven year old children.  We were talking about the powers which created the Earth, that being the priesthood power of Jesus Christ, who is also referred to as the Creator at times.

One of the children began telling from memory, the miracle of the fishes and loaves when the Lord fed the multitude as found in Matthew 14:17-20. 

And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

He said, Bring them hither to me.

And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

I asked if they were aware that there were leftovers and there was enough of a pause for me to add, “You did know that Jesus is responsible for inventing Tupperware?  How else would he keep from having to throw away so much food?”

My team teaching partner for the day, Brother Reid, shook his head and wondered what other curious information had been shared with these young people.  

It helps if you know how to smile and wink at the appropriate moment when telling children stories; they know when you’re pulling their legs, yes, they really do know.

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”.