My Year in Review for 2012

This past year has been a good one in a material sense for me, intellectually and spiritually quiet if not diminished; actually static. Instead of resolutions, that I gave up years ago, I select the most influential moments of the past year, then reflect on what was experienced or done, and see what can be built on or needs to be taken away. Then at the macro level, there's the reflection of what's happened socio-economically and politically.

Materially I have new computer\monitor\printer, home theater system, iPhone player\speaker unit, fancy Cusinart coffee maker, Kindle Fire HD, and new luxury car. Things that make my life more enjoyable and comfortable, and for which I'm so grateful. These came about because of a combination of a good job and gifts. A nice combination to be sure.

Spiritually I've not challenged myself. Part of that is my reduced religious prayer and study time. Part of it is I've been on sabbatical from the Elders in my church. What has kept me connected is the Bible study group I attend and choir. I'm back from sabbatical and am ready to re-engage in church. Being an introvert and not so much a social person it's always a bit of a challenge, and I recognize the benefits and growth that come about because of it. I have, over this past year, bought a few religious books, read three or four of them, and recognize it's time to immerse myself in the rest. It's also time to get back to increasing prayer and devotions.

Intellectually I've been pretty lazy. I've read only sixteen books this year, mostly fiction, and much of my free time has been watching vids or TV. Having streaming movies and missed TV shows constantly available can be a great time waster (as enjoyable as it is) and mind numbing. It's time to exercise some self discipline and increase my reading and study time. Best non-fiction book of the year was Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics by Ross Gregory Douthat. Best fiction The Road Home by Jim Harrison.

While we're on best of...best movie, well, I can't make up my mind. Looking at my little blurbs I put here in my blog it must have been a pretty good movie year. I saw 26 movies. Six I gave four out of five stars in my little rating system. One I gave five stars, and that was "For Greater Glory" about the Cristero War of 1926 to 1929 in Mexico. The Mexican government declared war on Catholic Church, murdering them wholesale. A history not known by most, and I think a must see movie for all Christians. The movies I gave four stars - "Act of Valor", "Cloud Atlas", "Lincoln", "Skyfall", "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" 3D, "The Hunger Games", “2016: Obama’s America”. 

My blog posts too have fallen off, and writing so much clarifies thinking, organizes it, and puts things in perspective. It also lends itself to learning and expanding how we view things. So more writing.

Out of my sphere of influence,  other than my vote, was the election,. I viewed it as a tipping point; the solidification of a majority of citizens rejecting God, religion, Church, the traditional family, traditional values; the belief system that was the foundation of America. This election was more about how a majority of citizens "felt" than the hard cold reality of a fiscally irresponsible government, that has lead us to a point where our debt and deficient can't be paid off and will negatively impact our children's children's children. I was stunned a majority of citizens think this is a good thing. I read a couple days ago that eleven states have more people on government assistance that there are people working. A portent of things to come.

All I can do is continue with my religious and intellectual life, influence and be influenced by my sphere of family, friends, associates. A line from Gandalf in the latest Hobbit movie, he said the powerful are not so much the difference, but how ordinary people act, especially in difficult or dangerous times. Said many times before, and I pray in these troubled times enough individuals take that idea to heart.

What I take to heart is my love for, and being loved by so many. What I pray for are those that have never heard of Jesus hear of Him and that those that have put Christ out of their lives let Him back in. What I take to heart is love of my church. What I take to heart is love of our military. What I take to heart is love of my country and liberty.

    

Ted Nugent vs Leftist Anti 2nd Amendment Foreigner Piers Morgan

Ted Nugent rocks in more ways than one!



Sometimes shouting down Leftist ideologues is the only way to get a word in edgewise. They are, after all, about control; of everything, even talking.

Christmas and Criticism

One of the things about criticism is one should be or do better, or have something better to offer than what one is criticizing. Every year at this time intolerant, narrow and closed minded anti Christian bigots mouth off. The way they mouth off is rude and aggressive. One would think if attacking Christianity, which strives for love, hope, charity, peace, caring and compassion, the criticizer would show the same and then some.

Unless, I guess, these people are advocating for hate, selfishness, war, personal conflict, and not giving a damn about anyone else.

If these secularists, humanists, atheists and the like think they are superior human beings because the reject God, that they can live better lives, how does the disrespect and rudeness they attack Christians and Christmas every year a reflection of that? How does mockery show superior knowledge and behavior?

There are, and have been through time, billions of us who have felt in our lives the presence of God. The personal influence, the miraculous transformations in our lives, the linkage of everything in the design of the universe, are all so apparent to those billions of people through time. In the lives of those, incredible philosophy, writing, thought, architecture, music, charities, hospitals have been created.  

What have the insulting and mocking secularists, humanists and atheists contributed but more hate, narrow mindedness, intolerance and bigotry? What personage among them has changed thinking and history, even a little bit, as Jesus and the Apostle Paul?

Because they have nothing to offer, they demand crosses be taken down all across the land, Christmas and Easter be taken off the calendar, nativity scenes be removed from the public square (that term implies it belongs to all citizens, not just atheists), no mention of Christ in public, no prayer in public. All as if removing and denying the existence of something that brings love and goodness to billions of people is a good thing, then offering intolerance and hate as a replacement benefits culture and relationships improves people and civilization.

I'm going to be rude in turn here. The people that think that are stupid.

The Searchers: A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt by Joe Loconte

This is long to be sure, but worth the time. Profound, moving inspirational. Healing, Christianity lived, joy, love, courage, rescue, moral beauty. Christ as the transformation. Serve God, or seek Him. If you seek you do not know God. If you're not serving Him, who are you serving? Facing grief and loss and the development of faith. Thoughts on Christianity, religion, history and civilization. The need for religious liberty to pursue the truth of reality.

http://vimeo.com/53542230 

 After watching this, the book is definitely on my to read list. From Amazon book description:

Never before had they known such hope. 

 In a world drenched in violence and oppression, here was a man armed with a message of peace and freedom. Into lives nearly overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, he brought compassion and healing and the deepest joy. To people who felt like outcasts and aliens, he showed the way home. And then, in one devastating night, all their hopes collapsed. 

This is where our story begins—in the valley of despair. It is a tale of two friends, a stranger, and a search for truth in a world gone mad with doubt. 

Historian Joseph Loconte unlocks the meaning of their exchange, set in the chaotic days following the execution of Jesus of Nazareth. Drawing from literature, film, philosophy, history, and politics, Loconte shows how this biblical drama is an integral part of our own story. Sooner or later, we will find ourselves among the searchers.

Christmas Flash Mob by Journey of Faith at South Bay Galleria

It's about the birth of Jesus, the birth of the new Man, salvation, love, hope, charity. May God bless all in this season with peace and goodwill to all.

Tribute to Robert Bork RIP

A legal icon for those that believe the Constitution is our legal foundation, and in the rule of law. Highly recommend Slouching Toward Gomorrah and The Tempting of America.

It don't mean nothin'

We are facing a crisis of monument proportions. In positions of influence and power, politically, fiscally and culturally, we have people that are stupid (Pelosi, Reid, Biden), corrupt (Obama), to name a few. The people that actually come up with solutions to problems are maligned and scoffed at. Moral people are laughed at (Tim Tebow), while the profane is praised. In Viet Nam we had a phrase, existential, to cope with the monster bad shit we were in, "It don't mean nothin'". We have a national debt over $16 Trillion, unfunded liabilities of about $80 Trillion which is coming close to the total value of this nation, we have moral and social decay, and the ones in position to make some changes, show some leadership, show some courage, are chanting "It don't mean nothin'. What we have are cowards that don't take things seriously. 

Bill Whittle on Unserious People:

"The Only Hope" by Sarah Palin

Grief in Newtown

This was a Facebook post and a must read. The most truthful address and observation to where we are as a nation; that we ignore the source of our problems. The Newtown shooting of innocent children is a symptom. Palin knows the answer, the solution.

My view, as stated in serveral previous posts since the election, is we have turned our back on God, driven Him out of our culture. For that primary reason we are in this big trouble. People look to politicians to legislate us to Utopia, and Hollywood/Media to inform us of the way. That has always failed and always will. Wisdom is in people/citizens acknowledging God in their lives , not in secular "leaders".

Written by Palin, Sunday Dec 16:

Unspeakable evil slammed America in the beautiful little town of Newtown, Connecticut, just days ago. No words can express the collective shock and sorrow shared by Americans who know the murder of innocent children is the most horrendous crime imaginable. The Connecticut state motto, “Qui transtulit sustinet,” promises that only God can sustain us. Though still insufficient and unfulfilling for the grieving families of these beautiful babies in the Lord's arms now, perhaps those words are all the inconsolable loved ones can hold on to at this time. May God show His sustaining love to them right now. Please Lord.

It may seem, especially after Friday, the world is spinning fast and furious and out of control. Many political, economic, and societal problems attempt to weigh down our spirit so heavily that some despondently give up after being deceptively led to believe there is no real hope for anything getting better. And despite 24-hour news cycles with constant information flooding our eyes and ears with much white noise, TV's talking heads really have nothing meaningful to offer.

So the world spins furiously, but there is a reason its literal and figurative centrifugal force tightly holds us here together for such a time as this. Until God loosens the tie that binds us to this temporal earth, we are in it together, and we are expected to do our part to make it better. So, now is the time to speak truth, however politically incorrect some may deem it, and focus on what really matters so our nation's spirit can be lifted as we unite in the cause for a better world built on real hope. First, all truly is hopeless if your faith and hope are put in any politician or media elite. That is because the average person is more truthful and responsible than the average politician or media elite.

Those who let themselves be terribly disappointed in political leaders as they ignore real problems, aided along with a complicit media bombarding us with irrelevant distractions in order to avoid facing the reality of a fallen culture, should know those distractions are to hide from a finger pointing to the main contributors to much of our problem. To stop distracting would result in acknowledging the political and media machine's starring roles in our failing society. So, as they too often tear down those who try to do good, while elevating and celebrating corrupt selfishness, they dumbly assume we don't know it is they who significantly contribute to our upside down world today. We've learned our lesson. Don't put your hope in Hollywood or Washington. Instead, build resolve and seek truth more aggressively than ever at such a time as this.

I only know one source of truth and real hope. I call out to this hope with only childlike faith because I am so overwhelmed by the miraculous answers to my prayers that the comforting, secure hope I cling to is too inexplicable for a simpleminded person like me. Plus, because I am not a perfect Christian – and have never met one – I dare not judge others’ “Christian quotient,” and inarticulately explaining my faith is too often interpreted wrongly, hence, my thankfulness in being allowed via the Good Book to have a childlike faith that's good enough for God. Further, I do not wish to force my beliefs down anyone's throat – and simple faith does not do that. Though I'll share my faith unapologetically, I beg fellow faith-filled fallible human beings to quit pretending anyone's effective in forcing others to see the light; please also quit pretending you are holier than thou. You are not. I am not. We're merely fortunate enough to have been knocked to our knees at some point in life and grabbed hold of the opportunity to accept undeserved grace and forgiveness that allows a rebirth and its accompanying peace that passeth all understanding. I cling to it not because I am bitter, but because there is nothing better.

May this Christmas season give you a glimpse of the faith to which millions cling to, and are willing to live and die to self for. As you watch this video, even if you've never prayed before, you can ask God for revelation to what occurred 2000 years ago, what it means for today, and why we celebrate the babe born in that Bethlehem manger over 2000 years ago. And I offer this not because I have all the answers, but because many ask me from where does my hope come? How do I hang on? What do I cling to? Here is a glimpse of the foundation of my faith. May you be shown through this short clip and song that the unanswered questions, the horrible suffering, and the sacrifice of One birthed opportunity for new life and real HOPE for all of us today.

Friends, please watch this, and please don't lose hope. We mustn't lose hope! Look up! And put your time and effort in working so hard for your family and loved ones around you. Don't wait for a fallen world's politicians and pundits to do it for you. You can have within yourself the ability and opportunity to help make America strong again, and her people joyful again.

- Sarah Palin

O Come, Emmanuel - The Piano Guys