Song of Songs, Romantic Love on Valentines Day

The Song of Solomon is a love song, of passionate desire between a man and a woman. I think this is some of the most romantic and beautiful poetry ever written. It expresses love as romantic, but also a covenant between God and the lovers.

Here's a small excerpt from Chapter 4: (Him)

How beautiful you are, my darling!

Oh, how beautiful!

Your eyes behind your veil are doves.

Your hair is like a flock of goats

descending from Mount Gilead.

Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn,

coming up from the washing.

Each has its twin;

not one of them is alone.

Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon;

your mouth is lovely.

Your temples behind your veil

are like the halves of a pomegranate.

Your neck is like the tower of David,

built with elegance;

on it hang a thousand shields,

all of them shields of warriors.

Your two breasts are like two fawns,

like twin fawns of a gazelle

that browse among the lilies.

Until the day breaks

and the shadows flee,

I will go to the mountain of myrrh

and to the hill of incense.

All beautiful you are, my darling;

there is no flaw in you.

Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,

come with me from Lebanon.

Descend from the crest of Amana,

from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon,

from the lions’ dens

and the mountain haunts of the leopards.

You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride;

you have stolen my heart

with one glance of your eyes,

with one jewel of your necklace.

How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride!

How much more pleasing is your love than wine,

and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice!

Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride;

milk and honey are under your tongue.

The fragrance of your garments is like that of Lebanon.

You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride;

you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.

Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates

with choice fruits,

with henna and nard,

nard and saffron,

calamus and cinnamon,

with every kind of incense tree,

with myrrh and aloes

and all the finest spices.

You are a garden fountain,

a well of flowing water

streaming down from Lebanon.

Excerpt from Chapter 5: (Her)

My lover is radiant and ruddy,

outstanding among ten thousand.

His head is purest gold;

his hair is wavy

and black as a raven.

His eyes are like doves

by the water streams,

washed in milk,

mounted like jewels.

His cheeks are like beds of spice

yielding perfume.

His lips are like lilies

dripping with myrrh.

His arms are rods of gold

set with chrysolite.

His body is like polished ivory

decorated with sapphires.

His legs are pillars of marble

set on bases of pure gold.

His appearance is like Lebanon,

choice as its cedars.

His mouth is sweetness itself;

he is altogether lovely.

This is my lover, this my friend,

O daughters of Jerusalem.

Having and Expressing Mercy

There's a story/parable about a man that became a world famous engineer that built bridges, tunnels and railroads all over the world. He became hugely rich. Later, things went wrong, he became sick, poor, and his projects became failures. He moved back to his home town with his wife and daughter to make a living the best he could as a small farmer.

He had a neighbor with a mean and terrible dog, and one day when the man came home, the dog was attacking his daughter and had her by the throat. The daughter died, and the dog was put down. The owner of the dog was shunned, and he couldn't buy seed; he was a farmer too. The man began to feel sympathy for his neighbor, that his life was on the verge of ruin. Before sunrise one day, he took the last of his seed of barley, went to his neighbor's field and planted. When the seed came up, it showed half the neighbor's land turning green, and half the man's fields turning green. It was obvious what was done. The moral is that sometimes to be merciful, we have to sow the seeds of mercy in the field of someone that wishes us harm, and we have to make a sacrifice to make that happen.

Blessed are the Merciful, for they shall obtain Mercy.

The Greek word for mercy is 'eleemon', and going further back to Hebrew, the word is 'chesedh'. The meaning understood here is to experience with the other person, to see through his eyes. Sympathy is from two Greek words, 'syn' meaning 'together with', and 'paschein', meaning 'to experience' or 'suffer'. Much of the time we are so wrapped up in our own feelings and experiences we detach ourselves from the experience of others.

To do that we must make a conscious effort to step closer to other's experience, and understand them. Jesus tells a parable, in Matthew, about a king that forgave his servants some debts. One of the biggest debtors begged for his freedom from the debt, and the king had sympathy for him and forgave the debt. That same servant then went out, beat, and imprisoned a man that owed him. That action showing of a lack of compassion and mercy got back to the king. The king had the servant brought before him, and said, "You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?" The king had him thrown in prison with torturers. Jesus concluded the story, "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses".

God entered into his own creation, and forgave our debt to Him, and sacrificed his Son to do so. We must do no less. Be merciful, caring, compassionate. We don't know what the other person is experiencing until we see with his eyes, and when we do, we'll be blessed. We ask for our Father's Mercy.

Cars, Appliances and Cell Phones

What happens when the government buys car companies? For one, they are in competition, and in this case our government has borrowed taxpayer money (on credit since we don't have the money) to buy GM (aka 'government motors') and Chrysler, and they're losing money. The fix? Something only the power of government can do, destroy its very successful competitor with the heavy hand of its power.

Toyota is doing a recall. There are defects, the government claims, with the gas pedal of many Toyota models. The defects are unproven, and can't be replicated, yet the government has ordered Toyota to recall, involving about 56% of all Toyota and Lexus models, costing the company about $2.5 billion a month. Toyota is claiming the recall is voluntary, but Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says Obama ordered it? Toyota has shut down its U.S. plants and stopped selling eight of its models, making this the largest recall in history. Watch for sharks (aka lawyers) to start their feeding frenzy soon.

Toyota is non-union, GM and Chrysler union. Unions were and are the biggest contributors to Obama. Toyota beats the pants off GM and Chrysler in sales. The alleged "defect" is known as SUA – sudden unintended acceleration. GM and Chrysler have had complaints about SUA and there were no recalls of their cars. The gas pedal in question is supplied by The American Company (CTS of Elkhart, Ind.), and they also supply Honda, Ford, GM and Chrysler. So only the pedals supplied to Toyota have a problem and the ones supplied to GM and Chrysler work okay? Just askin'.

Breaking news. The Obama administration released yesterday (Friday) that there's going to be a 'cash for clunkers' style program for appliances. Take your old appliance in and get an "Energy Star" product and get a government rebate. This will cost another $300 million that we don't have. Some connections. NBC and MSNBC are huge campaigners, contributors, and supporters of the Obama administration. They even had 'green' broadcasts with lowered lighting and pro-global warming propaganda recently. NBC is owned by GE, which is one of the most popular appliance manufacturers. They are also major investors and manufacturers of windmills and solar panels, getting huge huge huge government subsidies doing so. Think their appliance sales may be spiking here shortly? Just askin'.

Finally, the people that objected to the 'Patriot Act', and listening to overseas conversations with terrorists, will by executive order, have their cell phone monitored, yet are strangely silent. The Obama administration wants to track each and every citizen's cell phone, arguing that warrantless tracking is permitted because Americans enjoy no "reasonable expectation of privacy". "U.S. Department of Justice lawyers say that "a customer's Fourth Amendment rights are not violated when the phone company reveals to the government its own records" that show where a mobile device placed and received calls." Quotes from CNET, full article here. Can you imagine the outcry of the Dems and Jurassic Press if the Bush administration had said that by executive order that citizens have no expectation of privacy and they can be tracked by the government? Just askin'.

Originally posted on The Windrose Hotel

Thirst and Hunger for...

What is it you want most? What's most important to you? Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

There's a story of a man that went to a Buddhist master, wanting to know the true Way or Path. They went for a walk and got to a river, and started wading across. Suddenly the Master grabbed the man, pushed him under water and held him there. After he let the man up, gasping, the Master asked, "What did you want most when you thought you were drowning?" "Air". "When you want to know the true path that badly, then you will find it."

This is true of Righteousness. You have to have a thirst so powerful, you can't go without it. Most people, want a drink, turn on the tap. Want something to eat? Open the fridge. Some think...want a spiritual drink? Go to church. Hunger for the Spirit...have communion. That may partially satisfy. The way these words are used in the Greek, it's meant as not just hunger for a piece of bread, but the whole loaf. Not just wanting a sip of water, but the whole glass.

You can't be good or do good part of the time. You can't witness or be a disciple part of the time. Thirsting and hungering for salvation and righteousness isn't a part time thing. It must inform every thought of every day in all we do.

Here is my face – Smile through it.
Here is my mouth – Speak to someone with it.
Here are my ears – Listen to someone with them.
Here is my heart – Love someone with it.
Here are my hands – Touch someone with them.
Here are my arms – Hug someone with them.
Here are my feet – Walk with them
(Writer unknown)

To do this, you must have yourself filled with the Spirit all the time.
I know that it's a struggle, that often I'm only partially filled. I fall far short of being Christlike, which is ultimately what this Beatitude is about.

Pope Hurting People in the Name of Jesus (vid)

Harry Knox, serves on Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Think that someone on a presidential religious council would have a better understanding of religion and the Pope?

This guy is a big time Statist, and has made several anti-religious comments before. Original post here on this guy. He's doesn't support the traditional male/female family, he doesn't support any kind of religious orthodoxy.

Haitian Orphans and Baptists II

Here's an update on the Baptists and Haitian orphans being so ineptly handled by Obama and his Sec of State Clinton. Original post here.

Instead of making sure that US citizens are protected from a horrible, ineffective, inept Haitian government, the ineffective, inept Secretary of State H. Clinton has had this to say: "Trafficking of human beings, particularly of children is a problem across the world." "The Haitian nation acted to protect children who were being removed from their country without appropriate documentation." "It was unfortunate that, whatever the motivation, this group of Americans took matters into their own hands." She apparently believes these religious American citizens went down there for the purpose of engaging in kidnapping and are slavers?

Clinton is acting on the information provided by the Haitian government and Jurassic Press. How is it possible that the Obama Administration and Sec of State Clinton let a dictator and his government hold American citizens in prison without charges for an indeterminate amount of time, when it's obvious this is being done only for the purpose of the Haitian government trying to prove it's a viable entity. Well, it's not. The US should demand release of these citizens, or they will be removed by force, and all future aid will be cut off.

What the Jurassic Press has failed to report is that this group from Idaho was being helped, and most of the arrangements were made, by Haitian religious leaders.

"We've excluded lobbyists from policymaking jobs." Obama

"We've excluded lobbyists from policymaking jobs." Said by Obama at his State of Disunion address. When the White house was asked about it, the response was, "we have turned away lobbyists for many, many positions." Interesting thinking. He hasn't turned away all lobbyists, just some, which makes the statement that lobbyists have been excluded a true statement. Here's some of the excluded, non excluded lobbyists in his lobbyist excluding administration.

Includes the Agency,Administration position, Former employer, Selected former lobbying clients

Barnes, Melody Domestic Policy Council Director Raben Group ACLU; Center for Reproductive Rights

Beliveau, Emmett White House Deputy Assistant for Advance Patton Boggs PriceWaterhouseCoopers; Worldwide Medical Technologies; Shaw Group

Butts, Cassandra White House Deputy Counsel Center for American Progress Center for American Progress

Corr, William Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Coven, Martha White House Special Assistant Center on Budget & Policy Priorities Center on Budget & Policy Priorities

Crowley, Phillip J. State Department Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Center for American Progress Center for American Progress

Donilon, Thomas National Security Agency Deputy National Security Advisor Fannie Mae Fannie Mae

Douglas, Derek White House Special Assistant for Urban Affairs O'Melveny & Myers; Center for American Progress Public Transportation Safety Int'l Corp.; Center for American Progress

Frye, Jocelyn Office of the First Lady Director of Policy and Projects Nat'l Partnership for Women & Families Nat'l Partnership for Women & Families

Gaspard, Patrick White House Political Affairs Director SEIU SEIU

Gomez, Gabriella Department of Education Assistant Secretary American Federation of Teachers American Federation of Teachers

Harden, Krysta Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Gordley Associates National Barley Growers Association; National Sunflower Association; American Soybean Association; U.S. Canola Association

Harris, Scott Department of Energy General Counsel Harris, Wilshire & Grannis Microsoft; Cisco; Dell; Sprint

Hayes, David Interior Department Deputy Secretary Latham & Watkins Sempra Energy; San Diego Gas & Electric; General Cigar Holdings

Hoffman, Alan Office of the Vice President Deputy Chief of Staff Timmons & Co.; RAND Corporation RAND Corporation, Unocal

Holder, Eric DOJ Attorney General Covington & Burling Global Crossing; Large Scale Biology Corporation

Kennedy, Sean White House Special Assistant AT&T AT&T

Klain, Ron Office of the Vice President Chief of Staff O'Melveny & Myers Time Warner; ImClone; Fannie Mae

Liebowitz, Jon Federal Trade Commission Chairman Motion Picture Association of America Motion Picture Association of America

Litt, Robert Office of the Director of National Intelligence General Counsel Arnold & Porter Recording Industry Association of America

Lynn, William J. Department of Defense Deputy Secretary Raytheon Raytheon

Marantis, Demetrios J. U.S. Trade Representative Deputy USTR Akin Gump Lucent Technologies

McDonough, Dennis White House Deputy Assistant to the President Center for American Progress Center for American Progress

Munoz, Cecilia White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs National Council of La Raza National Council of La Raza

Panetta, Leon CIA Director Cassidy & Associates Seismic Safety Coalition

Patterson, Mark Treasury Department Chief of Staff Goldman Sachs Goldman Sachs

Perciasepe, Robert Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Commissioner National Audubon Society National Audubon Society

Perrelli, Thomas J. Department of Justice Associate Attorney General Jenner & Block American Survivors of 8/7/98 Bombings of Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania

Poneman, Daniel Department of Energy Deputy Secretary Hogan & Hartson Payless Shoe Source

Rundlet, Peter White House Deputy Assistant Center for American Progress Center for American Progress

Sapiro, Miriam U.S. Trade Representative Deputy USTR VeriSign VeriSign

Sebelius, Kathleen Health and Human Services Secretary Kansas Trial Lawyers Association Kansas Trial Lawyers Association

Sher, Susan Office of the First Lady Chief of Staff University of Chicago Hospitals University of Chicago Hospitals

Singiser, Dana White House Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs Akin Gump AT&T; Motion Picture Association of America; Apollo Advisors; American Express; Mortgage Insurance Companies of America; Pfizer; Bank of New York

Stoner, Nancy Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water Natural Resources Defense Council Natural Resources Defense Council

Strautmanis, Michael White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Chief of Staff Association of Trial Lawyers of America Association of Trial Lawyers of America

Strickland, Thomas Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary Hogan & Hartson Amgen

Sussman, Robert M. Environmental Protection Agencye Senior Policy Counsel
Latham & Watkins Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Navistar, Business Roundtable

Sutphen, Mona White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stonebridge Int'l Angliss Int'l

Taylor, Michael Food & Drug Administration Deputy Commissioner for Foods Monsanto Monsanto

Trasvina, John Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary Mexican American Legal Defense Fund Mexican American Legal Defense Fund

Turton, Dan White House Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs Timmons & Co. Freddie Mac; Chrysler; American Medical Association; Visa

Varney, Christine DOJ Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Hogan & Hartson

Verma, Richard State Department Assistant Secretary Steptoe & Johnson Cigna; National Association of Convenience Stores; U.S.-India Business Council

Vilsack, Thomas U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Dorsey & Whitney; SELF National Education Association

Wilkins, William J. IRS Chief Counsel Wilmer Cutler Swiss Bankers Association;

Thanks to the Washington Examiner

Anonymous 4 - Miracles of Compostela (vid)

Haitian Orphans and Baptists

This is a messy confusing story, and the facts are at best muddy. Part of the problem is the Jurassic Press which has gone no farther with the story than some Baptists went to Haiti, kidnapped some orphans, and were trying to smuggle them out of the country.

Here are some details that have emerged. The Baptists are from Idaho, and came from two congregations as far as I can tell. From their website:

A ten member church team traveled to Haiti to help rescue children from one or more orphanages that had been devastated in the earthquake on January 12. The children were being taken to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic where they could be cared for and have their medical and emotional needs attended to. Our team was falsely arrested today and we are doing everything we can from this end to clear up the misunderstanding that has occurred in Port au Prince.

The Baptists had an existing program in place for orphans, and were using that agency, New Life Children’s Refuge, formed before the earthquake. The children, according to the Baptists, were being taken to a temporary refuge in the Dominican Republic, where arrangements for their care had been made, at a hotel. When they had reached the border, they were told they were missing a document, and went back to get it. That's when they were arrested for child trafficking and kidnapping. Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive: "We did not arrest Americans, we arrested kidnappers."

Apparently they were working with a Haitian pastor named Jean Sanbil of Sharing Jesus Ministries, according to the AP. Again, apparently, Sanbil had made the arrangements for the housing of the orphans in the Dominican Republic. So far the Jurassic Press has not interviewed Sanbil, Dominican Republic officials, or the staff of the hotel. Can I have a job Jurassic Press? I promise I'll do actual reporting. What a concept. Good grief.

The most information so far can be found at SBC Baptist Press site.

Right now the Baptists are being held with no charges, in dank concrete rooms. Here we have Americans that were most likely trying to help, with the aid of some Haitians, to protect some kids. I don't expect anything competent to come out of the Obama State Department or Justice Department, but allowing Americans to be treated like this is just short of criminal. $Billions have been poured into this corrupt country, and the personal generosity from Americans is stunning post earthquake, and our government doesn't walk up to their corrupt dictator that we've been supporting, Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive, and say we're taking custody of these people? Do not say a thing Bellerive, this is the way it is. Object and you're toast.

By the way, just showing an alternative perception, here's some comments from some Leftist anti-American anti-Christian hate site call The Raw Story.

"As I've already commented, these Kristian Krusaders were kidnapping children for the international sex trade. Apparently, there is more “justice” available in a decimated Haiti than in what's left of amerika. And if some old man sitting on a cloud convinced them their actions were appropriate, I suggest he should be shot down."

"They are firmly convinced that taking children away from their parents and raising them as crazed Jesus freaks is good for them. “Them” meaning the kidnappers themselves of course.
God damn these religious fucks all over the world. It really doesn't matter whether they're christian or moslem or jew or hindu or scientologist. They are all EVIL."

"Fanatical religious extremists from the USA going in to Haiti to steal children, have it easy because of the military invasion of Haiti which followed the earthquake. But there is much more to the Haiti story than the crimes of these pigs. The whole country is under occupation by our military, and virtually nobody is questioning that."

"The long standing open secret about oil in Haiti is not being covered by corporate American media. Online news sources known for their Obama propagandizing are not covering this Obma led invasion.
So neither the so called right or left is getting substantive news on Haiti.
The numerous complaints against the Obama 'rescue plan' being run by W Bush and Bill Clinton, are also not being reported."

Do any rational people believe that Baptists working with Orphans are doing so because they are really slavers selling kids into the international sex trade? Good grief. Sounds like the Prime Minister of Haiti agrees with these knuckleheads quoted above, and because of the lack of action by our president, he may think so to.

Who let the kooks out?

You Might Be a Conservative If...

I hope my Liberal friends will use some self honest evaluation, and see if any of these principles apply to you. These are Conservative principles based on Russell Kirk's writing. I hope my Conservative friends will use this to more clearly articulate our Principles.

You might be a Conservative if you believe that there exists an enduring moral order. Do you believe that there is right and wrong, that there are, and have been, constant moral truths throughout human history.

You might be a Conservative if you believe we should adhere to custom, convention, and continuity. Do you believe these things are needed to have people live in peace, that just throwing out custom, convention, and continuity like revolutionaries advocate is destructive to peace and a functioning society.

You might be a Conservative if you believe in what may be called the principle of prescription. The principle of prescription states that the experience and precedents of ideas and practices going back centuries we should abide by, that really there's nothing new that will dramatically alter an improve our human condition. Do you believe in the accumulated wisdom of our forebears.

You might be a Conservative if you believe that we should be guided by the principle of prudence. Do you believe that society is so complex, humans must be reflective and slow, and determine to the best of our ability, the consequences of our decisions.

You might be a Conservative if you believe that you should pay attention to the principle of variety. Do you believe people should be equal before the law, and if you're a religious person add equal before God; and equal in those only. Social class, ability, and other natural orders of human institutions create and support diversity. Enforcing equality of outcome promotes uniformity.

You might be a Conservative if you believe and are chastened by the principle of imperfectability. Humans are flawed, and at best we can have only flawed society.
If some men try to order society according to Utopian principles, that will only lead to rebellion and violence (examples, German Nazism, Communism, Italian Fascism). At best we can accept that our flaws and imperfections will be reflected in society, and we can change and adjust to the best of our ability to improve upon those; that because of our human imperfections, no perfect society can be created.

You might be a Conservative if you believe that freedom and property are closely linked. Private property teaches personal responsibility, and is the foundation of social stability and productivity. Without personal property, only people with power will determine how everyone will live their lives.

You might be a Conservative if you believe in voluntary community, as opposed involuntary collectivism. We should help our fellow man voluntarily within our communities, and not leave it to centralized authority. One size does not fit all, even helping people. This does not mean that large political bodies or organizations should not be involved, but even then decisions should be made by local people.

You might be a Conservative if you believe the need for prudent restraints upon power and upon human passions. There will always be persons or people that will want to dominate the citizens. Conservatives want limits with constitutional restrictions, political balances, and the enforcement of existing laws. The French and Bolshevik revolutions failed and ushered in even worse tyranny because there were no limits and checks to power.

You might be a Conservative if you believe that permanence and change must be recognized and reconciled in a vigorous society. Conservatives accept and promote change, but wants stability and continuity at the same time. Change should be in the from of increased talents and abilities, and at the same time prudent. Nothing should be wholly new or wholly old old, but continually linked one to another.

I've copied the principles Kirk has stated, and paraphrased his explanations, hoping this disclaimer avoids any plagiarism or copyright violations. To get Kirk's full statements of principle and summations, go here. I've done this to introduce these principles to some, to clarify some Conservatives' thinking, and for my Liberal friends, that maybe they'll re-assess what they think of Conservatives, and their own political values. My own transition from Marxist to Conservative took about ten years. That came about because I realized that I only knew about Conservatism what my fellow Leftists were saying, decided for intellectual honesty and integrity, and began reading Conservative writers.

Glad We Live in a Post Racial America XIV

Adding to the racist post racial verbal idiocy of Chris Matthews' saying “I forgot he was black”, referring to Obama after his State of Disunion address, was on Joy Behar's HLN show. She and racist/sexist Whoopi Goldberg were discussing Matthews' remark. Goldberg: “Well, white people- you know, this is- this has been quite a year for the white man.” Behar responded,“Traumatic.”

That Obama has run up $trillions in debts and deficits, is trying to ram through health care legislation that over 60% of citizens don't want, that his policies are Marxist, that unemployment is approaching 18%, and on and on would have anything to do with Obama not being so popular right now?

The latest event in post racial Amerika is the Left is all in a tizzy that a black woman won Miss American pageant, even though well known racist Rush Limbaugh was a judge!

Racist columnist Boyce Watkins "This week, Rush Limbaugh was standing in front of a talented black woman who was trying to become Miss America. I am not sure if Rush voted for her or not, but the black woman was able to win."

HipHopWired.com: "Her win came as a surprise to some considering that Rush Limbaugh was judging the competition."

The Cross at Groom Texas

This is the 19 story cross located on Interstate 40 at Groom, Texas. Ten million people pass by every year to see the Cross and the life size re-creations of the life of Christ.

Trace Adkins and the West Point Cadet Glee Club, USMA, ACM 2009 (vid)

Secularism, Teresa, Tebow

Two religious items have come up in the news this past week, Mother Teresa and Tim Tebow. Secularists and neo-Atheists are protesting the religious expressions of life, love, and compassion.

Mother Teresa is to be placed a postage stamp; Nobel Peace Prize winner (given she wasn't an anti American Statist this is monumental), and the safety net for thousands of the poor. The protest is about her being a religious figure. There's criteria number 9: "Stamps or stationery items shall not be issued to honor religious institutions or individuals whose principal achievements are associated with religious undertakings or beliefs."

Secularists and Atheists say her religious status should keep her off the stamp. It amazing that's the issue, and not an appreciation of one human being's personal sacrifice and organizing brilliance that brought safety, health, love, and compassion to so many. What's important?

The criteria is ridiculous and serves intolerance and bigotry. The argument that it violates separation of church and state is specious since we're constantly told the the Post Office is a private, self supporting company. There's also the problem of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X being on stamps; both were ministers. King's whole approach was from Scripture, which he quoted often. Should they be removed?

Tim Tebow, college football great, is presenting a pro-life message with his mother in a Superbowl commercial. All the Secularists and neo-Atheists are in a fuss about this too. There's been an unwritten rule for Superbowl commercials that political and social advocacy ads not be allowed. CBS has changed this. Like Teresa, the message has a religious foundation, and so must not be allowed in public. Gloria Alred is suing, based upon conjecture and not fact, showing the Statists, Feminists, and neo-Atheists are so upset they are making stuff up to stop this story of courage, love and compassion. Tebow's mother said her doctor advised her to abort her child because of some disease she had, and she said no, and gave birth to Tim.

Though anti-religious bigots do their best to quash the free speech of those that disagree with them, I think both sides are being short sighted. Tebow and his mother along with Focus on the Family are opening the door for Leftist propaganda in this venue in the future. As much as I agree with the pro-life message, Statists in the future will have yet another venue to propagate their lies. Are you ready for commercials bashing America, praising Castro and Chavez, Islamofascists, and other Statist dictators, along with all the other horrible things they support? I'd just as soon keep this one on the side lines, and stick with the unwritten rule of no advocacy ads. I just want football and stupid funny commercials for three hours.

I do wish the National Organization for Women (a really small group of less than 500,000; Concerned Women for America have over 2 million members, which doesn't get coverage in the Jurassic Press because they are Conservative), militant neo-Atheists, groups like the Freedom from Religion Foundation, would just give it a rest. Just quit whining, complaining, and protesting every little thing that doesn't fit their intolerant bigoted belief system.

The Crushed Heart of Those Who Mourn

We all lament those loved ones we've lost. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted". The heart ache. I heard a line from the show "Bones", 'A heart isn't hard like a bone, it doesn't break; it's a muscle, and it gets crushed.' Paraphrasing. It makes so much sense. I lost a dear friend to cancer two days before Christmas, and my heart was crushed. It ached under the pressure.

The Greek word 'to morn' used in this verse, is the strongest sense of loss that can be expressed. Something happens when we experience so much grief our heart aches. It's a contrast to all things being blissful and bright all the time. The desert has sun nearly all the time, and it's parched and dry. A little rain there brings lovely life. A loss shows who supports and loves us; brings us closer together. The personal ache in this Beatitude. Blessed by heart ache.

There's the altruistic in this verse. We care about the suffering of others. "God's Groceries" at our church feeding what poor we can. People from all over the world offering aid, time, money and anything else to help the Haitian people right now. Katrina, tsunami...so much loss and suffering, and we see so many others reaching out. Blessed by sharing.

Then there's the saddest of all, our own shortcomings, moral and spiritual. My heart is crushed that I'm so separated from Christ. What have we done that He had to go through what He did? We still do things that crush His heart. We grieve for this, and are contrite, repent, and take comfort in God, who still offers us forgiveness. Blessed by forgiveness and salvation.

We suffer the loss of a loved one, and are blessed being comforted and supported by those that love us. Others suffer and we reach out in love and caring, and are blessed for our sharing. We mourn the loss of Christ, and grieve our loss, and are blessed by His forgiveness. If you take one step toward God, he'll take nine steps toward you. He can change your mourning and sorrow to love and grace. That's a huge blessing and comfort.

Thomas Tallis - Why Fum'th in Fight (vid)

"Why fum'th in fight the Gentiles spite, in fury raging stout?

Why tak'th in hand the people fond, vain things to bring about?
The Kings arise, the Lords devise, in counsels met thereto,
against the Lord with false accord, against His Christ they go."

Psalter of 1567 for the first Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Matthew Parker. Written by Thomas Tallis.

Based on Psalm 2:1-2 "Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The Kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His anointed."

I keep listening to this, and each time I'm more drawn in and swathed in its harmonies.

Tribute to J D Salinger

Salinger was definitely an early influence in my appreciation of literature and of course "Catcher in the Rye" was the perfect reflection of my life as an adolescent boy. He died today at 91 years.

More than "Catcher in the Rye" as an influence was "Franny and Zooey". It introduced me to the "Jesus Prayer" and the book "The Way of the Pilgrim", an anonymous Russian book. Since my return to Christianity I do pray the "Jesus Prayer", pray a lot, and know the power of prayer. I've written of prayer here. "Franny and Zooey" I read a year or so after I graduated college. "The Way of the Pilgrim" I've read several times, and have given it as a gift. From that book, I learned that prayer and of the "Philokalia", which at that time I had never heard of. I think the impact of "The Way of the Pilgrim" is best summarized by Saint Seraphim of Sarov, "Acquire the spirit of peace, and a thousand souls around you will be saved".

"Catcher in the Rye" I got tired of. It was the favorite book of every English teacher and college lit prof. I read it in junior high, three times in high school and once in college. The only other book that approached that volume of repetitive consumption was "Huckleberry Finn".

I had also read "Raise High the Roof Beam" and "Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction". Those, sad to say, left no impression.

Salinger had a huge impact on literature, and on my literary life, and because, inadvertently, through "Franny and Zooey", my life.

RIP J D Salinger

Obama and His Populism

What happens when someone with no experience, who hasn't done anything or accomplished anything that builds character, wisdom, and knowledge, gains a position of immense power? He plays with words, manipulates emotions, attacks and blames. Eventually no one trusts him.

Columnist Bob Herbert, Suporter of Obama:

"Mr. Obama may be personally very appealing, but he has positioned himself all over the political map: the anti-Iraq war candidate who escalated the war in Afghanistan; the opponent of health insurance mandates who made a mandate to buy insurance the centerpiece of his plan; the president who stocked his administration with Wall Street insiders and went to the mat for the banks and big corporations, but who is now trying to present himself as a born-again populist.

Mr. Obama is in danger of being perceived as someone whose rhetoric, however skillful, cannot always be trusted. He is creating a credibility gap for himself, and if it widens much more he won’t be able to close it.

Mr. Obama promised during the campaign that he would be a different kind of president, one who would preside over a more open, more high-minded administration that would be far more in touch with the economic needs of ordinary working Americans. But no sooner was he elected than he put together an economic team that would protect, above all, the interests of Wall Street, the pharmaceutical industry, the health insurance companies, and so on."

Full article here.

Obama's latest response to our fiscal woes is to attack banks.

The result is that over 70% of Americans think he's anti-business, and 77% of businessmen thinks he's anti-business. Does Obama really think that after bailing out financial institutions, he can turn on them with targeted tax penalties and regulations? Will businessmen and entrepreneurs trust him and increase business and hire new people? Will they if they believe that for their efforts Obama will go after them and take their profits? Note to Obama and Statists; profits are needed to grow business and hire people. No one gets jobs, belay that, only government types get jobs, with this policy. What does government produce that generates wealth?

The "spending freeze" is a red herring. At best it'll begin in fiscal year 2011, and it won't have to be put into effect until 2012 or 2013 or 2014. What we're looking at too is $120 Billion in savings over 10 years, measured against a $12 Trillion debt. Peeing in the ocean will have as much an effect. The projected debt by the end of Obama's first term will be $14-$16 Trillion.

What little Obama understands about capitalism he hates. He has about a third of the country behind him on that. Posturing as a populist with empty words, attacking banks, insurance companies, corporations and small business just doesn't work. Americans, if nothing else, are practical. Obama is not.

MSM Worships, You Don't Get to Decide VIII

This past Friday there was a march in DC, which is the longest consecutive running one, and is attended by thousands yearly. Most people aren't aware of it because it's an anti-abortion march. ABC, CBS, NBC and AP did not cover it...at all. Usually the Jurassic Press at least mocks, demeans and insults protesters that don't fit their ideological views. The best recent example is the Tea Party Movement. Ten of thousands have protested in DC on several occasions and were insulted and called names, and millions nationwide have protested, and were insulted and called names.

The same day the NY Times, alleged 'news' paper, had a 780 page article on four protesters for illegal immigrants (read 'undocumented Democrat voters') that did a march from Miami to DC. NPR had two days of an interview with the successor to Tiller the baby killer, Leroy Carhart. Tiller, if you remember, provided abortions of babies up to full term. Cathart: "I mean, it's just extremism, it's religious terrorism." He's referring of course to people that have a problem with abortion on demand. Cathart reflects perfectly the view of the Jurassic Press.

A Brilliant Move and an Error

Two things are happening in Arizona, one good and one not so much.

The good is that talk show host and former congressman J.D. Hayworth is challenging RINO (Republican in Name Only) and Statist John McCain for the people's Arizona Senate seat. McCain is already running ads against Hayworth, who has not yet officially announced. Remember McCain of McCain/Feingold that limited free speech and was just overturned by the Supreme Court, McCain/Kennedy immigration amnesty (undocumented workers are really undocumented Democrat voters), and initially wanted Statist Joe Lieberman as his VP running mate. On all matters other than Defense, McCain supports Statist policies.

The bad is that Sarah Palin, for some odd reason, has announced she'll campaign for McCain. After McCain's staff trashed her, insulted her, lied about her; and he said nothing in her defense, or told his guys to knock it off, she's going to do this? Plus, she's made it clear she's not a Statist, so what's the deal? This is a huge political miscalculation on her part, and her political instincts up to this point have been flawless. Hopefully she's seeing something the rest of the Conservative movement isn't.

Obama Using Teleprompter to Talk to 6th Graders!

I try and stay away from politics during the weekend, but this is such a hoot. The Bamster using a teleprompter to talk to 6th graders!

Thoughts on "Avatar"

I saw "Avatar" yesterday, and was wowed by the visuals; saw it in IMAX 3D. It is the most creative cutting edge cinematography ever done. The story moved along, and for me the measure of a good movie is that I'm not aware of the passage of time, and I wasn't.

It does what it set out to do, and met, if not surpassed, all expectations. The icing is that it's a huge money maker.

I think too that the glasses we're given when going into the theater are a great metaphor for how people see the movie. Feminists found fault, health people found fault (Weaver's character smokes), traditional religious people found fault (Na'vi are animists), the Chinese dictatorship banned it, it was seen as a slam against the military and corporations, and a whole host of other perceptions. We all entered the theater with our own conceptions, and viewed it from those. A friend saw in it a 'beauty and beast story', and that never crossed my mind. I of course, being Christian and Conservative, viewed it through those lenses. I remember it being pointed out during the Beatles musical reign that which of the Beatles you identified most with was a great indicator of your personality type. (I was a Harrison fan, the spiritualist). Likewise, I think "Avatar" is an indicator of one's world view.

I've been reading Sci-fi since I learned how to read. At the end of third grade I had read all but the 'girl' books in the juvenile section, so the librarian took me upstairs to the grownups section and helped me get a card. First book out was "When Worlds Collide". With that many years of sci-fi behind me, I found the story in "Avatar" a repeat of an oft told story. Kudos to Cameron for finding a way to move it along and not bore us to death.

I highly recommend this movie. It's a joy for the things presented we like about movies and stories, and a Rorschach test for our world views. One of the reasons for its success is just that. There's something there to appeal to everyone.

Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

There's a Buddhist story of a propitiate going to a Master, wanting to become a monk, and study under him. The Master offers tea, and as he pours, the cup overfills and runs onto the serving tray. The propitiate can't stand it, and asks what's he doing?.. nothing more can go in! The Master says, 'you are full of your own ideas, speculations and opinions. Until you empty yourself of those, how can I show you Zen?'

How can we fully accept God, humble and submit ourselves to Him, unless we first empty ourselves of our own ideas, speculations, and opinions? When Jesus asked us to be poor, He's asking us to empty our cup, so He may fill us with His spirit.

There are two words for poor in Greek. 'Penes' is working poor, not rich but doing okay. The other word for poor, the one used in the Beatitudes, is 'ptochos', the worst kind of poverty; destitute and without one material possession but the clothes on your back. The Hebrew word for poor is 'ani' or 'ebion', meaning a helpless and humble man, who has put his trust in God.

I'm the cup that he pours Himself into. He pours in Love. I can express that Love with more truth and intensity than when I was full of my own notions. I humble myself before Him. In that cup there is no more room for those things that diminish me in the eyes of God.

'Blessed' in Greek, 'makarious', is something happy and joyous. It's grace, given us though salvation. My cup is full of his Love and Grace. I am Blessed.

BB King / Gary Moore - The Thrill is Gone (vid)

This is just too much fun!

St Francis, or How to be meek without being a pacifist

~ “LETTERS FROM EUROPE” - by Rob (Wind Rose Hotel) ~

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” What does this verse from the Beatitudes mean? As Steven rightly recalls in his recent post here at The Metaphysical Peregrine, most people think this beatitude means that Christians are, or should be, “weak and submissive.” On the contrary, he notes, “it takes a lot of strength and discipline to be meek.” Then he goes on to explain why such an interpretation is wrong and over-simplified. Now, not only do I agree with him, but I would take the point even further, because I think this is a major religious and cultural issue. Therefore… let’s talk about St Francis of Assisi, the meek par excellence.

St Francis of Assisi is known for his humbleness and for his amazing love for nature and all creatures. But he is also known, above all in these days, for his love of peace, to the point that he has become an icon of peace, an obvious point of reference—if not a kind of legitimizing myth—for pacifists and non-violent (left-wing and radical) anti-war activists. Yet, though St Francis certainly was “a man of peace,” these images are incomplete and somewhat misleading, because they ignore other equally important aspects of his life: the severity of his character and his (mostly unknown) stubbornness… In other words he had a strong personality, bordering sometimes on harsh (he had occasion, for instance, to reproach himself in his last years for the harshness with which he had treated his own body), and was what might be called a man of character.

The cause of such misunderstanding is due, at least in part, to the fact that the Legenda Maior Sancti Francisci, the official biography of the Saint from Assisi written by St Bonaventure of Bagnoregio on commission of the Order of Friars Minor and approved by the General Chapter of Pisa in 1263, was intended to reshape Francis in the apostolic and Christic mould, multiplying the parallels between Francis and the characters of sacred history, citing copiously from the Bible. Thus, St Bonaventure smoothed over the rough edges in Francis’s life, deleting whatever did not correspond to the image he wished to give. He based his Legenda maior primarily on three texts of Thomas of Celano (a Franciscan Friar and disciple of St Francis, and his first biographer): the Vita prima, the Vita secunda, and the Tractatus de miraculis. Thomas himself, in turn, wrote his books at the request of Pope Gregory IX and presented a saint in accordance with hagiographical topoi. But the reader, as John Tolan notes in his Saint Francis and the Sultan. The Curious History of a Christian-Muslim Encounter,

has the impression that Francis’s strong personality, with his uncertainties, his fits of righteous anger, his enthusiasm, his charm, continually overflows the hagiographical frame.

Bonaventure instead

allows the saint no doubts, no spontaneity: he confronts all with serenity, sure that he is following the holy life clearly laid out in the Bible. Hence the disappointment of many of Bonaventure’s modern readers, from Paul Sabatier in the nineteenth century to Jacques Dalarun, for whom the excision of the primitive hagiography and the consecration of only Bonaventure’s text constitutes a ‘Misadventure (malaventure) of Francis of Assisi’.

As for St Francis “the pacifist” (in the age of Crusades), it is to be said that this is a “legend” built up over recent years with the complicity of some scholars such as James Powell, Chiara Frugoni, and Giulio Basetti-Sani. Here is an example of their “strange” method: in his Vita Secunda Thomas of Celano relates that Francis predicted the crusaders’ defeat in a particularly bloody battle (traditionally identified with that of 29 August 1219). Well, for Powell this means that Francis certainly did preach against crusading in general, but Thomas modified his warnings, so as not to offend the church authorities. Yet, the episode from Thomas’ book does not lend itself to this interpretation. In fact,

for Thomas, Francis spoke out not against crusading, nor against war in general, but against fighting on one specific day, a day (as God revealed to him) that was particularly unlucky.

Thomas also claims that during the defeat Francis cried hot tears for the crusaders who fell in battle, particularly for the Spaniards, who had fought ferociously, “but he does not seem to have shed a single tear for the Muslim dead.”

Yet, according to Chiara Frugoni, “Francis, in silent disagreement with the Church, which had taken the side of the armed crusaders, championed the peaceful conversion of the infidels…”

Here is how John Tolan demolishes their reasoning:

How can we suppose, along with Powell, Basetti-Sani, and others, that Francis actively preached against the crusades in the midst of the crusader camp, and did so until the capture of Damietta, yet that no chronicler mentions this? Powell and the others have a strange method: they form an idea of Francis, a pacifist like those of the twentieth century, then affirm that Thomas of Celano hid this reality so as not to offend papal sensibilities.

Franco Cardini, in turn, argued in several articles and books against the idea that Francis represents a passage from the age of crusading to the age of mission. This idea, according to the Italian medieval historian (and renowned Arabist), rests on a false dichotomy. The two coexisted in the thirteenth century and were in no way incompatible. According to Cardini, Francis perhaps criticized the actions of some crusaders, but he was in rupture neither with the fifth crusade nor with the idea of crusading. And Benjamin Kedar, in his Crusade and Mission: European Approaches to the Muslims (1984), showed how in the thirteenth century there was no incompatibility between crusading and missionary preaching, the two being seen as complementary rather than contradictory. He rejected the idea that Francis was opposed to the crusades, and this for the simple reason that there is no source to prove it.

The truth is that, though “Francis the pacifist” is increasingly evoked in a troubled world in the aftermath of 11 September 2001, Francis participated in the fifth crusade “as a chaplain to the troops” and “not as a man of peace.”

He sought by all means to obtain martyrdom in order to reconquer the Holy Land and fell into a depression when the crusaders lost. He did not go see the sultan to dialogue but to convert him and he defied him to walk on burning coals to see who was the more powerful, Christ or Muhammad.

But, if Francis was not, by any means, a pacifist like those of the twentieth century, he was certainly a man of “great firmness” and “strength of soul.” This is how Thomas tells the story of the encounter between St Francis and Sultan Malik al-Kamil:

Now in the thirteenth year of his conversion, he journeyed to the region of Syria, while bitter and long battles were being waged daily between Christians and pagans. Taking a companion with him, he was not afraid to present himself to the sight of the sultan of the Saracens. Who is equal to the task of telling this story? What great firmness he showed standing in front of him! With great strength of soul he spoke to him, with eloquence and confidence he answered those who insulted the Christian law. Before he reached the sultan, he was captured by soldiers, insulted and beaten, but was not afraid. He did not flinch at threats of torture nor was he shaken by death threats.

Please note that at that time a cruel edict had been issued by the Sultan that whoever would bring him the head of a Christian should receive as a reward a gold piece. But the intrepid knight of Christ confidently chanted that prophetic verse: “Even if I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I shall not fear evil because you are with me” [Ps. 23: 4].

America Rising (vid) Time to Send Statists Packing!

Whooohooooo!!! This is Great! In honor of the win of Scott Brown in Massachusetts winning the people's senate seat. Even a socialist state has seen that the Statists have gone too far.

The Times They Are A-Changin' (vid)

The message for Statists today. All you elitists, senators and congressman, members of the Jurassic Press. In Mass. today, the second shot heard round the world will sound.

'The Meek Shall Inhereit the Earth' Is Not What You Think

Most people think this beatitude means that Christians are, or should be, weak and submissive. On the contrary it takes a lot of strength and discipline to be meek.

Actually, Jesus was quoting the Psalm 37:11, "But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance or peace." In Hebrew, the translation of 'meek' is 'to be molded'. The following verses in Psalms talks about the characteristics of the wicked, what they inherit, and what eventually happens to them. The Psalmist goes on talking about the characteristics of the good man, and what eventually happens to him.

In the Beatitudes, meek is translated as 'praos', meaning submission to the will of God. There is a natural order of things in God's creation, and we can be aware and act within that order; or we can, through God given free will, reject it. You can read all of Psalm 37, and see the distinctions. These verses are the foundation of what Jesus said in the Beatitudes.

You can put money, power, sex, try and control and dominate, and put yourself first; or love and care about God, family, and friends first.

We can submit to the will of God, and even though we don't understand what's going on, know that it's the very best thing for us and our loved ones, and do good. Be meek, be the clay that God forms.

Psalm 24 says "The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters."

This is the Lord's earth Jesus talks about that we inherit. Let me be the clay in the Potter's hands.

You Reap What You Sow (I love these heart warming stories)

Good morning said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on ground.

The man slowly looked up.

This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new.. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life.

His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before.. "Leave me alone," he growled.....

To his amazement, the woman continued standing.

She was smiling. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."

The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.

"What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone.

Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked..

"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?"

The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"

"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."

"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything."

"This is a good deal for you, Jack" the officer answered. "Don't blow it."

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner.. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived...

The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table.. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this, is this man in trouble?"

"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.

"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business.."

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled..."Are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"

"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

"And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?"

"What business is that of yours?"

"I'm Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company.."

"Oh."

The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was smiling. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty.."

"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

"Yes, mam... That would be very nice."

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."

The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.

"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this."

She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently.. "Jack, do you remember me?"

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes. "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar."

"I'm a little older perhaps," she said.. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."

"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."

Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said.. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."

"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it.. I was afraid that you would get into trouble... Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right."

"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.

"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card.. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons...He's the personnel director of my company.. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet... If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."

There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said.

"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus... He led me to you."

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways....

"Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.

"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And thank you for the coffee."

If you have missed knowing my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, you have missed everything in the world.

Have a Wonderful Day.. May God Bless You Always and don't forget that when you "cast your bread upon the waters," you never know how it will be returned to you..

God is so big He can cover the whole world with his Love and so small He can curl up inside your heart..

God is going to shift things around for you today and let things work in your favor..

God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close..

Have a blessed day and remember to be a blessing...

Pat Robertson, Please Shut Up

Pat Robertson made the following statement following the Haiti earthquake. [Hatians] "were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III and whatever.” “And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, ‘We will serve you if you will get us free from the French.’ True story. And so, the devil said, ‘OK, it’s a deal.’"

The anti-Christian bigot Jurassic press just loves this stuff. Goes to show, don't ya know, what a bunch of idiots and buffoons Christians are. Robertson has done many good things, but his inane utterings are hurtful to the perception of Christians.

Here's a 'rest of the story' moment. What Robertson was referring to was a legend. The leader of the Haitian revolution against the French, Jean Jacques Dessalines, made a pact with the devil (disguised as a voodoo god) to run the French out.

It's nonsense of course. Robertson shouldn't have said it. He shouldn't be talking about making hurricanes change direction because of prayers, or any natural disaster. At this point in his career, he shouldn't be saying much about anything. He should just be continuing his good works, which are huge and effective, and preach the Word. Other than that...